My brows furrowed in confusion as I stared at the bracelet.
"This is my brand," came his voice. His grip on me loosened. My eyes blinked, blinking out the tears down my face. 'Why? Why is he toying with me?' I couldn't help but break down at that thought.
I felt relief washing through me, calming the fear in my heart. I never realized how much I had been holding my emotions back. I was glad that he didn't brand me, but I was so confused—if he really wanted to brand me but had a change of heart, or if this was his plan all along to scare me.
I didn't know what to feel for him—gratefulness, anger, hatred—maybe it was a mix of them all. Seeing me bawling my eyes out, and how my shoulders were trembling, Damon walked closer to me.
He slowly brought his hand closer to my face, his thumb hovered just above my cheeks, like he wanted to wipe away my tears. From my blurry vision, I saw him furrowing his brows, as if contemplating if he should do it or not. His gesture strangely warmed my heart.
But the next second, he retracted his hand before patting my head. "Let's go back and sleep," he said as he strode out.
Strangely, I felt a warm and stinging constriction in my chest. 'Bastard, won't you even explain why you did that?' I yelled inwardly. My legs trembled as I walked after him.
When we got to his room, he laid down on his bed with a sigh. Meanwhile, I stood by the door.
"Come closer," he ordered.
Hesitantly, I walked to his bedside, my right hand holding my left wrist where he had put the bracelet.
"Grab the fan and begin your punishment," he said, closing his eyes.
I scoffed, my fingers digging into my arms, biting my lower lip as I tried to contain the anger boiling inside me. 'Really? How could someone be this heartless? After you have taunted me like an animal, now you still want to punish me? What did I do to deserve all of this? This is no path to redemption. Isn't it better to just die peacefully than dying of anger and heart attack? I hate you so much, and I wish I could torture you until you beg and die!' I glared down at his sleeping figure.
"Don't keep me waiting. And stop biting your lips. Don't make me warn you again," he warned.
Taking a deep breath, I picked up the fan that was lying on the table. I fanned him as I stood close to his bedside. I yawned as I lazily moved my hand up and down.
"Faster."
My eyes threw daggers at him before cursing him without a sound. 'What a jerk. You are nothing but an asshole—dumbass.' I inhaled heavily again before moving my hand faster. I glared at him so hard that my eyes hurt.
In my fit of anger, I didn't know when his lips stretched into a small smile.
...
The warm, soft feeling of being enwrapped by a cloud-like blanket made me snuggle more into it. I stretched my arms and legs before yawning. This was the best sleep ever.
'Best sleep ever?' Immediately I snapped my eyes open and jerked up to sit. I rubbed my sleepy eyes to make sure what I was seeing was real.
My eyes scanned the room, searching for the devil in human form, but he was nowhere to be seen. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. My brows furrowed as I stared at the blankets wrapped over my body, and the fact that I was lying on his bed made me wonder what really happened the night before.
But there was nothing to remember, as I had slept off, sitting on the edge of the bed. 'Does it mean that he was the one who tucked me in bed?' I quickly dismissed the thought. There was no way he would do that. Maybe I was sleepwalking. I nodded my head, even when part of me knew I was lying.
Immediately, I dashed to my feet. The fear that he might come back and catch me red-handed lying in his bed made my heart skip a beat.
My heart pounded in my chest as I looked around for a safe place to hide. I walked to the couch before slumping my body into it. I hugged my knees to my chest, letting the silence wrap around me, my eyes closed again, and everything that had happened since my soul transmigrated into this world began to slowly replay in my head.
Everything had happened so fast that I never even had a chance to think things through. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I know—I know I shouldn't be crying, but how could I not? I had danced with death numerous times since my arrival.
And the fact that a devil was hot on my trail—I could not even think of a way to avoid him. 'Speaking of him, where is he?' I thought inwardly.
Exhaling deeply, my thoughts traveled to my real parents. I couldn't help but imagine what they must be going through right now. 'So I have really died?'
'But if I'm able to live here, does it mean I can go back?' I chuckled bitterly, as I felt deep within me that it wasn't possible. I didn't track how much time had gone by as I got lost in my emotions.
'I might as well get used to this world. A little exploration won't hurt.' With that thought, I snapped out of my thoughts, wiping my face roughly as I stood up, determined to shake off the heaviness in my heart. I made my way to the bathroom to wash my face.
When my eyes landed on the mirror, I flinched as I stared at the new me staring back at me from the mirror. I have to give it to her—she is a rare beauty. But why was she treated so horribly with such beauty? I couldn't help but wonder.
After washing up, I made my way down the hallway as I tried to retrace my steps back to the dining room. After a few minutes of wrong turns, I was finally able to find my way.
"You need to mark a werewolf and make her your Luna who would lead beside you. We can't continue like this, Alpha. Our enemies are lurking and preparing in the shadows. You need to take a mate!" A voice thundered from a room, whose door was left slightly open.
The words made me halt midway as I tiptoed closer to the door. 'He needs to take a mate?' My blood ran cold, 'were they talking about… him?"