Chapter 17

The sun has gone down really well, the night sky was shiny with the twinkling stars and the yellow half-moon that dominated it. 

 By the time they pulled up to the clearing of her apartment again. Ismena was well tired to her bones. It was a hard day, and she also missed her afternoon medications.

But all that doesn't matter at all when compared to the problem at hand. The trouble she'd gotten herself into. 

The pawnbroker, Mr. Haggins, really did close down his store and left town.

 No one knows where he packed too. No one knows his destination. No one knows how to reach him. Not a phone number, not a relative, not an address. Nothing.

She can feel him behind her as she stepped out of the limo. He hasn't said a word since their investigations. His silence terrified her more than his blank faces and eye-color changes. She walked sullenly to her apartment, unlocked it, and walked inside. He followed her.

Ismena was done peeing her panties in fear. She turned and faced him bravely, "So, what happens now? You gonna break my bones, cook me and have me for dinner?"

"I am really tempted to." He replied simply.

She-eeee... snapped her mouth shut. Okay, she didn't expect him to admit it.
Should I call nine-one-one?

Not an option. She will go to jail for stealing. "Look, I'm really really really really really sorry for pawning your ring, but I will be very honest with you, I don't know what else to you. Please, forgive me and let me go, please?"

Wolfarine was weighing his options. Considering his next actions. He has been at it since it began dawning on him that the pawnbroker had made away with his ring. 

Could it be because of its worth in money? Or could he know what that ring really is?

The latter was trouble for him. For his people. This woman could have endangered his life, and his people's life. That, more than anything, has kept him enraged all day. 

"You're doing that growling thing again." She wiped her sweaty palm on her gown.

She shifted uncomfortably. He will give it to the woman for being so brave. She has stood proudly to his rage all day, even when it terrified her. Tough woman, his mate.

No. She is not his anything. He has no mate.

"Yes! Now I remember something else!" She suddenly gasped as she turned and hurried towards her bedroom.

Wolfariane crossed his arms and waited for her right there. The woman shouldn't think of hiding from him, because it will be a futile attempt.

A few seconds later, she screamed.

The loud piercing scream agitated his wolf, which forced him to close the distance between him and the door she'd walked through a few seconds ago. He entered the bedroom to see her staring fearfully at...

A glowing pearl. Blue light shone from the familiar little concretion, lightning up the surrounding of the drawer where it lay.

Wide brown eyes met him, "Why is it glowing? I-I just remembered that the ring fell from my hands before I pawned it. There were three pearls to it, a-and this one fell off, so I took it before pawning the ring..."

Wolfariane walked past her and picked up his pearl.

"It wasn't glowing before. W-Why is it glowing?" 

"Because, I am the owner." He replied simply. Either that or the ring has fallen into the wrong hands. The latter is bad. Very bad.

Just holding the pearl calmed him a bit for the first time since he found out that his valuable ring has been stolen. Having been prowling and raging in him all day, the mountain lion stopped baring his teeth and receded to the deepest part of his mind.

Big Bad Wolfe was staring pointedly at the small ring like a worm just crawled out of it. In all concentration, his brows furrowed in a profound frown. 

She cleared her throat to get his attention. "Uhm, at least I reserved a pearl. Can you be really divine right now to forgive and forget?"

He pocketed the pearl. As if he just reached a sudden decision, blue expressionless eyes met her, "You are going to my home with me." He announced then. His tone brooked no argument.

"W-What?" Surely, she didn't hear him clearly.

He didn't bat an eyelash. "I am taking you to Naturiah with me. From this night henceforth, you will be in my custody until my ring is found and returned back to me."




***********




Whatever she expected, it wasn't that. He's taking her to his home!? Nope. No way.

She took a step back, "Uhm...you want to take me to your home? Look, I know I did something really dreadful, and I also know that there's this..uhm...attraction between us, but going home with you until your ring is found is really very extreme. That's basically you holding me captive!"

He arched his brow in a way she interpreted as being called 'dumb' for just figuring it out now. And, he said nothing.

"You are really going to hold me CAPTIVE!?" She screeched, taking another step back from him, "Woah, no, no, no, no way, I'll take my chances in jail, thank you very much."

"Really?" He stalked to the nearest wall, leaned back on it, and crossed his arms in that relaxing pose she has come to think of as deceptive. "Let us consider your options, female. You stole a 5.00-carat diamond ring worth five hundred thousand dollars and—"

"It's worth THAT MUCH!!?" She shouted, her eyes so wide they were almost touching her hairlines. Her damaged heart somersaulted three good times. "What!? I pawned it for only fifty thousand dollars!"

"—And you didn't only steal it, you pawned it to a thief that has closed down his shop and disappeared with it." He continued like she never interrupted, "In this country, you can do five to ten years for stealing something of this value."

Fear sizzled down her spine, "I don't have that m-much time. I d-d-don't want to die in jail."

"Home with me or jail. Choose your options carefully, female." He stated, unruffled.




A lot of thoughts were whirling through her head. Home with him? Where is home? What will he be doing to her!? Will he cage her and feed her once in three days?

Maybe, you should take your chances with jail, Ismena, she thought dreadfully. She hates her movements being restricted, but she hates the thought of jail the more.

But still. "What if you're a serial killer?" She asked suspiciously.

For the first time, a smile curved the side of his lips. It was small, and it does look more like danger-smile than an amused-smile, but yet Ismena found her nípples going hard at that small change in his features. 

Damn, but this man is very gorgeous. It's modern time, but he has the elegance and sophistication of a King.

"If I have any intentions of killing you, you will already be dead." He asserted bluntly.

Ismena shivered. She believed him too. "Look, I am dying. I have less than eight weeks to live." She tried again.

"I know."

"You know?" That surprised her. She can't remember telling him about it.

"You told me when you were drunk and out of it." He lied, knowing she isn't ready for the truth. "That was after I saved your life and you stole my ring. You do remember that night, right?"

She flushed guiltily and averted her gaze. "I needed the money to buy my meds."