Chapter 51

"Rose," he nearly growled, trying to hold himself together as he pulled away sharply, averting his gaze from me. I didn't even know where it came from or if I was ready for it. Why did I say it? Was it to provoke him, for him to take what he wanted, so I wouldn't feel so helpless in the face of my own desires? The voice in my head returned with a vengeance, urging me to step back and retreat.

"Move away from the door," he demanded.

"No," I said, standing firm against the door, blocking his way, and securing the iron chain back in place. "Rose, I'm not in the right state," he said, his expression strained as his dark gaze swept over me. "I need to go."

I shook my head, my heart racing with a mix of fear and anticipation.

He stalked towards me, a dark glare in his eyes, his hands slamming on either side of my head. I managed to meet his intense gaze, noticing the silver in his eyes aflame with the blue light. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"I want to know what you're hiding. What have I forgotten? Why aren't you...?" My words caught in my mouth as my face unknowingly drew closer to his. Then his lips crashed onto mine with a ferocity that left me breathless, overwhelming my senses and igniting a blazing inferno within me. The world around us ceased to exist as his touch consumed me entirely. His hand firmly cupped the back of my neck, his fingers entwining in my hair, pulling me impossibly closer. The sharp edge of his teeth tugged at my lower lip, a delicious mix of pleasure and pain that made me gasp for air, desperate for more.

Electric currents surged through my nerves, jolting my body with an intoxicating energy that sent my heart into a wild frenzy. Every pulse throbbed with an urgency matched only by the heat coursing through my veins. His other hand, possessive and commanding, traced a fiery path down my spine, leaving a trail of searing shivers in its wake. I surrendered to his touch, my body molded to fit against his, every contour aligning in perfect harmony. In that moment, I anticipated the embrace of darkness, the sweet surrender to the abyss that beckoned me. But it wasn't darkness that claimed me—it was him. His essence engulfed me, his scorching heat branding my skin, marking me as his own. With an intensity that defied reason, his tongue invaded my mouth, an untamed force demanding surrender. I tasted the raw desire that consumed us both, a collision of passion and hunger that left no room for restraint.

I felt him pressing against me, his firm body a testament to the fierce longing that coursed through his veins.

He pulled away, trailing open-mouthed kisses down to my neck, and I couldn't help but moan as his hand moved to my breast. My own hand wrapped around his neck, my nails digging into him. He groaned as his sharp teeth caressed my neck, my breath hitching at the sensations that shot down to my core. Then, abruptly, he pulled away, his eyes wide. He met my gaze, shaking his head, both of us breathing heavily. He moved me out of his way, my knees too weak to protest, as he ripped the door open and stormed out.

A howl of a wolf echoed in the night. I slid against the door, catching my breath. Touching my flushed neck and feeling the slickness between my thighs, my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. I realised what had just happened—or what could have happened. Would remembering everything solve his conflict?

"Rose, Rose," a sweet woman's voice echoed in the valley, surrounded by flowers. I lay under the morning sun, smiling up at the woman who looked like me but was different. Her red hair flowed down to her waist, unlike my curls.

"My dear Rose," she said, her smile shining like the sun behind her. She was beautiful, with light green eyes and an oval face.

"Mother," the word left my mouth as I ran towards her. My feet and legs were so small that my dress got stuck on the sunlit ground over and over again. I stumbled, but she grabbed me and then kneeled in front of me.

"Oh, my dear Rose," she said with that beautiful smile. "Find me, Rose."

"Huh?"

"Don't you want to find me?" The woman looked sad. Suddenly, the world tilted, and I was harshly thrown to the ground. I tried to move my hands and legs, but they wouldn't respond. They weren't tied by anything, yet my limbs seemed to be glued to my sides, no matter how much I willed them to move. Panic welled up within me, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. I squirmed under the invisible bind, attempting to scream, but even my lips were sealed with an unseen force. I felt myself being rolled over, and the forest around me darkened. Black oak trunks reached towards the sky, and brown leaves hung low. The cold began to creep in, and I shivered. Then a face appeared above me. The world tilted once more, and now I stood behind a large black trunk in the forest like a bystander. I watched the man with his arrow-like eyebrows and small, pale face, dressed in clothes made of leaves, roots, and leather. His stature was small, and he was partially bald with shining pearly teeth. More men like him gathered around, their golden, glowing eyes fixed on the small figure of a little girl—me. My red hair was sprawled out, tangled with twigs and leaves. One of the men poked me with a stick, and I gasped at the pain in my arm. It was then that I realised the little girl was me.

"Be careful, she's a princess!" The man with the golden tooth exclaimed, making a squeaky noise in the back of his throat.

I shuddered.

"Save me!"

The desperate cry for help startled me once again, and the pale, thin figure of my little self appeared right in front of me. My heart leaped in fear.

I woke up with a jerk, gasping for air, and a nauseating feeling swept over me. Xen's arm wrapped around me, and I looked at him in surprise.

"You're here." I clung to him, and he pulled me closer, rubbing soothing circles on my back.