Angelise's POV
I struggled to breathe, my vision blurred by tears and terror. My nails clawed at his wrist, begging him to release me. Suddenly, the man loosened his grip, as if my touch had sent sparks racing through his veins.
Crimson eyes stared at me, and my heart froze. I knew exactly who it was.
"Leave me, fucking bastard!" I cried out loud. "I should've stabbed harder and left you crippled."
The man instantly released me and took a step back. The dim lights came back to life in the tunnel. It seemed as though they obeyed his commands.
I breathed out loud, glaring at him. But when I got a clear picture, my eyes widened in shock.
No, this wasn't Azrael.
Under the flickering light, he loomed over me like a god of the underworld, his pitch-black, void eyes reflecting nothing but my own terror. He didn't move. He didn't breathe. He just stared at me, as if I were his lover he had buried decades ago.
"I… I'm sorry," I apologized. "I mistook you for someone else."
It seemed as though he had also mistaken me for someone else. I rubbed my bruised neck, the ghost of his fingers still burning my throat. If I hadn't shouted, he'd have choked me to death.
"Oh!" My eyes lit up in realization. "You must be the man my papa sent," I added with a small smile. "Beta Nathaniel, I mean."
The man didn't speak, he didn't agree, he kept staring at me. His eyes lit up at my father's name, this time gold, shimmering like the sun's scorching rays on a sunny day.
I looked at him in awe. How could someone have such breathtaking eyes? It felt as though he was god's favorite child, reluctantly exiled because his siblings envied him.
"She must have used the tunnel! Let's search there." My heart raced at the distant voices. I could hear hounds howling, racing toward me.
"Let's go!" Without a second thought, I grabbed his hand and ran out of the tunnel.
"We need to hurry out of the forest first," I said, glancing at him. But the man seemed to be focused on my hand holding onto his. Our eyes met, and the man nodded after a moment. It seemed as though he could easily take down the entire pack, but he decided to play along with me, since it was more fun.
"We can't take down all of them." I continued, running aimlessly. "The entire pack must be after me."
I stopped when we reached a junction. It was dark, making it harder to guess which led to the highway.
My heart skipped a beat as his hand pressed firmly onto mine, before he dragged me toward the right path. The warmth of his palm seeped through mine, my cheeks heating up. It was then that I realized I had been holding onto his hand all this time.
He pressed me against a tree before standing in front of me. His tall frame completely covered mine, his arm rested on the bark beside my head, our bodies inches away. He glanced in the direction we had come, leaning closer. A gasp escaped my mouth when his chest slightly pressed onto mine, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
"We-"
He pressed a finger against my lips, cutting me off. My heart skipped a beat. He glanced down at me, his eyes glinting red, warning me to stay silent. I nodded with a gulp. But then, his scent hit me.
His scent did more damage than his touch. Rich sandalwood layered with the dark, dangerous sweetness of smoked vanilla. It wrapped around me, leaving me breathless. And yet…. I wanted more.
'You can only sense your fated mate's scent.'
My papa's words replayed in my mind. I couldn't smell the scents like other werewolves, but it changed after I became Azrael's fated mate. Whenever we were close, I started sensing his scent.
What was happening to me? Who was this mysterious man?
I wondered, glancing up at him.
His scent grew stronger as the breeze passed us, driving me insane. It wasn't the sharp bite of pine or leather like Azrael's; it was deeper, darker, and intoxicating. It just didn't fill my nose; it clung to my skin, seeped into my lungs, making my knees grow weak.
My hand moved on its own, brushing his cheek. Surprised, he glanced down at me, his eyes flaring red. We stared at each other, my heart racing like a racing horse. A gasp tore through my lips as his hand dug into my night gown, his fingers grazing my waist.
"We.. We should leave." I murmured, but my body screamed to stay. To be with him.
The man didn't respond; he closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as if he were fighting an invisible war within himself. Whatever was between us seemed to be affecting him more than it did me.
"This way! She must have gone on the highway."
My eyes widened in horror at the noise, my mind returning to panic mode. But before I could react, dozens of hounds skidded to a halt, their low growls vibrating through the ground. Flashlights tore through the darkness, falling on the mysterious man's back, who was towering over me.
"Who are you?" The guard greeted us. "Hand her over, and your life will be spared."
I looked up at him. He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning crimson again. He didn't panic like me, but looked annoyed as if someone had ruined his special date with his girlfriend.
The atmosphere grew thick around us, the birds stopped chirping, and the trees held their breaths. Even I could sense it, my chest tightening at the growing tension. The leaves rustled heavily around us, like a thunder warning of a heavy storm. A storm that would drench the soil with blood.
My saviour turned around, pulling me behind him. The lights hit his face, but he didn't blink.
"You…"
A few men cautiously moved closer, the flashlights flickering as their hands trembled. One stepped in front of us, and I scurried back, hitting the bark.
"Are you…" His words died in his mouth, horror filling his face. In the next second, he was lifted in the air and thrown away. He hit a large tree before crumpling lifeless to the ground with a thud.
My eyes widened in shock, my breath hitched in my throat. I stared at my savior's back, horror and awe tangled in my chest. He didn't growl, didn't shift, didn't even raise his voice. He had simply tossed a full-grown man as if he were a rag doll.
The torches hit the forest floor, the remaining men staggering back in terror. They ran without looking, their screams turning into panicked cries.
"It's him… the Alpha's cursed brother! Run!"
"But what about her?" One of the young guards asked, worried about defying their Alpha's order.
And the response froze my heart.
"She will die at this devil's hands. Even the Moon Goddess can't save her now."