MINE

Chapter 2- Encounter In The Woods

VIELLA'S POV

FUCK!

My back ached as hot water ran down my spine. All in one week– I was dumped, or rather, cheated on, humiliated my boyfriend and best friend, ran from and got assaulted by a grumpy lunatic, and finally, him.

Run!

I could still hear it, the deep waves of authority his voice sent through my body, and how my feet moved without question.

I shook the strange man off my mind, and began to get dressed. Tonight was the bonfire party to welcome in the freshers.

Putting on my short cargo skirt, fitted crop top, and black boots, I headed out of my apartment to Black Haven’s bonfire ground.

Trees, people and alcohol cans littered all around me. The cold air blew, hitting my skin, making me shiver little as I found my way to the middle of the forest, where life chatters were heard.

Low pop music with shouts of drunk college students hit my ears the moment I got to the crowd of students. Fellow course mates, some finalists and a lot of freshers took seat on logs surrounding the fire.

I sifted through the crowd, and to the drink cooler farther away from the crowd. One drink after another, after another.

My head soon began aching, as I swayed my hips slowly to the music, intentionally staying away from anything with testicles.

The night began to unwind slowly, students started returning to their hostels, drunk or sober, and soon only few people sat by the fireplace, including me.

I sipped on my beer, as I watched the sky and let the wind dance in my hair. I took a deep breath in as I felt an intense gaze down my spine.

I turned and lo and behold, it was him. Again!

I stared back at his brown and golden eyes, but he didn't even back down, embarrassed of getting caught.

I tilted my head, as my mind raced to how golden his eyes seemed to be. A presence sitting beside me brought me out of my reverie.

“Hi, been watching you all night. You don't look like a fresher, so I'll assume, sophomore?” A goofy looking guy spoke, as he leaned into me.

“Penultimate” I nodded, my eyes briefly going to the stranger of yesterday that now had a frown on his face.

“Hm. So what major?” I snapped my head back to the guy, and just studied him. Dilated pupils, cloudy iris….he was high.

“Want to take me back to your room, huh? Could've just asked though” Heat rushed to his face, but he quickly nodded his head.

Quietly, we both got to our feet, as I glanced at the stranger again. And for a brief second, a flash moment, I saw his eyes.

There was no remnant of brown, only pure gold. His eyes shone dimly under the moon, as he seemed to focus on only the goofy guy, but I saw it. And as soon as it appeared, it left.

Birds chirping, and leaves rustling, we walked away from what remained of the crowd.

I stopped in my tracks the farther we were from the fireplace. “Uhm, i…I don't think this is a good idea. I hope you find someone else though, yeah?”

I smiled, but the guy just turned to look at me and said nothing. His eyes glared at me, as they seemed to change to a different color.

What the-

“So, what they say is true?” I blinked severally as I tried to understand what he was saying. His gaze now rested behind me, and immediately I felt a presence.

Spine chilling, and unquestionable, this presence loomed over me. It felt like him.

“What are you saying?” I shivered, trying to ignore the icy feeling in my spine.

“You act a fool. You belong to Kaelen, don't you?” He came closer, but still kept reasonable distance between us.

Tension, spine steeling tension enveloped the air, and I immediately felt like I was about to be an ant in the fights of elephants.

“Declan. I advise you back off!” My breath hitched in my throat at the finality of the command. It wasn't a request, it wasn't a suggestion.

The aura from Declan changed immediately. Feral energy, almost like deep rooted anger, oozed off him. But, his eyes held the same emotion I felt.

Fear.

Slowly, without another word, without question, he disappeared into the night, leaving me with his smirk, and the stranger from yesterday.

I didn't move, it felt forbidden.

Shaky breaths escaped my lips, as I moved my eyes to catch a glimpse of him, but no avail. I didn't see him, but I felt that aura from yesterday still hovering around.

“What is your name?”

My lips quivered, as my fingertips ran cold, but my palms were sweaty. I took a heavy gulp and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“I ask you again, lady. What is your name?” Footsteps. Heavy looming footsteps filled the air, as his shadow came closer and closer to me, swallowing me whole.

I felt him two feet away, behind me. Hot breath caressed my neck, and even the little oxygen I managed to take in, stopped completely in my throat.

Is he about to kill me? Adrenaline pumped through my vein, as I forced the answer he sought out of my constricted throat.

“My name is Viella. Viella Dale” I swallowed, and waited. Fingertips trailed my arms, leaving my hairs alert in its wake.

“Viella, hmm” Softly, he repeated my name, like he was ruminating over it. Series of footsteps surrounded us, and I saw shadows move with the night.

Behind me, I heard him step back, four feet away. The shadows emerged from the dark, five of them.

“Kaelen, step back!” I neared passed out to how thick and unbending the air was. What are these people to command such strong presence?

“Why did follow me, Ruka?” Kaelen fired back, and no soothsayer was needed to know he was highly pissed.

“To make sure. And seems like you failed!” Ruka thundered, making me flinch and shivers run down my spine.

“Viella?” Kaelen called, and I angled my head to his direction in response. My lungs weren't working, my throat wasn't working, my head wasn't working.

Nothing was working!

“Run! And don't look back!” Again, he told me to run. Again, I obeyed.

As I ran through the thick forest, shifting in-between trees, I heard one final sentence from Ruka.

“You must be mistaken. You know the rules, Kaelen!”

What are the rules?