Chapter 14: That Person

I was spacing out when I returned to my inn as soon as I got the incantation bangles from the divine priest.

His Eminence, Priest Acaly's words, kept lingering in my head. I felt troubled since I did not expect that he would utter something unusual which could make me alarmed.

"Perhaps, I must refrain from seeing any divine priest or priestess..." I stroked my chin, wondering if that was the right decision.

But it would be great to know the person I was looking for, right?

Now, that I remembered... That man who was with me before I closed my eyes. I knew that he was calling out to someone.

"A woman..." I muttered and kept staring at the ceiling, lying on my bed. "A woman arrived at that time... that looked like... me?" I creased my forehead, perplexed that it came out of my mouth.

I hissed. My memories were getting fuzzy at that moment I had been struggling to breathe. But I was certain that the woman I saw then looked like me.

"Dameta..." I muttered again. That was the word I heard from that man. It was as if he was calling that name. Then that woman arrived. I couldn't be mistaken from what I saw. I looked at the parchment paper where I had written some codes there.

I had written the things I remembered from that man and the woman who looked like me then.

My head ached whenever I tried to recall that part of my life. It seemed like I was forbidden to remember them... as if it was a taboo that I should not dig myself deeper with an unknown result, if it were despair or not.

I hugged my pillow, wishing Valerian was here beside me. I used to be spooned by him as he would caress my hair.

"Valerian... Honeydew..." I stared at the bangle I was supposed to bestow as a present. Perhaps, I should bestow this today.

I decided to change my clothes and left my inn. I went to where Valerian's inn and knocked on his door. A familiar woman opened the door with a voluptuous body with an arching eyebrow as she looked at me.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked in a spiteful tone as she eyed me up and down.

I secretly clenched my teeth, knowing who this woman was. I knew her. This woman was acting like a leech to Valerian.

"Arica, tell Peyton he needs to prepare my clothing for next week. I need to go and still need to see my..." Valerian paused and gasped upon seeing me. "Dominixe?" He held his breath upon seeing me.

I smiled bitterly. "I must have disturbed your time with each other. I shall go ahead." I exchanged my glance between him and... Arica, who I knew had been trying to seduce Valerian even though she knew he already had me as his mate. That was what I remember from my previous life.

Then, I walked out, not wanting to look back.

I knew it was childish to do this, but my heart ached seeing Valerian in the same room as that woman.

If I compare her to myself, Arica was his perfect mate. She cared for him. Even when she was on the brink of her death, she uttered words that were so painful that until now, they were still engraved in my mind.

"Alpha Valerian should have been fated with me, not you. What you are doing only hurts him."

I needed to get away before I shed tears again. I had hurt Valerian before, and the horrible things I did to his pack and him wouldn't be erased so easily.

Perhaps, Arica was right. She should have been fated to Valerian instead of me. I was a traitor to him. I chose my father's favor over Valerian's love.

"Dominixe." My wolf and I shuddered from Valerian's touch on my arm. "Please let me explain. It is not what you think..."

His pleading tone easily swayed me. My heart constricted when I came to turn my head and saw the petrified expression on his face. "I do not know what you are talking about." I put on a sweet facade smile.

"But you might think that I am—"

"I did not jump to conclusion, Valerian. Fret not." I tried to yank back my arm, but he wouldn't budge. "Valerian..." I tried one more time, but he was stubborn not to let me go. "I am serious here."

I gasped out of nowhere when he drew me closer to my body and cupped my face. "No. I need to explain and make things clear, Dominixe. I want you to be at ease."

My stomach somersaulted when his face was a few inches away from me. I couldn't even move while my breath was softly fanning his chest. "I-I told you. You do not need. I am not someone who jumps to conclusions."

Keep lying, Dominixe. You knew back then that he wouldn't let you go until he clarified everything and avoided misunderstandings.

"Do you mean that?" Valerian asked after a moment of silence.

"I do. Why?" His hyacinth scent reached my nostrils which made me kind of distracted. Moreover, his intense gaze made me uncomfortable, but in a good way. I just couldn't handle how he looked at me like that.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you are not feeling unpleasant." He coerced me to look at him.

"I am not," I said while looking into his chartreuse orbs. I needed him to let me go since I already did what he wanted.

Valerian squinted his eyes, looking unhappy. "You are good at lying. You did not bat an eye."

I removed his hand from my cheek when he kept brushing his thumb on it, sending shivers down my spine. "I am telling the truth, Valerian. Can you distance yourself—" I released an unpleasant sound when he squeezed my flank. "Valerian!" My face was flushing right now from the moaning sound escaping from my mouth.

His sinful lips formed a grin. "Cute."

"Can you not?!" I pushed him away from me. I couldn't stop my heart from beating so fast from his action.

I thought I could handle how he was acting, but my heart won't calm down. My wolf was not a good helper either since she liked having Valerian with us.

He raised his hands, surrendering. "Do you wish to take a stroll as to why you want to see me?" he asked after a moment.

I looked behind him when Arica went outside from his inn. She was walking her way to the carriage, glaring in my direction.

"It seems that she and I have bad blood now," I said and looked at Valerian. "What?" I blinked, seeing how he was looking intently at me.

"I am not fooling around with her if you are going to ask."

"I told you. There is no need to explain. It is not as if I should feel threatened or what." To hide my annoyance, I shrugged as we went to a food stall to eat some skewers.

"You are my mate, Dominixe." I gazed at him. He looked so earnest. "I did not want us to have misunderstood. How much more if you and I are going to live in my pack."

I almost gasped at his words. "Live in your pack, you say?" It was not supposed to be this surprising since it had already happened in the past, but I still couldn't help that this was really happening. "You talk as if you are an Alpha of a pack." Yes, that was right that I should feign ignorance.

"So what if I am?"

I faked a surprise. "You are?" A master of controlling and manipulating smiles and reactions had come to overwhelm me.

Valerian arched his eyebrow. He was looking at me as if he was not buying my words I was surprised to know that he was an Alpha.

Of course. He was a sharp-witted and wise man. But it all became in vain the moment I entered his life.

"I am." He bestowed me a meat skewer.

"I have mine." I showed that I had finished all of mine.

He drew it closer. "Come on. Have a bite. I do not have rabies, I promise."

I looked at him in disbelief. "You are being hilarious again." I rolled my eyes.

He smiled sheepishly. "Have a bite then."

I exchanged my glance between him and the meat skewer he was offering. "Why are you offering me?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because I want to feed you more. Say 'ah'." He wiggled his eyebrows.

I wanted to distance my head from it, but Valerian was stubborn. "Fine..." I indulged myself and ate a piece of meat. I moaned in delight, liking the taste of it.

"You have something on your lip."

"Hmm?" I looked at him, slightly bewildered.

Valerian reached for my chin before his thumb wiped the sauce on my lower lip, making my eyes widen. I was surprised that he sucked his thumb while looking at me sensually.

"It tastes... more delicious when it is on your lips."

I inhaled sharply, averting my gaze. "P-Pervert!" I barked and distanced myself after feeling my cheeks in heat right now.

Darn it! I hated that Valerian was able to make me feel lost! I couldn't concentrate properly!

How must I express myself to him when he was like this?

Valerian and I went to the seashore to watch the sunset. Actually, he was the one who insisted on it, so I agreed with him.

A pleasant silence surrounded us, so there was no need to talk. However, a thought came to my mind while looking at the horizon.

"Valerian."

"Hmm?"

I glanced at his side view before I darted my eyes at the little waves on the shore. "Do you... believe in second chances?" I gulped.

I wasn't certain if asking that would make me receive a proper answer from him. But now was my chance.

"It depends." It took him a long silence to answer. I was nervous that I thought he didn't like some serious questions.

"Depends on what?"

He glanced at me and drew a small smile. "If that person is willing to change for the better... Then I think that person deserves a second chance."

"What if that person has done something terrible to you? However, that person regrets it and is willing to change. But that person thinks it is too late. Do you think that person deserves a second chance on your part?"

My hands were fidgeting. I felt like, at any moment, I would pass out. But I felt my heart being squeezed at my question while waiting for his response.

"Hmm..." He hummed, stroking his chin. He looked so dazzling when he was acting like that. But as soon as his gaze settled on me, my heart flipped out of my ribcage. "Well..." My anticipation heightened when he started talking. "If I also do something terrible to that person, perhaps, a second chance shall equal us. I am still willing to give that person a chance."

In an instant, his face was so close to me. I couldn't process what had happened, but I found myself staring at him with his hand cupping my face.

I averted my gaze. "What if... you have never done something terrible to that person?" My eyes were getting misty.

"Then, I am still willing to forgive and let that person deserve a second chance."

I closed my eyes when he whispered that answer. It was also the exact moment when a tear fell from my eye.

I did not deserve to hear that answer from the person I took for granted.

I returned my gaze when his thumb kept caressing my cheek. Valerian's face was the first thing I saw.

He was so close that his lips were teasingly touching mine.

My chest rose up and down as I softened. There was adoration in his eyes right at this moment. It ached my heart since I also saw that emotion in the past.

And I took it for granted.

His breath was fanning my lips before his chartreuse orbs landed on mine. "Will you allow me to kiss you, honeydew?" My eyes widened. "I have been dying to kiss you..."

I couldn't lick my lips at his words. I could feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach for some reason.

I felt unworthy that I was feeling this, but this emotion that was succumbing to me, I wanted to let him know how much I love him.

When I didn't protest, Valerian drew more to me and descended his lips into mine.