Cassidy’s POV
My grandmother said that I might have mistaken my infatuation and amazement for that wolf-shifting man.
“It’s not love, Cassidy!” She once yelled at me. “You’re just a curious little girl!”
Well, the only way to find out is go find him, isn’t it?
“Zarion!” My throat’s dry from bellowing. It’s literally winter wonderland around here. Everything is white and colorless. And cold, so cold that it seeps deep in my bones. It whispered in my soul that this coldness will drive me mad until I’m on the brink of death. “Zarion! Zarion!”
But it was no use. Zarion—his name, that’s the only thing he revealed about himself. I don’t even know what does a wolf-shifting man—a werewolf does aside from, well, shifting into a wolf. I’ve been walking around the Misty Forest with an almost frozen body; a coat made of sheep’s skin made by my Mamita is the only thing between me and this cold while searching for him.
A fool I’ve been. My Grandmama called me a fool the moment I stepped outside the castle so that I can be with this werewolf I barely know. I don’t even know his last name—that is if he has one.
The snow’s wildly pouring as if the wicked weather can push me back to the castle. I chuckled at the thought that Mamita could have whipped this harsh winter to never let me leave the mountains.
“Zarion, Please…” I prayed, hopelessly praying. I don’t know why I’m uttering his name like an invocation as if he’s my God. “I’m so cold,” I added, hoping he could hear me with his superpowers or something. Rubbing both of my hands to create pressure and heat, I eventually stopped because it was of no use. Any minute from now, my body will collapse on this frozen icy road.
“Zarion!” I bellowed his name before I felt my knees crushing to the ground. “Where… are you… Zarion?” My body is gravely shaking from the cold; the eyelids of my eyes started fluttering. Still, I forced my eyes open and a familiar big dog was approaching me, ready to bite me. Taken back from my senses, I wrapped my arms around my body, desperate to live.
“No! No! No!” I keep shrieking, even though I wasn’t sure if I’ll be able to attract anyone.
I didn’t know I was more afraid of dogs—wolves—than to be frozen to death.
My grandmother’s face flashed as if she was here with me.
I left her. My mind whispered. You left her all alone in the castle in the height of winter.
“Not today.” I kicked, thrashing in the snow. “Not today you freaking dog!”
The dog bit my foot and dragged me across a plain of snow. Then before I could draw my next breath, it suddenly transformed into a human. A familiar human. Gasping, I willed my sense of sight to focus, and when I did…I found myself staring at the familiar heated gaze of Zarion, who’s now squatting in front of me.
“Was I hallucinating?” Definitely not, answering my own question silently. Zarion is shirtless. Wait, no. My eyes slid from his face down to his torso. He’s naked. Completely bare and unclothed and his masculinity is calling to me…
Completely terrified, I tried to get away from him while my jaw still fell open. “How did—”
Zarion shook his head. “That’s not important right now.”
“W-What?”
“You're cold. You need to be warm, my warmth.”
“Why did you turn into a human from being a dog?”
“Dog,” he nodded, scoffing. “It’s a wolf, kid. I thought you’re old enough to know the difference?” A smirk bloomed in that irritatingly handsome face of his. “If my pack hears about this, they're going to hate me more.” An unbelievable gorgeous smile replaced the smirk earlier on his brazen face.
I returned his smile.
“I don’t understand, Zarion.”
Zarion sighed and grabbed my coat and boots. His fingertips stroke the base of my neck, my weak spot. The spot I always want a man to caress when lovemaking, or just even kissing. My body responded to his touch, my head still couldn’t properly function after seeing those dreams—daydreams that I am above him and nightmares that he might leave me. Or worse, kill me. Maybe, it was just a hallucination after all.