Chapter 108: Chapter 108

DAHLIA:

I can’t believe what he just did. How can Naskan be so bold? Was it because he was sure we were fated mates?

The craziest part of it all was that I liked it. I liked his kiss, and before I knew what I was doing, I was already kissing him back…

Naskan’s muscular arms travelled around my body, caressing me. Why was I even letting him do this?

“Ahh, wait,” I said, pulling back. There was no way I should concede to this. I’m pregnant, and more importantly, I don’t even remember this wolf at all…

“Are you beginning to remember now, Dahlly?” He called me in that nickname too… Were we really close?

There was indeed a comforting feeling even when Naskan was staying much closer than I would have wanted right now. He does not feel like a threatening person, and yet… This was all wrong…

I have a husband somewhere. Maybe I was forced to marry that man, but still I had accepted him. I am now carrying his child. I shouldn’t think of another man, especially now when I don’t even remember anything…

“No… Please let me go,” I said softly. It was taking every inch of me to refuse him. Why does he have to smell so good too?

Maybe it’s the pregnancy… Maybe my insides had gone haywire because of it…

“We should try it again, just to make sure.” Naskan swooped down to kiss me again, but this time, I was able to evade it.

“L-Let’s just do the laundry,” I said.

Gosh, just what kind of she-wolf was I to let someone whom I had just met kiss me like that?

“Alright,” he said. He reluctantly let go of my waist. I walked away and went towards the pile of clothes I was going to wash. Naskan didn’t say anything as he followed me.

I looked down at the clothes, and I felt stumped. Just how do people wash clothes? Shouldn’t I need some detergent for this?

“Just wash it with your hands and use stones to hit the dirt away,” Naskan said. “Here, let me show you.”

I looked in awe as Naskan skillfully washed the clothing articles in water, telling me what to do in situations like this when I had no soap to make it clean.

I tried to copy Naskan’s method. He began to coach me more intently on how to do it.

I looked keenly at the dress I was washing. The more I followed his advice, the more suspicious I became of myself…

Why was it that I didn’t feel an affinity with this chore? Since I was a slave, shouldn’t I know how to do this thing by instinct?

Was everything that Samalah has told me true?

“Hey, Naskan,” I said. I wanted to ask him about my past and confirm what Samalah had so far told me, but as soon as I saw what he was washing, everything slipped out of my head.

“G-Give that back! What are you doing with it?!”

“Why? Is it yours,” he said in a sly manner.

I quickly snatched the underwear I had used the day before from his hand. How can he be crazy enough to pick it up?

“Look, here’s another one,” he said. I had never acted as fast as I could when I snatched the brassiere off of his hands too.

“Why do you keep picking those up? Are you a pervert?!”

“Well… It’s because they smell exactly like you…”

I gave him a sharp look. Well, so much for doing laundry with Naskan... In the future, I shall never, under any circumstances, do this again with him!

The sun had risen up well when we finished with the laundry. Naskan carried the pail of water and the laundry basket, refusing to let me help him with it at all.

Why was he treating me like a princess, I wondered.

Soon, we reached the cave. I ran in advance to let Samalah know that the wolf she was expecting has arrived.

“Dahlia,” a nervous Samalah said as soon as she saw me. She clasped my shoulders tightly. “Where were you? We’ve got to go!”

“But why?”

“It’s dangerous out here.”

“Is that so? Then it’s a good thing. Your friend has just arrived.”

“My friend?”

“Uh huh,” I nodded. “Naskan’s here.”

Samalah looked behind me as soon as Naskan came into view.

“Nice seeing you again, Samalah. What have you been up to, old friend,” Naskan said as he greeted her.

For a second, Samalah’s lips curved into a smile, but why did I feel her body begin to tremble?

******************************

SAMALAH:

I stood in front of Dahlia and another person who was obviously none other than Tristan.

So why the hell was she calling him Naskan?

“Ah… Long time no see, old friend,” I said, getting nervous.

I didn’t want Dahlia to suspect anything. Seeing that Tristan had assumed Naskan’s identity only meant two things.

First, he was willing to fool Dahlia alongside with me. Second, he either wanted to protect me or Dahlia from what was to come…

Either way, I think he has figured out my plans, or at least a great part of it.

“I’m going to hang these clothes out in the sun for a moment. I’ll help with the food and with the preparations to leave once I’m done,” Dahlia said with a smile, still looking clueless about the situation.

“Go ahead. Take your time,” Tristan said as she exited. “We’ll need a lot of catching up to do anyway.”

I laughed nervously as Dahlia went away. “Fancy seeing you here… Naskan.”

“Yes,” he sneered. “Even I had surprised myself for being here. Tell me, Samalah… What have you been up to, honestly?”

Tristan was advancing towards me, his face looking dark and angry. I stepped away involuntarily out of fear.

I have known Tristan since I was thirteen. I have seen him get mad, but this was the first time I was seeing him this furious. It was greatly affecting the air around me.

“C-Control your emotions,” I cautioned him.

In terms of magic, Tristan was a wind and fire wielder – someone who could control two basic elements. These powers were strongest whenever he was overcome with intense emotions, and right now, because of his anger, it was becoming harder and harder for me to breathe.

“How nice of you to command me, Samalah, after all that you did… Now, tell me first, what are you up to? Tell me now while I still have the self-control to keep you alive!”