A second later, I found myself in an unknown white forest surrounded by unfamiliar scenery. Alijah suddenly shifted, causing me to fall onto the grass below, leaving my bum aching. After what happened in the town, he wanted to avoid prying eyes and ears to talk.
"Why did you do that?!" I growled, sore from the shortfall he had caused me to endure.
Though, the moment I saw his expression. I stopped in my tracks. The affection I had become used to in the past months was gone. A faint red aura radiated from his body as his expression sent shivers down my spine.
"What the fuck are we doing here, Ren?!" He demanded, slamming his fist into a tree next to us, shattering it on impact.
He was finished with my evasiveness of his questions, yet my heart felt like it was about to be torn apart any second. One would think I was terrified of the angered wolf before me, but no, he didn't scare me even when he glared at me with those crimson eyes.
Had I deceived you by taking you to where your story with her ended?
However, there was going to be a new beginning for them there. I had to say it.
It's over, Rem. Time to come clean... but not with one last try to save any second I have with you. God… I should've kissed you when we were on the ship. Now, it will be… impossible. Once you know I took an entire day that we could've been saving her, you'll…
"Let's just get to Locrium. Everything will be..." I tried to reassure Alijah, but he wouldn't let me.
My punishment awaited me. However, with the name that had come from me, Alijah wanted nothing more to do with it. His expression told me everything, shattering me right where I was.
Those hurt feelings from your past are still present. Your love for me was never real. Ah... It's over for me. Did I give enough? Did I show you everything I have to offer? Was it enough? It's not enough... I still have much more! But… there is no more time.
A hole in my chest was surging open with nothing to stop it.
"Locrium!?!? Hah... You're testing me, Rem! Don't test me! Do you even know what you're fucking saying?!" Alijah snapped, prompting the hue from his body to grow thicker.
Ah… There won't be a better place than to end us here. If I do, you won't have any reservations when you see her, not that I matter enough for that. So that there are no ifs. Those will hurt more.
Closing my eyes, I clasped onto my chest. Everything around me turned bitterly cold as my feet felt like I was sinking into the ground below.
"I know what I'm saying! Why would I ever want to test you?" I argued, body shaking.
My words caused Alijah's crimson eyes to narrow upon hearing me. It wasn't only my body but also my voice quivering. The whiteness of the trees complemented the green grass below as the winds picked up any white leaves that had fallen off.
What a beautiful place to have my heart broken. Crap... Keep it together, Rem. You never loved me. You didn't mean a thing of what you said last night! That's right… I forced you to say it.
"Do you still want to kill me, Alijah?" I asked, facing him straight on.
"What the fuck are you saying?" He muttered, shaking his head. "I'd—"
The facade had to begin and end. For both our freedoms, I had to remain strong.
It's time to give Lilith the piece I won, as promised.
"Your expression makes me believe you want to hurt me, or worse," I answered, voice running cold.
Bottle everything in, don't let a single thing out! This is nothing! You promised him this! You have to deliver, Rem! You can't be like anyone else who never gave him a choice!
I clenched my hands into fists, slowly rising from the floor. It was a lie. His expression showed pain and anger, but I needed to believe otherwise. I had to fool myself before my heart shattered into pieces I could never pick up.
Alijah, you will never pick me over your six-thousand-year-old lover.
"Go on then... do it. It's what you wanted, no? To kill me and be free of the bond. To be free of your leash. That's the only reason you held me, right?! To fool me into thinking…" I trailed off, not wanting to finish that.
"Rem, no, I—" He started, only for me to stop him.
All of my insecurities were spilling out of me, though. Everything I knew would make Alijah regret meeting me.
"T-Tell me, why did you play along with my feelings for these past months? Was it because you cared for me? Or because I'm Mom's daughter? A fucking charity?" I asked point-blank, fearing his answer.
Damn it, why doesn't my voice stop shaking?
"What? Rem, of course, I—" He stopped as his eyes widened upon spotting something on me.
A throbbing agony suddenly rushed through my body as I tried to hide it, yet it snapped me away from what he was saying as I released a slow gasp.
Why does everything have to be so painful? What you say doesn't matter... because it'll all change when you see her. Everything will change. Those arms will no longer be mine. No, they never were!
"Rem," Alijah grabbed onto my shoulders as I clasped onto my head.
"Well, if you won't kill me, then…" I trailed off, yanking myself away from him.
That was when I noticed my body was emanating the same black aura from before when I was possessed.
Ah... Am I angry?Like the time I hurt... No… it feels different.
I hadn't noticed, but the pain was hiding the anger that was surging within me, allowing the beast within me to grasp at me. My gaze darted around as I felt a presence nearby—one I had never felt before.
It was almost as if my body was leading me to the source of what caused this abomination. Mom always said spells knew when their principal source was nearby.
So... I'm right. Edna's trying to bring Lilith to life.
"She's here," I muttered, clasping my hands into fists.
My blood lust…
The beast was going out of control, leaving me wanting to tear Alijah apart.
Just like when... Crap... I can't let that happen. There is no focus on Edna. She's the one you want to kill!
Sadly, once it started, it was hard to contain.
"Who?" Alijah peered around, unable to find anyone else around us.
A soft cackle left me, realizing where I could quench the thirst trickling out of control.
Why fight it when you're near here?
"Edna. I can feel her essence." I answered, biting my lip hard enough to make it bleed.
My freedom was also in my sight. Everything had fallen perfectly into place. I would lose my love, but at least I would have autonomy. Instinctively, Alijah grabbed onto my chin, drawing me to face him upon smelling the blood coming from my lip.
"Okay, nope. Enough, let's go back to—" I interrupted him by throwing myself at him and kissing him.
It caused my blood to smudge on his lips as his tongue tangoed with mine briefly before I tugged away, admiring how red matched this black wolf ever so perfectly.
How I wish I were born in your time. Perhaps our story would've been different, Ali.
"This means Lilith's waiting for you to save her. Will you run away from her?" I whispered, trailing my fingertips on his lip.
It almost felt freeing to say all those things without feeling the sting in my chest. The curse had taken hold of me, leaving me numb to anything I did. In this state, I hurt someone precious to me before.
All without caring… you don't know, little wolf.
"Lilith?" he mumbled, shaking his head.
"Yes," I smirked as he cupped my cheeks.
"No, she's irrelevant. Let's go away from here, Rem." Alijah declared, eyes fully dilated.
Ah… More empty words. You're just trying to protect the bond. If only you knew my death would free you from everything! If only it were permanent.
"Because of the link between us? Oh, Alijah, nothing will happen to you if I die. Do you think I would doom the man I love with my death? All you'll feel is a tug in your heart if you care for me a bit, but that'll be filled with Lilith long before I'm gone." I smiled, licking the blood off his lip.
A sharp growl left his lips as he grabbed the back of my hair, pulling it enough to expose my neck to him.
"There isn't an ounce of truth in what you are saying. Rem, you're not yourself. Come back to me, please. I won't scream at you anymore." Alijah tried to keep me still.
I licked my lip and smirked, exhilarated by his reaction towards me. It was almost addictive to see him on his toes around me. He was cautious but not afraid of me, which was intriguing.
Do you think my love for you will keep you in one piece? Oh, love… I ripped into someone I loved way before I knew about you!
"I'm not myself? Oh... then I'll be better than ever when I have that witch's blood quenching my thirst! " I snickered, tugging my hair slightly free.
His grip on it was soft enough for me to find my release easily. He didn't want to hurt me, even after I gave him my permission to do so.
Pathetic… The bond won't do anything to you! Why won't you believe me?!
"I won't let you do that, Rem." Alijah tried to fight back, prompting me to giggle.
"Oh, should I have a bite out of you, then?" I asked, trailing my fingers on his nape.
Tugging on his shirt, I exposed part of his shoulder.
"Go ahead if it'll calm you." He encouraged, watching me closely.
I clicked my tongue, tugging away, "Where is the earlier bravado? You were so scary before. Why not now?"
"That was a mistake. I allowed my temper to get a hold of me." He huffed, not budging from where he was.
I wanted to shatter him like he was about to break me. However, that was a momentary emotion that I would regret.
No, I want you to be happy. That's… Argh!
Perhaps that was why the curse wasn't going fully haywire yet numbed me.
"Sadly, you have no choice in this, my beloved. Did you forget who holds the reins in this partnership?" I questioned, smirking.
My words caused Alijah to glare at me, "Rem, don't."
"I shall have my freedom, and you'll have—" I stopped myself before smiling bitterly.
It still stung, even in this state, but it was for the best.
"Please, don't." Alijah pleaded with me by pressing his forehead against mine.
You're like this because it will be dangerous, and you don't know if Lilith's soul will be there.
"No, it's time to cross that bridge. You'll shift and take me to Locrium." I ordered, ignoring his pleas.
He winced, stepping away from me before shifting on command as I hopped onto his back soon after. Lilith's village was never far from our destination, but thanks to my order, Alijah ran at top speed towards it from the two years he spent living there with his old flame.
He knew exactly where it was, allowing us to be there before the sun came down.