For some reason, my gut told me no-I couldn’t go with him.
If I did, it might bring even greater danger.
I wasn’t sure when it started, but I realized I didn’t trust Magnus as much anymore.
At first, I thought he was gentle, considerate, and caring. But now, there were moments when I felt afraid of him.
“If that’s the case, never mind,” Magnus said. “Let me take you home.”
I was about to refuse when he gave a bitter smile. “You’ve been rejecting me all night. Just this once, can you not?”
“…Alright.” His humbleness made me feel a pang of guilt.
After all, I’d already turned him down so many times today. Refusing again didn’t feel right.
So, I got into his car.
Magnus drove slowly, the car creeping along as the glow of streetlights retreated behind us.
I stared out the window, lost in thought, sadness welling up inside me.
Once, I’d considered the idea of being with Magnus. It wouldn’t have been a bad choice.
At least he was caring, and he was a doctor.
Kael, on the other hand, was a playboy, always surrounded by women. Being with him meant drowning in their jealousy.
Yet, in the end, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I chose Kael.
I felt sorry for Magnus.
But then Magnus spoke, and his words shattered my thoughts.
“Do you know, Seraphina? From the beginning, I was drawn to you because of the sweet scent on you. You said your body was unique, and it’s true-almost every werewolf is attracted to you. Isn’t that strange?”
I whipped my head around to look at him.
The warm, gentle smile he always wore was gone.
Magnus’s face was cold, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. But his words hit me like thunder.
I couldn’t stop my body from trembling. Every hair on my body stood on end.
A sense of dread overwhelmed me, and I wanted nothing more than to jump out of the car.
Magnus, in this moment, seemed like a man possessed by a demon-someone I didn’t recognize.
My God… he was drawn to my scent too. He was a werewolf!
A terrible realization gripped me.
I frantically reached for the car door, trying to escape. But it was locked. Magnus had locked it.
He pulled the car over to the side of a desolate road in the countryside.
There wasn’t a soul around.
I swore, if Magnus killed me here, my body wouldn’t be discovered until the next day.
“Magnus, are you… really Magnus?” I stammered, my body trembling as I faced him.
“I am. I’ve always been.” Magnus smiled, his face once again soft and gentle.
Yet, an inexplicable fear gripped me.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned toward me.
His hand reached out to touch my cheek.
I tried to pull away, but I couldn’t move. My body froze, stiff as a statue.
I stared at Magnus with wide eyes, my breath catching in my throat.
His eyes glowed blue, the light eerily vivid in the dim surroundings.
It was unsettling, haunting.
The Magnus before me still looked the same, but his expression terrified me so much I couldn’t speak.
Why was he like this?
No, no… Over the past few weeks, I’d already noticed changes in him.
Magnus was no longer the gentle, polite man I thought I knew.
Sometimes, he was overly assertive. Other times, he acted in ways I couldn’t understand.
When we spoke, I often felt like he was studying me.
His body temperature was higher than normal.
He craved raw meat.
And he displayed an almost childlike curiosity about certain things.
So many little oddities I hadn’t paid much attention to before now suddenly made sense.
But I was too stupid to see the truth until it was too late.
Magnus leaned closer, his tall frame looming over me. His face was only inches from mine.
I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin.
“Seraphina, you’re so foolish. I’ve deceived you for so long,” he said with a laugh.
“You’re going to eat me, aren’t you?” I asked, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might stop.
I thought of the other werewolves.
If Magnus was one of them, wouldn’t he act just like the others?
Hadn’t Marek noticed anything off about him?
But no-Magnus had always acted like a friend when we were together. Marek wouldn’t have suspected a thing.
Damn it! That meant Magnus could kill me without anyone interfering.
“No, Seraphina. You’re far too adorable. How could I bear to eat you?” Magnus said, leaning in to kiss me.
His lips were scalding, like fire burning against mine.
His tongue slipped into my mouth, exploring every corner.
I could smell the woody, musky scent on him.
Once, I’d found it comforting. Now, it made me nauseous.
I stared at him with wide, terrified eyes, trying to resist. But my body refused to move.
Damn it. I hated this feeling.
Magnus could do whatever he wanted to me now, and I couldn’t stop him.
Despair consumed me.
Thankfully, Magnus eventually pulled back. But he didn’t let go of me. Instead, he wrapped me in his arms.
Though he was just a medical student and not as muscular as Kael,
I could feel the strength in his body through his blue shirt.
Clearly, he worked out often. Or maybe werewolves were naturally stronger than humans.
“Even though Kael’s scent masks yours, Seraphina, you’re still irresistible. You’re so cute. At first, I thought I’d just eat you. But now… I think I’m starting to like you.”
Magnus caressed my face as he chuckled softly.
“What the hell do you want?” I demanded angrily.
Any guilt I’d felt for rejecting Magnus earlier vanished completely.
I had been deceived all along.
Anger boiled inside me, my teeth clenched tightly, but I could do nothing.
Magnus had done something to me-I couldn’t move at all!
“I want you to kill Kael. You belong to me, and me alone,” Magnus said, his blue eyes glowing brighter.
The world around me turned blindingly bright, the light so intense I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
I didn’t know how much time passed before I suddenly opened my eyes again.