Chapter 36: Night Terrors

I scoffed and used my foot to make Valerian look at me. "Someone like you shouldn't be outsmarted so easily. Even if Papa mentioned my name to lure you while I threatened you the last time we saw each other, you wouldn't fall for that so easily," I said while watching his handsome face, still having this smile as if he knew everything. "Shouldn't you put your guard up?"

Valerian was a quick-witted man. I was the only one who could outsmart him. I had done it in my previous life and could do it again.

But it would deem impossible that one simple name would be enough to drop his guard.

Something was not right...

"But I have been outsmarted. As you can see in my condition." He fluttered his eyelids, ignoring that he was bruised and injured. "And my weakness is a woman's seduction. That woman is you." He copied the tone I uttered earlier about what could have been Valerian's weakness.

Why did I feel like Valerian was playing with me instead of me playing with him around my palms?

Could this mean... Papa's plan had flaws in it? Was Valerian quick to inform someone that his life might be in danger?

Hold on... Did Henry tell him about our agreement? Was that it?

I put down my foot and went to get something in my drawer. I took the ointment before turning to Valerian, who watched my movements. That felt ticklish as I ignored my throbbing clit.

I locked the door first before I beckoned my hand to follow me to the adjacent chamber from my chamber. I heard his footsteps following behind me.

"What are we going to do?"

I arched my eyebrow when his tone sounded excited. What in the Moon Goddess' name was that kind of tone? It was as if Valerian was expecting that something would happen between us tonight.

"Strip," I commanded after opening the ointment's cover and tapping the bed.

Valerian grinned. "As you wish, master."

I frowned, not liking that I was being called that. How could I say to him that 'honeydew' was finer and alluring than 'master' without saying anything?

Valerian did not hesitate to strip his clothes before walking in my direction and looked at me like a ferocious beast ready to eat his prey. He even flung his cock that was already saluting, taking my breath taken away. He even pushed me to the bed and slowly crawled to me.

The way he teasingly grazed his nose from my thigh up to my perky nipple before he had finally reached for my ear. "Your arousal is making me insane..." He growled and sniffed my scent. "Do you want me to fuck you so hard until I make you cum, master?" he asked huskily.

My chest rose up and down, seeing how this man enticed me. Even his cock was protruding to my lower abdomen as I felt how hard he was already. But hearing him calling me on that new endearment felt insulting on my part.

"Not so fast, my handsome slave." I pushed him to lay beside me before I quickly straddled him. "You can keep fantasizing about me, but you are not going to fuck me as you please... unless you have my permission," I said seductively.

Valerian bellowed in delight. "Does this mean... I cannot hold my mistress as I please like before?" He slightly frowned at that question.

I started lathering his naked body with ointment, noticing he received lashes coated with wolfsbane. "Indeed, yes." I stood up and urged him to lie on his stomach. "You are way tougher than I thought, Valerian." I was talking about his wounds. He did not even flinch nor hiss at the pain.

Valerian scoffed. "A piece of cake," he said arrogantly.

"It's just the beginning, Valerian. This torture is not over for you." That stiffened him. He did not get to say anything even after I was finished lathering all of his wounds with ointment. Heaving out a sigh, I sat at the edge of the bed. "You might not understand why you are here, but I am doing this to protect you, Valerian."

"But you are going to kill me soon as well as my pack members."

I did not react when Valerian tackled me and put his hand on my neck. I remained unfazed even after seeing that he looked mad right now.

"Britanny told you, or Papa told you we are the culprits of the packs being slaughtered?"

"I will make you regret if you touch them, Dominixe. I will never forgive you as my mate," he said, not answering my question.

His hand tightened on my neck, making me unable to breathe for a moment. Seeing how his chartreuse eyes flamed in detestation reminded me of my previous life and how he looked so betrayed when I poisoned all his pack members.

It was the same emotion he had shown from the day he had finally known the culprit: the day we confronted each other.

The difference now was Valerian knew who I was, unlike in my previous life, when he remained blind and clueless.

Ah... Moon Goddess. It would have been better if he knew who I was instead of lying to him. Right?

Even though my heart was aching right now, I must remain still and do everything I could to make Valerian work for me.

But it would be impossible to explain properly if his emotions blinded him. He wouldn't be able to process everything.

It would be better if he thought that I was the villain here. He would soon learn the truth.

I heaved out a sigh and masked my expression with a deadpan one. "Are you done playing, Valerian? I wish to retire now."

Valerian looked offended, but he tightened his hold on my neck more. I did not falter and did not show an ounce of emotion. He must have seen that I was not frightened of what he was doing, so his hand loosened from my neck.

He went to sit beside me before I had finally gotten up while he combed his hair, frustrated. "How did you grow in this pitiful household, Dominixe?" He looked at me with a woeful expression.

I smiled bitterly, making my heart ache since I had already heard that question in my previous life from him.

Same question. Same distressing tone.

"Do not pity me. I really hate that tone of yours," I said coldly, wanting to get away from him as soon as possible.

Valerian yanked my arm when I was about to stand up. My heart flipped when sensations were crawling to my whole body as he drew me closer to him.

I met his knitted forehead after that. "You always sound like you really knew me." I almost gasped, realizing that my mouth had slipped the words again.

I scoffed bitterly. "You must be hallucinating." I yanked my hand back and stepped backward before hastily storming out of that chamber. I reclined at that door with my eyes widened while my heart was hammering inside my chest.

Shit! Whenever I spotted something I only knew about Valerian, this always made me trouble.

I shouldn't have blurted it out! This mouth of mine needed to be sealed immediately!

Until things calmed down, I decided to retire to my bed. I went under my sheets to sleep the exhaustion took over me.

I opened my eyes when I heard a crisp sizzling, roaring blaze of dried branches and twigs. Then my eyes widened when I realized I was engulfed with flames from a certain pack as I saw dead bodies scattered to the ground.

I lowered my gaze to see my hands bathed with someone's blood. That made me gasp before I laid my eyes on the familiar body built of a man that was lying bloodily on the ground.

That was when I realized it was no other than the love of my life!

"Valerian!" I rushed to him, horrified that he had died twice before my eyes. "No, no, no... You cannot be dead again... No!" I hugged his cold body, wailing in tears. "No... Don't leave me! I promise that I am going to save you this time!" I kissed his cold lips while I felt our mate bond start to fade away.

"Didn't I tell you, Dominixe?" I stiffened upon hearing Papa. I looked up and saw him smiling from ear to ear. "You do not deserve an Alpha as your mate. No one is going to live happily. Remember that."

I was rendered speechless, unable to process everything. I failed this time around.

I failed to save my honeydew again! Why?! Why did he have to die again?!

"...Nixe!"

I slowly turned my head upon seeing another familiar man from afar. My jaw dropped upon seeing the familiar emerald-green eyes I had already seen.

"Wait... You..." I started to cry again upon seeing that man again. "You... Niccolo...?"

The rogue Alpha...? That was him, right?

He knelt before me and held my face as he nodded. "Yes. Yes, I am here."

Suddenly, Papa was nowhere to be found in the surrounding. The things I could see were the engulfing flames in the whole area where I was at.

Where was he?

"But—"

I gasped when he kissed my lips before he looked at me tenderly. Then he mouthed something that I couldn't comprehend properly.

"What?" I was panting heavily, not knowing what he was saying.

His expression softened. "Farewell, Dominixe..."

I gasped when I felt something piercing my heart. I lowered my gaze and saw that my dagger was piercing my heart.

"What...?" I slowly looked up and gasped upon seeing Valerian and that rogue Alpha as they were smiling menacingly.

"Dominixe!" I heard somebody calling on my name.

I felt someone shaking my body before I peeled my eyes open and gasped for air. I was panting heavily as I got up, wide-eyed. I was staring at nowhere while hearing my heart keep hammering inside my chest.

What was that dream? It felt... real.

"Valerian died twice...?" I muttered, horrified. I looked up and immediately at the chamber adjacent to mine. "Valerian..." I muttered his name, worried, wanting to see him right now.

I was about to get up from my bed when I felt a presence behind me. I quickly turned my head and swallowed my gasp upon seeing Valerian, who looked worried.

"Dominixe, you were having a night—"

The moment I saw him, I couldn't help hugging him, cutting him off. I couldn't help shedding tears, feeling safe in his arms upon knowing he was alright. I thought I had lose him for the second time around, but it turned out that I was wrong.

Valerian stiffened for a moment before he started caressing my back. "Hush... It is alright... I am here, honeydew..."

I bit my lower lip, hearing how soft his husky voice was. When I looked up, Valerian's softened expression was the first thing I saw.

I reached for his cheek and looked at him lovingly. "I am not going to let you die again, honeydew... I swear... In this timeline, you will not die before my eyes again." My voice croaked as I let the tears fall from my eyes. "I am not going to lose you again..."

Valerian's eyes widened. "What...?"

"I love you so much..." I kissed him before I looked at him tenderly again. "This time, I am going to reciprocate your feelings for me... I am not going to take you for granted again." I hiccuped. "I will always love you, Valerian Leveaux," I said in my utmost honesty while my vision was already blurry because of my tears.

Even though Valerian looked shocked at my words, he softened and reached for me. "Dominixe..." He gently wiped my tears before he hugged me. My heart was racing rapidly because of that. My wolf was even urging me to let myself be with him. "I do not know what is happening but... I do not want to lose you, too, Lilith..."

I smiled. Happy tears were falling from my eyes. "You have finally called me by my second name... I am... happy..." With that, I slowly closed my eyes, letting the slumber succumb to my whole being.

I felt the gentle caress from him as I drifted off to sleep. "My poor Lilith..." Valerian whispered. "You have suffered enough, haven't you?"