REINCARNATED TO BE THE WOLF'S SAVIOUR

FIVE

POV– Annabelle

The palace was quiet – too quiet. Even the crickets were minding their own business. I tossed and turned around under my silk bed sheets. The morning was still a long time away. I was almost asleep, drifting into a dream where my marriage was cancelled and Commander Zhao apologized for ruining my life, when something shifted.

That felt wrong. Very wrong.

I jolted up in bed and scanned the room. Rightly so, I saw the shadow of a man by the corner– commander Zhao? Or someone else?

‘who’s there?’ I croaked as I grabbed the closest object– a porcelain cup. I was prepared to die or commit murder, which ever came first.

‘Annabelle,’ the voice came.

My heart stopped as the person came out of the shadows. The voice and the face where not the same, but I could recognize that smirk anywhere, even in hell.

‘Ken?’ please let it not be you.

‘Good, you remember me at least. I was scared I would have to explain myself to you and make you fall for me again,’ he said as he came closer, his face, an inch closer to mine, ‘did you miss me?’

‘Perfect. You still have some explaining to do,’ I said as I choked him and shoved him unto the bed, ‘you murdered me. Remember.’

His grasp on my hand was firm and my grip gave way. He tucked my hand behind my back and held unto it as if it cost him no energy. I wriggled, my chest pressing unto his.

‘You don’t like the new life, the new body I gave you?’

‘More like you shoved me into. I was pushed into it like a malfunctioning mobile app update,’ I protested, ‘let me go.’

‘You want answers?’ he said, ‘I can give you.’

‘You better start talking,’ I threatened.

‘I will give you answers. But first,’ he turned me like a ragdoll, my back pressing against his. I felt his lips press against my neck. Not this again, I rolled my eyes.

‘This is not the time nor the place,’ I tried to sound sure.

‘You didn’t say you didn’t like it,’ he whispered into my ears, ‘you were miserable. Poor. Overworked. Invincible. You wanted out,’ his hands ran over my body. I couldn’t resist him, even in this body, ‘and I wanted to escape my life. All because of that, there needed to be a sacrifice,’ he bit my neck.

‘a sacrifice? Ken. Please tell me that sacrifice was not me.’

‘It was both of us.’

I managed to elbow him, but even that meant nothing to him. This guy was made of steel in this world, how come I was made of rice paper?

‘You expect me to thank you? If you wanted to help me, you should have baked a cake. Not yeet me to another dimension. All I needed was a scholarship.’

‘And all I need is you,’ he slipped away my dress from my shoulder, he knew my weakest point– my t**s. He fondled them like he always did.

‘Uh,’ I let out and unintended mourn. I was supposed to kill this dude. But he had is hands around me like a puppet doll. Even in this life, he knew his way around.

‘so, what is it that you used?’ I managed to say between breaths; his grip on me was too strong. ‘Some kind of magic?’

‘Close. Dark magic.’

I jerked away from him but he pulled me close and tighter, ‘I'm not done, princess.’

‘Ken, did you at least think before you went ahead to plan both our lives?’

‘You have no idea,’ he whispered, his hands tracing my body. I knew where he was going to. I tried to stop him. Or did I? ‘You have no idea how many times I dreamed of this day when you and I could finally leave that world behind. Come with me, lets run away together.’

His hands shifted in my pants. I let out several mourns. In my defense, I was held against my will. I knew the conversation was over for the night; I didn’t have the brain to process good or evil. It was just me, this bastard, and the thing he held against me.

***

The wedding felt like a fever dream. Believe it or not, between last night and this morning, I couldn’t have even phantom that I would be married by now. But I was. The incense, the red silk, the celebrations– everything was sickening. What that bastard Ken did left a bad taste in my mouth.

By the time I sat in the marriage carriage next to Commander Zhao, I was convinced my soul had left my body to take a nap somewhere. I forced a breath.

Then the carriage door opened and in entered the one person I dreaded to see– Ken. I nearly swallowed my tongue. He nodded respectfully to the commander.

‘Forgive the intrusion,’ Zhao Linghe told me, ‘You could have ridden separately, Ji Han,’ he scolded Ken.

‘I insist on being your personal escort,’ he joked in response. Wait. Did these people know each other? To me however, he sent a look that said: Surprised to see me?

Oh yes. Very.

I choked on air and coughed.

‘Princess, you seem pale,’ ken mocked, rather, asked with feigned concern.

Pale? Sir, I am mentally dissolving.

Zhao Linghe’s cold gaze shifted to me. I could see at least a tint of concern in those eyes.

‘I'm fine,’ I told him though a tight smile.

Ken leaned back, his arms folded, confidence radiating off him. And I could tell. He was enjoying this.

But here I was, I a carriage with two men– one I was married to and the other I was forced to reckon with. It was like being trapped with two versions of the same disaster.

Dear writer, if there's even a flicker of hope for me, please, let me escape this place, I beg silently.