Never Be Tamed

Chapter 60: Bliss

Sumunod ako sa kanya sa pag-akyat sa pangalawang palapag. Nanatili akong tahimik. His sudden statement earlier... this mansion he was showing me... did he meant it, to spend the rest of his life with me? It was something I thought I was the only one who had dared wish or dream about.

Pumasok kami sa isa sa mga kwarto sa pangalawang palapag. All the rooms in the mansion seemed furnished and just waiting for the right people to make it their home. Zackary searched for the towels in the cabinet while I stayed by the doorway. From the window, a flash of lightning made me flinch and my hands automatically reached for Zackary. The booming noise that followed made me whimper against his back.

Zackary stiffen with my touch. "Eleanor?"

Doon ko napagtanto na nakayakap ako sa kanyang likuran. I immediately stepped back, trying to come up with an explanation. Ngunit nang muling nagliwanag ang paligid, tuluyan akong pumikit at tinakpan ang aking tenga.

"Eleanor..."

"I'm okay... it's just..."

Humarap sa'kin si Zackary at hinawakan ang sarili kong palad na tinatakpan ang aking tenga. Binuksan ko ang mga mata ko upang pagmasdan siya.

"You're still scared."

Unti-unti akong tumango. "I... I don't know how to remove this fear..."

Marahan niya akong hinila sa kanyang bisig. Bumalot sa'kin ang kanyang matikas na braso. My face rested against his chest, over his damp clothes.

"It's okay. I'm here," he whispered to my ear.

Iniupo niya ako sa kama. Sa bawat liwanag at kasunod na ingay, sinisiksik ko ang mukha ko sa kanyang bisig habang hinahaplos niya ang aking buhok upang pakalmahin.

We remained that way for a while until the sound of thunders were muted from my ears. When my emotions slowly calmed down, I realized how in his arms, I always felt calm. The fear, the raging heartbeats, the drownings thoughts, he could calm them.

"Zack..." I whispered, barely audible. "About the thing you told me earlier..."

I tried to make my words careful, somehow in fear that I heard things wrong. But his next words were so straight forward it made me cower back to his chest.

"About spending my life with you?"

"Is that... because I'm your mate?"

Hindi ko siya magawang titigan dahil natatakot ako sa maaari niyang isagot. If he told me it was all because I'm his mate, would I be happy about it? A part of me was scared he only see this relationship as a responsibility.

"Eleanor..." his low, serious voice made me stare up at his face. "I fell in love with you even before I realized you're my mate. The day you saved me in Fabrice without a second thought. When you gave that antidote to the kid in the village. When you suffered for Zanra because she's your friend. Everything you do slowly piled up until I felt the intense need to protect you. Until I saw myself falling deeply in love with you."

Napapikit ako nang haplusin niya ang aking mukha.

"You may not feel the same way for now, but I'm going to wait for that day and work my way up until you can tell me that you feel the same way."

Nanatili ako sa kanyang bisig habang mahigpit niya akong yakap. "Zack..." I whispered. "Remember when I told you that love is such a scary thing because in requires people to share their pain and happiness?"

My fingers clasped the fabric of his damp shirt. "What should I do? Because I'm willing to face my fears for you and forget my pain so I can protect you too. This is the only love I know, Zack. Would you still chose me?"