The full moon had shown her what she had never imagined. Even after hearing about that beast from the seer, from her father, from her brother and now, from the whole village—she couldn't believe it.
But now, she did.
He was there in front of her, above her, hovering as the true predator ready to tear up her throat and lick out the blood that he was lusting for under the full moonlight. No one could survive such disaster.
But Samara did, without any scratch on her skin. It was all possible because of her clever friend or she wouldn't have been alive to lay on her bed again and think peacefully about all of that had happened at the castle.
The King was clever to organize such trap for the beast. If he knew that it was one of those soldiers, the Prince had already narrowed down the list by narrating his own story to the whole kingdom. Now, everyone would doubt those ten soldiers.
But Samara was clueless of all those ten. She might be knowing some of them very well but except for Rodwin she didn't know who was beaten up or who had saved the injured soldier or who was the one to run away. Especially, in which category her brother was there?
Rodwin was there to protect the beaten soldier and the wolf, so there left nine for her to recognize. The other two were Nathaniel and her brother who were out of the hall and Rodwin was confirmed with them being one of ten.
Now, left just seven out of which Logan too had confessed to be one and she couldn't forget Jeffrey who too was out for Samuel in the risky circle. Now, the other five were those soldiers who Samara didn't know very well.
If talk about Davis, he was a mere acquaintance because his father was a good friend of her own father. He was a great competitor of her brother and best friend of Rodwin which was why, he had been in contact with Samara often. But she was not as loose to him as she was with Logan and now, Rodwin.
At the mention of her childhood enemy or she should say, admirer— a nervous smile curved her lips. She hadn't seen him after the function. After they returned home, her brother couldn't stay quiet as he started groaning in utter pain.
For once, Samara had started doubting him as he was writhing in restlessness with sweat covering his body which seemed as similar to what the King had talked about the werewolf in the full moon light. But she was terrified of this little doubt.
Samuel had caught attention in a negative way just because he was out of the hall with Jeffrey and Nathaniel. Were they together or apart or it was a strong coincidence? Samara couldn't decipher.
She decided to talk to him as soon as she could because this was all happening for real. The King was really doubting her brother and she had to support him on every step to save him from any action the King would take.
She closed her eyes with a sigh and felt her heart drowning when those glowing orbs of that beast flashed in her mind. His black fur, his big height, his big claws and deadly canines— he was terrifying.
Shivers crawled her spine and Samara squeezed her eyes shut. She pulled the fur more above her bosoms to her chin and tried to sleep but the incidents from the castle were not leaving her mind.
From argument with Nathaniel, to Rodwin's declaration of love, from her and Violet facing the beast to her brother behaving sick—Samara couldn't rest. She opened her eyes in defeat and screamed which was immediately muffled under Rodwin's big hand as he shushed her.
Samara touched her heart and closed her eyes, feeling her pounding chest. Rodwin slowly removed his hand and let her breathe harshly as she slowly got up and sat to stare in his eyes.
Slapping his chest hard, she whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. "You scared me," she murmured while still struggling to breathe.
He rubbed her back while she pulled away to look in his eyes. Samara frowned at seeing his face completely stressed. His brows were furrowed and eyes lowered as if he was imagining something bad.
"Rodwin?"
He sighed while looking up at her, shaking his head as he replied, "I heard what happened. The-The beast had caught you," he hugged her again, almost crushing her in his arms.
Samara closed her eyes, pushing her nose into the crook of his neck, smelling his scent to make herself believe that she was safe in her loved one's arms.
"Yes."
She could feel him getting stiffened. Shaking his head, he pulled away to stare at her wide-eyed. Samara nodded with a gulp.
"Big. Giant. He was so scary," her voice shook as she remembered the scene at castle. "He had crawled upon me, Rodwin. He was close to tear my throat. Those big canines," she wiped her forehead.
"If Violet hadn't been there to distract him, you wouldn't have been able to see me talking again."
Rodwin swallowed while observing her eyes. The color of his face had drained and Samara was shocked. She hadn't seen him that stunned in her life.
He blinked. "Never ever put yourself in trouble like that. I had told you to stay in the hall with the Prince."
Samara looked away, recalling how all the families had panicked. "I know. But everyone had started running and I couldn't even think of anything. Violet was the one who dragged me away or I was going to save my brother."
Rodwin flared his nostrils at her stupidity. "Samara," he held her shoulders while looking sternly in her eyes. "Don't ever try to do that again. Not when he has caught you once. He won't leave you again. God doesn't help us if we don't help ourselves. Even if it's about your brother."
Samara's lips parted as she saw worry written all over his face. His grey eyes were full of terror of what would have happened if she hadn't returned as fine as she was. Sighing heavily, she nodded at him.
Before she could even think about any other thing, Rodwin pulled her chin up and pressed his lips against hers, showing her how much he valued her in his life. Moving his lips with fastening pace, he groaned when she too participated slowly and even laid down when he started leaning more on her.
Breaths were fully stolen until Rodwin pulled away to let her breathe harshly. "This night, considering the presence of that beast, leaving all other things apart—I just know that I have gotten you in my life, Samara."
She blinked while cupping his cheek, rubbing her thumb while listening to him. "I just know that this is my chance to show that I can be better than Nathaniel. I really am. I can earn money and status, give you a life better than your father would have imagined. Better than you would have imagined."
A slight blush tainted her cheeks, and all the seriousness of the atmosphere was thrown away. Rodwin smirked at seeing her face, moving his eyes slowly over night gown under him.
"Stop staring," she murmured while Rodwin's eyebrows raised. Her face turned serious and a flash of that beast hovering over her made her shudder. "It reminds me of that beast."
Rodwin sighed and started playing with her hair, staring at her quietly. "Is your brother alright?"
Samara shook her head. "Worse. He has a high fever. Sweating all the time and restless." The seer's words revolved in her mind and she looked away. "I feel as if there is truly something wrong with my brother."
"Since the day he has returned from the war. He is not himself. He doesn't sleep peacefully as before. I will always catch him drinking water at night, repeatedly. He says these strange words, talks to me in codes as if he wants to explain me something about the war but he cannot."
Samara watched as Rodwin's face turned blank at her words. "What does he say?"
She gulped, thinking if she should really believe him or not. But then, she recalled his words on the balcony of the castle. She let out a shaky breathe and nodded.
"We both have heard a howl few nights ago. I have heard it but I wasn't sure. But when I asked him, he first denied and later, he taunted me to ignore all these strange things happening."
She could see Rodwin looking away as he thought about it. "Maybe, he is still not able to overcome the environment of the war. We used to hear a lot of howls at the nights, and those who were awake at night, weren't able to focus in the morning."
Samara frowned, "Why?"
Rodwin swallowed. "The howls were of cries, Samara. We could feel the wolves crying. The one who slept was lucky, the one who didn't—it was a torture."
She roamed her hands more on her shoulder, bringing his face closer to her. "Does it ever disturbs you? The memories of war?"
Rodwin was quiet. She kept watching him, until he rested his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in to her soft skin. She ran her fingers through his hair, waiting for his answer.
"They won't. As long as I am with you."
Samara's breath hitched when he grinned while moving his face and observing her expressions. Her blush darkened and he chuckled more.
He moved his leg over hers, entangling it while staring at her intensely.
"Rodwin, you must go." Her whispers were explaining how nervous she was now and he was enjoying every blink of it. "My bed is creaking. Anyone would know-"
"Shhh," he whispered against her mouth. "I won't let anyone know. Even if someone does," he blinked at her, "Are you afraid to be seen with me?"
Samara widened her eyes. "No," she whisper-yelled. "No. Yes." She nodded hurriedly. "Yes. They will think of you and me as naughty kids. You know how people see that. I don't want to ashame my family."
Rodwin sighed while looking at her. "So you will be ashamed to be seen with me?"
Samara groaned in annoyance. "Oh! No!" She shifted slowly on the bed, letting him lay beside her. She held his face and kissed his cheek softly. "Don't ever think like that."
Her mind couldn't form the exact words she wanted to speak. "Urgh! You know what I want to say," she whispered at him. "No matter what father and brother will always be possessive over me and if they get to know about us, they will be so angry."
"I will never be ashamed of you, Rodwin." She stared in his eyes. "You are the best soldier, remember."
He smiled, feeling his heart fluttering crazily. "You are real?" He whispered dreamily making her giggle immediately. "How can the angry Samara love me so much all of a sudden?"
She blushed furiously and shook her head. "I do not love you yet." Putting another kiss on his cheek, she giggled. "But I really want to and I will."
Rodwin stared at her in disbelief, asking himself how the world had changed all of a sudden. Even when the whole village was scared of that beast. Here, Samara had vanished all his fears.
He was the finest soldier and now, as her lover, in her arms.
"Is this a dream?"
She shied away from him, chuckling to herself. "Now, go away. How do you even crawl up to my window like that? Doesn't anyone see you?"
Rodwin nodded, "The seer."
As if someone had hit her heart with a large hammer, Samara couldn't breathe. She couldn't feel her heart anymore. With wide eyes, she shook her head at him.
"No. She should not."
Rodwin rolled his eyes, turning on his side and hugging her fully, now totally putting his face in her neck. "She won't say anything. She knows from the beginning that I love you."
"What?" Samara frowned.
"Yes. When you were twelve years old and had fell from the stairs, and hurt your leg. Davis had brought such nice dress for you. I didn't know what to gift you to make you feel alright because of me only, she had caught me thinking near the well. She had suggested me to give you the mangoes from my father's carts and. . ."
"-And I had hugged you sobbingly in relief because my father won't allow me to eat sweet fruits for medicines to work." She recalled.
Rodwin chuckled, "See. She is no danger. She will be only be in our favour in the future. Don't worry about her."
Turning her back to him, Samara quietly laid on her side and felt his arm wrapped around her stomach. Her whole body felt so heated and yet so soothed in his embrace.
"Won't you leave tonight?"
A sleepy moan escaped his lips and Samara's stomach churned. "No. From now, I will be sleeping with you. I cannot sleep alone anymore."
"Rodwin? It is not right."
He kissed her ear. "I will take care of every right and wrong, Samara. But you will have to trust me."
"Knowing that you can fuck me in my sleep," she whispered.
Rodwin let out a silent chuckle and intertwined their fingers. "About that, I yield. You shouldn't trust me." She gasped and elbowed him but Rodwin had already kept her in a hold that she couldn't hit him.
"Are you not worried about your father? He is old and vulnerable without you." She asked worriedly.
Rodwin hummed softly. "He will be fine. He is my father. Don't underestimate him. But I like you caring for your father-in-law. We will be such a happy family-"
He chuckled when he felt a pinch at his arm and moaned softly. "I just want to lay with you for sometime. I will go before the sun can even rise."
"How would you know? Will you be awake all night?"
"I will just know when to," he replied while peppering soft kisses on her neck, making her lose her breaths.
Yet Samara tried to stay calm. This was new for her and unstoppable. This wasn't Nathaniel but Rodwin. The stubborn child, the naughty boy who was in love with her. This was his way.
Touching her, owning her and adoring her all the time as if she was a goddess. He was completely different from Nathaniel and it brought immense relief to her that she had opened her eyes earlier than suffering any cause.
Finally, closing her eyes she whispered, "How did you father reacted at seeing your badge for the advisor?"
Something twisted in his heart. Rodwin was all of a sudden, overwhelmed. This was the Samara he loved so much. She was an ordinary girl but this sweet ways of her which she won't even realize, would always steal his heart away.
Caring for others was her nature. She was not just so mixable with people, she was thoughtful too. He knew that she would make a great wife and a great daughter-in-law.
How would this time pass until he would marry her? He couldn't wait to have a family consisting of her and their children. His father would be so happy after so many years. He would be so filled up after living these years all alone without his mother.
Rodwin gulped. "He cried."
Samara smiled softly. Squeezing his hand, she watched the wall in awe. "He loves you so much, Rodwin."
"I know."
"He would be so proud," she whispered while imagining a weeping Lord Lester hugging his son.
His breath fanned her neck as he hummed. "He is. He will be more happy if I tell him about you."
Samara was thankful that her back was facing his chest or he would have noticed in the moonlight, how much she had turned crimson by his words. His body felt so hot against hers and his muscles were stiff yet skin so raw and rough like a true hardworking soldier.
"I love you, Samara."
She squeezed her eyes shut, not being able to reply him at all. Her mind was filled with so many memories of their childhood incidents and the hidden love in his eyes that she hadn't ever recognized before. Her heart was filled so much love. His love.
At least, he was able to make her forget all the terror of this full moon night. No one knew what news would come tomorrow.
But Rodwin had made her feel that the beast was not around her anymore.
Instead of those glowing eyes, now all she could think about Rodwin's body touching hers, and wished to feel it even in her dreams.
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