'Hey, little one. Wake up.'
With closed eyes, I frowned. "Five more minutes, Fenrir..." I mumbled as I turned to the side, draping my arms and legs over something cold yet warm. It was familiar, but I didn't dare to open my eyes. I snuggled more. "Hmm...I love your smell." I mumbled sleepily over the familiar and soothing scent when I heard a snickering voice from Fenrir. "Shut up and let me sleep more. I slept late."
'I know. I've been watching. And I'm grateful we're on the same page when it comes to our mate.'
My ears twitched to Fenrir's amused tone, but what caught my attention was the word I despised yet couldn't ignore when Mirxalyn was involved. "If you're speaking about Mirxa, please, not now. I want to sleep against this pillow."
'How sure are you it was a pillow?'
I went still, confused. But with Fenrir's message registered clearly, I frowned and opened my eyes. Instantly, my face grew warm as I realized I was entangled with my wife. I was internally panicking, but didn't want to move—better said, I didn't want to disturb how peaceful she looked asleep. Or pretending to be sleeping. I studied her features, and the unpredictable, enigmatic wife was gone. I only saw the peace that nobody knew she could possess.
"I'm not dreaming, right?" I mumbled softly, watching my wife sleep peacefully beside me.
'Partial.'
I pouted and whined like a child. "Fenrir..."
'I had the name that soon you'll know, or perhaps, you already know but still doubting.'
I frowned since her words held a message, which potentially answered my question at the back of my head. I sighed. "Why be mysterious?"
'It's fun?'
"Fenrir." I was taken aback. I didn't consider that I would be a part of her amusement. I sighed and went serious as I gently brushed Mirxalyn's hair away from her face. "Tell me the truth, why me? Mikyle said once that Fenrir's visit to a werewolf was rare and advised me to learn from you when you talk to me."
'He's right. This is rare, but you're chosen. My chosen wolf.'
My eyes narrowed, and I said, "Chosen wolf? I don't get you. I don't have a wolf anymore and..." I tried to move and get out of the bed, but my wife's arms pulled me closer, pulling me back into her chest, and I sighed. Then I continued. "...and if you're her, you already saw my wolf when we parted."
'I chose you before you learn how to breathe. I've watched in darkness until Sigbin saved you from the fall. It was her last strength and her last wish.'
I frowned, curious about what my Sigbin wished before she died. Then I asked desperately, almost sitting up, if Mirxalyn's arms didn't stop it. "Wish? What's her last wish?"
'Her wish was simple. She wished for you to have a happy life, full of strength and freedom to be yourself and to have a lover who could see and love you better than you could...'
I was speechless, overwhelmed with emotion because my Sigbin had been thinking of me. Even in her last moments, she put me first. I cried silently.
'More than that, the Moon released my shackles, which explains the awakening of your abilities and powers. But to balance life and death, the highest heaven put your fate in cultivating turbulence.'
"T-that's sounds frightening..." I scoffed sheepishly, not believing what she was saying because I was nobody. Then I mumbled softly, "I'm nobody..." Yes, I could accept that the Fenrir and the Moon had chosen me, but when the highest heaven got involved, that was something else. And I am nobody compared to Mirxalyn and the others. I was nothing. Then I started trembling, stuttering, "I-I don't understand... your message...it's scaring me..."
'I know it does. But Bernila, everything that's happening with you has a reason. The strange things happening within are a sign of awakening. So, wake up and learn a part of your truth.'
Even though I denied it, my mind kept thinking of the changes that had been happening to me ever since my Sigbin left, moving to a new place, and marrying Mirxalyn. Fenrir's message made sense—and scared the hell out of me.
With a trembling body, I admitted. "Fenrir, I'm scared..."
'I know, but I'm with you.'
"Fenrir..." I mumbled as I heard her voice fading.
'Wake up, little one. Wake up...'
Then the Fenrir's fading voice became an imperious and worried voice from my wife. "BERNILA!" She was shaking me, trying to wake me up from dreaming. "WAKE UP, BABY!"
I was taken aback by what she addressed me. I blushed, but I found myself teasing her despite my bedroom voice. "You called me baby." Mirxalyn opened her mouth, trying to say something, but she ended up clenching her jaw and kissing my temple tenderly. I felt her worry, and I felt guilty for teasing her. "Sorry, I made you worry. Again."
She pulled away, cupped my face, checking if I hurt something or what, before asking softly, "What did you dream of?"
"You..." I answered, but Mirxalyn sensed I was giving her a half-answer, and I sighed. "...and the midnight blue fenrir." She was speechless, but she clenched her jaw again, trying to suppress something she knew that I didn't. My eyes narrowed, studying her, but knowing that reaction, I knew I wouldn't be getting anything from her. "You know you're doing it again." She frowned, and I sighed, continuing, "Whenever you clenched your jaw, you're either suppressing your words from telling the truth or controlling your temper."
"Oh, I didn't realize you would notice." She sheepishly smiled as she sat beside me.
I smiled, shaking my head before I sighed, saying, "I know you want to hold it until it is the right time to learned them from you. But Mirxa, don't forget we're married, we're mates. And wherever this relationship leads us to, please, as much as possible, tell me, even if they were vague." I squeezed her hand above my lap before grinning proudly, flipping my hair a little. "You married a bookworm woman. So, practically, I'm clever enough to learn them on my own."
Mirxalyn smirked, shaking her head. Then she teased. "Did you just flip your hair there?"
"I did." I mocked playfully before acting like a boss. "Got a problem with that?"
She understood my playfulness and bowed respectfully, but snickering, "No, ma'am."
"Good, now go to whatever commitment you had today because I need to prepare for my chaotic visitor." I pushed her lightly away from the bed before I stood up, stretching as her eyes watched me tenderly. I shivered, but didn't bother to comment on that.
"Oh, you mean, Talia?" She guessed right on target.
"Is there any chaotic friend I had I should know about?" I sarcastically asked.
Mirxalyn playfully thought about it and answered guessingly. "Hm, pretty much my sister."
"Oh, I almost forgot her." I gasped, covering my mouth.
"Silly." She chuckled and stole a kiss on my cheek before grabbing her coat resting on the couch. "I'll be around the port's lighthouse. I want to check our fishermen and their security."
"Don't work too much." I reminded her because she had been returning late for dinner.
"So do you." She returned the favor. I rolled my eyes, dropping that subject.
I changed the subject, asking her for her time. "See you when?"
"Dinner, and I hope you'll cook me that steak with potato salad." She answered and even requested what she wanted to eat.
"Then don't be late." I smiled, and with one nod, she was gone. "What's the sense of putting a door if she's going to use the window? Right, vampire."
***
After my typical routine around the manor, I decided to hold my physical training and went to my greenhouse. I dropped the protective ward, and only the selective visitors could enter the greenhouse.
The greenhouse was more pleasing and divided into sections; on my left was my crafty side, where the painting of the Fenrir was, with my swords displayed on the top of the cabinet. At my right was my art area, where paints, canvases, and other art materials were stored neatly on the shelves, and at the center was the music area, where the grand piano remained untouched.
I walked toward the piano, and by the time my fingers felt the keys, I pressed them, creating a melody. "I think I should write something..." I decided. I grabbed a music sheet and wrote a poem, expressing a feeling. "Hm, let's try this,"
I began putting notes and chords on the music sheet where the poetry was written, and the more it was filled with notes, the more it became much like lyrics.
"Only you, my love, are full of poetry
Guitar sound and song melody
Even if the voice fades, it will not disappear
You carry a secret
You are my music..."
I tried singing the lyrics before adjusting a little and did a rerun. Then I continued to the first stanza.
"If the day comes that you won't remember
My face is your eye
Dear, don't worry, it's a sign of the heart.
The look of being in love..."
When I was trying out how it sounds, Mirxalyn's face flickered in my mind, and then I found myself smiling before proceeding to the rest of the lyrics.
"If only time would come back
I will return the first time I saw you
I will love you again when I experience it again
The one who fell in love with an angel on earth..."
I stopped testing it out, not because I was done composing, but because I was disturbed when I felt my chaotic visitor suddenly barging in without knocking. She was like Almira, but she entered the greenhouse epically.
She did a front roll before bowing like a loyal servant on her knees. "You're loyal beta knight has arrived."
"Well, she's the only one who could enter my space like that," I responded, not looking at her, and wrote the next part of my poetry. But I couldn't finish it. Talia's presence with Allison and Almira tripled the chaos. They were loitering around, laughing animatedly over Talia's funny comment to every staff member she checked. "Talia, would you mind shutting up?"
Talia grinned mischievously, and whenever she does, it is bad. "Hm, and go along with your silence? No." Her grin went deeper as she stepped closer to me, adding, "And besides, I felt it. So let's test it out."
I stood up from the piano's bench and tried to look away, but they were blocking it. I asked as calmly as I could. "Test what?"
"Your combat skill." She answered, amused, but I hate it when she is being mischievous.
My eyes went wide, and I looked horrified, shaking my head as I stepped backwards. "No, you won't."
"Almira already prepared it, and we're to pick you up." She grinned, stepping closer, but when I took one more step backwards, I bumped into Almira, who was grinning too.
"This can't be happening." I quivered, denying that Almira joined forces with Talia's mischievous scheme. I turned to Allison, pleading, "Allison."
She looked away apologetically. "Sorry, but I can't."
I felt betrayed. I tried to run, but Almira held me, and Talia's mischievousness was draping around me maliciously. "So, shall we break your bones again?"
"NO!!!" I screamed, and I was abducted.
***
Loud clattering sounds were coming from the training area where the ground was dug, walls were cracked, benches were split apart, and some dents were left on some posts. But as the thick dust subsided, the trio was panting badly. Allison lay on the ground, struggling to stand. Almira knelt, barely supported by her wooden sword. Talia was last, sprawled on her back. All of them looked at me with a mix of expressions of disbelief and pride.
Talia laughed and commented, "You kept denying it, but here we are, fair and square, you defeated us."
I don't want to admit it, but the result was already etched not only in my mind, but also in my body. I sighed. "I don't want it, but fine. I admit it."
Almira composed herself and helped Allison up before she reminded me. "Good, because your class will involve this."
"You've got to be kidding me." I groaned, collapsing on the ground. I looked deeply into the clear sky when I recalled what the Fenrir told me earlier. I sat up and asked, "Talia, what's my truth?" She choked her drink before looking with her scrutinizing eyes. "I dreamed of it. So, tell me, what should I know about myself that I didn't know?"