The next morning she woke up to the sunlight streaming through her open balcony. For somehow, it reminded her of last night and just that intensified the longing that she felt in her heart.
The part that was always aching for him.
For his touch.
For his lips.
With a sigh and a light shake of her head, she sat up from the bed and looked around her room in wonder.
Everything had changed.
It seemed she had always been dependent upon her Grandmother that now she found it hard to be on her own.
Everything was different then. She wasn’t who she was before and now every moment of everyday in this mansion always brought her back to the memory of home.
Life had never felt so lonely and she had never felt so lost and homeless.
It was no one’s fault, she kept telling herself, and still she was angry. Perhaps because it was her fault in the first place.
She left her Grandmother alone on her own. And now, she had no idea how to forgive herself nor how she could ever forgive herself.
A drop of tear silently rolled down her cheek but she brushed it away quickly. Inhaling a deep breath, she brought her legs close to her chest and hugged herself.
Perhaps it was time to let go of the heavy burden that she was feeling in her chest and in her heart.
Taking a deep breath yet again, she closed her eyes and exhaled as if letting out all the frustations she felt. She opened her eyes and pursed her lips.
Today she would try to stand up on her own feet and be a big girl.
Try to forgive herself.
Try to forget.
Feeling determined, she slipped out her feet underneath the bed, stood up on the floor, and walked towards her bathroom.
She entered the bathroom and although she tried to block out and forget everything for the mean time, the reflection shown upon the bathroom mirror which was as clear as day to her eyes reminded her of Zach.
It reminded her of last night.
The love she felt.
The way his hands had stroked her hair.
The way his calloused fingers cupped her face.
The way his lips caressed hers.
So soft and gentle.
Last night was so passionate and unforgettable that dreams of him followed her even after she fell asleep.
She filled the bathtub with warm water and lowered herself in it. She relaxed herself whilst losing herself in her own thoughts, relishing in the feeling of warmth wrapping around her cold body. After awhile, she fell asleep and dreamt of home.
Soon, she woke up and someone was knocking on her door. She almost forgot she wasn’t alone in the mansion. She had always been used to having only one guardian. But now, she was living in her cousins’ home and was forbidden to leave the borders of the land.
They said it was for her safety. Rogues, lone wolves, had scattered everywhere.
Haunting revenge.
Killing lives.
Destroying homes.
She was in danger.
Was it her fault?
And now they try to keep her away from Zach and she never knew why.
They never told her.
“Annie?” a voice called outside her door.
From the sound of the voice, she knew it was her Aunt Catherine, her cousins’ mother. When Anna had first come in the house, her Aunt Catherine had quickly tended to her needs as if she was the very typical caring mother whom Anna never had ever since childhood.
“What is it, Aunt Catherine?” Anna asked from the bathroom.
“Breakfast is ready soon, Annie.”
“OK. I’ll come down in a minute.”
“Alright.”
She heard footsteps fading away from her doorstep as she rose up from the water. After exiting the bathroom, she dried herself and wore a simple dress and sandals. After this, she came downstairs to the kitchen and found her Uncle William over the counter cooking pancakes.
He was her Aunt Catherine’s husband, the father of the house, who was once the Alpha of the Blue Wolf Pack, or so she was told.
William Kingsley soon passed his title to his firstborn son, John, on his twentieth birthday and now William stayed inside the house, settling down in a more peaceful life because of his old age. He had also told Anna of his love for food and so it made sense because he was always the cook in the house since Anna came and she had never eaten such delicious meals before.
“Goodmorning, Uncle Will,” Anna greeted, walking towards the kitchen counter and sitting down on the stool.
William looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. “Goodmorning, Annie.”
Briefly, he caught sight of the smile plastered on her lips and frowned. “Well. Well. Well. You look quite happy today now, aren’t you?”
It was unusual for him. She never smiled nor did she ever get to show a radiant glow upon her lips. From the past few days, she seemed only lifeless or more so a zombie. But now.. she was just different. But it was a good different.
Anna placed her elbows on the counter and leaned her chin on her hands then smiled brightly which shocked William. She never smiled like that in his presence. Never.
She sighed dreamily and looked at him. “I’ve had a dream,” she admitted. “I guess I’m just so happy.. It was such a sweet dream.. Too good to be true.” She looked at the open window near the sink, gazing beyond the sunrise. “I wish I never woke up,” she muttered softly under her breath.
“Be careful what you wish for, lass,” he warned, shaking his head and looking back at what he was cooking.
Yet again, she sighed and looked at her Uncle William’s back. Now she felt hungry. He was cooking pancakes for heaven’s sake and the smell was taking over the atmosphere. No doubt her cousins would be coming downstairs to attack those delicious pancakes before she could.
William turned around and leaned against the kitchen cabinet to look at her more closely. “Now, tell me,” he said. “What exactly was your dream about?”
Her eyebrows knitted as she pursed her lips in thought of last night. “Well,” she said, “it was about.. a Prince Charming.”