The last thing I wanted was to go to sleep. Like I didn't feel vulnerable enough already, but I was exhausted, and my eyes betrayed me quicker than I liked to admit. I was drifting into a deep sleep, where I revisited the memories of where I first met Drifta: the beautiful northern light and Selene. Only in this dream, I sat next to Drifta after Selene left; together, we watched the magical scenery before she turned to me;
"Wake up. I'm almost ready."
In a blink of an eye, the dream was gone. My eyes fluttered, and bright light burned my eyes when I tried opening them. About to rub the sleep out of my confused face, I heard the door slide open slowly, and my body froze. I could feel him there, lingering in the doorway, watching me, so I didn't move a muscle. Then I remembered he expected me to be able to sit up by now, so I needed some progress.
I huffed and groaned as I lifted my head; I could feel my muscles working, aching but responding, so I stopped myself. Better I have some progress, but less than he expected. Without acknowledging him, I did it two more times, letting my head fall back with a frustrated sigh the third time. As the fragile little woman, I was, I couldn't even lift my shoulders off the sleeping fur.
"Oh, sweety pie! Don't be so hard on yourself! Some need longer than others. Here, let me help you up."
Gritting my teeth in silence, I showed him a stiff smile. He knew I didn't just trust him or forgive him on the second, so at least no need to pretend there. A stubbornness I never felt before roared in my chest as he lifted me up and leaned me up against the wall. Both his hands just so happened to brush over my thighs, adjusting me, his palm brazed my breast, and his breath was warm and heavy against my neck. Leaning over me, padding my sides with more fur and skin, his touches were brazen, accidentally touching intimate and private areas under the covers of helping me.
It made me sick to my stomach; what if I really was helpless? What if I was in this position and knew I could not move a muscle if he decided he wanted something more? Take deep breaths, slow, deep breaths; I chanted in my mind. I can't let him see how angry I became. Almost ready, Drifta said she was almost ready. I need to eat something and hear what else he has to say. Maybe then! Ice cold and dark shadows grew inside my head; a wicked evil I never thought I even had in me jolted my imagination to life. The things I saw in there, it scared me. Even how much I wanted toke to pay for all this, punish him in my own wicked way even, but this? I blinked rapidly to clear it all. Was it Drifta? Could that fluffy white cloud of a wolf be a cold-hearted killer with a hunger for bloody and toe-curling revenge?
"You must be curious now!"
I didn't get to finish my trail of thoughts before Toke began to speak and showed a spoonful of something inside my mouth. A bit confused, I slowly chewed on the warm food. I have no idea what it was, but it tasted like a meat stew of sorts without salt or pepper. Seeing that he also ate while he spoke, I let my shoulders down and let him feed me.
"To be honest with you, I didn't even notice how much I had changed. Strange huh? I went from one person to another, and I didn't even notice it!"
He chuckled and lifted the glass of water up to my lips. Coughing and clearing my throat, my words were raspy and staggering. But at least I managed to say something,
"I noticed. Not the same now. You. You are not you."
I cussed myself. My body began to wake up, but I talked with half sentences, and I felt out of breath already.
His lips pressed to the corner of my mouth before he showed another spoon in between my lips.
"Don't do that. You need to rest and eat. Besides, you got it all wrong."
I frowned at him, and a shiver went down my spine when he winked at me. The glint in his dark eyes, mischievous and amused, it felt so cold.
"You see, I changed long ago. At first, I didn't even remember why, or how that could happen. A memory is hidden away, only to appear when we both were ready. But I'm not making any sense with this rambling! You see, you disturbed me. That was not where I planned to start the story. So, let us start again."
I flinched slightly at his harsh voice. Stealing a glance at him, I could see how his jaw muscles worked, tightening over and over. His wooden spoon clanked and smacked against his bowl while he glared down, breathing deeply through his teeth. I held my breath, half expecting him to throw the bowl on the wall or hit a hole in the door. The vein on his forehead throbbed, but suddenly he let it all go. Filled his spoon and eat a couple of bites before he started talking. This time I only tried nodding where he expected me to,
" It all started when I traveled to the land of light to spend some vacation time with Miranda if you know what I mean!"
He snickered and wiggled his brows at me, and I could barely hold my eye roll back.
"She's been living like a princess and loves that life. But she has ambitions. We knew we would make a strong union, but like you know, Fay doesn't like mixing races. However, this does not concern Miranda. She wants to be the Fay Queen, the highest-ranking female in our world, and the woman indeed has her connections in order. With me, the only rightful heir to the Vikings pack, the last one with pure bloodlines, and her with the land of the lights in her palms, we would eventually rule this word. There was only one problem, Fury. He refused to take her as a mate before giving his destined mate a try. And you know him; if he refuses, there is no way to force him. I found it ridiculous since, at that time, at least, I hadn't heard of anyone finding their destined one in centuries. But I guess he always knew someone was made for him because he would not budge."
He picked up the plates and even wiped my mouth with a cloth. My stomach still growled in hunger, but it seemed he had decided I didn't need to eat more. Taking my half-full plate away. I remember Miranda; she was the first one I met when I woke up after Luca "saved me" and brought me to those morbid creatures' land.
"But as you know, Fay women are no strangers to several mates, so we made a deal. She would make sure my mate was drawn to me and that I was the perfect one in her eyes. Mated and Marked, I would be even stronger and have my pack's full support. In return, I will make sure the fay king rot own in one of his own breeding dungeons and step up to rule a land in chaos after he mysteriously disappeared. With a strong and well know princess that already has three respected mates by my side, I would be accepted as a savior. I will take her as my queen while my mate stays Luna. But as I guess you understand, all this requires some magic! Finding your mate, attracting her, or calling for her when it hasn't been done in ages is as good as impossible. At least, that was what I thought."
A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, and I pressed back against the wall staring at him with wide eyes. His face twisted, shadows crept out from every corner, and that glint I saw in his eyes earlier was back. He still looked like Toke somehow, but his smile was different, twisting too high up, his eyes darker, and I could feel the change. Almost black eyes pierced mine like a dagger while a wicked smile crept up on his face. His hair grew longer, slowly changing shades, darker and darker until it was pitch black.
I expected his voice to be col and raspy, almost animalistic, but instead, it was deep and smooth. Like a snake's tongue wiggling its way closer to its victims,
"And that's where I come in, my darling."
Grabbing my hand, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it slowly without breaking eye contact with me.
"Let me introduce myself; I am Loki, a pleasure to finally meet you Rosabella, the barbarian princess!"