Chapter 11: Attitude Switch

I tried to spot Gavin in the Sunset Crown pack one more time, but there was no sign that the person was there.

So, to find an excuse, I went to the front gates of their pack.

"What are you doing here?" one of the pack warriors asked cautiously from the watch tower.

"I have come to look for the young Lord Lorenzo," I said politely.

He creased his forehead. "What do you mean? Are you his acquaintance?"

"I am indeed." I must act that I was.

The other person he was with exchanged glances. "State your name. And we shall see if Lord Gavin shall allow you to get in."

I nodded. "I am Dahlia Josephine. An acquaintance from the royal academy," I introduced.

I did a careful investigation of this pack and got to know that he was studying in the royal academy of our kingdom. I even got to know his acquaintances. And he returned to their pack for a two-week academic break.

Also, tomorrow was his departure to return.

"Lady Josephine."

"Yes?"

"Lord Gavin said that he has no business with you. You may now take your leave."

My eyes widened. "He said that?" I parroted.

But I used one of the people he knew in the royal academy! What the hell?

"Yes." He nodded. "Now, please scoot."

My jaw dropped even after I left their premises. I was bewildered when I went to a cake shop and stopped by to take a rest.

"Did I alert him too much?" I asked myself, stroking my chin. "Perhaps, he found it bizarre that someone from the royal academy has come to see him at such an unexpected time..." I glanced at the server, who served me some macaroons and a cup of oolong tea. "Hold on. I did not order this." I pointed at the macaroons. "I only said oolong tea."

The server bowed and smiled. "There is a man who asked me to bestow you, my lady."

"Who?" I creased my forehead. But my senses immediately made me turn my head to the other table, where I happened to see Valerian reading some newspaper with a cup of hot tea on his table. My heart flipped since I didn't expect that he would be here.

Was I too preoccupied with my thoughts which was why I did not notice that he was here? Where did my well-trained senses go?

"It's him?" I asked, looking Valerian's way before I returned my gaze to the server.

She nodded. "Yes, indeed. Please enjoy yourself," she said before she left me in a daze.

I looked at the macaroons, feeling nostalgic a little. Valerian told me before that light and fragrant desserts, like macaroons, are the best pair for oolong tea.

I inhaled and exhaled when my eyes were getting misty. I glanced in Valerian's direction, where he was still busy reading his newspaper.

This man... Why did I feel that wherever I went, he was always there?

But if he followed my secret agenda, I did not feel anything uneasy.

But I became preoccupied when I arrived in this town and at this cake shop. Perhaps, that was the time he was following me?

Taking my tea and the dessert, I went to his table. Valerian looked surprised when he saw that I was in front of him.

"Nice to see you again, stalker." I sat across him with an arching eyebrow. "You are certainly following me, aren't you?"

"It is not as if you weren't following me the other day." There was a lazy smile drawn out from his lips.

I rolled my eyes. "I am just curious as to where you are staying," I said nonchalantly.

It turned out that Valerian was renting an inn across the inn where I was checking in. Since I couldn't smell his scent due to the incantation ring he was wearing, I had to follow him and saw myself what I witnessed.

I did not know if fate brought us together, but I wanted to know his agenda as to why he was here in this town.

"Did you like it?"

I looked up at him when I was starting to enjoy the snacks I had on my plate. "You mean... this?" He nodded. "I do..." But my chest was getting heavy just by seeing this, I wanted to add.

"Light and fragrant desserts, like the one you are eating, is the best pair for oolong tea. I picked the right dessert just for you."

My chest constricted. Word for word. That was the same line he uttered.

"I know..."

"You know?" He looked astonished.

"Yes..." I played my finger on the brim of the cup. "Someone I knew in the past told me the same thing..."

"Oh... Who is this 'someone' in the past, then?"

How I wished I could hug Valerian again. How I wanted to do that from the moment I saw him here.

My heart was aching for his presence. Seeing him alive made me feel guilty for what I did to his pack.

I must do anything to avoid this time he would meet the same fate. I would save my honeydew this time.

"Why the hell are you even curious? You should mind your own business." I scoffed and ignored how my heart was beating so wild with how he looked at me intently.

The feeling was still the same... This feeling as if someone was digging into my heart... made me want to escape from this all of a sudden.

Valerian, who was supposed to be irritable during this timeline, had this mischievous grin. It was all new to me that he would act like this.

He was not supposed to act like that. He remained spiteful of me even if I kept teasing him.

Valerian looked like he was enjoying seeing me annoyed with him. "You are quite fascinating to talk with. I admit that acting spiteful at you on our first encounter is something I regret." He placed his elbow on the table and rested his jaw on his hand, looking at me as if he adored me.

"And I have no intention to accept our mate bond. Thanks, but no thanks," I said casually, ignoring my heart beating so fast.

His words were so smooth that I almost swooned over them. I felt our attitudes of me being mischievous and him being spiteful had been switched ever since I realized that I had returned to my past.

"Why not? You will regret that you did not give us a chance, you know." He sounded confident as if I had no intention of rejecting our mate bond.

I did not dare to look him in his eyes because I could vividly see that he was playing with me. "No, thanks. I do not like your attitude." Ugh... This wasn't very pleasant...

I did not know that the way I acted in the past caused so much trouble to me now that Valerian was like this.

He scoffed as if he wanted to chuckle. He did not say anything to make my heart go wild, but I could feel how he was looking at me intently.

His intense gaze was penetrating my soul. It felt ticklish that he was looking at me like that. I used to be uncomfortable with how he looked at me, but now... I should dare to meet his gaze.

I must look at him again in his eyes since, in my previous life, I did not get to do that often.

My eyes dared to meet his. I thought I saw something that held my breath for a moment.

Longing...

I could decipher it since I already saw that emotion from Valerian before.

Why was he looking at me as if he missed me? Was I looking the same as him? Would he realize that I adored him and would do anything to ask for his forgiveness?

"Um..." I fluttered my eyes when he spoke after clearing his throat. "I am Valerian." He held out his hand.

Seeing his hand made me want him to pull me against him right at this moment. He could pull me to sit on his lap, and I would pretend that I did not want it.

If I kept staring at him, my heart would keep aching. My wolf did not know our mate was here since she couldn't identify him because Valerian concealed his scent again.

I stared at his hand. It was unworthy of me to hold his hand again. The last time I saw his hand was covered with blood from his chest.

My chest tightened just by remembering that painful past, but I shook that away and finally allowed myself to shake his hand.

"Dominixe," I introduced.

My tone was nonchalant. However, I could have sworn that I was screaming inside since I got to hold his hand, which was warm and could caress my face to assure me that everything would be alright.

I fluttered my eyes when I suddenly felt like shedding tears. He must not notice that I felt emotional just by holding his hand.

His upper lip curled up into an enigmatic smile. "Dominixe..." He uttered my name as if it was according to his taste. "You have an enchanting name, Lady Dominixe..."

I wished I could ignore the sensations that kept crawling to my whole being, but I couldn't control them. The way he kissed the back of my palm looked like he was cherishing me as a noble lady.

"I am pleased to know you... Finally..." he said sensually as he breathed the back of my palm.

I gulped at the way he was staring at me. "P-Pleasure to know my mate, who is an irritable man, by the way." I tried to act that his kiss on the back of my palm did not affect me.

I had shivers down my spine when he finally let go of my hand after attempting to remove it from his hold. It seemed like he had no intention to release, as I could perceive.

Valerian seemed like he did not affect by my words. In fact, he looked more amused, making me want to explode in annoyance.

"It seemed like we would see each other more, my lady. Hopefully, before we are apart, I will have you accept our mate bond," he said confidently.

That made me smile bitterly. "How confident are you that I would even accept you?" I should've known that the moment I had gotten to know Valerian, he had this air-headed attitude. I found it fascinating at first but right now, at this moment, I wanted to smack out of him.

"If you do not want our mate bond, you suppose to reject the moment you know I am your mate." He wriggled his eyebrows. "It means that you are just hesitating. You want to give this a chance."

That rendered me speechless. I did not expect that he could be able to rebut such words that would make my heart ache in longing.

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to say it right now.

But... am I really worthy of being his mate?

I was only planning to protect him from the shadows. Because the moment my vacation was finished, Papa would assign Valerian as my next target to kill.

I must avoid that. I want to avoid that fate again. I would save him this time.

Must I give it a chance? Must I?

Must I rekindle the love we had? This was my opportunity to show that I love him, right?

Sighing in distress, I shook my head. My head was starting to get hurt. "Let's see if we can work things out before my vacation ends then." I agreed since there must be something I must do just before the month ends.

Valerian looked enthralled at my news. "Great! You are not allowed to revoke your words then." His chartreuse eyes were dancing in glee.

"Yes..." I stared at him, wanting to shed a tear already. I averted my gaze and exhaled sharply. "I am going to return to my inn. I have something to do."

To cry.

That was what I wanted to do.

"Alright." He stood up and bowed his head before me. "I shall see you again. And do not attempt to abscond from me since I am going to find you again, Dominixe. I am 'always' going to find you," he said meaningfully.

I did not know why but... for some reason, I had chills down my spine at his words.