My Mate, My Killer

Cassidy's POV.

My grandmother said that I might have mistaken my infatuation and amazement for that wolf-shifting man.

“It’s not love, Cassidy!” She once yelled at me. “You’re just a curious little girl!”

Well, the only way to find out is to go find him, isn’t it?

“Zarion!” My throat’s dry from bellowing. It’s literally a winter wonderland around here. Everything is white and colorless. And cold, so cold that it seeps deep in my bones. It whispered in my soul that this coldness would drive me mad until I was on the brink of death. “Zarion! Zarion!”

But it was no use. Zarion—his name, that’s the only thing he revealed about himself. I don’t even know what a wolf-shifting man—a werewolf does aside from, well, shifting into a wolf. I’ve been walking around the Misty Forest with an almost frozen body; a coat made of sheep’s skin made by my Mamita is the only thing between me and this cold while searching for him.

A fool I’ve been. My Grandmama called me a fool the moment I stepped outside the castle so that I could be with this werewolf I barely knew. I don’t even know his last name—that is if he has one.

The snow’s wildly pouring as if the wicked weather can push me back to the castle. I chuckled at the thought that Mamita could have whipped this harsh winter to never let me leave the mountains.

“Zarion, Please…” I hopelessly prayed. I don’t know why I’m uttering his name like an invocation as if he’s my God. “I’m so cold,” I added, hoping he could hear me with his superpowers or something. Rubbing both of my hands to create pressure and heat, I eventually stopped because it was of no use.

Any minute from now, my body will collapse on this frozen icy road.

“Zarion!” I bellowed his name before I felt my knees crushing to the ground. “Where… are you… Zarion?” My body was gravely shaking from the cold; the eyelids of my eyes started fluttering. Still, I forced my eyes open and a familiar big dog was approaching me, ready to bite me. Taken back from my senses, I wrapped my arms around my body, desperate to live.

“No! No! No!” I kept shrieking, even though I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to attract anyone.

I didn’t know I was more afraid of dogs—wolves—than to be frozen to death.

My grandmother’s face flashed as if she was here with me.

I left her. My mind whispered. You left her all alone in the castle in the height of winter.

“Not today.” I kicked, thrashing in the snow. “Not today, you freaking dog!”

The dog bit my foot and dragged me across a plain of snow. Then before I could draw my next breath, it suddenly transformed into a human. A familiar man. Gasping, I willed my sense of sight to focus, and when I did…I found myself staring at the familiar heated gaze of Zarion, who was now squatting in front of me.

“Was I hallucinating?” Definitely not, answering my own question silently. Zarion was shirtless. Wait, no. My eyes slid from his face down to his torso. He was naked. Completely bare and unclothed and his masculinity was calling to me…

Completely terrified, I tried to get away from him while my jaw still fell open. “How did—”

Zarion shook his head. “That’s not important right now.”

“W-What?”

“You're cold. You need to be warm, my warmth.”

“Why did you turn into a human from being a dog?”

“Dog,” he nodded, scoffing. “It’s a wolf, kid. I thought you were old enough to know the difference?” A smirk bloomed in that irritatingly handsome face of his. “If my pack hears about this, they're going to hate me more.” An unbelievably gorgeous smile replaced the smirk earlier on his brazen face.

I returned his smile.

“I don’t understand, Zarion.”

Zarion sighed and grabbed my coat and boots. His fingertips stroke the base of my neck, my weak spot. The spot I always want a man to caress when lovemaking, or even just kissing.

My body responded to his touch, but my head still couldn’t properly function after seeing those dreams—daydreams that I was above him and nightmares that he might leave me. Or worse, kill me. Maybe, it was just a hallucination after all.

Earlier, I nearly died from hypothermia. Earlier, I would have been eaten by a wild wolf. Earlier…“I might die too soon.”

“You won’t. Not yet, at least.” Zarion’s baritone voice filled my ears. “Come on, Cassidy. You might be a kid but I know you are braver and more rebellious than those other kids of your age.”

It was at this moment that embarrassment slowly crawled out of my body. I wasn’t wearing anything anymore aside from my plain white undergarments. “So, just stay still.” My cheeks might as well be as warm as his cock. Too much skin, too much exposure. Yet Zarion didn’t seem to notice. Maybe I was the only one who found this awkward all along.

He carried me like a newly-wedded bride, my quivering body with his warmth as if we were hugging each other. One moment, my body was shaking from the cold. And in a blink of my eyes, it relaxed when Zarion’s presence shrouded to where I was breathing.

“You’re so warm…” I whispered, before falling asleep in his arms—which turns out to be the best sleep of my life as Mamita’s snoring can no longer interrupt my sweet dreams.

***

It’s warm and cozy here, my eyes smiling when they found the fireplace.

A piping hot bowl of venison stew beckoned me to sit beside the blazing fireplace. I ate half of the food for ten minutes. Noticing the lavish royal blue curtain, I scooted away from the fireplace and pushed aside the curtains. I just realized that it served as the door between—

“This place is a village,” I breathed, wiping my mouth clean from eating. From just the look of the surroundings, I’m pretty sure this village is in the middle of the forest. And near a lake, the briny scent could never hide the smell of fresh forest rain.

A petite black lady with gorgeous braided curls that reached her shoulders slowly approached me. “You’re awake, little sheep.”

Seriously, little sheep?! My hand waved awkwardly at her. “H-Hi, you are—”

“I’m Delilah Ferguson. You can call me Delilah.”

I faked a smile. “My name is Cassidy. You can call me Cass.”

My hands started fidgeting while I stared at the girl with hopeful eyes. “I was looking for a man named Zarion,” I paused, swallowing. “But I ended up here, woke up here.”

Upon uttering Zarions’ name, Delilah gasped, even cursed silently. “Don’t you dare mention that cursed name here!”

My brows furrowed at her reaction, she hissed back. “Why?”

“He's the Alpha of this pack.” Fear now shone in her once-cheerful eyes. “He was banished because he didn't want to take responsibility for his position. Rumors say that he's out in the woods, looking for his mate, and…” she trailed off, leaving silence to sink deeper in my bones.

“And?” I swallowed and braced myself for whatever horrible word her tongue might utter.

“Kill her.” Delilah’s nose flared. “He wants to kill his mate for he hates the idea of the sacred mating bond.”

Sacred? Mate? Mating bond?!

I swallowed, forcing myself not to gape. I must find and talk to Zarion immediately. “Uhm, Delilah?” I curtsied with a smile towards her. She looks nice and friendly. I bet she’s going to transform into a wolf too like Zarion, if she’d like. I already knew she was one of them the moment I laid my eyes on hers. “I’m going back now,” I cleared my throat as if I’m not already panicking.

What if they eat me?! I thought. No, they won’t. I'm with Zarion. They are with Zarion.

Right, they won’t. Zarion is with me, even if he’s nowhere in sight. He’s probably just smirking under the cloak of darkness, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watches me, his kid, panicking and no longer able to breathe and properly think when cornered by a pack of werewolves.

“To where? Are you from a different pack?” she asked. Carefully. I must be careful with my words, too. And now I am more curious about my existence in this place. I tried to be as calm as possible. The inside of my hand was almost bleeding; my scratching made it even worse.

“No,” I breathed. “Unfortunately, I don't belong to any pack.”

Even though they already knew what I was, I still uttered those words that confirmed my real identity. “I’m a human.”

“I’ll see you at four o’clock, Mamita!” I bellowed at my grandmother who was clemently watering her garden.

Opening the small wicker basket where I carried my supplies, I double-checked the small first-aid kit: the towel, the white linen, the antiseptic, the needle, and a few apples which were all hidden under a neat white cloth.

“Where have you been going for the past few days?” My grandma asked in a calm voice, but I could sense the suspicion lingering in her tone.

“Huh?” I gave her a breathy chuckle. “Just the regular old days, Mamita! For your good health, I shall be gathering some fresh pears and perhaps a bunch of berries too!”

While tying a bright crimson scarf around my neck, I caught up on the day's headlines from the newspaper my grandmother left on the patio.

A blizzard is on the way.

Gosh, I must hurry! I told myself.

“Adios, Mamita!”

“Cassidy! Wait—”

I bolted out of the castle through our massive wooden door before my grandmother could physically stop me. When both of my feet already reached a distance from our abode, I laughed at her chagrined expression before yelling at me, her voice bouncing on the walls. “A storm is on the horizon. Please return home by four o'clock!”

But I only squared my shoulders as I trekked further. My mother and father have already departed from this world and into the next—dead, in simple terms. Therefore, my grandmother has taken responsibility for me.

I was born here in Spain. My ancestors who used to live in our castle are now at peace. Their graves are just within the castle’s perimeters. It's huge for the two of us to be living here, but my Mamita and I are quite happily content with the two of us and what we have.

We don’t have neighbors, but I have a lot of puppies in our backyard so it wasn’t a problem. And oh, I have another pet to bring home!

A huge yet adorably chubby dog was waiting for me in the cabin. It's a long walk from where we live, but it's the only way I can get to him.

Even though there was a blizzard, I made it to my destination without incident.

As soon as I realized that the huge dog was still alive, I exhaled a frigid breath from my mouth. “God! This freezing weather nearly killed me. But I have to come because I know how much you need my help.” I patted its furry head, “Don't worry, everything will be alright. I’m just right here.”

Smiling, I removed my gloves and put them inside the basket.

Staring at the dog, he didn't show any tail-wagging behavior. His one unblinking eye gazed into my eyes as if telling me I was completely insane for a person to communicate with an animal. With a sigh, I proceeded to my daily routine.

The dog started shaking. I immediately got down on my knees and wrapped a nice, warm blanket around his quivering body. “It's okay, honey. Mommy's here,” I crooned, stroking his cheek. I discovered him in the cabin last week. He seemed to be almost dead which made me almost cry. His eyes were bloodshot. Fur covered in blood. And it appeared that his bones had been gravely broken.

Ever since then, I've been making daily trips here to see his injuries. I think his condition has not improved yet. Honestly, my worries are growing as each day passes.

You’re always worried about things that are not even yours to worry about, my thoughts warred against me but I set it aside.

After spending an hour tending to his wounds, I decided to venture outside and see if the blizzard had subsided. For my grandma, I selected only the freshest pears left that weren't yet destroyed by the storm. My grandma is the only living relative I have, and I cherish our time together very much. She’s been having colds lately, and I was told by her that pears are enough for her.

Luckily, I managed to return at exactly four in the afternoon. Hence, I didn’t earn another set of scolding from her. We spent our night, like yesterday, eating hazelnut soup for dinner.

***

I returned to the cabin the following day in a state of shock and fear.

In a puzzled voice, I muttered, “W-Where... where did he go?” My eyes darted around the deserted cabin as I questioned. The dog was missing.

The injured dog was gone.

“Hey, don’t hide from me please!” My voice croaked, anxiously beckoning him to come out of wherever the hell he was hiding. Was it possible that… he passed away? Oh. God.

No. “No!” I cried.

But if he was dead, where’s the corpse?

I set down my basket on the wooden table as my eyes began to water. Then, before I could stop it, trepidation crept in my bones as I beheld what lay there. Who lay there.

It was a man. Lying on it calmly. And it caught me off guard.

“Ah!” I shrieked, slamming my basket right onto his face.

The man's lack of clothing prompted me to shout at the top of my lungs. Nothing covered his naked body. Although I’m already eighteen years old, I haven’t seen a raw member in real life.

“Who are you?” I willed my voice to remain unbothered. “What are you doing here?!”

“Stop.” His voice was weak when he uttered a word. He was a large man, yes. His deep-set eyes were a forest-like ember green. His thick lips are lined thinly; his long, curly hair is untidy. And his nose is long and sharp. To be frank, he looks like he could crush me any minute now if he wasn’t wounded.

“Wait a minute…why are you wounded?” It was as if I had forgotten everything I had seen in front of me and just went straight to let a finger rest on his shoulders.

He’s warm and muscular. Yet weak.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the needle, thread, and scissors. The man is in critical condition. I just couldn't let him perish even though I didn’t freaking know who this was.

“W-What are you… doing—” he whispered and pushed my arms away, causing the scissors I was holding to fall to the hard wooden floor. I jumped in shock and shot the odd man an angry stare.

“An open wound is on your chest. It must be stitched immediately!”

“I don't give a damn,” the man said firmly. “Just go away!”

“But—”

“I said leave, child! Get out of here!”

“You will die!”

He barked a thunderous laugh that made the hair on my skin rise. “My pleasure, then.” He said before winking unabashedly at me.

Still kneeling in front of him, my mouth hung wide; I was prepared to tie him up to treat his wounds. There was a staring competition between us. My breathing became labored, and he looked ready to murder me even in this condition, from the look of his eyes.

I beseech him with a hushed, “Please... let me just...” and looked straight into his eyes worriedly. And fiercely.

Putting out my arms, I made contact with him. This time, he stood firm. However, my instant reaction upon brushing against his hands was to recoil in horror at the prospect of being electrocuted.

We exchanged unblinking looks at each other. I was sure he felt the same way, but his outward demeanor belied his emotions. “Simply leave those there,” he gestured toward the first aid kit next to me.

I shook my head with absolute conviction in my tone. “No, you can’t even raise your arms.”

“Not your concern.”

“Well, yes, it’s mine!” I crossed my arms. “You’re living in my jurisdiction!”

He sneered, smiling mirthlessly towards me. “How old are you? Sixteen?” Then, with a snarl, he cast his gaze on my breasts. Facing the reality that my breasts are underdeveloped, I felt a heat crawl to my cheeks.

I couldn't believe he dared to say that. Both times he'd insulted me today!

When I answered, I felt like I was on the verge of tears. “I just turned eighteen, you idiot!”

“Still young enough to do it.” His jaw shifted, and his gaze averted from me. “And this idiot commands you to leave.” His finger pointed at the door with strength unmatched even in his weak state.

“You don't think I can heal those wounds, do you?”

He nodded his head but didn't meet my gaze. “If we don't give it a go, how will you know?”

He looked at me again. “Leave, kid.”

He emphasized the last word.

“Do not address me as such.” I pointed a finger at his face at the top of my lungs. “I am not a fucking kid!”

My curse made him blink and he burst into a chuckle. Once, twice.

Until he was laughing his heart out on the wooden surface of the table.