Seraphina
Marek dropped me off at Kael’s apartment.
“Seraphina, do you want something to eat?” Marek asked.
I shook my head. “No, thank you.”
I had no appetite at all.
After everything that happened in the woods, the emotional highs and lows, I was suddenly filled with regret now that I had calmed down.
Why had I come to wait for Kael at his apartment?
Was it just to sleep with him?
What was I thinking? I must have lost my mind.
But still, when I thought about everything that had happened in the woods, I couldn’t deny the truth. Kael had an undeniable pull on me, something dangerous and magnetic.
Just his kisses, his touch-they had effortlessly ignited something primal within me.
I craved him, just as much as he craved me.
Marek didn’t say anything else when I declined his offer. He left quietly, leaving me alone in the apartment.
The emptiness of the place unsettled me. Perhaps it was because I was the only one here.
To distract myself, I turned on the TV. At least the noise would make the apartment feel less quiet, less eerie.
I wandered around, taking in Kael’s place.
Even though he lived alone, Kael kept his apartment immaculately clean.
I noticed a few changes since my last visit. There were more green plants now, placed on the windowsill and tables, giving the space a lively, fresh energy.
The couch even had new cushions-one of them was pink.
Pink! What a surprisingly sweet and cheerful color.
I hugged the cushion and watched the TV.
It was playing a local news broadcast, as this was the town’s small, community-based channel.
At that moment, the news anchor reported a recent incident of a wild animal attack in the woods.
Someone had ventured into the nearby forest and was killed on the spot by a feral beast.
Hearing this made my stomach churn, a sense of foreboding creeping over me.
The news anchor added that this was the first such attack in the past decade and the worst incident of its kind in thirty years.
“Seraphina, you can’t go without eating. I ordered you some mac and cheese. I know it’s your favorite,” Marek said, appearing suddenly.
He placed the takeout container in front of me.
I looked at him, surprised. “Thank you…”
Not only had Marek brought me food, but he’d also gotten something I actually liked.
He smiled, his handsome face radiating an innocent charm.
“I promised Kael I’d take care of you. I’m sorry about what happened earlier. I wanted to step in, but I… I was scared,” he admitted, his voice tinged with guilt.
As I ate the food Marek brought me, I replied, “I don’t blame you. Protecting me might be your responsibility, but I won’t hold it against you if you don’t.”
Honestly, I was already grateful that Marek had come to help me at all.
God, how ironic. I used to hate having someone constantly watching over me, but after everything that’s happened, I was beginning to think Kael had made the right decision.
“No, Kael trusted me to keep you safe. But today… the presence of that man… it made me instinctively afraid. I’m ashamed that I ran,” Marek said.
“Do you know what it’s like? We werewolves aren’t like humans. Especially someone like me, who grew up untamed. My wolf instincts are much stronger than my human side. I need to train myself. Next time, I can’t let fear control me,” he added, scratching his head awkwardly.
“What does that mean?” I asked, confused.
“In human terms, it means my animal instincts overpower my rational mind. When faced with danger, I don’t think about anyone else. My body reacts on its own, choosing to survive. But I know humans, when protecting the ones they care about, can sacrifice themselves,” he explained.
Suddenly, I understood.
Spending time with Marek, I had noticed his wolf side was far more dominant than his human side.
From the moment we first met, when he appeared in his feral wolf form, to the times we ate together, where he always preferred raw, bloody food-it was clear.
Marek was different from Kael.
Kael, on the other hand… If he hadn’t revealed himself to me, I would never have guessed he was a werewolf.
He seemed more human than most humans.
“You should always put yourself first, Marek. No one is worth sacrificing yourself for,” I told him.
Marek shook his head at my words, a small, sad smile on his face.
“Do you think the town is becoming more dangerous?” I asked, trying to change the subject. If these threats were targeting me, what was I supposed to do?
Marek nodded. “Yes. That’s why, Seraphina, you need to stay put for now. Don’t wander around.”
I nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble. But I’m worried-will I still be able to attend classes normally?”
“For now, it seems like they’re avoiding causing trouble in the town itself. I think you’ll be safe as long as you stay in town and don’t go to the outskirts,” Marek reassured me.
“Okay. I understand.”
After our conversation, Marek left, leaving me alone in the apartment again.
By midnight, Kael still hadn’t come home.
It was strange.
I even took a shower, thinking he might show up while I was in there, but there was no sign of him.
Frowning, I sat on the couch, scrolling through my phone. I was bored out of my mind.
But after everything that had happened today, I soon grew tired and fell asleep on Kael’s bed.
When I woke up, the bed beside me was empty. Kael hadn’t come home last night.
Why?
I sent him a message, but he didn’t reply.
Was this his way of getting back at me? Was he playing games with me?
Just then, the doorbell rang.
I froze, my heart pounding.
It couldn’t be Kael-he wouldn’t ring the doorbell.
I walked to the door and peered through the peephole.
It was Vivienne.
God, why was Vivienne standing outside Kael’s apartment so early in the morning?
Was she here for Kael? Or did she already know I was here?
I couldn’t let her in.
But the next moment, Vivienne’s voice came from the other side of the door.
“Seraphina, I know you’re in there. Aren’t you going to open the door?”
She knew.
My heart sank, like it was being dragged into a deep abyss. That sinking feeling of dread made me feel utterly out of control.