Chapter 10: Lucid Dreaming

[Ocean]

“Are you going to kill me?” My mouth speaks before my mind, which I immediately regretted.

No, he saved me, and that’s the most improbable scenario I had expected. He could have let me fall to my death if he had wanted me to die, but alas, he didn’t.

What is he doing here? Has he been following me? Did he notice me leaving the house?

He was deafeningly silent. My mouth opens, then closes without uttering a word. His stare tells me not to say anything.

My eyes fly to his naked body but quickly send my gaze upwards. He’s looking at me, trying to figure out what I just did.

This is the first time I saw him with emotion, aside from hatred and anger.

That didn’t last long, though, he took three steps backwards before morphing into a massive wolf.

His midnight black coat would have been nearly impossible to see in the dark if it weren’t for the moonlight glinting off his fur. He’s like a shadow, stalking in the dark.

The dim moonlight creates an illusion to his eyes, like it was glowing embers of molten emerald stone.

Giving him an ethereal beauty. Painstakingly, lethally, beautiful.

A hunter.

He leapt so high, darting over my height, I thought he was going to bite off my head. Instead, he dashed into the dark woods, disappearing in the shadows.

I was left alone.

He said I was singing. I thought it was all a dream, but was it?

I look at the path where I assume I came from and trailed back.

The woods come alive at night with rustlings of nocturnal animals hunting in the dark, fireflies glittering at the thick foliage, and crickets serenading into the dead of night.

The trek was long but I managed to get back to my room. Aria is soundly sleeping in my bed, her mouth open.

I climbed back into bed and looped my arms around her body. Sleep snatched me up as soon as I closed my eyes.

My dreams were filled with beautiful creatures that lived deep within the ocean’s abyss. With their beautiful songs, luring sailors into death.

*****

Aria had awoken before me the next morning. The place she’d been to was already cold. Arzhel was the one who woke me up with a tray of food.

Pancakes, that’s what they called them. The flattened golden-brown meal and the thick substance on top of it is caramel syrup.

“How was your sleep last night with Aria?” He inquired as he placed the tray on my side table.

“It was fantastic. We talk for a while before going to bed. I had no idea she was a morning person.”

Should I tell him about my peculiar trip last night? That Quillian saved my life, but telling him would only raise more questions that I couldn’t answer.

“What did you talk about?” My face flustered, remembering what we had been talking about last night.

“Oh, it was nothing.” He gives me a look that implies he doesn’t think it was nothing. I pretended I didn’t notice it. I quickly snatched the tray from the table and dipped my index finger into the syrup.

Should I ask him if Aria has said that I could be his mate?

But what if he denies it?

Maybe I’m just assuming too much. Arzhel is kind to all the people around here, maybe I’m just putting too much thought about it.

What am I thinking? Blasted!

“Wow! The caramel is good!” I exclaimed, trying to shake the tension building inside me and to divert the topic.

I really want to ask him about that and my tongue is itching but I choose not to.

He was staring in my face, I got conscious so I checked if there was something in it.

“Is there something wrong with my face?” I ask, wiping my hand to my face. He only shakes his head.

“No, I’m just curious as to how your eyes were green and yet blue at the same time.” I’m curious about that as well, unlike their solid-colored eyes, mine were in hues. Sometimes, when I look at myself in the mirror, they are mossy green, but when the light hit my eyes, they become bluish. I thought it was normal until Arzhel pointed it out.

“Maybe from the light reflecting on it.” I shrugged and dug my fork into my food. He got to his feet and walked to the door.

“What do you want to do for today? Quillian is in his study and I don’t think he’ll be going out since there’s a ton of paperwork to deal with.”

I’m still traumatized from the last time Seraphina told me he was gone. That is a risk I am not willing to take right now.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just stay here. Looking at the window.” A scowl form on his face with my response.

“Come on, Ocean. You need to breathe some fresh air. I promise I’ll make sure you don’t cross paths with Quillian.” I look down at my plate, debating whether or not to accept the offer.

Last night’s occurrence gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, the Alpha will not hold such a grudge against me. That he has a little kindness within him. I mean, he despises me for being human. How absurd is that?

“Alright.” I sighed in defeat.

“Great. Come out once you’ve finished eating. I’ll be waiting for you there.” He shut the door after saying that.

I eat in silence, my mind keeps wandering back to the cliff. On how I got there in the first place. I remember hearing something, I thought it was only a dream.

Was it possible that I was sleeping-walking? Aria mentioned that she nearly fell down the stairs while sleeping-walking. Good thing Sam saw her.

Why Quillian, of all people? It would be much better if it was Arzhel.

I finish my food and change out of my nightgown into a blue dress with a white apron.

I open my door and poke my head out first, gingerly inspecting the hallway on both sides, before taking a step outside when the coast is clear.

I tiptoed my way out, looking out for a rogue-looking man with bright green eyes.

Instead of Arzhel, Aria greeted me in the living room.

“Where is Arzhel?” I asked the girl dressed in a green dress that matched her eyes. Her golden curls cascading down her back.

“He told me to meet you here. He said something urgent came up.”

What could it possibly be? Will Quillian tell him about last night?

“Aria, did you hear something last night?” I ask in hopes to confirm if there was really something that happened last night.

I’m wondering if she also heard it. If what Quillian said that I was singing, probably Aria heard it too, right?

She gave me a puzzled look before responding.

“No, I fell asleep as soon as I closed my eyes. Has something happened?”

How come only Quillian heard it?

“Nothing. I was dreaming, maybe.” Right, last night was just a product of my lucid dreaming. Nothing else to it.

We were strolling for a while when we decided to stop and rest under the shade of a tree.

We were admiring the beautiful meadow that stretched ahead of us. The wind blows gently, blessing us with fresh air.

The thought of being Arzhel’s mate crosses my mind.

“Aria, how sure are you when you say that I am going to be Arzhel’s mate?” I ask without looking at her. Instead, my focus is drawn to the grass beside me, which I am distractedly plucking.

“Well, my father...My father once told me that the first time he saw my mother, he knew she was going to be his mate. Before even the blood moon.” Her voice was strained, as if she was trying to keep it from cracking. My hand stops plucking the pitiful grass and turns to face her.

Her solemn voice drew my attention. I’ve never seen his father, which means only one thing. I cleared my throat before speaking.

“What happened to your father, Aria?” Her head was down and I felt bad for asking. I took her hand in mine and gently squeezed it.

“He was killed by humans.” There was no hatred in her voice, only grief.

I’m not sure how she manages to be so close to me while knowing that my kind killed her father. She’s exactly like Seraphina, and I don’t blame Samantha for being wary in my presence.

“I’m sorry.” She only gave me a wry smile, I couldn’t help but notice the single tear that fell from her eyes.

“Why didn’t you resent me the first time? Like Quillian?”

“You did nothing wrong, and I don’t think you’re human.” I look at her, taken aback. What made her think I wasn’t a human? I was about to open my mouth but she preceded me.

“I think you’re a goddess. You are beautiful, Ocean. Too beautiful to be a human.” My mouth gaped, she thinks I’m beautiful, while I was insecure about my appearance and envious of their beauty.

“Anyway, I’m sure Arzhel feels the same way my father did about my mother. He’s definitely smitten with you.” Her voice was cheerful, but her eyes were still sad from the mention of his father.

“You’re only saying that and giving me high hopes.” I scoffed playfully, trying to brighten up her mood, which was a little successful because she rolled her eyes and started tickling my side.

“I know you’re hoping that as well.” She laughed, pummeling her finger into my side, and I tried hard to avoid her attack while laughing to my heart’s content.

We stayed there for a while, teasing each other.