Angela, hands covering her lips, nearly cried out in disbelief. Was she still dreaming, or had she just seen Carlos transform into a majestic black wolf and run away?
She dashed down the stairs and out the door, running into the villa's surrounding forest, needing to confirm that what she'd just witnessed wasn't a dream.
The forest glowed under the soft moonlight.
While calling out his name, "Carlos!" she heard no response.
Ready to give up and leave, suddenly the black wolf emerged from within the forest, lunging toward Angela.
With a scream, she instinctively shut her eyes. The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and the wolf shifted into a naked man, who now tumbled with Angela onto the grass.
Carlos gasped for breath, his eyes tightly shut, appearing as if he had been drained of energy after an intense sprint, his breath suspended as if caught in the midst of the run. The weariness etched on his face hinted at the toll the exertion had taken on him.
"Why are you breathing so heavily?" Angela's voice quivered with panic as she placed a trembling hand on Carlos's jaw, gently lifting his face.
With the other hand wrapped around his neck, she leaned down, pressing her warm lips to his cold, thin ones. In an instinctive response, she blew steady breaths into him, hoping to provide some relief to the distress evident on his face. The forest held an intense silence, broken only by the sound of their uneven breaths.
She observed his struggle for breath, watching the color drain from his face. Angela quickly moved between mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and performing CPR.
As she worked, a gradual change occurred – Carlos's complexion returned to normal, and he slowly regained consciousness.
As Carlos opened his eyes, he saw Angela's delicate face up close, her lips soft and warm against his. Instinctively, he pushed her away.
Angela, caught off guard, fell backward on the ground. Seeing he had awakened, she let go of the tension.
Carlos slowly sat up, regulating his breathing and touching his lips which seemed to retain the warmth of her kiss. He frowned deeply, giving her a piercing look.
Angela shivered under his intense gaze, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Carlos's hair was disheveled, "Filthy human woman, who permitted you to touch my lips?"
Angela was momentarily stunned, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, "I only gave you mouth to mouth because I thought you were about to die."
Carlos, wearing nothing, had his back to Angela. As he prepared to leave, he said, "Don't tell anyone about this."
Angela didn't find it terrifying. As a child, she had read many books about werewolves.
Now, all Angela could think about was the child. Eddie was the child of a werewolf. Trying to control her emotions, she asked, "Why didn't Sophia tell me you were a werewolf? What about your child?"
Carlos' expression was icy, "I thought you knew, since you've also carried a werewolf's child. Eddie, he's a werewolf too, but he hasn't turned yet."
Angela felt her heart might leap out of her chest. No wonder Eddie was exceptionally bright from a young age.
She asked urgently, "He hasn't turned? Does that mean he's a normal human?"
Seeing panic in Angela's eyes, Carlos' face turned a shade colder, "You think being a wolf is disgraceful? In werewolf tribes, those without a wolf form are the ones looked down upon."
Angela stepped closer and declared seriously, "But this is the human world, not your werewolf tribes."
Suddenly, Carlos felt his heart race; he could smell a unique scent coming from Angela.
Angela gazed into Carlos' eyes, and a wave of heat coursed through her body. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
Carlos was caught off guard. He didn't even close his eyes as he stared in bewildered fascination.
Up close, Angela's face was exquisite, without a pore in sight; her skin was pale and tender like snow, her eyes glistening, her nose sharp, and her eyelashes brushed his face lightly, tickling him and stirring his heart.
His heartbeat skipped erratically in a way he never thought possible. He hadn't imagined himself as a man swayed by lust, unaffected by even the most radiant beauty.
Yet here he was, his heart pounding away.
Minutes later, Angela pulled away from the kiss, dazed and annoyed at herself. What was she doing? How could she have acted in such a way toward him?
Angela's face flushed, she caught his mocking gaze, bit her lip, wiped her face with the back of her hand, and glared back at him, "I just wanted to taste what a werewolf is like. Consider it my payment for keeping your secret."
Carlos let out a mocking chuckle, "Should I be thanking you then?"
Angela was taken aback for a few seconds; the next second, the man abruptly stood up and pinned her down to the ground. His long fingers traced over her shoulder, then he gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Angela, want to try what it's like to sleep with a werewolf?" Carlos's deep gaze fell on her face, slowly descending to her collarbone.
She was extraordinarily sensitive; her whole skin would flush red when she blushed, even her ears and collarbones, like a ripe peach.
Carlos narrowed his eyes, "Werewolves possess greater strength than humans."
Angela pushed against him, but his body was so heavy that no matter how much she struggled, he stayed unmoved, "What are you doing?"
Carlos leaned down, his handsome face closing in.
Their faces were now mere inches apart, the only air she could breathe was his warm breath.
In that moment, Angela found herself realizing that his lips, with their carved and sharp-edged appearance often associated with coldness, held an irresponsibly sexy allure. The man exuded a charm that completely enveloped her senses, making her acutely aware of his presence. It was the kind of charisma that could make any woman's heart flutter.
As Angela's heartbeat accelerated, she couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and an unspoken allure, her hands clenching into fists as she grappled with the unexpected intensity of her reaction.
Carlos laughed softly. "What are you deluding yourself for? I'm not a vagrant; I don't simply bed human girls."
Angela froze in shock.
Carlos said, "I have a preference for cleanliness. I'm not interested in you, so don't think I'm the type of man who can't control his urges. Don't try to pull these kinds of tricks with me."
With that, he transformed into a black wolf and vanished into the forest. Angela sat up from the ground, her face pale as the man's harsh words still echoed in her ears.
Other men had touched her, but she was still a virgin, she sneered coldly to herself. Good thing Carlos had no doubts whatsoever that Eddie was his son, not a hint of suspicion.
*****
Due to her injuries, Angela stayed with the Murphy family for a week. It was clear Sidney was happy; he seemed to enjoy spending time with her.
However, Eddie was eager to return home.
A week later, as her injuries began to heal, Carlos returned from the company. The servant informed him, "Mr. Murphy, Ms. Parker is leaving."
Carlos said, "Arrange a car to take her home."
The servant's face was conflicted, as he hesitated to speak.
"What's the matter?" Carlos asked.
The servant cautiously said, "Ms. Parker is leaving, and Sidney is very unhappy."