"If I really wanted something, I wouldn't let my pack take it. I'd do it myself."
Diria swallowed her saliva.
"And do you desire me?"
For all her phlegm, the young woman guessed that the wolf was surprised by this direct and most daring question.
"It's not even a question."
And he was right. Diria had already noticed men's desire, whether it was her who was the object of it or not, her last boyfriend had desired her after all, desired her to the point of pain, to the point where he thought he had no choice but to turn to Natacha to satisfy it, and as best he could, but without ever really succeeding. She knew it instinctively.
However, even in her wildest dreams, she would never have believed she was the object of such a desire, so powerful that it radiated completely, his glassy eyes shone like a thousand stars, and her body trembled as if under the blow of an emotion too great to be controlled, but above all this warmth radiated by his whole sublime, broken body, which reached her, and enveloped her entirely.
"Would you have saved me if you hadn't wanted me?"
"What does it matter now." he replied in an unsettling whisper, "I did, that's all that matters."
"In other words, the answer is no."
"You have to let go now. Just as I must let you go, since it's dusk, and after that, night."
Diria was again flabbergasted and very curious.
"Why?"
"Because you have to go home now."
"And what happens if I stay? I'm curious to find out. I'd like to stay and see."
"And I'd like to have a virgin, but you can never have everything you want."
"I'm a virgin!" exclaimed Diria helplessly. Then she raised her hand to her mouth as her wolf stared at her with even greater intensity.
A short, electric silence followed these words, which were as disturbing as they were significant.
The wolf finally moved and, like his pack before him, slowly approached her before circling her, gauging her with expert eyes, sniffing her body, his heat rising and almost burning the young woman.
"Hmmm, a virgin, eh, a human virgin." he murmured almost to himself, starting to salivate like a hungry wolf, growling in that icy twilight.
But soon, he finally stopped his circus and turned slightly away.
He irradiated and opened a rectangular door surrounded by interlocking metal and wood.
"Go now."
But Diria vigorously refuted, backing away a few steps, her face tense.
"No!"
Again, the wolf was surprised.
"Why?"
"Because nothing will protect me once I'm through this portal or whatever it is. I'll find myself alone again and fall prey to monsters like the one your pack just devoured, or even something worse."
The sovereign wolf rolled his eyes before retorting.
"Nothing will happen to you. In this kingdom, there's nothing worse than me."
"Ahah! Arrogant and self-confident to boot."
"But what I say is the truth. But anyway, next time, don't go back to the cursed hill. It wasn't named that for nothing, as you just found out today."
"But it's such a beautiful, quiet place, so..."
The wolf chuckled, really not coming back from so much stupidity and obstinacy.
"You're so human, so woman."
He shook his head.
"Instead of asking questions about this place, about the monster that chased you, or and especially about me, you preferred to blame me without foundation. I'll never understand."
He closed his eyes for a moment, and Diria understood that it wasn't because of his despair about her, but rather because of a trouble that made him suffer and weaken.
He turned to the setting sun, almost hidden behind the distant horizon.
"It's almost time. Please hurry! I won't last long."
Diria would have liked to stay, but he wished she would leave, even desiring her as he did, he still preferred her to get out of his kingdom and his life.
She was approaching the gate when she turned back to him, worried, hearing his rattle of pain, of agony.
"Quickly!" he gasped, bowing in pain.
"Majesty!" cried the young woman, sobs in her voice, having already reached the gate.
"Go!"
But Diria stayed still and looked up at the sun, which the next second finally disappeared completely in the west, so strangely, all sunlight was gone too, replaced by stars seemingly brighter and more enormous than those found in the human world.
But what surprised her most was the transformation of her wolf.
At the very moment when the sun left her world to be replaced by this starry night, he collapsed...and transformed.
The transformation looked so painful it was unbearable to watch.
She really wished she could stay, help him, support him, but she had to go.