I was still horrified from the moment he said those words. For some reason, I felt like running away but no.
“Why would you even choose that as an endearment?” I chuckled nervously to hide what rattled me. I even had to ignore those meaningful words he uttered.
I was supposed to be the one who should think about that endearment. Why is he the one who thought that word? Why did it seem like he also came from the past?
“Have you heard that somewhere?” I added. I was being cautious.
Could that be the reason? Did he also have a memory of the past, just like me?
Did the Moon Goddess also grant him a second life to change his fate? Was this the reason why we met in the Calaren instead of Solacia?
Was Valerian following me? Was that why?
“Yes.” I snapped back to look at him with a furtive smile. “I heard from somewhere. I think it suits both of us to use that as our endearment, right, honeydew?”
I had chills down my spine when he started to call me that. Was this what he experienced back in the past on how bizarre I was acting back then?
“I am not liking it, to be honest.” No! I liked it! My wolf and I liked that he was calling us that!
His alluring husky tone while calling me on our endearment was enough to ruin my whole system. I then realized how he could make my heart race so fast even though he was not doing anything.
“Sure,” he said, shrugging.
I wanted to groan in annoyance right now, seeing that he was treating it as a trivial matter. I felt like if I kept paying heed to him, I wouldn’t be able to flatten my creasing forehead right now.
When we finished our breakfast, I parted ways with him to finish my agenda today. I needed some peace of mind right now. Valerian would be the death of me.
“Why are you following me?” I arched my eyebrow when I felt his presence behind me.
Valerian fluttered his eyelids, feigning ignorance. “What? What do you mean? I am not.”
“Yes, you are.” Seeing his chartreuse eyes sparkle in mischievousness, I knew very well that he was playing with me. “Valerian…” I squinted my eyes at him.
“What? I am also going this way, no.”
“No, you are not.”
“I am.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” I groaned in annoyance. “I am going here since you said you were going there.” I changed my direction and went to the opposite. Well, I guess I had to choose to go to the rooftop later.
But as soon as I walked in the opposite direction, Valerian Leveaux, my annoying mate, also walked in the same direction where I was going.
“Valerian.” I swore… I wanted to lose my head right now.
“Well, I change my mind. I’d rather go here.” He wriggled his eyebrows.
I sighed in distress as I silently adored him for being naughty. It was obvious that he was following me. But I needed to settle this alone.
I stepped forward enough that I was so close to him. Valerian gulped when I drew my face closer to him.
I reached for his face and caressed it, ignoring the people looking on our way. “Honeydew…” I called in my sultry pitch tone.
This was the only way to escape from this man…
It was to catch him off guard.
“Y-Yes?” Valerian gulped and inhaled sharply.
“Would you mind giving me some alone time? If you won’t, you shall never see me again. Do you like that?” I asked in my oh-so-sweet tone with a hint of threatening.
His chest slowly rose up and down when my thumb teasingly graze his lower lip. “N-No, honeydew… I-I want to see… you again…” He sounded as if my touch hypnotized him.
“Well… so, what are you doing then? Are you deliberately doing this?” I drew my face closer, enough to touch his lips.
“Yes… honeydew…”
There was a furtive smile as I looked at him seductively. “If you are a good boy and behave here…” I paused and went to his ear. “I am going to reward you that is beyond your imagination.” Then I softly blew his ear, causing him to shiver. “Can you do that for me?”
His breathing became heavier. When I looked up at him, his eyes were glowing in lust.
That’s right, Valerian… I know your weaknesses.
“Your answer?” I arched my eyebrow and caressed his cheek. It felt nostalgic since I used to do this to him before.
Valerian looked troubled, not wanting to answer. But the more I teased his cheek, his breathing got heavy.
“Yes, I shall behave… as you wish.”
I stared at him for a long moment to intimidate him. Valerian looked uneasy. His eyes were wandering and averting my gaze.
“Alright! I shall see you later!” I grinned and tapped his cheek before sprinting away, rendering him speechless.
I was giggling and feeling ticklish when I was out of his sight. I watched him from afar, who mindlessly touched his cheek where I placed my hand.
It took a long pause before he realized I had outsmarted him. I even read his lips mouthing ‘shit’ and brushed his hair in frustration.
“Cute…” I muttered before I turned my back to leave.
I inhaled and exhaled to calm my heart. Then I went to the merchant market to purchase jewelry on the streets.
I had come to pick a golden bangle with intricate designs. I appreciated this handcraft because it piqued my interest.
“How about you purchase this, too, my lady?” the merchant bestowed me with another golden bangle that was wider than mine and had the same design. I took it to examine it. “It is a pairing bracelet for mate couples. If you have a lover, you can bestow it as a gift to him.”
I softened, feeling nostalgic. We used to have a pairing bracelet back in my previous life. However, it was a woven one made by Valerian.
“I am going to take it.” I paid for it and went to the nearest temple. “I wish to see Divine Priest Acaly for the incantation of my jewelry,” I told the person cleaning the front of the temple. It must be one of the people taking care of the divine temple.
The man nodded and ushered me to a room where I could wait for the divine priest. “Can you wait for His Emminence here? He is currently out for a moment and will be back later.”
“Of course.” I nodded and was left alone in the room full of the Holy Scriptures of the Moon Goddess Lunaria.
Lunaria, the Goddess of the Universe and Werewolves, was the only deity that existed here. She was a healer, a mother, and a punisher. We also offered to thank Her as the Goddess of Creation for every full moon.
I decided to roam around the room and saw a bookshelf about theology. The divine priests or priestesses could bless a wedding and perform an incantation to the pieces of jewelry, depending on what the owner wants.
It could be an incantation piece of jewelry that could conceal the wearer’s scent, change appearance, protection, accelerate healing, and so much more.
Being a divine priest or priestess means being a messenger to the Moon Goddess.
The divine priests or priestesses were those people who practiced seeking knowledge and message or revelation from a deity which was our Moon Goddess.
I came across the Moon Goddess statue settling in the corner of the room. That statue had drawn me to come near it since I arrived here. I tried to ignore it, but it kept drawing to me as if I was a magnet to it-no, it felt like I was being called.
I approached it. With each step I took, there was this shuddering feeling that wanted to overwhelm my whole body.
I eyed it up and down, glorifying it as I felt energy emitting it.
The statue had the Moon Goddess sitting on a large crescent moon with Her ethereal beauty highlighted on it. The statue highlighted Her wavy hair. There was something in me that it seemed like Her hair was flowing.
There was another statue of her that was settling beside it. This time, they depicted the Moon Goddess standing up with Her eternity glory, having a crystal ball in Her hand while Her other hand was holding a staff with a crescent moon shape. She even had a crescent moon shape behind Her head that served as a halo.
I was really drawn to the statue. I felt pulled just by eyeing them.
“Is it just me, or do they look like they are talking to me?” I couldn’t help saying those words since I had these shivers in my spine.
“You are being drawn because you are somehow attached to it.”
I became alert upon hearing a male voice and was prepared to tackle that person, but as soon as I turned around, I happened to meet a man with an angelic face. I could have mistaken him for a teenage boy, but I knew better that he was in his 30s.
I calmed down and straightened my back. “Are you Priest Acaly?” I wanted to confirm if my suspicion was right since he was wearing white clerical clothing. I assumed that he was the divine priest here in this temple based on his clothing that only the divine priest and priestess could wear.
He nodded and closed the door. “I am.” He looked at the wall clock before he returned his gaze to me. “Iran told me that you need some incantation of your jewelry.”
I silent for a moment. His words earlier had lingered in my mind for some reason.
“Yes, indeed.” I ignored the thoughts I had on my mind and stepped forward. I showed the two bangles I had with me. “I want this bangle to conceal the scent of the wearer.” That was the bangle I would wear. “And this one… Please enchant this with protection.”
“For your mate?” he asked when he took the bangles from me. He was talking about what I said was the bangle with the enchantment of protection.
“Yes, Your Eminence.” I nodded.
Priest Acaly stared at me. He exchanged his glance between the bangles and me. “I see. Please wait here.” He drew out a small smile before he exited the room.
I was left alone again, drawing me to the Moon Goddess Statue. I was about to approach it again, but a large calloused hand halted me.
“Not yet.” I turned my head at His Eminence.
“Huh?” I was bewildered by his words.
“Do not answer the Moon Goddess’ calling.”
I gasped. “C-Calling?” I gulped when he nodded. “What do you mean, Your Eminence?”
He looked at me with an earnest expression before he sighed. “It is not the right time.” He was about to drag me out of the room when I remained still and did not move.
“What do you mean ‘it is not the right time’?” I did not know why but I felt frightened about how His Eminence was acting. Though his looks were kind of distracting me since he had this angelic face that could deceive many women who wanted to be in his arms, but it did not seem like he was looking for women to fool around with. “I am not leaving here even if you drag me out.” I could tell that he had no plans to speak.
But His Eminence dragged me closer to him and held my cheek. “You… have once met your death and returned to the moment before you die, right?”
His words had made me alarmed. How did he know about that? Could he read me? Could he read my soul?
“I-I do not know what you are talking about.” I regretted that I had interrogated him. I should not have let my curiosity get the better of me. “C-Can I just wait outside?” My heart felt trouble right now since I did not expect that he would notice something in me.
He noticed it even though he was not doing anything.
He nodded and released me. But before I could leave, he spoke when he opened the door. “The person you are looking for…” I halted and turned at him. My stomach somersaulted when he looked solemn. “Nothing.” He drew out a small smile.
Curiosity kicked inside me. “Tell me.” Did he know I was looking for that person who had been slipping from my mind?
He shook his head. “You are not ready for that.” He smiled apologetically before he was the one who stormed out of the room and left me in a daze.