“You don’t need another human being to make your life complete, but let’s be honest. Having your wounds kissed by someone who doesn’t see them as disasters in your soul, but cracks to put their love into, is the most calming thing in this world.” — Emery Allen
…
She was speechless. No words could describe what she felt seeing him for the first time that night. But it was like a dream. Everything stopped. The music faded. Time was frozen and sparks were flying everywhere.
She stared at him in awe. He was so beautiful. His hair was wild and chaotic as if he had ran his fingers through it a hundred times. His lips were so inviting, begging to be kissed. His eyes were dark and dilated looking down at her intently as if he could see deeply into her soul.
Her heart was overwhelmed and she felt as if she would burst into tears then and there. Was he only dream? Was he only an imagination of her own mind? Even as she looked at him, he seemed too good to be true. He was only a few feet away from her but he seemed so far away.
Like an ice sculpture, she stood there frozen. No one else existed in the room but the two of them. Her lips were parted but she could utter no words. No words at all. She took a sudden intake of breath once he took a step and another. Closer and closer until he was only a few inches away from her.
She looked up at him under those thick lashes. Her eyes portrayed the ocean so deep and he watched as a single drop of tear escaped and silently rolled down her cheek. She was so beautiful even when she cried like this.
Her blue eyes. Her rosy cheeks. Her strawberry lips. Everything about her was beautiful and just then he realized she would always be beautiful in his eyes. Not even the time could ever make her unattractive.
He raised his hand and cupped her cheek. “Don’t cry, Princess,” he murmured softly and she felt it all the way crawling under her skin. He brushed away one fallen tear with his thumb and she leaned into him.
It was very slow she felt but she just stayed still and stared at him in awe as he leaned down his head and clashed his lips against hers. Lightning struck her. She felt it. His lips left tingles against her lips. She felt it all the way down her spine and somehow her tummy felt funny.
Her eyelids fluttered close as she kissed him back. She snaked her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. His arms came around her and brought her flushed against his solid body. Black against white. Hard against soft. She moaned his name against his lips and his tongue came out to battle with hers.
Breathless, they pulled apart.
“You’ve been drinking,” he said because he tasted the wine on her tongue.
She felt her lips twitching as she looked up at him. “Does it matter?” she asked innocently.
Seeing that sweet little smile back on her face, he couldn’t help but smile, too. He leaned down and softly kissed the sensitive skin below her ear.
“Bad kitty,” he purred in her ear. He smiled inwardly when he felt the way she shivered. He slowly kissed down the side of her neck and gently sucked on her sensitive skin. She trembled slightly and he held her tight in his arms when she was about to fall.
“Zach,” she moaned under her breath. Her hands tightened on his shoulders as she melted against him her delicate arms clinging onto his neck and his strong arms wrapping around her waist.
They were moving, she realized. Everyone was looking at them. Still, he was moving and he was bringing her with him. Her body molded perfectly against him. She didn’t even realize they were already dancing. Each step was blending with the slow beat of the sweet music.
It was like once upon a dream. She was so lost in his eyes. Lost in him. So deeply in love with him. So head over heels for him. And she didn’t even know it.
“I can’t believe it,” she muttered under her breath. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“I said I’ll come back for you, didn’t I?”
“But that night,” she whispered, “why did you leave me?”
There was something that flickered in his eyes. She saw it. It was like a flash of darkness and wilderness and savagery. For a moment, she wondered if she had asked the right question.
“Took care of things,” he said. “The wolves who killed your grandmother.. I killed them. All of them. For you.”
Even as he had said it calmly, she knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth. She wanted him to be honest. If it was about the rogues or those who had killed her Grandmother, she wanted to know all of it.
“Tell me everything,” she begged.
He couldn’t resist those eyes. She spoke as if she was begging on her knees. He sighed. “I made a deal with John,” he said then stopped but she waited patiently for him to continue.
“It was a truce between two packs,” he continued. “He was calling for a war when he kept you away from me,” he growled, his arms tightening slightly around her.
“Oh, Zach,” she purred sadly, running her fingers through his hair. “I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said. “It was my fault. I fixed it.”
She shook her head. “Everything that happened is not your fault, Zach. Don’t blame yourself.”
Then he stopped in the middle of the dance floor. Jaw clenched tightly, “You don’t know that,” he said.
With that, he gently pulled away from her and she watched broken as he turned around and walked away from her. She badly wanted to chase after him but she couldn’t. Instead of healing him, she opened up his wounds and let him bleed again.
How could she ever heal him?
The sight of him vanished from her view. People surrounded her and blocked her path.
Where is he?
In the midst of the crowd, she made her way through, searching for him. He was nowhere in sight. Taking a deep breath, she fanned herself and looked around in panic.
“Miss, are you OK?”
She turned. “Uh, yes,” she answered although she wasn’t fine at all. She looked over the man and smiled. She recognized him. He was one of the waiters who had faithfully looked after the guests all night.
The waiter smiled back then gave her a glass of wine as if offering a gift. “Would you like a drink?” he offered.
She nodded and took it gladly. “Thank you.” She sipped and the taste was heavenly. She had the time to relax herself when the waiter left her.
“Just give him a little time,” someone said behind her.
She turned. “Andrew?”
“Hey,” he said, smiling. “Look, I’ve known Zach for so long. That man is broken.”
Her heart tightened and she felt breathless. Zach had wounds so deep that even she could not comprehend. She could do nothing but feel her heart weeping for him.
“How do you think… How do you think wounds can be healed?” she asked.
Andrew grinned showing off his perfect teeth. “I believe time heals everything,” he said.
“But how can I heal him?” she asked. “How can I heal his wounds?”
“You see that’s the thing. You can’t,” he replied, matter-of-factly. “You know when little children fall and scrape their knees? Their parents kiss away the pain. Not because it magically heals the wounds. But because it makes them feel loved… Nobody wants pity… Everybody wants to be loved.”
She was silent for a moment then she looked at him. “Where is he?”
Andrew led her out of the mansion and somehow, she knew she could trust him. He was Zach’s best friend and that was enough for her. Andrew led her a little further into the woods and she was disappointed to see not Zach but trees. Then they stopped on their tracks.
“He’s here,” Andrew stated, breaking the eerie silence that surrounded the forest.
Her brows furrowed and she looked around searching but she didn’t see him. There were only trees. “Andrew—” She turned around and gasped, hands flying to her mouth.
He was gone.
She took a step back and bumped against a tree. No, a chest. She bumped against a hard chest. Quickly, she turned around.
“Zach,” she said in a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Now, what did I say about saying sorry?” he asked, a filthy smirk playing on his lips.
Seeing the lust swirling in his eyes, she blushed. Without warning, he swiftly swept her off her feet and carried her in his arms. A yelp escaped her lips leaving her giggling as he walked them further into the woods.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He smirked. “Home.”