46.

-HER-

“Say it, Cybele,” He urges. I am instantly aware of how he is holding me close as if he’s scared that I’d run away. His eyes are intense on me. I have to look away before I focus on the goddess’ statue.

My mind keeps replaying everything he has told me and everything that I have seen. Everything seems to link up with each other the more I think about them. The full picture is in front of my eyes but I don’t know how to react to it.

I want to turn blind to it and just deny everything but this is too obvious to miss.

Could it be that I am dreaming? No, I couldn’t be. His presence beside me is too real for this to be a dream. He’s here with me, waiting for me to speak.

“Cybele,” He whispers, “Say it, Cybele,” He urges again. I don’t miss how the tone of urgency in his voice has amplified.

I wanted to know, didn’t I? Now that I know, now what?

“You’re a…” I take a pause, “werewolf,” I finally draw out. My eyes flicker to his. He is already looking at me pensively. I flush under their intensity. He is searching my face for a reaction and so am I.

In this momentary silence between us, everything seems to have stopped. My heart is racing in my chest and my palms are sweaty. It’s cold outside but the warmth of his body pressed against mine is keeping me warm.

“How do you feel about it, Cybele?” He asks me instead. I gulp and look back at the temple. He hasn’t confirmed it but the seriousness is enough for me to know that it’s true.

I am finding it hard to react to this. I am dumbstruck for the most part because it’s not every day when someone tells me that they’re a werewolf. I am feeling so many emotions and there are so many questions in my head. I don’t know what to say or how to say.

“Do you think I am a freak?” He asks when I didn’t answer his previous question. I instantly shake my head at him. I don’t think he is a freak. He’s anything but a freak.

“No, I don’t think you’re a freak, Jake,” I tell him when I manage to find my voice back. My mind is still processing everything. The gravity of the situation is slowly starting to dawn upon me. The tension in the air is too high.

“Are you scared?” He asks, his eyes flicker to my lips before he looks me back in the eyes. His eyes hold this combination of fervent and possessiveness that always gives me butterflies. A part of me still wants to throw myself in his arms even after knowing that he’s different.

“No,” My answer takes both of us by surprise but after contemplating, I find that it’s true. I am not scared of him and I don’t know whether I should be scared of him or not. The attraction is still there but now I could start to wonder the reason behind it.

He stares at me for some moments before a smile climbs on his lips. Even though the tension reduces considerably, I know that it’s not over yet.

He asks instead, “Would you like to go inside?”

I nod, looking back at the beautiful temple. I am very much impressed by its beauty and all the design. The fact that it is very old and belonged to the history just added more to my interest.

Jake takes me inside and shows me around. His eyes are on me all the time but I try to be oblivious to his attention. I am anyway busy taking in the beauty of the place. He’d tell me about things and watch me get fascinated by everything.

As my eyes trace the old designs, his eyes trace my facial features. He is watching me closely as if he expecting something from me- a reaction. He is looking at me as if he wants to know what’s going on inside my head.

The more his gaze intensifies on me, the more he is trying to read me, to understand me. Instead of him, I focus on the temple for the moment.

“You didn’t tell me how you feel about this,” He states as soon as we step out of the temple. His arm is still around me.

“How do you want me to feel about this?” I ask him as he leads me somewhere away from the temple, not towards the parking lot. I notice this, “Where are we going?” I ask instantly.

“There’s more,” He mutters as he leads me through dark woods. I hesitate for a moment due to the sheer darkness. I couldn’t tell how he is managing to navigate through the trees without walking into one.

“Er…”

“Please, Cybele. I won’t hurt you,” I can hear the plea in his voice while his fingers are desperately digging in my hips. I am now starting to understand his side as well. Just like me, he must have been expecting some answers from me as well.

Though I didn’t know what to say. I need some moments to ponder. Meanwhile, I want to know more from him... about him.

“I am not afraid of you, Jake,” I assure him again.

“Then please tell me how you feel about this,” He urges again. I open my mouth to speak but I am instantly distracted when we reach another clearing. It’s a cliff and from here the whole Itaville city could be seen.

My jaw hits the ground as I am left staring at the breathtakingly beautiful scenery. The city lights are blinking back at us in the darkness. The lights decorate the horizon. Their intensity on earth is enough to drown the twinkling stars in the night sky and pain it in different shades of yellow, orange and pink.

Various boulders have been arranged to make a place to sit and watch the scenery. I notice that there are a few people here already, mostly couples. I notice a small coffee stall set up there as well.

“Do you want some coffee?” He asks me and I nod. After buying me a coffee, Jake tugs me at a far corner, away from most of the people.

“No,” He growls when I sit beside him. Instead, he pulls me on his lap and wraps his arms around my waist. I didn’t protest because I like his warmth in the chilly evening. With his body behind me and his arms around me, I feel safe and cosy.

Though I couldn’t help but shiver every now and then when his hot breath would blow on my exposed neck.

Silence falls between us as he rests his chin on my shoulder and watches the scenery. Meanwhile, I silently sip from my cup and try to collect my thoughts. He’d nudge my neck with his nose now and then, giving me those sensations.

“Would you like some?” I ask him, holding my cup in front of his face. He shakes his head in response before nudging his nose in the crook of my neck- just where his fading hickeys are.

...

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