As she gazed into those eyes—a blend of blue and green—Aami wasn't thinking about the state she was in. Instead, the sight before her felt utterly unbelievable. Forgetting even to breathe, she looked at him; he was the embodiment of the dreams that used to seek her out in the dead of night. Beyond that, he was the person who had left her in a state of doubt at that Castle, unable to discern truth from illusion... and he was the wolf she had seen in her childhood.
It was shocking to realize that the wolf that appeared in front of the vehicle on the night the letter arrived was also him...
Holding her breath, Aami looked at him. An incredibly handsome face... a broad forehead... cheeks with a hint of green... a long nose... and pale pinkish lips. Yet, it was his eyes that made him truly beautiful.
Even in this situation, Aami wondered, how can one appreciate someone's beauty like this?
As her subconscious asked this, Aami looked at the hyenas in shock... Two young men were attacking them with something sharp, like a knife.
It must be noted that they, too, were handsome. Suddenly, Aami felt herself being lifted off the ground, and as she pressed against his chest, her attention returned to him.
As her gaze fell upon his face, his eyes were fixed on her as well... a mysterious, powerful, and intense gaze.
"Are u okey...???"
Aami's eyes moved to his lips as they moved along with his rough voice.
"Hey lady... Are u ok..."
Seeing her lack of response, he asked again. Her heart felt as though it had constricted; not knowing why he called her that left her feeling despondent. With eyes full of unshed tears, she raised her face to look at him and nodded her head. However, his eyes were shifting repeatedly, lingering on Aami's forehead and her lips...
"They died..."
His gaze shifted at the sound of someone's voice. Without letting go of Aami, he turned toward the speaker. The man, now looking at Aami, gave a beautiful smile, but it quickly faded when he saw the state she was in.
"She is injured..."
He spoke with concern. His gaze, too, fell upon her.
"She's been bitten by it, hasn't she...???"
As he spoke, looking again at her hand, Aami nodded with tearful eyes.
"Don't cry... we should apply medicine quickly..."
It was the same man speaking, yet the one holding her remained silent. The man looked at him.
"Should we take her to the tent... or should I bring the medicine here... David...?"
As the man asked this, Aami looked at the one holding her with curiosity. For some reason, the name 'Devi' began to resonate in her mind.
"Let's go to the tent, Jerin... Where is Adham..."
David asked sternly.
"I am right here," said a third person,
stepping out from the nearby bushes. He, too, looked at Aami and smiled beautifully.
"Let's go to the tent, David..."
With those words, Adham and Jerin walked ahead. David followed behind them. For a moment, Aami stood still, watching the three of them walk. She didn't know what to do. They were strangers to her.
Three men... Was she escaping from hyenas only to walk straight into a lion's den? Could there be some other hidden motive behind them rescuing her and taking her to their tent? Fear began to fill Aami 's mind once more.
At the same time, she looked around. It was a dark landscape, heavily covered in mist. Having come from Alex's side, she had no idea where she had ended up... or how to get back to him. The thought of her current dire situation pained her deeply... She even regretted the moment she decided to leave the tent...
"What happened...?"
She was startled by David's sudden, stern question... When Aami looked at him, trembling with fear, he was narrowing his blue eyes and watching her...
"Are you waiting for the next hyena to come and attack...???"
He asked with a hint of sarcasm; Aami hurriedly shook her head 'no'...
"Then come on..."
As he spoke and walked ahead, Aami followed him, albeit hesitantly... Her leg was in a lot of pain... Because of that, she walked with a slight limp... They didn't have to go far... They arrived in front of a large tent... Adham went inside... Jerin sat on a large rock, examining the sharpness of his knife...
Her eyes wandered around the area again... There were signs that a campfire had been set up... Half of something that had been killed and roasted on a rod over the fire was still there... Bloodstains were scattered across the fallen leaves... Although Aami 's heart raced, she thought it must belong to the animal they had eaten...
When Aami 's gaze landed on David, he was standing with his arms crossed, looking at her with undiminished sternness... That gaze... it was an intense look she found impossible to face...
"If you're done assessing the surroundings, come inside... I'll apply the medicine..."
He spoke in a gruff voice...
"I... I'll just sit here..."
Aami said, shaking her head in refusal and pointing toward another large rock nearby...
"Do you think we're going to do something to you? If so, don't fear... we have families too..."
As he spoke, Aami felt a wave of unease....
Without another word, she followed him into the tent. Just as it appeared from the outside, the interior was quite spacious. Inside, there were three air beds and an air bean bag.
"Sit there..."
David spoke in a commanding tone, pointing toward the bean bag. Aami hurried to sit down, but a sharp, lightning-like pain shot from her leg to her head.
"Ahhh..."
An involuntary cry of pain escaped her lips. In an instant, David was by her side.
"Does it hurt that much? You could have told me... why were you in such a hurry...?"
He spoke with sudden anxiety. Before she knew it, he had knelt before her and taken her foot in his hands. Aami was completely stunned. The man she had seen only as stern and cold until now was gone; in his place was someone looking at her with genuine concern.
"Ahhh..."
A sudden throb of pain in her foot brought Ami back to her senses.
"There's a slight sprain... that's why it hurts. Come, let's do some first aid..."
He said this as he stood up.
What happened next was something Ami had never even dreamed of...