Chapter 4

Esmeralda Pov

"Are you okay?" 

The man stepped out of the car and instantly I could feel my legs shaking. 

My eyes widened and the crinkling of my brows tightened the skin of my forehead as I stood there anxiously staring at this stranger.

When he stride towards me the air suddenly became filled with the sweet smell of lavender. The closer he got, the more intensified the aroma of lavender. I could feel my legs struggling as it took few step closer to this man unable to wait for him to cover the gap between us.

I could hear the pounding of my heart, and it's erratic beating as though it was coming to a clunking stop. I was drawn to this man, like he was a magnet and I-the iron.

It was as though I was standing before someone that meant the world to me, someone I've just met but felt as though he was the missing piece of myself I've been yearning for.

This feeling is strange!

"Are you alright?" He held my hands as he stares into my eyes. Instantly, he bent on a knee, and his eyes were trailing my body to see if I was hurt. When he couldn't find any bruises he looked up at me, in a split moment I could see a glint of familiarity gulping down his throat as his lips tightened.

"Who are you?" I could barely hide the fear of uncertainty that hovered me, nor could I cling to his familiar smell that was pulling me closer to him, making me more vulnerable than I already was. 

His brows furrowed as he slowly stood on his feet and said, "This is not the place. What were you doing in the middle of the road?" 

'This is not the place?'

My eyes narrowed deeper, I was least concerned about his question, it was that which he held I was curious about, yet I found myself struggling to ask a question.

I could barely feel my lips as all that clouded my mind wasn't just this strange feeling that was exciting but the fact that he might actually recognize me.

"Come with me." He held my hand in his and instantly I could feel my whole body shivering to his touch.

He led me out of the road, straight-back to the front of the grocery shop, then he looked at me and said, "Wait here!" 

I nodded with impulse, like I never want to argue with this man.

He went back to his car and parked it by the shop, then he walked back to me and took me to the coffee shop just right opposite.

....

I sat down, watching him as he ordered coffee, in few minutes he was done and seated right opposite the table-

"Here is coffee, it will help calm your nerve." 

"Thank you." I was finally able to speak. "Who are you?" I asked again, burdened by this feeling of familiarity.

"Apparently, I'm your mate." His eyes squinted and suddenly it was ripped off every emotions, like he felt nothing, and I-I understood nothing.

"Mate?" I asked with great curiosity as I stared deeply into his eyes.

"Yes!" He nodded and sipped from his coffee, then he looked into my curious eyes and then said-

"I am not pleased with you, and hereby reject you as my mate." 

"Excuse me, what are you blabbering about? What do you mean by I'm your mate?" I asked in fury, but this man only scoffed, staring at me like I was some dullard. 

"You don't know what you are?" His eyes narrowed further as he moves his shoulders on the table, and his neck a bit elongated from earlier. 

He looked straight into my eyes as he said, "We are wolves." 

"You aren't serious right?" I scoffed, thinking he must be playing a prank but when he leans back straight on his chair it suddenly hit me-

I am indeed a wolf! 

As I gasp in fear of my own self, I felt my fingers slowly sharpening out, longer and darker like it did before.  

My lips started mumbling in fright and I was just a second away from yelping out but suddenly I felt the strangers hands on mine, and he looked at me and said-

"Hold it in, don't let your wolf control you, instead control it. Breath in, and out!"

I did as he instructed, and in a minute, my nails became normal again. This was the exact thing Mikel had told me the other day. 

I had no idea wolves exist, they were just myth I read in comics books, but here I was, a wolf myself.

"See, you are fine. Here is my card, I can see you can barely control your wolf I wonder what will happen to you on a full moon. Call me, if you need my help." 

He took his jacket on the chair and just like that he disappeared before I could even come back to my senses. 

As I skim through the card, All I could think about, was the animal attack at the house two days ago. 

That definitely was me!

....

The walk home wasn't as quick as it was to the grocery shop earlier in the morning. I went in search of answers and I found it. I thought I was going to be fine but instead, I learnt something that makes me even more curious about myself.

When I opened the door I saw my Aunt sitting on the chair, and immediately our eyes met, she gave me a death glare.

"Where are you coming from?" She glares at me.

"I...I just went for a walk." I lied, even if I tell her I went to the grocery shop, what would I tell her I went to do?

"It's been five hours, and you say you went for a walk?" Her strides towards me was so fast that before I could blinked I felt her hands struck my face.

"You've started seeing boys, that's why you went out, you want to bring another bastard to this family!" She shrieked at me.

I could feel the anger in my chest gripping the muscles of my heart. I curl my fingers into fist trying to control the rage that was about breaking free from within me. I've always been able to control my hate for Aunt Olivia, but since after my birthday I've been finding it difficult to control my emotions.

They were becoming too much for me. I couldn't stay put.

Aunt lift my chin, piercing her finger deep into my skin. I smelled my blood as it surge out of my cheeks. How did that happen?

My gaze squinted as I stared into my aunt's eyes, and slowly I lift my right hand and touched my cheeks.

I was bleeding.

"You've hurt me!" The words struggled out of my lips and I grabbed my Aunt's hand and shoved it off my chin. 

That's when I saw it- her ring was stained with my blood. 

She had struck me on the face with the edge of her ring. My eyes slowly darkened as the rage overpowered me. 

I lost control of myself. It was as if something else was ruling over my body. So powerful that I was at its mercy.

It must be the wolf inside of me.

My fingers grew longer and darker, and suddenly I felt powerful. I was no longer afraid, it was though I was in control but it wasn't me.

"You are a monster!" Aunt Olivia's eyes instantly reddened. I could smell her fear and hate as she quivered backwards and then, her screams filled the air alerting mother.

"Olivia!!!" Mother screamed, scurrying down the stairs, "What happened?" She asked Aunt Olivia before turning to me.

"Esmeralda!" Her voice suddenly became low, and the air in her body alerted. I could take the fear and disdain from Aunt's eyes, but the uncertainty and fear in mother's eyes were too much for my weak heart.

The wolf's power weakened, overshadowed by the sorrow that suddenly gripped my heart. 

"Mother!" 

I called out but when I took a step forward mother stretched her hand at me-

"Don't come any closer." 

Those words were like spear, piercing into my heart and ripping it to shreds. Since I was adopted I've always prayed that mother never let me go like Aunt wanted.

My nightmares finally catch up with me.

"Mother I don't know what's happening to me." Tears trickled down my cheeks and with impulse I stepped forward but mother screamed so loud, that Izan and Donna rushed downstairs but then-

"Get away from here, go back inside don't go close to her. She is an animal!" 

I froze hearing mother's words. My eyes drifted to Izan. He wrapped his hands around Donna and dragged her inside.

"Get out." Mother went on to say. 

My gaze were fixed on her, the fear that clouded her eyes had swept off every love she had in her heart for me.

And just like that, I was getting thrown out like Aunt have always wanted. 

Tears like cascade drips from my eyes, as I turned my back at them and ran out into the woods. I kept running as far as I could. The pain of abandonment crushing every bones in my body, and when I finally stopped, I was on a lonely tiled road. 

Abandoned with nowhere to go, I had only the wolf inside of me, and on my hand were card of the stranger from earlier-

"Killian Michelson."