Chapter 5 Yfraim

It's been several days since Aurora went missing. The men who took her left no trace, and the four men haven't found any clue. Since she disappeared, Fiel can't seem to shake off the feeling of unease. They've been searching for days, but they can't find any lead on where she's been taken. It wasn't until now that Fiel realized how much Aurora means to him... Yes, he loves her. He realized one thing: every man needs a woman in his life when his life is a mess. Every minute she's away from them is slowly killing his hope of seeing her again. He'll make whoever took Aurora pay! Will you give up, Fiel? He pulled his hair in frustration. He won't give up! He'll do everything to see her again and feel her warmth in his arms. "Are you okay?" Fiel exhaled harshly when Thor spoke. He didn't notice his friend's arrival. He's been out of sorts for days, and he knows it's not good, especially while they're searching for Aurora. "Yeah." Fiel stood up to get his Ivory dagger before facing his friend. "What made you think I'm not okay?" He denied it, despite knowing Thor wouldn't believe him. "Oh, come on! We've been together for centuries, so I will notice even the smallest change in you. You can't fool me. Why hide the pain? If you want to, try harder so it's more believable." Thor's right; they've been together since the beginning, so Fiel can't lie to his friends. "It's just ridiculous to think." Fiel laughed dryly. Thor sat down on a swivel chair by the window. "What's ridiculous?" "Whenever I watch shows or read stories about us vampires, one thing I know is that mortals think we're cruel, blood-sucking creatures without feelings. But now, I wonder if someone like Aurora would believe me if I told her how I feel and revealed my true nature. Would she believe that someone like me is also struggling and hurting because she's gone?" Fiel shook his head, his palms covering his face. "I'm foolish to think she wouldn't be scared. Who would want to be close to someone like us?" Thor listened intently, gazing outside. "Have you tried telling her the truth?" he asked him, shaking his head as an answer. He hadn't mentioned it to Aurora, and he wouldn't say it to her anytime soon. "You haven't tried yet. But why are you giving up? You're not the Fiel I know. From what I know of Aurora, she's not a cowardly woman who would give in to fear without thinking things through; she's not narrow-minded, and I know you know that." "I know the truth would hurt, so I don't want to try; I don't want to try because I don't want to know, and I don't want to know because I don't want to get hurt." "From the time I've spent in this world, I've met mortals who regretted not discovering the truth because it's like a chain that binds creatures in this world. Joy and sorrow are part of life. If you get hurt, at least you'll know what's true. There are things in this world that are hard to deal with and hard to understand, but no matter how difficult it seems to others, they still find solutions because, you know why? Because they still hold on to the truth that even if they get hurt by what they learn, they didn't lock themselves in unanswered questions because they chose to take a chance and fight their fears." He's right. He shouldn't have let fate take its course. "I don't know what to do anymore, Thor. I feel like a candle slowly burning out due to hopelessness." Thor stood up and approached him. "We're here, Fiel. Get yourself together because you're the one who'll provide the solution to the problem you're facing. What about Aurora if you're weak?" He smiled and patted his shoulder. "What we should do now is find and return Aurora home so you can know the answers to the questions bothering you." He smiled before turning his back completely. "Thanks." "You're welcome, Fiel.” WOLF'S CRADLE The mountain that is home to the wolves! This is the only place where they can move freely, far from the judging eyes of humans. Only creatures like them know their true origins. They try to hide the truth from humans. Every night when the moon is bright, like that night, there are creatures that gather and have fun on that mountain. Everything is right and perfect around them. The stars up above shine so brightly, as if they're joining in on the fun with the creatures basking in the full moon's glow. While others are having fun, a maiden is grieving on the side of a large rock near the sparkling water of the falls. A maiden who can't accept the truth that even in her wildest dreams, what she thinks is just a dream will happen. A maiden who hopes that one day she'll wake up and realize that everything she learned was just a dream—everything that happened to her. It's been days since she's been in that situation. She's trying to hide her true feelings in front of the crowd. The events of the last night she spent with Fiel are still fresh in her mind. She was about to reach the door when she felt a gust of wind surround her, and before she knew it, she was lifted off the ground. The last thing she heard was Thor's scream before she disappeared from the sight of the four men. She fainted, so she didn't know what happened next. When she woke up, she saw an unfamiliar room and heard the sound of crickets chirping at night. She checked herself; she was fine. She thanked God that nothing bad happened to her. She covered her chest due to her racing heart. She slowly stood up and left the room. After leaving the room, she saw many pairs of eyes looking at her. The words "beautiful and handsome" are not enough to describe the creatures she sees now. They're smiling at her. She doesn't know how she truly feels. She's confused, yes... but somehow, she feels at peace in a way she can't explain. She just observed them when a young boy approached her and called out to her. "Miss, you're being summoned. Please follow me," he said politely. She immediately followed the boy. She thinks she's safe in the hands of these unknown people. They walked for a long distance, but the boy remained silent, so she observed her surroundings, which were illuminated by the moonlight. "This place is beautiful. You can see the twinkling stars and the moon clearly." She couldn't help but admire the view. She's been to different countries, but she's never seen a place as beautiful as this. "Yes, Miss, you're right. This place is indeed very beautiful," the boy said. At that moment, he looked at her. "Do you also appreciate the moon? You know, it's our source of strength," he said with a smile. "Call me Aurora." She was amused by the boy's friendly and polite demeanor. He no longer seemed awkward around her, unlike earlier. "Your name is beautiful, just like you... It means dawn, which symbolizes hope. You might be the one we've been waiting for," he explained, leaving her somewhat puzzled. "What? Why? I don't understand you." He just looked at her again. "What's your name, by the way?" "Nexus." She was about to ask more but they arrived at a mansion. "We're here. Please go inside, Aurora." She was still confused about what Nexus said. He didn't answer her question. Upon entering, she realized that it wasn't just an ordinary mansion but a luxurious citadel with a red carpet in the middle. The surroundings caught her attention, and she didn't notice the man standing at a distance. She was startled when he cleared his throat. She needed to take a few more steps to approach him. As they closed in on each other, she couldn't help but admire his perfect features. The guy is PERFECTLY HANDSOME! She blinked to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, but she realized that his good looks were real. Wow! Are all the people here really this beautiful and handsome? she wondered to herself. She studied the man in front of her, thinking that no one else could be blessed with such good looks and physique besides the four men she was with and, of course, her dad. She was also aware that the man was staring at her. "How are you, Aurora?" His voice was sexy, too! Get a grip, Aurora! Don't be like a teenager who's crushing on a stranger! she told herself. This was one of her bad habits when she was panicking—talking to herself. "I-I'm f-fine..." she stuttered. "You know me?" Did he know her? Yeah, of course! Almost everyone in that place probably knew her. He nodded and smiled, showing off his perfect teeth. "Everyone here knows you," he explained. Honestly, she still didn't understand. "It's been a long time since we've waited to see you again. I know you're confused, especially during these times." More riddles. She wasn't just confused; her mind was about to explode from all the unanswered questions! "My mind is already messed up, so can you please explain everything to me without me wondering what I'm doing here?" "Don't you have any idea why you're here?" he asked. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from snapping at him. Breathe, Aurora... Take a deep breath! "Will I ask if I know?" She exhaled harshly, her patience wearing thin! She was so annoyed when he even laughed. She was about to approach him and slap him. "Indeed, you wouldn't ask if you knew. There's a high possibility you'll be shocked by what I'm about to say, so please—try to stay calm." Silence. She didn't say another word, allowing him to continue. "I'm sure you're aware that you've been having strange dreams. Everything you see in your dreams is real. The man with golden eyes who told you that you're one of them—all of that is true." "Don't tell me..." She covered her mouth in realization. No! He was just messing with her. Maybe this was the surprise her dad was talking about... but... what happened to her that night, she couldn't explain. Her dad wouldn't lie to her, so she was angry at the person in front of her! "What you're saying isn't true! You're just lying to deceive me!" She couldn't contain her anger anymore; she didn't care who she was facing! Suddenly, she was shocked—was it possible?... She knew she was the one who spoke—the voice came from her, but why? Her voice was no longer soft and gentle; it had changed to a hoarse, strong, and baritone voice. "I don't need to explain it, Aurora. You can prove it to yourself. Why don't you just look at your own reflection in the mirror?" he calmly instructed. No! No! This can't be happening!!! But she couldn't deny that she was standing in front of the mirror! She had sharp, long ears, a large body, and was hairy, with sharp fangs and claws; and her eyes shone like gold! But even though she had changed form, some angles of her human self, Aurora, were still visible. "That's what you look like when you shift, Aurora. You're one of us," he explained. "How did—" She was about to ask when the man, whom she still didn't know, spoke up. "You need to be placed in the care of ordinary humans so you won't get hurt by creatures that want to use you for evil. You're strong, Aurora. You have no weaknesses. Your lineage isn't just from one species. Your mother is like us—a wolf, an Alpha like me. Your father, on the other hand, is a vampire. They both disappeared when you were just a baby because they died saving you. We haven't seen any trace of them since they encountered a creature that tried to take you, so we gave you to humans to take care of you." She was shocked and saddened by the revelation. "Vampire and wolf? Aren't those two species mortal enemies?" That's what she knew based on what she read and watched, so it was impossible to believe. "There's nothing impossible when it comes to love, Aurora. There's no right or wrong when you learn to love. You're open to all possibilities because the heart can understand what the mind can't. Like you, you love someone who's not like you," he said meaningfully. "I don't understand." "You don't need to understand me; you just need to accept the truth, Aurora. You can go back to your room now to rest properly because I know you're tired." She raised an eyebrow. She had shifted back to her normal form. "Don't you have plans on introducing yourself?" He laughed at her question. "Yfraim.”