Sierra pov.
My mom had been calling me non-stop, and I felt kind of bad for not picking up her calls. She had sent me a lot of messages, warning me to come back, but I just couldn't leave yet. I wanted to find out why I was chosen to be a mate to the beast.
As I looked at my phone for a minute, I decided to message my mother back and let her know that everything was okay.
The night was dark and still, and I could hear the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. I gazed out of the window and saw the moon shining bright, casting a silvery light over everything. The air was filled with the scent of pine trees, and I could feel a cool breeze brushing against my skin.
I knew that being a mate to a beast was never what any she-wolf wanted, but I thought it would be best if I just took everything in slowly. It was now 12am, and I had been sitting for many hours, all because I wanted to see the fox again.
I stood up from the bed and walked out of the room and into the hallway. I started walking straight towards the big door, so I could at least say thank you to the fox. Just as I got there, I stood by the door, looking up at it as I breathed out and whispered to myself, "Come on, Sierra, you are brave. You can do it."
As I placed my hands on the handle of the big door, I looked at it and felt kind of scared. It felt like I was about to enter a whole new world, and I didn't know what to expect. But I took a deep breath and opened the door.
As I turned the doorknob, the door creaked open, and my eyes were met with a sight that made my heart race. All the creatures in the room were now awake and staring at me with their curious eyes. A smile spread across my face, and I waved at them as I scanned the room for the fox.
"You came," someone said, and I realized it was the fox. I walked over to him, and he looked up at me, smiling. "Hey," I said, and we locked eyes.
"Why did you decide to come back?" he asked, his eyes full of curiosity. "I thought after what happened, you would run away and maybe reject the beast."
I looked down, feeling a bit ashamed, but then I noticed that all the other creatures were still looking at me. "Well, I guess it's just my luck, anyway, right?" I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
As I talked to the fox, I couldn't help but feel a connection to him. He was like a wise old friend, and I felt comforted by his presence. "I'll be back later," I said as I watched all the creatures slowly start to nod off.
As I left the room, I noticed the beast sitting in the hallway, looking sad. I walked over to him, and he lifted his head to look at me. I could see the pain in his eyes, and it felt like he was searching for something. It was as if he was a lost soul searching for his place in the world.
"Are you okay?" I asked him, as I sat down close to him, feeling a bit of pity for him.
"You know, sitting alone here isn't good for you. Why don't we take a walk and maybe we can get to know each other?" I suggested, looking up at him.
He turned to face me, but his expression wasn't a happy one. I lifted my hands and gently placed them on his face, offering a smile.
I didn't like seeing him sad, and it broke my heart whenever he was. All I wanted was to let him know that everything was going to be okay.
"I know it's tough, but seeing you sad makes me feel a bit guilty. So if you have anything you want to do, I am here to help you out," I said, looking into his eyes.
After we both stared at each other for a while, he looked away from me. I watched him as he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look back at me once more.
"I love you," he said, his eyes fixed on mine. I had heard those words before since I came here, so hearing them again was not a big deal for me.
I kept looking at him, unsure of what to say in response. Should I tell him that I loved him too, or should I just stay there and continue staring?
I smiled, not wanting him to see my confusion and worries. As I stood up, I extended my hands towards him, smiling as I spoke, "Why don't we go do something fun and maybe that'll help you stop thinking?"
He looked at me and then back at my hands, as if he didn't know what to choose. I moved closer to him and hugged him, pulling him towards my body, letting him know that everything was going to be okay.
"I know it's hard, and I feel sad for you. Seeing you this way, I just can't help it. Why don't we go out into the forest and do something better? Maybe we can build a sandman. I know it's for kids, but it's still something fun to do."
After I asked that, he wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me even closer. I could feel his breath on my back and the pain in his voice.
I hugged him tighter, feeling sad and on the verge of tears. This was my mate, but I was finding it difficult to say "I love you" back to him. I knew it was hard right now, but I didn't want to make any decision that would make me feel guilty about everything.
As we stood there, I placed my hands around his back, clasping him tightly to make him feel calm. It might seem odd, but I think I liked it that way.
I felt his heartbeat slow down and his breath become steady. I tried to look at him, but he was just so heavy.
"Beast," I called his name, but he remained silent. That's when I smiled, knowing he was fast asleep. And because of that, I also felt weak and closed my eyes, falling asleep next to him. We stayed there, feeling each other's embrace.