CHAPTER 10

[professor's Gabriello POV]

I forced myself to open my eyes again. I don't know why I feel so weak and so sleepy like I would want to sleep forever. I know I had a nap. And while sleeping I dreamt that I was on a coffee date with my mate. It felt so real, yet the question I asked her, and my words were odd. Why would I ask what colour her wolf is? That's rather inappropriate. And why wouldn't I think that the royal family employed me to kill her? I tried to shake the dizziness I was feeling away, but I couldn't. I tried to move my limbs and I couldn't. It was so dark and stuffy. Am I dead, is this what purgatory feels like? Nothingness? I asked myself. While asking myself where I was, I swear I could hear the pitted patter of some bare feet somewhere in distance. I sharpened my senses to make out what was happening. Would that be the steps of my punisher? Or maybe my saviour? I sharpened my senses as much as I could, despite the weakness that enveloped my body like a cobweb of silver. I could smell the strong pungent smell of blood and with it, a faint scent was approaching in synchrony with the pitter-patter of the stranger's bare feet. It smelled like roses, like damask roses. My heart froze. Is that my mate?

[Gabe's POV]

I don't know how many times I read her file, over and over. In a frivolous attempt to motivate my actions. For the first time in my entire career of being a hunter, I feel guilty. I feel guilty for kidnapping the professor, for wearing someone else's face and for pretending to be the mate of a naïve wolf. Maybe I am just getting old. I've done this job for almost a millennium. Maybe I should retire. Even if I am an immortal primordial wolf, I still get wear and tear; I am not invincible. My thoughts were distracted by a sudden ring.

"Hey," I answered her chiming salut, my heart skipped a beat hearing her voice. "Did you sleep well?" I immediately asked trying to ignore my odd reaction. I should not react like this, not when my mission is to kill her.

"Yeah." She replied. But I could hear the lie in her voice. "I just wanted to say hi." She hurriedly explained the call. I couldn't believe how shooting her voice is. This time I knew she spoke the truth and strangely that made me feel a soft warmth in my heart.

"Do you have lectures today?" I found myself asking.

"No, I have a workday today."

"Oh," I disappointedly replied, too late to realise how far gone I am from my mission.

"I can call you when I finish work." She offered, and that made a smile creep on my face.

"That'll be nice!"

"Yeah, I'll have to get ready for work. Talk to you later." She said, before closing the call. I was still holding my mobile in my hand, staring down at it like it was my first time seeing such an intricate device. I was startled when my mobile rang again. The caller had no ID, but I knew who was calling me. I took a deep breath like I would prepare myself to dive underwater. I knew that this conversation will not be easy.

"Hello?" I answered unsure of how I should begin the conversation. I was meant to prepare for the closing of the case, but I was not even sure that I wanted to continue anymore. And yet, this case was given to me by the royals. Would my refusal go lightly by them?

"Greetings, mister Jager. How is the case going?" The man at the other end asked straightforwardly. I held my breath. I was expecting this, yet I didn't know how to deal with it.

"Is in developing," I replied in one breath.

"You better hold your end of the deal. The royal family does not accept failure." The man half threatens me in the most emotionless way.

"Have I ever failed?" I asked, instead of accepting my doubts.

"Well, if all is good. I will need a report of how the case is progressing by the end of this week." The man ordered, before closing the call. I threw my mobile against the wall, and it shattered as a crystal wine glass dropped on a marble floor.

"ARGH!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. My wolf threatened to get loose. I crouched to my knees and hugging my body tightly I managed to regain control. Why do I feel such great misery? She's not my mate to feel such anger. During my years of training as an assassin, I learnt meditating from an eastern-Asian master who took me in. He saved me from fatal injuries after a mission turned too bloody to handle. I positioned myself on a full lotus and drifted away from reality. It took some time for me to regain my calm. The magic I use to replace a mate has its risks I am wondering if this is the reason why I feel like this. After all, in all the previous cases I never had to replace an immortal primordial who was fated to be the mate of another primordial, also possibly immortal. I quickly raised up and made my way to the cellar, where I keep the professor. I had to make sure I cover my scent and keep his face so he can not learn about my identity.