Chapter 117: Chapter 117

DAHLIA:

“Albus… Will you show yourself to me?”

As soon as I whispered these words, Naskan’s wolf was enveloped by a dark violet light that seemed to come from his forehead. I peered at it, and I was able to see an oval rune stone appear at the center of his head.

Once the dark light had finished covering his body, it revealed an all-white wolf as massive as the dark one whom he came to replace.

So it really was true! Naskan had two wolves inside of him!

Then, he must really be a Shadow wolf too, just like I was.

‘Hey, Eva, how come Naskan did not tell me about this,’ I asked my wolf inside my head again.

There was nothing but silence.

‘Um… Eva?’

The connection between us was broken once more. I wanted to cry.

Just then, the white wolf in my lap began to stir.

I smoothed the snowy white fur covering his neck. It felt as soft as the black wolf’s fur. “Naskan, are you feeling better?”

He blinked back at me. “Dahlia,” he growled roughly.

“Yes. It’s me. We’re safe now,” I said softly.

The white wolf craned his neck towards me and licked my face like an oversized dog.

“Dahlia, I missed you,” he whimpered. I couldn’t say I missed him too for I do not remember him, but his kisses and scent felt very familiar.

“How come you didn’t tell me you’re a Shadow Rune wolf too?”

“Because we were the only true Shadow wolf. You were just forced to be one.”

My mouth hung open for a long time. I was forced to be a Shadow wolf? This information seemed to go against what Samalah had previously told me…

The white wolf closed his eyes again. “Sorry, Dahlly… My head is still throbbing. Would you help me up?”

“No,” I said. “You just got poisoned. Sleep some more.”

“It’s alright. We must get somewhere safe first,” he growled.

Indeed, we were in the middle of a sandy pit inside a stony ruin. Our enemies could find us anytime if we do not move somewhere more obscured.

“Alright, but let me walk. You’re still not strong enough.”

“No. I can manage. Get on my back,” Naskan insisted.

I sighed. No matter what the color of his fur was, he was the same hard-headed wolf I knew.

I climbed over Naskan’s back gently. He was able to carry me like before, but his movements were considerably slower than earlier.

“So Naskan, you have two wolves inside of you? This one is Albus, and how about the other one?”

“The black one is Arthur,” he grunted.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“I was hoping you’d remember… You knew about it before you lost your memories.” He stopped and craned his neck towards me. “Dahlia, do you remember all of it now? Were you able to talk to Eva?”

Naskan also knew my wolf’s name. Then, that means he was not lying. We really were fated mates!

I hugged him tightly by the neck. “I’m sorry. Some flashes of my memories came back to me, but that’s it. I was able to talk with Eva, and she helped me use my powers to heal you, but after that, she disappeared again.”

“It’s alright. You’ll remember them by and by,” he said consolingly. “What did you remember?”

“I remembered healing you, and I remembered being your fated mate…”

Silence followed us. I had a feeling Naskan was thinking about something very seriously as we walked.

“Dahlia, you will gain back your memory one day, I’m sure of it… I just hope that until then, you’ll learn to trust me more. Everything I do, I’m doing for our own good, alright?”

“Hmm… okay.”

After a few more hours, we reached a cave beside a shallow spring. Naskan finally dropped me off from his back next to the cool water.

I splashed some water on my face. By now, the sun was well passed the horizon. Soon, it will be dark.

Naskan went inside the forest and came back shortly again, this time bearing fruits, which he placed down on the ground next to me.

“Eat up, Dahlia. I’m sorry you missed your breakfast.”

I pushed some of the fruits his way as well. “I’m sorry about this morning too,” I mumbled.

I peeled the fruits for Naskan, but instead of taking them, he fed it to me himself as he transformed in his half-wolf form.

“Why are you taking care of me like this,” I asked him. “Why are you still so nice to me even after I tried to reject you?...”

He did not say anything for a long time as he continued to peel the fruits for me.

“I won’t lie to you, Dahlia… It did hurt a lot that you would want to reject me, especially since you don’t remember anything yet. However, I had not been entirely good to you in the past. I have hurt you many times too, some of them unknowingly.”

“I’m see… I’m sorry for what I did this morning.”

“If you are really sorry, then promise me one thing,” he said. He moved closer towards me, scooping me gently in his arms and moving me towards his lap. “Promise me you won’t reject me until you’ve gotten to know me. Give me a chance to make it up to you, to prove that I am someone worthy of becoming your mate…”

I looked up to his wolf’s eyes. They were full of unexpressed sorrow.

Just what did happen to us in the past?... Why did we not end up together?

“Okay, I promise,” I said. I rested my head in his soft chest while I ate, and he continued to peel the rest of the fruits for me.

After we finished eating, Naskan carried me to the spring to wash up.

It was dark outside, but as soon as he settled me in the water, fireflies began to come around us, glowing like little stars within my reach.

“It’s very beautiful,” I exclaimed.

My back was turned against him, and the water has only reached up to my naked belly.

“But not as beautiful as you,” Naskan growled in response.

Suddenly, I felt his strong, muscular arms envelope me from behind. He must have transformed back into his human form just now.

I became increasingly aware of my own nakedness as I came in contact with his warm skin. I discarded my clothes just before dipping into the water. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that at all…

He rained light, ticklish kisses on my back and along the length of my neck. “You are so fragrant,” he said as his hands sought my body all around.

I can feel the temperature of my body rising rapidly from the core. I covered my belly instinctively.

His mouth pressed itself closely over my left ear as he made a sultry whisper. “Dahlly… Can we make love tonight?”