Chapter 208
(Brave’s POV)
“Do you like it, my love?” she asked me with a wide, dazzling smile which tugged at my heart.
“No, I don’t,” I feigned a frown and pouted as I replied. Her eyes narrowed at my words. She was caught off guard. I couldn’t help but tease her a bit more, “It is~ Mmm~ how should I put it? I just, don’t like it that much,” I said, stifling a chuckle somehow. She gave me a simple yet beautiful, Tiger’s eye beaded handmade bracelet.
Her lips became droopy, her smile faltering at my words. I couldn’t bear to see her like that so I stopped pulling her leg and embraced her tightly, “It is just that I love it. I love whatever you give me p>
She elbowed me softly, feigning anger. I chuckled at her cute behavior. She is my world, my everything. How I wish time could stop and we can just live in this moment for an eternity.
For some reason, I can see her smile but weirdly enough, I couldn’t quite see her full face. It was odd but I was just satisfied to live this moment with her.
“What are you thinking so deeply, babe?” She whispered just near my earlobe, sending shivers down my spine. Her voice was magnetic.
“Ughh it’s nothing,” I couldn’t tell that I wasn’t able to see her face. She would get worried. Maybe, I am tired from all the work or maybe it was the pent-up exhaustion taking toll on my mind.
I kissed her forehead gently and tucked her loosened strand behind her ear carefully. She giggled and blushed at my gesture and hugged me tightly, burying her face in the crook of my neck. Her breath warm and tantalizing me, inside and out.
“Come, let me show you my comfort place,” she pulled back from our intimate hug. I was already missing her warmth, her comfort. She got up and extended her hand towards me, urging me to get up as well.
I held her hand and got up. Interlocking our hands together, we walked slowly, maintaining each other’s pace, mine slow, matching hers.
The place we were in, I couldn’t recognize it. Why can’t I remember anything lately? There were a lot of questions reeling inside me head but my priority was to be with her right now.
She took me to a place which was familiar this time. It was the lake that was attached behind my pack house. But somehow, it looked different than normal. It was covered with various exotic flowers, there overwhelming scents lingering in the air. Initially, I wasn’t feeling anything but as I breathed the surrounding air even more, the overpowering fragrance was too much to handle. As I tried to understand what had happened here, my head buzzed, excruciating pain hitting me like a bolt of lightning.
I let go of her hand instantly and clutched my head, pulling at my hair in discomfort. I grunted in pain for a while and she bent down beside me, asking worriedly, “What happened to you? Are you alright?” Her sweet yet concerned filled voice didn’t gave me any comfort neither did it eased my pain.
I was nowhere near being alright. Just when I thought I would pass out from this agonizing torture, it stopped instantly. ’Am I hallucinating?’ It was as if, there was no pain at all that I suffered.
Closing my eyes, I tried to call out for my buddy, ’Raw, what is going on? Did you feel it too?’ I waited and waited but strangely enough, he didn’t say anything. I called out again, “Raw, why are you not answering?’ Still, no reply whatsoever.
Her soothing, gentle voice pulled me back from my dilemma, “You look pale, Brave.” Her smooth fingers brushed my hair from my forehead, her touch velvety.
“I am alright. I just felt a bit of a headache. Nothing to worry about. So, where is this place you were taking me,” I asked her, not wanting to sour her mood.
“Ohhh, you would love it,” she exclaimed with enthusiasm. I matched her energy and replied, “Of course, I will. After all, it is your favorite place. Even if it is in hell, I would still love it p>
As soon as these words left my mouth, the scenery changed, or rather the daytime turned into dark, gloomy night sky. The place that was covered with endless vibrant flowers a moment ago looked dreary and lifeless. The flower bed turning into wilted and ashened ground.
Rain pouring down heavily, dampened me thoroughly. I gazed at her serene figure and strangely enough, she wasn’t getting any rain on her. Her pristine white dress or her hair were dry as if there was a shield protecting just her or rather separating her. I was confused by whatever was going on. So, I asked, “Why aren’t you getting wet?” I couldn’t make sense of anything.
She chuckled and answered, “You should know the answer well, my love p>
I frowned at her words, not understanding the meaning of anything. So, I questioned her, “What are you saying? How can I know the answer p>
Her smile remained intact thought it didn’t reached her eyes which unsettled me, “It is because of you, Brave. It is because you left me that day. It is your fault, entirely yours. You are a monster, Brave. A MONSTER THAT KILLED YOUR MATE p>
My eyes widened in shock at her words. ’What is she saying? I killed my~ my mate? I killed her p>
“What are you saying, my love? You are alive and well. How can you say such cruel thing about yourself?” I blurt out. Everything was so puzzling to me.
She chuckled at first and then her laughter turned loud and bitter, “You are so delusional, Brave. A total failure. You couldn’t protect me. You protect our relationship. You couldn’t protect your wolf, Raw. You couldn’t protect your position. You are utterly delusional and a fool,” she spat, her words filled with venomous glint, giving me goosebumps.
Each and every word she enunciated was tearing my heart into thousand pieces. “I am a failure? I couldn’t protect anything? I~ I am a monster?” I questioned myself. ’Am I p>
Her voice became loud almost ear splitting, repeating same words, over and over again, “You are a monster, Brave. A monster you are a monster a monster p>
My chest rose and fell. I was having difficulty in breathing. I was hyperventilating.
All of a sudden, her voice was overlapping with another female’s voice. The voice was familiar though I couldn’t remember who it belonged to. It was hoarse and a bit choked, “I don’t know If heari~ng my voice can~ help you… in any way or not but~ I just want to say~ I am sorry p>
I was a bit taken aback. Clutching my chest, I looked at my surroundings for the source of this voice. But there was no one apart just her who was constantly cursing at me, calling me a monster.
The voice continued, “Whatever~ happ~ened between us that nig~ht, I shouldn’t have… said those words I shouldn’t have… called you a mon~ster p>
’Monster?’ That word was like a trigger to me. The familiar yet unrecognizable voice muffled in the background.
My mate started laughing again. “You utter fool. Have you forgotten?” With these words, the rain became intense. The scene changed again.
My eyes instantly shot up. I remembered, it was that day. The day I dreaded, I regretted. I lost her. The day my mate bond was severed with her. The day she disappeared and I couldn’t do anything.
The entire scene played out in front of me. I tried to get up and save her this time but I was frozen in place, not being able to move even an inch. I tried desperately to reach her, but I could do nothing, everything happening in front of my very own eyes. It was horror, it was torment.
Her body was fading gradually, right in front of me, but I was bound by an invisible force. The voice echoed inside my head, “See, you can do nothing. I am fading, Brave. My body is vanishing and you are~ tskkkk… you are merely sitting here. You are a disappointment. You are weak and wolf less. You lost me. You lost your mate, your mate bond. Your family pities you. They are distressed because of you. You will lose everything. EVERYTHING p>
Every word was a gnashing punch to my gut. But she continued, her tormenting words didn’t stop there, “And just like how you lost me, you will lose her as well. You will lose her, Brave p>
’Her? Who is she referring to?’ My face etched with confusion. I asked her, “Why are you going round in circles?” I was frustrated by this back and forth.
The scene changed again and the torrential downpour which was gulping everything a moment ago, stopped.
To Be Continued……..