I heard a familiar voice calling my name: “Natasha…Natasha…” I searched the surroundings, trying to pinpoint where it came from.
"N-Nathan?" I knew it was him, but I couldn't see anything. The space was a circle of darkness. I couldn't tell if I was trapped in a small room or a vast, endless pit, but either way, it felt like something was pulling me down.
"Nathan, where are you?!" Anxiety tightened its grip. I felt his presence nearby. I tried to grasp for something—anything—but I tripped, landing face-first on the floor with a groan of pain. My heart hammered wildly, and my head spun every time I moved. I tried to move forward, but an unseen force dragged me back, pinning me in place.
“Natasha.”
My eyes widened when I felt him behind me. I spun around, and our gazes locked. His eyes were utterly captivating, the kind you could lose yourself in. My heart pounded as if I'd been sprinting.
“I miss you, dear.” The movement and curve of his lips every time he spoke felt like a physical pull. I was mesmerized, not just by his handsome face, but by the person he was.
He opened his arms, inviting an embrace. I wasted no time and ran toward him. But with every step I took, he was pushed to the far side of the room, yanked away from me.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you running to me?” he asked.
“Nathan, I’m trying!” I screamed in frustration, stretching out my hands, but the unseen force kept pulling us apart.
“Maybe, you’re not the one for me.”
He turned and slowly walked away, leaving me crumpled on the floor like a piece of discarded paper. I bit my lip, struggling to hold back a sob. I lunged after him, but something snagged my ankle. Looking down, I saw a sharp claw slicing deep into my flesh. I screamed as blood instantly stained the floor.
No one came. I was dragged away, desperately clinging to life, and I looked back at Nathan one last time. His eyes were vacant, hooded, showing no emotion as he watched me disappear into the black hole consuming my lower body. I closed my eyes, my heart pounding with terror. I’m going to die!
“Wake up.”
A splash of cold water hit my face, forcing me to sit up, gasping for air. I clutched my neck, breathing heavily. It was a dream. Just a dream. I sighed in relief, but my muscles immediately tensed as I felt a gaze fixed on me.
I gulped, my hands trembling. Sitting on a chair directly in front of me was a man. The room was old, corroded, and deserted, like a forgotten basement. When our eyes met, my lips parted, and I froze. A jolt of electric shock went down my spine. His legs were spread slightly, his elbows rested on the armrests, and his head was tilted, watching me intently.
It was him—the man who could turn into a werewolf. I thought he had killed me, but it seemed he had only dragged me into his dungeon.
“W-Who are you?” I finally managed to break the silence. He hadn't spoken, just studied every angle of my face.
He rose slowly and walked toward me. I had to tilt my head further back with each step he took until he stopped, towering over me. The atmosphere around him was heavy, suffocating. He didn't speak much, nothing like the Nathan I knew.
“Who’s Nathan to you?” His voice was deep, hoarse, and strangely enticing; it seemed to reverberate inside my skull. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I felt a faint tingling in my stomach.
“A-Aren’t you Nathan?” I asked, instantly regretting the foolish question. He snorted, unimpressed.
“You ask me who I am. I asked who Nathan is. You replied, am I Nathan? You're missing something.” He touched my forehead with his thumb, running it slowly down to my lips. Panic surged inside me as he showed his teeth, and his eyes glinted.
"P-Please…" I whispered, tears finally streaming down my cheeks. I knew I looked wretched. I knew he wouldn't let me go. “What did you do to Nathan? Where is he?!”
He watched my suffering with interest, his eyes tracing the paths of my tears. He dipped his fingertips into my damp eyes, then brought them to his lips, l*****g the bittersweet taste.
“Natasha, right?” he asked. I managed a nod. A survival instinct screamed at me not to shout or fight back.
He straightened up, towering over me. His eyes glowed faintly. I flinched, biting back a scream of surprise when he suddenly kicked the table beside me. The contents crashed and scattered. He burst into hysterical laughter, as if my reaction were the most entertaining thing in the world. He reached out, tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear, never breaking eye contact.
“He’s dead! I killed him!” The words felt like a bullet straight through my heart, which was already bruised by weeks of emotional turmoil. I shook my head, unable to speak, my mind turning numb.
“That’s not true…” The words dissolved into an uncontrollable sob. He looked even more delighted by my renewed tears. He lowered his face to mine and licked them away with his long tongue. His mouth watered, and his eyes gleamed. He’s a maniac. A monster!
“Oh yes, it’s true, sweetheart. It’s so true…” he moaned with ecstasy, looking up before letting out a low howl. I tried to push away, but he caged me instantly between his arms. He’s insane!
“Because my twin and my parents are gone, I am finally free! I can do anything I want.”
He stopped abruptly, a look of realization crossing his face. His eyes darted away from me for a moment. He stood up straight, touching his lips with his thumb, caressing them delicately, revealing his fangs. He looked back at me, his lips curving into a tempting, terrible grin.
“Let me introduce myself.” He formally sat down again, spreading his legs, resting his elbows on his knees, and studying me. I swallowed hard, my heart beating frantically.
“I’m Ethan Ajax Davis, twin brother of the guy you’re screaming about in your dreams. If you’re looking for him, sorry, honey. He’s dead, along with my parents. Their corpses are nowhere to be found. It’s just you and me in this small room.”
My body shook so violently I couldn't move a muscle. His captivating eyes reflected my own distraught face, a perfect contrast of his enjoyment and my suffering. They looked alike, yet he was nothing like Nathan. I balled my hands into fists, trying to contain my rage. He’s a maniac. A half-wolf. A serial killer.
“Please, let me go. I won’t tell a single soul about you. Just set me free!” I pleaded.
“Hmm… that’s a good idea.” He nodded, pretending to consider it. “Except I’m not foolish enough to let you walk around free when there’s a high chance you’ll run to the police and tell reporters you saw a half-wolf who just got out of the asylum after murdering everyone there!”
His voice echoed in the room, making me shrink in my spot. Tears streamed down my face; my chest felt tight. I was hyperventilating, trapped in the hands of a man who could snap my neck at any moment. I closed my eyes, consumed by despair. All my life, all I wanted was love. That’s why I clung to Nathan, believing he was the one, giving him everything I had held onto for years. Now, all of it—my dreams, my goals, my desire for a good life—was smashed and stomped into the ground.
“Please,” I managed, “I’m begging you, spare my life. I will do anything for you. Just let me live the life I wanted.”
The silence that followed was agonizing. Every second was t*****e. He gave a fake cough, as if signaling that his decision was made.
“Very well.”
I slowly looked up at him, nearly breaking my neck at his immense height. He pressed down on my shoulders. He walked around me, circling, his gaze predatory. He stopped behind me, and I heard him sit on the bed.
“I’ve been in that asylum for two decades. Imagine, the only one I could talk to was myself.” He played with my hair, and I felt a shock run through me. His lips brushed my ear.
“But now you’re here. Make sure you agree to my terms. If not, I can snap your neck in half.”
I nodded numbly, unable to think clearly. He let out a low, predatory chuckle right against my ear before his hands wrapped around my throat from behind.
“I want you to strip, right now. You’re going to be my slave.”