The Chance of a Lifetime

Loving Him

Chapter III – Loving Him

Nightstar Pack

04:22

It’s been a day since I’ve found my realhome; but I still madly miss my family, and so with my friends. I wonderwhat they’re thinking about my sudden leave… I wonder what they’re doing rightnow. I sigh deeply as I rest my headagainst the headboard of the bed. I miss my little brother and my little sister…they’re the only ones I have left of my family. I lost my parents from ahorrible accident. They could have survived since they were wolves, but no… thefates just had to make them clash into some big ass truck on the freeway. A lotof lives were lost that day, and I remember that I was still fourteen at thattime; my brother ten; and my sister seven. I had to raise my siblings, but Iwas thankful that the alpha helped us in terms of letting us keep our house,and for the food, clothes, and our education.

I shiftuncomfortably on the bed, forgetting that my mate is just sleeping beside me. I gasp silently as he turns aroundfacing me, with his adorable pouty lips and his pinkish cheeks. I smile at thesight of my mate. I slide myself downto cuddle with him, since I just need his touch every now and then.

Szari is everygirl’s dream man. He treats women with respect, and equality. He doesn’t makewomen sound like we are just beneath them. He makes me feel like a queen, andhe provides me like a king would. Over the past hours, he has made me feel thetrue feeling of what it’s like to have a mate by your side. It makes uspowerful, and confident, but not to the point of abusing the power and thestride of confidence. He isn’t like that… he’s not cocky, sarcastic, rude, andselfish; instead, he is the exact opposite. He’s mature and doesn’t take thingsas a joke, but he isn’t a mood-killer also. He knows when to joke at the righttime, and when to be serious.

“Scarlet… you won’tleave me, right?” Szari whispers sadly on my neck. I look at him; his eyes halfopen with a forlorn expression on his beautiful face. I can see tearsthreatening to spill from his sky blue eyes.

I pull away fromhim and frown. I caress his cheek and give him a kiss that is worth cherishing.“I will never leave you,” I promise him; and I am going to fulfill that promiseno matter what happens. If Raphael begs to take me back, I will choose Szariwhatever the odds. I’m not going to be stupid and go back to Raphael, whenSzari completes me in every way Raphael can never do. Sure, he was my mate… but it’s too late to changehow I feel. Szari definitely is the one.

“But what if hecomes back… what if…” he says in a broken voice, while tears are alreadystreaming down his face. I smile sadly at him and kiss every single drop oftears away; and then I whisper to him with full of love, “I’ll choose you,Szari… you.” The determination in myvoice is pronounced, and genuinely true.

“I’m not a Pokémon,though,” he jokes, kissing my nose. I laugh softly and look into his eyes. “I’llbe your Pikachu, and you’ll be my Ash,” I say as we gaze into each other’seyes. He nods and then grins, “I like that… but you won’t fight my battles,Scarlet. I won’t let you die for me.” He declares ever so surely; and insteadof fighting him about it, I just nod and give him another kiss.

I wrap my armsaround his waist and breathe on his chest. “When are we going to mate?” I askhim excitedly.

He chuckles andrests his chin on my head. “When you’re ready, and when I introduce you to thepack… but I want you to be sure of what you feel for me, Scarlet; because Idon’t want to see you run to Raphael in the future if he’s going to look foryou… I can’t have that.”

I sigh and tightlyhug him. “Don’t doubt me, Szari… don’t.If I would choose him over you then kill me. Who in the world would be sostupid enough to go back to someone who harshly rejected them? You sensed how Ifelt, Ri. One day, I will go back to the WinterSnow pack, but not because of him…but because of my siblings.”

I feel him nod, butafter that, I hear his soft gentle snore, making me smile. I look up at him andsee that his eyes are already close and his lips in a form of a sweet, lovingsmile. “I love you,” I whisper to him; and I know what I feel is real, and Iknow that when I say the three words, it’s something that will stick forever.

In just less thantwenty-four hours, I find myself already in love with him.

I love Szari Vilkas, my true mate, my future, and my forever.

Somehow, I can’tsleep… maybe it’s because I love watching him while he does this cute movementwith his head, wanting to cuddle with me; or maybe it’s because I feel thatsomething’s definitely wrong. It’s a confusing feeling, and I don’t like it onebit… it’s making me uneasy.

I pout and bury myface on Szari’s chest. I smile ever so happily, content on finally having mymate; but the happiness doesn’t last long as I feel a sharp pain on my chest,causing me to pull away from Szari, waking him up as I jolt out of bed.

I feel like daggersare going through my heart one by one in the span of every second. I suddenlylose my breath, making me crouch, clenching my fist, while hitting my chestagain and again to make the pain go away- but it doesn’t.

I feel Szari’stouch on my back, as he straightens me and rubs my back comfortingly; butnothing can make it right… nothing can make me feel okay.

“M-make it… go…away… please…” I beg, looking straight into his eyes which are full of worryand desperation of making me feel okay again. Tears are already streaming downmy face, my heart still feeling the intense burn. I hold on to Szari as hewraps his arms around me. My fingers are boring onto his back as I try tointake the pain I am feeling.

I then suddenly screambloody murder as I feel my neck being torn in what seems to be like fangs; and then I realize… Raphael!

“R-Ra… Raphael…” Igrowl, and then Szari pulls away from me, making me wince at the blood on hiswhite shirt. He looks at his shirt and on my neck again… his face stricken inhorror.

“He’s mating…” Isay depressingly, as I still feel the pain on my neck. For Raphael and thegirl, it would be pleasure… but for the mate it would be like torture. We don’t just actually feel it,we actually live the pain. Theconnection of mates is bullshit. We can only feel the intensity of theirfeelings if they are in pain, and what can make us break and fall on our knees,begging for death. We can never feel the happiness, the longing, but only lust and pain. Cruel, isn’t it?

I scream some more,holding on to Szari; until his beta, Seff Frost, enters the room, panicking asSzari orders him to bring the pack doctor.

He tries to standbut I hold him down. “Please don’t leave me… Please…” I sob, as I hold thewound to stop the blood flow.

“I won’t leave you,Scarlet… I will never, ever leave you,” he says, kissing my forehead, as hekneel holding onto me. The pain doesn’t suffice, it doesn’t lessen, it doesn’tstop… it still keeps getting worst than ever… it goes to the point where it’stoo excruciating that I can’t seem to point a finger of what I could see. So Ilet the darkness engulf me, making me ease and temporarily at peace.

16:35

I groan softly asmy eyes flutter open, only to be blinded by light. I shut my eyes in reflex,and whimper. “S-Szari?” I call for my mate’s name.

And then I feel atouch that’s ever so familiar. I reach for his face and he kneels down besidethe bed. I caress his cheeks that are wet from tears. “You’re finally awake…thank the goddess,” he whispers as he kisses my hand.

I begin to open myeyes again, slowly this time. And there I see my mate who is still as beautifulas ever though he has dark circles under his already dull blue eyes. I frownand look at him sadly. “How many hours have I been out?” I ask, worrying abouthis health. He looks so thin which makes me wonder.

“Two days, thirteenhours, forty-six minutes…” He says with a stern voice. I can tell his angry ofwhat just happened. I am too… but I’m willing to put it all beside as long asmy mate won’t turn into a beast.

I hush him down andhold his hand tightly. I can’t move my neck since there’s a bandage wrappedaround it. “I love you,” I tell him, looking into his eyes. I smile as it lightback up, like the first time he saw me when I entered his territory.

He laughs happilyand then leans down to kiss me. The kiss is indescribable… maybe because it’sthe kind of kiss where all your happiness is poured into it; or maybe it’sbecause it’s the kind of kiss where the reallove is present. It’s so different… a betterkind of different.

“I love you more,Scarlet… and all this time you were asleep, I just wanted to fly to Los Angeles and kill your ex-mate,” he snarls, but stops as I wrapmy arms around his neck and breathe onto him.

“Revenge isn’tsweet, Szari… it will not do anything. Your guilt will only build up, and Iwill be very disappointed if you wereto do so.” He stiffen and I let go, smiling innocently at him. I know my threatis very effective since he shakes his headno. Making our mates disappointed in us is something you want to avoid. Itreally hurts once they are showing their disappointment… it’s like failure… in a much broader sense.

He just nods andstay beside me, keeping me company. And all the hours with him seems soperfect. We would steal glances at each other and then I’d giggle like aschoolgirl with a crush; and he’d blush like a schoolboy discovering his first love.I sigh in content, our fingers intertwined as he lay beside me on the bed,since I’m getting better.

“Ri, can we go tothe forest? I haven’t been there…” I ask him, pouting my lips so he can’t sayno; and glad to say it always works.

“Do you feel betternow?” He asks worriedly.

I just nod andsmile excitingly at him. He sees the gleam in my eyes so he nods and help mestand up from the bed.

“Be careful,” hewarns, holding my hand tightly.

“Don’t drop me.” Ismirk.

“I will never let youfall.” He declares smugly as he begins to pull me forward slowly.

“Oh yeah?” I ask asmy face is already near his. “So you won’t let me fall for you then?” I tease.

He smirks andsteals a kiss from me. “Just for me, though… I’ll only let you fall for me… and on me.”

I laugh softly andwe both decide to finally get out of the house. He tells me everything thathappened two days ago before I blacked out. The pack doctor explained it to bea mixture of the bond breaking of my ex-mate,and the fact that he has mated and marked with another wolf. The pack doctoralso said that whenever my ex-mate wouldhave an intercourse with someone, I’ll always feel hurt, but not to the pointwhere I will black out again.

It doesn’t matterif your bond will break, because the connection between mates will still bethere if you’ve made contact with them. But if you haven’t seen each other, youwill only feel the death of your mate… like what Szari felt for his unknown ex-mate. But yes, I can still feel ifRaphael will die, or if he will get hurt.

I shake my head outof my thoughts and look at my mate beside me as he holds my hand, while we walktowards the clearing. The pack is amazing, as with the members. They are prettymuch respectful and kind.

As we enter theclearing, Szari suddenly lets go of my hand, making me frown. It feels coldwithout his touch it makes me feel paranoid that he might leave me.

“Ri?” I call.

“Stay right hereokay? I’ll be back, don’t worry.” He assures me as he drags me to a tree near asmall lake. The environment is very refreshing, as well as it’s very clean. Itfeels like a good place to unwind. It’s a good place for a run too.

I hum to myself asI wait for Szari to come back from wherever he went. And before I know it, Ifeel his hands over my eyes, as if blindfolding me. I touch his hands andsmile. “What are you doing?” I giggle softly.

“Turn around,” hewhispers in my ear; and I do as he says. He pulls away his hand and look at melovingly. He then kisses me slowly, and sweetly.

“What are you upto?” I ask, my brows furrowing in amusement.

Instead ofanswering, he takes out his left arm that was behind his body, and then I seethe most beautiful rose ever.

I gasp silently.“Is… this… color even possible?”

He nods as I takeit from him, admiring the drops of water on its petals. “It’s a special flowerthat’s only growing here in this clearing… the Nighstar Pack’s territory, actually. Only the people who have clearintentions can see that blue rose.Like me, for example; I want to give it to the person I love the most. You.”

I blush and a teartrickles down my cheeks, but I wipe it right away. “Thank you,” I saygenuinely, feeling special.

He then kneelsbefore me, holding my hand. “Giving you a blue rose isn’t just anything,Scarlet; giving that to you, and letting the goddess make me see the bushes ofblue roses, means that I’m ready to spendforever with you. I want to mate with you; I want to have pups with you… Iwant us to grow old together. Humanly speaking, I want you to marry me; and this is considered as myengagement ring. A ring is nothing compared to the gift of the goddess who madeus… who loves us enough to give our pack prosperity and love. So what do yousay, Scarlet? Will you be mine forever?”

I look at his eyes,and nod vigorously. His words made me flutter inside like a happy fool. “Youdon’t have to ask, Szari… I’ll be yours forever.I will mate with you, I will have pups with you, and I will definitely be beside you to grow old together. I will marry you.” I help him up and jump onhis arms. He twirls me around, while we laugh together in content of ourpresence.

Tears of happinessstreams down my face, and I kiss him ever so lovingly. It’s a long kiss, onethat you can always remember for the rest of your life. Like a first kiss… a true love’s kiss.

I feel lucky… theluckiest girl in the world… and that’s because it will always feel that wayloving him.

Loving Szari issomething I want to shout to the world, and to prove it. Loving him is aneternity of commitment, and I’d be willing enough to give it to him.

“I love you,” hesays, tears also in his eyes.

I just smile andgiggle.

“And I… to you…”And I seal it with an everlasting kiss.