Night:
A full week has passed since that exhausting night, and Sera has not yet opened her eyes.
Anxiety weighed heavily on everyone, but Lauren's calm voice acted as an anchor in a sea of fear.
"She is fine, I assure you,"
Lauren said with a confident tone, a reassuring smile gracing her face.
"Her body is going through a necessary adaptation phase to integrate the new power she has acquired. Once this fusion is complete and she recovers, she will wake up stronger than ever."
Lauren's words planted hope in souls thirsty for reassurance.
They watched Sera as she lay in peace, as if in a deep slumber, waiting for the moment she would return to life and shine again with her new strength.
Here I am, sitting opposite her as I do every night, occupying my usual seat by her bed, contemplating her calm features that haven't changed throughout a week of deep sleep.
Nothing in her pale face suggests the storm she carries within.
My eyes were drawn to the mark adorning her neck—a mark that wasn't there before.
It was an intricate design of two merged wolves, circling each other in an eternal loop, topped with a crown exuding prestige and authority.
The mark shimmered with a faint silver hue under the dim moonlight filtering through the window, like a secret pulse of life visible to no one but me.
I sighed deeply, Lauren's words echoing in my mind:
"She will wake up as soon as her body improves and merges with the power."
"How will she react when she wakes up and realizes I marked her without her knowledge?"
I asked myself in a low voice. Will she meet me with a warm smile, or with screams and biting insults?
I hope she doesn't start shouting and blaming, for I won't be able to restrain my anger then.
As I left the room, I closed the door behind me with a silence that was barely audible, as if fearing a faint sound might wake the one in deep slumber.
My office was calling me, where piles of accumulated work awaited—the result of a foolish decision I made myself.
I sighed deeply, remembering that I had granted Arin a two-day leave to enjoy his time with the mate he found after a long search.
Despite my internal grumbling, I couldn't help but smile slightly and say to myself:
"He deserves it."
I cannot forget the happiness that overwhelmed him when he finally found her, after all those long nights of loneliness and waiting.
His happiness was enough to make me forget my anxiety and the mountain of work; he deserved these quiet moments, even at my expense.
As I sat behind my desk and began processing papers, a part of my mind remained tethered to the other room, with the girl lying in her sleep, and in my heart, a prayer that she would wake up soon, fully restored in strength.
•••••••••••••••••••••♦♦♦•••••••••••••••••••
In that quiet room, where only the sound of her rhythmic breathing could be heard, Sera lay on the bed, immersed in deep sleep after a full week of exhaustion.
But her calm did not last long.
Her features began to crinkle, as if an internal struggle was raging in her depths.
Her brow furrowed with signs of pain, as if she were seeing something horrific in her dreams.
This was followed by a faint moan, like a stifled hiss, escaping her delicate lips.
Her body trembled slightly, and beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.
There was no doubt that a disturbing nightmare had begun to haunt her in the world of dreams—a nightmare linked to the new power she obtained or the fusion her body was undergoing.
This nightmare was a reflection of the conflict deep within her between the power she gained and her old self, still trying to hold on.
The mark of the two wolves and the crown on her neck glowed with a faint light, as if intensifying the nightmare.
That mark indicated that the fusion between the power and the body was not yet complete, and that more changes were to come for Sera.
Her expression shifted from pain to fear, and from fear to anger. These contradictory emotions reflected the battle within.
She is not just a sleeping girl; she is a soul fighting for survival.
•••••••••••••••••••••♦♦♦•••••••••••••••••••
Sera:
I opened my eyes to nothingness—just pitch blackness surrounding me from every direction.
No earth, no sky, no stars, not even a ray of light to offer hope. My heart constricted in terror, and I wondered in shock:
"Am I dead?"
This dark place completely contradicted what I had heard about heaven—about eternal light and matchless beauty.
I saw nothing but this desolate darkness that suffocated me and stirred feelings of loss and fear.
Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced the silence of the void. It wasn't a scream or a cry, but a delicate voice that carried extraordinary power.
"It's Seran, my wolf!"
I whispered to myself, my heart racing.
She was calling me,
"Sera, follow my voice!"
Even though I saw nothing, I obeyed her command. I had no other choice; her voice was like the lone star in this eternal night, guiding me toward the unknown light.
I began to walk, following her voice which echoed in my ears. Every step in this dark vacuum felt heavy.
I continued walking through that black void, following Seran's voice, which grew clearer with every step.
Suddenly, she manifested before me. She wasn't just a voice in the dark; she stood there, pitch black as I had always known her, but she was different.
She stood with total confidence, her sharp gaze piercing the darkness, but glimpses of change were evident.
Flaming red streaks stood out from her black fur, like tongues of fire flowing over her skin.
These streaks contrasted with her usual black color, giving her an appearance of power and vigor I had never seen before.
Her eyes were no less striking, glowing with a crimson-red color like burning fires.
This glow indicated that she had reached a new stage of power—a stage no less dangerous than her beauty.
But the strangest thing was the crown adorning her head.
It wasn't a crown of gold or silver, but one made of small leaves and blooming flower petals, like a blend of wildness and purity.
This crown indicated that she wasn't just a powerful wolf, but the wisdom of nature itself, possessing both strength and intellect.
Seran's gaze held a mix of emotions—tenderness and strength—as if telling me:
"I have changed, and you will change too."
I rushed to her and hugged her tightly, burying my face in her fur.
Seran purred lovingly, making a soft sound that reassured my heart and dispelled my fears.
I pulled back slightly, held her head, and began scratching her soft fur.
"Why do you look like this? What is the reason for this amazing change?"
I asked in bewilderment while she purred in enjoyment.
"This is thanks to your awakened power; even you will change, Sera."
Her words were mysterious but carried a promise of a different future. I raised my eyebrows, a question mark over my head.
"What power are you talking about, Seran?"
I asked curiously.
She gave me a deep look, a mysterious glint in her eyes.
"When you wake up, you will know everything. No need to rush."
Her voice carried a tone of wisdom and confidence, as if blaming me for trying to hurry things.
Suddenly, Seran pushed me with her soft claws, and I fell to the ground.
It wasn't a painful fall as much as it was surprising, making Seran burst into boisterous laughter that echoed throughout the place. Her laughter held a mix of fun and light mockery of my reaction.
Her behavior angered me, so I frowned and said stubbornly:
"I'm boycotting you; I won't speak to you again!"
I crossed my arms over my chest, feigning extreme anger.
Seran stopped laughing and stretched out beside me, placing her head in my lap as if to appease me.
I couldn't resist the temptation to touch her. Despite my pretense of anger, I couldn't resist the feelings of love and tenderness I felt toward her.
I began stroking her soft fur while she purred happily, a faint smile appearing on my face.
In that moment, I felt contradictory emotions: childish anger and stubbornness, mixed with irresistible love.
This blend made me realize how important Seran is in my life; she isn't just a wolf, she is part of my soul.
Suddenly, Seran looked at me with her crimson eyes and spoke in a firm voice:
"You must wake up, Sera, right now!"
Her voice was powerful, as if breaking the silence of the dark space.
As she spoke this command, I felt a mysterious force pulling me strongly, as if returning me to reality.
I gasped in terror and opened my eyes wide, only to find myself in an unfamiliar room.
I looked around in confusion—where am I? It only took a few moments for my memory to return, and I realized I was in Night's room, where I had settled after that exhausting night.
I sighed in relief and lay back down on the plush bed. But soon, I felt a slight cramp in some of my muscles. I was a bit annoyed; it wasn't comfortable at all.
However, all this annoyance vanished as soon as I inhaled Night's scent, which hung heavily in the room.
His familiar scent gave me a sense of comfort and safety, as if whispering that everything would be okay.
This feeling of relief was the first thing I felt upon waking, like a message from the outside world telling me I had finally returned to safety.
As soon as the door opened, I feigned sleep, closing my eyes and trying to regulate my breath and my racing heart.
I didn't need to see who entered; his presence was enough to cause turmoil within me.
I heard his steps heading toward the bathroom, followed by the sound of pouring water.
Listening to the water, I felt an urgent desire to shower, as if I hadn't done so in a long time. I sighed and looked toward the door with a muddled mind.
The water stopped, signaling he was finished.
Only a few moments passed before I saw the doorknob turn, so I immediately closed my eyes again. I listened to his steps heading toward the dressing room while my urge to use the bathroom grew.
"I want to go to the bathroom, I'm going to burst!"
I grumbled faintly.
"Okay, he's in the dressing room now; he won't see me if I sneak into the bathroom, right?"
I encouraged myself while walking on my tiptoes, fearing someone might discover me. I succeeded in reaching it, sighed in relief, and locked the door tightly.
I finished my business and muttered to myself:
"That's a relief,"
as if reminding myself of the need to feel at ease after all that trouble.
The peace didn't last long; I heard a light knock on the door, followed by whispers in a familiar voice:
"Sera?" His tone carried some concern, as if checking on my presence.
"Is he worried about me? Or am I imagining things?"
I said in amazement, pointing to myself as if talking to someone else.
After all the coldness and indifference I received from him, I couldn't believe this sudden change in his behavior.
"This man is truly going to drive me insane!"
Emotions clashed within me: surprise,
doubt, disbelief. I couldn't grasp how someone could shift from not caring about my existence to someone knocking on my door with concern.
After ignoring his first knocks, he knocked again, more urgently this time. I ignored him again, so he tried to open it, making me shout at him angrily:
"Hey, what are you trying to do?"
He stopped trying to open the door, then answered in a low voice with some worry:
"Are you okay?"
His question angered me further, so I replied with resentment:
"I'm fine, but I think you aren't in your right mind to try and barge into a bathroom on a girl doing her business!"
Anger was rising within me; I felt my blood boil. I couldn't believe that the person who showed all that coldness and indifference earlier was now trying to barge into the bathroom.
"He truly makes me angry."
This situation was a shock to me; after being in a state of calm and serenity, I now found myself in a state of anger and confusion.
After I shouted at him, silence prevailed for a moment, then I heard his voice add with a hidden embarrassment:
"You didn't answer, so I tried to enter."
I ignored his excuse, filled the bathtub with warm water, and immersed my body in it, enjoying the warmth that melted all the tension I felt.
I didn't notice the time passing until I felt the water turn cold, as if I had suddenly returned to reality.
I got up quickly, wrapping the towel around my body, grumbling to myself.
"Damn it, I forgot about the clothes! Just my luck."
This was the end of the peaceful moment; what would I do now? How would I leave the bathroom without him seeing me?
And here I am, holding the strands of my long black hair, trying to dry it in a hurry, but exhaustion had begun to take its toll.
I sighed in despair before combing it slowly, turning my gaze toward the door and taking a deep breath as if preparing to face my fate.
"Okay Sera, ignore him and don't look at him, as if he isn't there,"
I whispered to myself, trying to convince me.
"Head quickly to the dressing room. Yes, I'll do that,"
I repeated the phrases to encourage me to leave, as if proving my courage to myself.
Then I made a move to leave, but I couldn't ignore his presence.
I felt as though I was being watched, and that every move I made was under observation.
I wished my steps were faster to shorten the distance to the dressing room, but I felt as though time was slowing down. The feeling of being watched enveloped me—his piercing gaze, which I didn't see but felt the weight of, stuck to my back and ignited my embarrassment.
I finally reached the doorknob and pulled it with my trembling hand, stepping in quickly and closing it behind me as if escaping a lurking monster.
I placed my hand on my chest to feel the violent thumping of my heart, drumming loudly in my ears.
I looked at myself in the mirror and cursed faintly; the towel barely covered my backside.
"What an embarrassing situation,"
I whispered while feelings of shame took over.
I sighed, then looked at his clothes.
"He won't mind, right?"
I told myself. I put on a shirt and shorts, and smiled slightly when I found the shorts had a drawstring to adjust the size, which gave me some relief.
While adjusting my clothes, I looked in the mirror, trying to pull my hair out from under the shirt.
At that moment, something caught my attention on my neck—like a strange tattoo.
I stepped closer, looking intently, and my eyes widened in shock.
Is this real? Did he mark me? Or am I imagining things?
I found no words to express the shock that hit me.
"How could he do that?"
I said with raging anger while gritting my teeth. After all he did to me, after all this pain and confusion, he went ahead and marked me without my knowledge.
I clenched my fist, anger burning in my eyes.
"By what right did he mark me? Who allowed him?"
These questions echoed in my mind, intensifying my rage.
A sense of betrayal overwhelmed me; this act was a betrayal of my trust and a violation of my body.
I couldn't stand this situation; I was ready to kill anyone who crossed my path.
I felt as if I were about to explode, and all my anger would come out as a destructive volcano.
I couldn't control my emotions; all I wanted was revenge.
I headed to the door and pushed it with such violence I almost ripped it from its place, rushing out of the room with anger filling my being.
I searched for him everywhere until I found him on the balcony, watching the sunrise as if he had done nothing.
He felt me approaching, so he turned to me with his usual expression—coldness and indifference—which only fueled my anger.
I stood before him, sparks flying from my eyes, my fist tightly clenched. I pointed to the mark on my neck and said firmly:
"What is this?"
My voice carried a tone of anger and doubt, as if I were interrogating him. I was gritting my teeth, waiting for his response; all I wanted was for him to vanish from my sight.
He showed no reaction, just kept looking at me with eyes devoid of any expression, which increased my rage.
I closed my eyes tightly, threw my hair back in a quick motion, then began pacing in circles, laughing with bitter sarcasm.
"How is this possible? How did you allow yourself to do this?"
I said, looking at him with eyes burning with anger.
"Who allowed you? Who?"
I was breathing heavily, as if trying to inhale all the air in the room, while my words came out with difficulty.
He replied in a calm voice, trying to hide some confusion:
"You were on the verge of death, and for..."
I interrupted him with an angry shout,
"That doesn't give you the right!"
My words came out like gunshots.
"If I had stayed asleep, you would have probably slept with me!"
I spat the words with rage and without thinking, while feelings of anger and disappointment completely took over.
I saw him approaching me slowly, signs of anger etched on his features in a way I hadn't seen before.
Every step he took made the air heavier, and his words, coming from between his clenched teeth, held a threat:
"Watch your words, Sera!"
I didn't care for his warning; instead, I stepped closer, looking directly into his eyes, sparks flying from mine.
"And if I don't, what will you do?"
I said defiantly, gritting my teeth.
In an instant, he grabbed my jaw firmly, anger filling his eyes.
"If you don't shut this curse of yours, I won't promise not to do it!"
He said it in a whisper dripping with threat, his face inches from mine.
I felt a fire consuming my being, as if every cell in my body was ignited with rage.
I couldn't restrain my tongue and blurted out with total honesty:
"I hate you, Night Winter... I hate you intensely!"
I pushed his hand away violently and moved away with looks of disgust, then left the room, slamming the door behind me with force, as if ending everything between us.
Night:
I stand in my place, watching the sunrise, while her words echo in my mind over and over without stopping.
"I hate you, Night Winter, I hate you intensely!"
I never felt that pain could be this much.
It felt as if a silver dagger had stabbed me, but this time it was more painful than any physical pain.
I snorted with bitter sarcasm.
How could she think what I did was for myself, when it was for her to continue living?
Had her mark not been necessary to save her, I would never have done it.
She didn't even give me a chance to explain the importance of what I did.
I leaned against the balcony wall, resting my full weight, my hand gripping the railing tightly.
There was no one but me, yet the words came out like a scream:
"Damn it, let her go to the depths of hell! I don't care anymore."
This anger was my only mask to hide the despair and exhaustion weighing on my chest. Tired, truly tired, I thought to myself—why did I ever meet her?
Regret buffeted me as I blamed myself in silence.
"You were the one who insisted on bringing her, so bear the consequences of your decision."
But the next words were honest and painful.
"Since she arrived, she has been messing with my feelings, and her proximity stirs so much in me... I hate this. I didn't hate her as much as I hated my weakness before her, and my loss of control over my emotions."
I remained standing on the balcony in a desperate attempt to ignore the pain tearing me from within.
The words were a vow I made to myself, a guard on the borders of my heart.
"I won't let her move the barriers I built around me."
I repeated the phrase internally like an incantation, as if just saying it gave me the strength to prevent that collapse.
Those barriers were years of pain, carved one experience after another until they became an impenetrable fortress.
"I won't let her melt the ice of my heart."
This was the most difficult part, for the ice that encased my heart was not just cold, but fragile, and I had begun to feel the heat that threatened it.
Resisting this heat was what truly exhausted me.
Morning had already arrived, but it brought no sense of refreshment. I sighed slowly, as if the air in my chest was heavy.
I hadn't slept at all; the night was just a series of disturbed thoughts and anxiety.
I rubbed my forehead in a desperate attempt to ease the headache striking my head with a slow, steady rhythm.
I felt as if every cell in my body was moaning from exhaustion.
Despite all that, I headed toward the office, toward the work that awaited me, like a heavy burden I must carry on my shoulders.