Secret of the past

Dahlia took a deep breath as the cold air bit her skin. The forest around her was silent, except for the sound of leaves rustling in the wind. Ronan led the way, his upright posture, his steady steps made it seem like he was part of the wilderness itself.

"Don't be left behind, hurry," Ronan's voice was calm, but there was a determination in it.

Dahlia bit her lip, trying to balance her steps on the uneven ground. She was no hunter, and she never thought she would be here—in the middle of a dense forest with a Lycan king she had just met yesterday.

But there was something strange.

She didn't feel unfamiliar with this place. The forest she was walking through felt familiar.

Her steps slowed as the strange feeling crept into her mind. The smell of wet soil, the sound of whispering leaves, even the shadows of towering trees—all of it felt familiar.

It was as if... she had been here before

***

That night, Dahlia sat in her room, her blank gaze focused on the candle burning on the wooden table.

Fatigue was still felt in her body after the hunting trip earlier. Ronan did not force her to catch anything, only invited her to see how the Lycans hunted in the wild.

However, there was something else that bothered her more.

When they arrived at the deepest part of the forest, she felt deja vu. As if she had stood in that place before, heard the same voice, felt the same sensation.

But that was impossible, right?

Dahlia shook her head slowly, trying to dispel those strange thoughts.

However, when she fell asleep and slowly closed her eyes because of drowsiness, suddenly something happened.

In an instant, she was in another place.

The sky above her was golden red, the twilight almost setting. Before her, the battlefield stretched out, the ground wet with blood.

And in the midst of the chaos, a man stood.

His black robes fluttered in the wind, his black hair was messy, and his eyes...

Those golden eyes.

The same eyes as Ronan's.

Dahlia gasped, her body tense. He reached out to her, his face covered in scars, but his eyes were full of tenderness.

"Dahlia..." his voice was hoarse, almost desperate.

"You must remember."

Dahlia jerked back. Her heart was pounding, her head throbbing as if something was forcing its way out of her mind.

Then, everything disappeared.

She was back in her room, her breath coming in short gasps.

Her heart was beating fast. What had just happened? Was this a dream or a throwback to the past?

She clutched her chest, trying to calm herself from the dozens of questions in her head. But the strange feeling still remained—as if there was something she almost remembered, something important.

And it had to do with Ronan.

***

The next day, she found Ronan in the training room.

The Lycan King was training with some of his warriors, his movements swift and deadly. In one slash, his sword flew past, nearly hitting his opponent, before stopping just inches from their neck.

Ronan's gaze was wary, never letting his guard down.

Dahlia swallowed nervously, worried about disturbing them.

She waited until the training was over before finally approaching.

Ronan stared at her for a moment, then motioned for the warriors to leave them alone.

"What brought you here?" he asked directly.

Dahlia bit her lip, then took a deep breath.

"I had a strange dream," she said finally.

Ronan's eyes narrowed slightly. "What kind of dream?"

Dahlia hesitated for a moment before answering. "I saw a battlefield... a red sky... and a man with golden eyes."

Ronan froze.

For the first time, his calm expression wavered.

She saw his jaw tighten, as if holding something back.

"Do you remember something?" his voice was deeper, more serious.

Dahlia shook her head. "I'm not sure. It felt real, but..."

Ronan stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing something in his mind. Then, without warning, he said, "It wasn't just a dream, Dahlia."

Her heart pounded. "What do you mean?"

Ronan leaned in, his voice low and sure.

"It was our past."

***

Dahlia could barely breathe.

Their past? What did Ronan mean?

"We've met before," Ronan continued, his eyes boring into hers. "Not in this life... but in a past life."

Dahlia shivered.

"We—" Ronan paused for a moment, before finally saying it clearly. "We were a couple centuries ago."

Dahlia shivered.

"We—" Ronan paused, before finally saying it clearly. "We were once a couple centuries ago."

Dahlia's world seemed to stop spinning.

Ronan wasn't joking. She saw the seriousness in his eyes, something deep and full of emotion.

"No... that's impossible..." Dahlia whispered, her head throbbing.

Ronan took a deep breath.

"You won't believe this, I know that, but I will help you remember slowly, and I won't force you to remember everything."

Dahlia could only stare at him, her mind in disarray.

If this was true...

Then who was she really?

And why didn't she remember anything?