"Ah," Maria woke up up to splitting headache. She opened her hazy eyes, and the white ceiling came to view.
Was this the Underworld? She often hear tales of the afterlife, but the pain and softness beneath her seemed contradictory.
She managed to sit up, twisting her hand together asher eyes darted around the strange environment. A plush bed, wardrobe filled with books and clothes, a table and a chair. The room looked simple, but it was dignified, neat and tidy.
This couldn't be heaven, could it?
Her thoughts was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. A tall man strode in, stopping in front of her. He had chiseled features and strong build, just like Ethan, only that he had a pale skin, while Ethan didn't. He radiated an Alpha presence —commanding, powerful and unyielding.
"Are you an angel?" Maria asked in a daze.
But the man only stared at her for a few seconds, his expression unreadable, before looking away. "Seems you're okay now, get out," he said, his voice firm and dismissive.
"Uh?" Maria stared blankly, "Was I sick?"
The man squinted his eyes, looking into Maria's eyes to see if she was telling the truth or not. "You were lying lifeless in the forest, so I brought you back."
Maria's eyes wide in shock. "Me? Lifeless in the forest?" She repeated his words, a dry laugh escaping her lips. What a joke.
The man wasn't bothered by her, walking over to sit in his chair, "Whether you believe or not is up to you, but once you're done, leave."
Maria's smile faded away, realizing the seriousness in the man's words. Everything looked absurd. She had clearly died just now, and here she was, told that she had fainted in the bush.
Or was it a dream? But the pain and scen e was so evident that it lingered in her, ruling out her assumption.
She pulled her clothes up, looking at her body, and her mouth slack open. No wounds! A smile formed on her lips, and a small relief washed over her.
"What're you doing?"
Maria looked up to meet the cold gaze of the man on her. Her face flushed red, and she quickly pulled down her cloth.
She swayed her legs to the side of the bed, standing up with a renewed hope. "But where exactly am I?" The question popped up in her head, and she couldn't help but wonder.
Her eyes turned to the man, who was now seriously reading his book, and an idea came to her. She walked over to his side, placing her hand on his book.
"Em, excuse me, please where is this?" She asked with a lowered head.
"Wolfsbane park," he replied impatiently, yanking her hand off his book.
Maria quickly regained her balance, stepping away from the man. She was still in the Wolfsbane park, but what time?
Maria stared at Zarek's back, hesitating. She couldn't muster up her courage to ask again. His cold gaze was enough to freeze her, coupled with his pheromones. She was an hybrid—half human, half wolf—and his scent alone was enough to take all her breath away.
She would ask another person. "Thank you," she said to his back, before rushing out.
Zarek's pen paused slightly,not looking back, before he continued in his scribbling.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with this woman, but he couldn't pin point how, or where he had met her.
***
Maria stepped outside, her eyes scanning the bustling area, as if they were celebrating some party or sort. She didn't know which path to take, and she used her finger to count the road as she chanted a song to see the best way.
She didn't finish her song when her arms were pulled from behind.
'We finally found you," two girls stood beside her, their chest heaving up and down.
"Mira, Eve!" Maria exclaimed as she embraced them tightly, a drop of tears rolling down her pale cheeks. "I thought I was never going to see you again."
She was happy beyond words, grateful to the moon goddess for granting her another life to meet her loved ones, right her wrongs and fulfil her dreams.
Mira and Eve struggled to release themselves from Maria's hug, staring at her in stunned silence.
Mira crossed her arms, her voice low and calm, "What's wrong with you?" She asked.
Maria didn't reply, only biting on her lower lip. The brutality of her death in the past life still weighed on her, but there was no way she could explain to them, lest they thought she was crazy.
Eve complained endlessly, pouting in dissatisfactio. "You went to pick a flower from the forest for your pet shiftr....but you were taking forever to come back."
Maria stared at Eve, and another drop of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Maria and Eve. Those were her loyal friends.
They supported her, even when her family didn't, they loved her, even when people detested her.
And she did the same to them too. Their situations weren't that much ifferent to each other, which was why they were able to comfort and understand each other well.
"Eve, enough with the complains. Ceremony is starting soon.... let's go now," Mira said impatiently, pulling Maria away from Eve.
"Okay, let's go," Eve nodded her head softly, "I'll deal with Maria later."
The three turned around, mixing in with the crowd.
But as they were going, someone brushed past Eve, thrusting her forward. It was unexpected, and Eve wasn't prepared for it, so she fell on the floor without reservations.
"Ah," Eve groaned in pain on the floor.
Mira and Maria quickly ran to Eve's side, helping her up. "Sorry," Maria whispered softly after Eve had stood up straight before turning to the other person.
It was none other than the popular trouble maker, Grace. She stood on the sides, a soft smirk laying on her thin lips as she watched the show in amusement. It was evident that she had intentionally done it.
"Sister Eve, I'm so sorry, it wasn't intentional," she whispered, her voice laced with mockery.
After talking, she turned to walk away but Maria walked over to her front, stopping her from leaving. Grace looked up, meeting Maria's gaxe in surprise.
Maria dared to stop her from leaving. Something she had never tried to do before. Whatever Grace did, whether she was right or wrong, Maria would always lower her head in fear, even apologizing to her.
"What's wrong?" Grace asked, tilting her head to the sides.
"You can't leave until you apologize to Eve," Maria said.
"What?" Grace exclaimed.
Eve and Mira weren't shocked less.
Eve didn't say anything because she didn't want to put Maria in a difficult situation, but she had stood up for her? Cloud of tears formed in her eyes instantly.
Even if Grace didn't apologize, she was relieved by Maria's actions.
"I said apologize!" Maria snapped. She had been ruled by Grace in her past life, but she wouldn't allow that in this life. She'd not surrender to anyone, or be manipulated to do things she didn't want to.
Grace stared at Maria in astonishment, her mouth wide agape. But she had an important meeting ahead of her, and she couldn't bother with wasting time here, so she compromised, turning to Eve.
"Sister Eve, I'm sorry," she murmured before walking away in fury, feeling trampled on. "Maria, just wait, you will definitely pay for this," she swored to herself.