Chapter 11: Madness

[Ocean]

“We should go back. Arzhel is calling us.” She said out of nowhere, I tried to look around us but I didn’t see or heard Arzhel calling.

“How did you know he was calling? I didn’t see him.” I ask, completely oblivious to what is going on.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. He’s calling me through our pack link. Every wolf in the pack is connected to that link, it is one way of our communication.” She explains as she stands up and shakes the grass clinging to her dress.

All this time they have this sort of communication in their heads? Can they also read people’s minds? Blasted! Is Arzhel aware of what’s going through my mind?

“Can you read people’s minds, Aria? Is that why you’re confident about Arzhel’s feelings?” I can’t help but wonder because if they truly can do that, it’ll be embarrassing. I had no idea it was possible.

“No, Ocean. We can’t read people’s minds, and I didn’t tell Arzhel about it. What I meant was that we can only communicate with each other, not read each other’s minds.” She explained.

“Oh.” That’s good to hear, at the very least, I’m not going to be completely humiliated with them, unknowingly.

“Come on, he’s edgy why we’re taking so long.” She groaned and began walking, so I quickly stood up and followed her.

There are still many things I don’t understand about them, but I’m doing my best to make adjustments to their customs and traditions.

Aria came in first when we got home, but she was gone when I walked in. How did she vanish so quickly? Is that one of their traits too?

“Aria?” I called her but there was no response. Where could she possibly go? I swear I was right behind her the entire time.

I walk into the living room and there’s still no sign of her, and I’m afraid to go anywhere else in the house. Who knows, Quillan could be around the corner.

“Aria—” My soul nearly left my body when someone crept up behind me and covered my eyes with a large hand. I was ready to scream but a familiar voice spoke up.

“Relax, it’s me.”

“Arzhel? What is this? Where is Aria?” Why is he covering my eyes? Is he naked? It’s not like it is the first time I saw him naked and I’m sure being naked does not bother an ounce to him.

“Don’t worry, just follow my lead, okay?” He whispered in my ear. My face heated up when I felt his body pressed to my back. It’s a good thing to confirm that he wasn’t naked and was standing behind me so he couldn’t see my tomato face. He was only covering my eyes with one hand and holding my right hand with the other. Gently nudging me to step forward.

I’m not sure what he’s up to, but I know Aria is involved in this. She literally disappeared into thin air the moment I stepped inside.

Arzhel led me slowly, my steps were reluctant, but he kept up with my own pacing. I don’t know where he’s leading me but a few more minutes we come to a stop. He lets go of my hand and fumbles with something that sounds like a knob twisting. His hand found mine again, gently pushing me.

“Keep your eyes closed and don’t peek.” I nodded and complied with what he said.

He let go of me and I kind of missed his warmth when he stepped back.

I waited for a moment before he spoke.

“Open your eyes now, Ocean.” Slowly, I peeled my eyes open. My vision was blurry at first but then it adjusted. This is not something I expect to see.

My jaw dropped as I saw the beautiful bouquet of flowers adorning my room, which mostly consisted of irises from the cliff’s edge. The ceiling is strewn with hanging orchids, there are also vases full of assorted flowers at my bedside, and purple petals are littered on my bed and on the floor.

I am speechless.

I turned around to face Arzhel, who had been staring at me the whole time. I was taken aback for a moment when I realized he was standing too close to me. My face brushes up against his chest.

“Arzhel, I—they’re beautiful.” I arched my neck to meet his gaze.

“Aria told me that you both went to the cliff to get some flowers, but that incident happened. I felt I owed you an apology for what Quillan had done. Do you like it?” He moved even closer and traced his hand around the edges of my face. His fingers leave warm trails in its wake.

I still can’t believe he did all this.

He didn’t owe me an apology, and he didn’t have to do this.

“I love it, Arzhel!” I exclaimed, couldn’t contain the happiness blossoming inside me.

Aria is right, he would not do this if he didn’t feel the same way I do about him.

My heart is pounding wildly inside my chest. The butterflies in my stomach have returned.

“Thank you.” I whispered as I rested my head on his chest. He pulls me into his arms and wraps his warm embrace around me.

We were enjoying each other’s company when Seraphina’s frantic voice struck our little bubble.

“Arzhel!” I let go of him quickly before Seraphina flung the door open.

“Seraphina, what happened?” Arzhel asked, ushering to the old woman’s side, while I am clutching my hand on my chest. Slightly disappointed from the sudden interruption but I had no right to complain.

“Quillan! He’s wreaking havoc in his study! Destroying everything that comes into his path!” She said, panicking. Arzhel turned around with his jaw clenched, looking at me.

“Ocean, please stay here. Do not come out. Lock your door. Understand?” He didn’t let me respond, Seraphina took him out, and I immediately did what he told me to do.

I sat on my bed, nervously, wondering what had gotten into Quillan’ head.

Is he mad about me and Arzhel?

I jumped out of bed when I heard a loud thud followed by shouting voices.

It was Seraphina and Arzhel, and it was getting closer to my room.

“Where is she?!” My heart dropped when Quillan roaring voice reverberated in the hallway just outside my room. I went skittering in the far corner of the room when the knob aggressively twisted, forcing it open.

“Quillan! What are you doing?!” It was Arzhel’s voice, attempting to restrain the enraged man outside.

“I need to see that woman right now!”

“Please, Quillan, calm down. What’s the matter? Did she do something?” This time it was Seraphina who spoke, but her attempt to calm her son was futile.

The door rattled violently, and the hinges screeched loudly from the merciless impacts.

My heart races while staring at the door. Too stunned to do anything.

Why is he coming for me? Has he decided to kill me now? Did he regret not killing me last night?

“Quillan—” Arzhel’s voice was cut off with a loud bang. The door slammed open, the hinges flying out from the frame.

Raging bright green eyes quickly scanned the room and finally landed on my scooted frame at the corner.

With only a few long strides, he stood in front of me. His dark aura looming over my trembling body.

“You! What have you done to me?!!” He gritted his teeth and grabbed my wrist, yanking it up.

I looked at him with wide, terrified eyes.

“What are you—” I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence before he slammed his palm against the wall just beside my head, causing me to jolt violently and the room shake in response.

I saw Arzhel alerted from behind him and was about to grab Quillan away from me when a warning growl echoed from Quillan’ throat, stopping his hand in mid-air.

I looked at him, pleading with him to get me out of this situation, but his body couldn’t move, as if he was frozen. I’m not sure what Quillan did to him, but it has rendered him immobilized and his face painfully contorted. Failing miserably with his fight against the force.

My attention went back to the raging man in front of me. His grip was painfully tight, and I’m sure it left bruises on my skin.

“I need you to sing.” He’s breathing heavily and blowing hot air in my face. Sweat was dripping from his brows.

Sing? I don’t know how to sing!

“I...I don’t know how to sing.” My voice came out shaking and my response didn’t seem to please him. He raised his hand, and I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting the blow, but it never came. Instead, he repeatedly punches the wall behind me, shouting.

“Don’t try to fool me, woman! I know what I heard last night! I don’t know what you did, but your song is stuck in my head! It’s driving me mad!” He roared in my face, his body shaking furiously, and his grip on my wrist tightened even more.

Is he referring to what he said to me last night? That I was singing? I don’t even know what I was singing!

Blasted! I can’t do it any longer. I can’t live here with him breathing down my neck every time we cross.

“Quillan, I’ll leave. I promise, I’ll get away from here. Please don’t kill me, and stop hurting Arzhel.” I begged, tears streaming down my face. I look at Arzhel, who is subtly shaking his head, disagreeing with my decision.

My heart breaks at the thought of not seeing Arzhel again, but I can’t also bear the sight of him hurting because of me. Quillan is his Alpha and he cannot go against him, no matter how he tries. I see that now.

“Son, what is really going on?” Quillan didn’t listen to his mother. His eyes bore holes into mine, fangs protruding from his mouth, and a deep growl emanating from his throat.

“You’re not a human, are you?! You’re a witch! You bewitch me with your song! You’re not going anywhere! Not until I find out who you really are!” He violently shoved me aside, making me stumble upon the floor and stormed out of the room, kicking everything that blocks his way.

Arzhel, falls down on his knees and Seraphina stood there dumbfounded. I curled into a ball with my body trembling in fear.

How could things suddenly go downhill? I was just enjoying myself with Aria and Arzhel then Quillan showed up, wrecking everything.

“A...Arzhel let’s talk, outside.” Seraphina’s voice rang, breaking the thick tension around us. Arzhel looks at me first, debating if he’ll go with Seraphina or come to me first. I recoiled from his gaze, ashamed of what just happened.

He knew I needed a moment of my own, to recollect myself, so he stood up and went with Seraphina. I thought they’re going far away from my room and I didn’t expect to overhear their conversation.

“Arzhel, how did you find Ocean?” Seraphina asked, their voices muffled from the distance but I managed to make it out.

“I told you, Seraphina, she’s washed ashore.” Arzhel replied.

“Is she by the water?”

“No, she was hiding behind a large rock.”

“Did you see any tails resembling a large fish or anything similar around the premises?”

Why is she asking that? What does a fish tail have to do with me?

“No, there wasn’t any. Just splinters of woods from the shipwreck. Why did you ask?” There was a long pause before Seraphina’s voice spoke again.

“Arzhel, if what I believe to be Ocean’s identity is correct and Quillan heard her song, my son will be in grave danger.”

What did she mean about my true identity? Why would Quillan be in danger? Wasn’t it supposed to be me and not the other way around?