Chapter 11: Apparition

DAHLIA:

Before I could even speak, he scolded me harshly, “What the hell were you doing there? Did you really plan to die like that?!”

I can’t believe it! Tristan was here right in front of me!

I tried to say something to him, but my body was wracked in violent fits of coughs. He propped me into a sitting position and massaged my back, soothing me. I felt a tremendous amount of relief that I wanted to cry.

“H-how,” I managed to finally ask him when I had gotten over my coughs.

“I heard you say goodbye… I heard you say goodbye in my head just now,” he said abruptly.

I can’t believe it! I was able to talk to him in my head even without trying to mind-link with him! Was that even possible?

His face wore a surprised and worried look too. Perhaps he had the same questions as the ones in my mind right now…

“How can I… How can I talk to you like that? Does it mean we can talk to each other through a mind-link?” As far as I know, mind-links only work if wolves belong to the same pack or if they were truly fated to each other. It was a nice discovery! This meant that we really were fated mates, right?

I tested my theory and tried to call him over my head just then, but I heard no response… Was he telling me the truth?

“I don’t think it works as you please… Maybe not in the beginning for you,” Tristan said. “Anyway, I heard your wolf scream for me loud and clear, then I heard you say goodbye.” His eyes looked a bit concerned. “Are you alright? Were you hurt?”

“I’m okay,” I said. I unconsciously tugged at my neck where the necklace had been moments before. I felt sore.

Tristan ran his hands into my neck, and a tingling sensation went over me. He looked disappointed though. “Tsk, it made a mark on your skin. Does it hurt?”

“It’s okay… I didn’t know it’ll get caught like that,” I mumbled. I tried to get up, but Tristan stopped me, clutching my shoulders in both his arms.

“What were you trying to do? Did you really want to die?”

I stared at his eyes. Why did they look hurt?

“It’s none of your business,” I said. What can he do anyway? Can he even rescue me from this predicament I was in? Wasn’t dying the best option I’ve got here?

“It’s always my business! You are my mate!”

“Your mate? You didn’t want to tell me who you really were and left without properly introducing yourself, and now you’re saying you are concerned for me? If you can hear me or Eva, then you should have known how hard it has been to look for you! Why did you make meeting you so hard until now, and why did you even show up,” I said, my anger getting the best of me.

“I’m sorry, alright! I’m sorry! The people around you don’t exactly make it easier for me to see you as I pleased,” he said curtly.

He was angry too, but I didn’t care. Hot tears came streaming down my face. “Why didn’t you come soon? Why didn’t you find me soon,” I said, beating my fist into his chest. I was overcome by so much emotion. I felt relieved, but at the same time, I hated him for just showing up only now.

He didn’t say anything. When I stopped speaking, he held my hand and caressed it. He kissed the back of my fingers.

“I apologize, my lady… I didn’t know you were under this much pain… I thought you had loved the prince above anyone else. I thought you didn’t want me into your life anymore, so I was planning to quietly leave you as you were before meeting me…”

So that was it? He didn’t know I was suffering. I was far too busy fooling everyone else that I had fooled even my own fated mate…

“I… I didn’t want it… I didn’t want to marry Kaist,’ I finally confessed breathlessly to him.

“Why then did you not come with me when I asked you? Why did you ask me to return you to your father’s men if you will just turn out like this?”

I continued to cry. He had a point… Why did I have to return here? I should have just run away with him back then…

But then, who was he? I only knew my mate’s first name. I don’t even know his family name, or how old he was, or where he came from.

“It’s because I was scared,” I finally said. “I… I still don’t know anything about you, so how can I fearlessly come with you?... Who are you? How did you find me?... I wanted to know all of these things…”

His face softened up a bit. He smiled, looking amused. “My name -,” he began to say, but before he could say more, we heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Someone was coming!

“Lady Hurst, you will know me soon enough,” he said. “I will surely come for you. If you don’t want this marriage, then I’ll come and rescue you. I will take you away from here, I promise…”

Before I knew what was happening, Tristan buried his face into my neck and sucked at my skin lightly. I gasped. What was he doing?

It was only for a few seconds. When he lifted his head, he was panting, and he whispered into my ears.

“This will help me find you easily… Until then,” again, he halted his words and this time, he drew quickly towards my face and kissed my lips. “Don’t do anything rash, my love.”

As quickly as he had rescued me, he pulled away and stood, and then, he disappeared into the night.

I exhaled loudly… Did it really happen, or did I just imagine that Tristan was here and that he kissed me?

Damn that wolf! It was my first kiss! I traced my fingers through my neck where he placed his mouth earlier too. My necklace was still missing. That only meant that he really was here, right? He did rescue me! I wasn’t dreaming this at all!

I sat on the ground, dumbfounded and feeling flustered. Nobody came closer to me, unlike what we both thought initially. It had been some time before I managed to get myself together, returning to the waiting room instead of the pavilion.

“Lady Hurst, what happened,” Lina said in a hushed tone when he saw the mark on my neck. “Were you attacked?”

“I will tell you later, Lina. Quickly help me conceal this… I had been away from the party far too long. It might look suspicious…”

Lina nodded. She worked quickly with cosmetics, concealing the red mark of the necklace around my neck and the glaring kiss mark on it that Tristan had apparently left.

Lina produced a shawl and wrapped it around my neck skillfully. Feeling a bit more confident, I rose from the chair and rejoined everyone in the pavilion.

“Dahlia!” Kaist exclaimed. It looked like relief washed over his face when he saw me enter. “What happened? I looked for you at the garden, but I didn’t see you,” he said in a whisper.

“I went further into the lake,” I told him, “and unfortunately, I lost your necklace,” I continued.

Kaist’s eyes fell into my neck, precisely near the part where Tristan left a mark. I didn’t know if he could see it, but I tightened the shawl Lina had draped over me.

“How did that happen,” he asked, his eyes squinting with a quiet look of disbelief.

Did he see the mark? I felt tense as I sensed the faint look of suspicion in his eyes.