Mark's POV
On the top floor, the air was filled with the fragrance of roses. They were in full bloom as if hosting a party that only I could perceive.
I stepped onto the ground covered with petals, my gaze drawn to a woman sitting in front of a black piano.
As the son of Justin, the Alpha of the Amber's Eye Pack, I inherited the sharp senses of the werewolves.
But amidst this fragrance, I sensed something unusual.
She was wearing a black evening gown, with rose patterns on the hem that matched the blooms around, giving her an elegant and mysterious look.
Her skin emitted a radiant glow in the dim light, pulling me in without me even realizing it.
As her soft fingertips landed on the last note on the piano keys, the music abruptly stopped, and silence took over the space.
She didn't turn around, so I broke the silence. "Madam, as per your request, I'm here."
My voice echoed on the rooftop, with a barely noticeable tremor.
"Do you like the piece?" she suddenly asked, completely catching me off guard.
Before I came, my mind was filled with thoughts about Holly and Daphne.
Her unexpected question choked my words right up in my throat.
"What?" I asked, bewildered.
"I'm asking, do you like the piece," she repeated calmly.
I was burdened with worries all the way, my mind filled with unresolved doubts and anxieties. How could I be in the mood to listen to what she was playing?
I remained silent for a moment and then asked earnestly, "Can you play it again?"
I heard her soft laugh, laced with a smidge of teasing. "You're still the same. You don't know how to please a woman at all."
I stared at the back of her head, her voice struck a chord deep within me. She resembled that person from my memories so much! But how could it be?
Megan'd been gone for years, and I was with her in her final days.
I shook my head, trying to dispel those absurd thoughts.
My wolf was restless deep inside. His gut told me that this woman was not simple.
"Be careful, Mark," he reminded me.
"I know," I answered in my mind, feeling an unprecedented connection. My wolf and I were one, its instincts were my guide.
I tried to sense her wolf, that deep bond only mates shared.
In the world of us werewolves, the mate bond was sacred and inviolable. It allowed our souls to connect. Even when our mates were not around, we could still feel them.
"Did you feel it?" I asked him in my mind.
"Her aura... feels somewhat familiar, yet also somewhat different," my wolf replied, his sensation mirroring mine.
Then she spoke again, breaking my train of thought. "Come over here. Let's play together."
I walked towards her with doubts in my mind.
When the piano notes filled the room again, I would immerse myself in this melody with her. Perhaps the answer would be waiting for me in the next note.
I walked up to her side, and the uneasiness in my heart was like a flame in the wind, flickering wildly. "Is my daughter in your hands?"
The words slipped out, my voice trembling a bit.
She looked up at me, her mask sporting some creepy totem, hiding her true face but leaving those deep, penetrating eyes exposed.
She stared at me coldly, not blinking once.
Her voice was calm and devoid of any emotion as she said, "I'll tell you after we finish this song."