Unraveling Secrets

「 Chapter 19 」

The serene setting of her garden calmed her down as she padded through the flowerbeds. The turquoise river flowed steadily in the distance, its soothing sound compelling her to move closer.

She stood in front of the water, staring at her distorted reflection.

"Maybe I just don't belong anywhere."

——————————

Finishing his last fight, Matthew jumped off the platform. The crowd began to disperse as the sun subsided behind the horizon.

The direwolf's eyes scanned his surroundings, in search of a particular girl. "She's not here. The mate-bond would've sensed her presence if she were nearby."

Following his intuition, he set out to the garden. She loved to spend her time there, and it greatly pleased him to see that she enjoyed the place he built for her.

There she was, laying down by the river. Her hand was dipped in the water as she played with the stream, unaware that someone stood behind her.

"Here's my princess." He sat down, making her turn around in surprise. His mood promptly dropped when he saw her puffy eyes and soaked eyelashes; she had been crying. "What happened?"

Reaching her arms up, she hugged him tightly and hid her tear-stained face in his neck. "Nothing."

He resisted a scoff at her blatant lie. "Something must've happened to make you cry."

"... Do you actually love me?"

They stayed quiet for a moment, listening to the gentle sound of the river flowing beside them.

"Look around you. I built this entire garden and planted hundreds of roses all for you, and you're still questioning my love?"

Her gaze drifted to the heart-shaped rose bed. "That's not what I meant." She slowly removed herself from his neck, clasping her hands on her lap. "You didn't choose me. You were already pre-destined to love me, right?"

"Well, yes, that is how the mate-bond works."

"Would you still want to be with me even if you didn't feel the mate-bond?"

He stilled for a second, thinking about her question. "To being honest, if I could choose my own mate, a human teenager would probably not have been my first choice..."

Anguish submerged her like a flood. "Of course he wouldn't have picked you. Who would want to be with a human?" She felt tears brimming her eyes once more as she looked down at her lap, trying to stop them from spilling out.

"... But that's why I'm glad I didn't get to choose my mate. Or else I wouldn't have ended up with this cute little angel."

Her eyes slowly looked up to meet his. Though his face rarely ever displayed emotion, there was a perceptible fondness in his eyes whenever he looked at her; anyone could tell that he was deeply in love with the girl before him.

"Wouldn't you rather be with a wolf instead of a human?"

Matthew tilted his head to the side, studying her with a curious stare. "I see... So that's what's been bothering you."

A faint tinge of red appeared on her cheeks; he had read her like an open book.

"I'll love you no matter what, Madeline. You do not have to worry about these silly things-"

"They're not 'silly things'. Werewolves hates humans. Nobody in this Pack wants me here. If I wasn't your mate, you probably would have hated me too."

He frowned. "My entire life, my family and I have been harmed and persecuted for being direwolves. I know what it's like to be condemned for being a different species, so why would I do the same to another species?"

The realization finally seeped in her head. Matthew had been through a lot worse than she could ever endure; how foolish of her to think he did not understand her struggle. It was perhaps their shared experience that made him so protective of her.

By now, the sun had fully set. The moon stood prominently in the sky, and in the gleaming twilight, Matthew could not help but admire the breathtaking beauty of his mate. The brilliance of the moon beamed on her smooth skin; she almost seemed to be glowing.

Forgetting what they were talking about, his hand reached out to gently brush her hair away from her face. "You really are a doll. I have to thank the Moon Goddess for creating such a perfect girl just for me."

She blushed at the unexpected compliment, though secretly, she was thinking the same about him.

"Matthew?"

"Hmm?"

"... Can I kiss you?"

The corners of his lips curved up. After all these months, she was still as innocent as the day they met.

"I'm all yours, princess. You can do anything you want to me."

Seconds later, all he could focus on was the feeling of her soft lips on his. Her hands found their way to his hair while he pulled her even closer, deepening the kiss. The cool breeze of the night flowed through the air, picking up fallen rose petals and showering them down onto the couple.

In the midst of the colorful flowers, a tuft of white and black fur watched them from a distance.

➳

a/n: umm... thank you so much?? when i last updated this story (around a week ago), it barely had 1k views, and now it's at 20k with 900+ votes? this is insane.

honestly, i've been feeling so critical of my own work lately and struggled to find the motivation to keep writing, but seeing all the support on here was so refreshing. i love you all <3