Chapter 9 Nine

Chapter 9

When she felt the tremor again, only then did she remember the warning sign. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she sat on the edge with a stunned expression, watching the cracks on her side getting larger and larger.

"Marianne!"

Sofia didn't hear. She sat paralyzed with shock as she stared wide-eyed at death before her. It had answered her thoughts too quickly. Slowly, and torturously, the edge she was sitting on began to break away from the rest of the ground. Only then did she hear a man's voice.

"Marianne! Get away from there!"

She fearfully stood and whipped around. Her head snapped towards the direction of the voice, and she saw Zafrix bravely jumping and running with an unseen speed towards her against the crumbling rocks.

"Run, Marianne! Run to me!" he shouted.

His cry seemed to release a spring in her mind. Like an arrow she had shot from her crossbow, with her fiery red hair streaming behind her, her trembling legs sped on. And with one last deafening, thunderous roar, the ground she was standing on completely gave way.

Zafrix was able to grab her body in time before she went stumbling down with the huge rocks into the awaiting hell. With the strength and speed possessed by a perfect king, Zafrix jumped away from the falling debris and uneven ground. She clung tightly to the man's strong arms. And with one huge leap, they landed, rolling on the other side. They tumbled in the dust and dry leaves, while the man's powerful physique continued to protect her.

Instantly, she was lying safely on top of him, in the security of his strong arms, the air almost leaving her lungs.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" the man immediately asked her.

For that moment, Sofia surrendered herself to the protecting arms. Her eyes were still tightly shut, and she was catching her breath while lying on top of the man's body. Unnoticed, their bodies were covered in dried leaves and grass. She was also keenly aware of the whipcord muscles on his chest and arms.

"Answer me, Marianne. Are you hurt?"

She opened her eyes and looked up. Zafrix's face was inscrutable as he picked up his lithe body along with hers with ease and grace and sat on the ground. Sofia was looking at him in disbelief. This man had saved her life.

Even though she had tried so many times to take his own.

"I-I'm fine," she answered in a faint voice.

Relief washed over him. Then, the relief was soon replaced by fury. He looked at her with livid eyes that were enough to make a thousand men cower in fright.

"Of all the damn fool things!" he snapped, causing her to jump in surprise at his sudden outburst, "of all the places where you could unwind, you choose here?! Didn't you see the signboard?"

She stared at him in surprise, feeling embarrassed. Sofia mustered all the dignity she was capable of under the circumstances and replied coldly, "I've come for a walk, I did not notice."

He glared at her with cold gray eyes. She met his gaze. But right now, she couldn't match his anger. He had just saved her life. She was in his debt. Against her will, she wouldn't attack him until they were even. Or until the right moment arrived.

She let her gaze go downward. Her heart was still having a race in her chest.

"T-Thanks for saving me anyway," she said, eyes closed, almost in a whisper.

"Who said my saving your life was free?" he asked mockingly, his dark eyes glinting with malice.

Sofia sneered at his words. "I really don't think I'm going to like you very much, Zafrix Wolfe."

"Oh?" Amusement flickered in his gray eyes. She was caught between amazement and irritation when she saw the side of his lips quirking up. "Don't get too steamed up, I'm not here to fight," he drawled boredly. Zafrix then straightened up and brushed something off from her red hair.

Sofia looked over in surprise. He held a dry leaf, which had caught in her hair, between two fingers. She sat very erect beside him on the dry leaves, her cheeks flaring madly at what he had just done. The surroundings seemed to slow down because of his action.

She blinked. "T-Then why are you back?" she asked, her voice came out like a breathless whisper. That didn't escape Zafrix's hearing, and he stared into her eyes. A blush crept up on her cheeks.

Sofia stared back. She stopped herself from shivering at the cold gaze he was giving her, as if he had already forgotten what had happened.

Zafrix gracefully rose from the ground. Sofia's face flushed again. Why was she feeling this way again?

She was surprised when the man pulled her up by her shoulders. She quickly stepped back and moved away from him. What was happening to her really wasn't amusing anymore.

"I came back to make sure that my woman is doing alright," he answered while staring intently at her.

That took her breath away, literally. He just said 'his woman'.

"But seeing what had just transpired. Looks like we have a big problem. Why did you attack one of your private tutors?" he asked, the coldness returning to his voice.

So, he knew. He'd seen it all. She thought. That's why his staff didn't stop her earlier, because he was already there. He must have been the one who ordered them to leave her alone for a while. It's just that she ran in the wrong direction.

Butterflies, which had briefly tickled her stomach, quickly scattered.

"You seem to know everything anyway. Why are you still asking?" she said irritably and turned her back on him. She was annoyed because he was being cold to her again.

"Marianne."

"What?" she couldn't help but snap.

For the first time since meeting him, his cold gaze went soft.

"Please don't put your life in danger again," he said softly before holding her hand and leading her away from there.

Sofia was left stunned at what she had just seen and heard, as she walked beside him.

After that incident, she didn't face Zafrix again because he went straight to his office. She, still confused, went to her room. And she didn't know why she felt disappointed to see her bedroom and not Zafrix's.

She cleaned herself and changed clothes. Every now and then, she sensed the man's presence. One time she heard him pass by her door. She was still confused. These past few days, she had managed to shake off the feelings and thoughts that disturbed her. She had managed, right?

She stayed inside the room, pacing back and forth. She didn't know why she was restless. She thought again about him saving her life. She didn't understand. Why did he save her life, knowing that she's still up to something that isn't good?

She sat on top of the bed. She didn't know where the man was. But she hadn't heard him come back yet. She needs to know. She needs to ask him why he did that after all of what she did to him. Not that she had changed her mind about killing him, but she still needs to know.

She took a deep breath and left the room wearing a blue tank top and black jogging pants. She didn't bother tying her long red hair. She went to the man's room and stopped in front of his door, hesitating about what to do.

Was Zafrix here too? She asked herself. Maybe not. We're still at war against each other.

She stared at the closed door. The urge to turn tail and flee gripped her being, her courage suddenly wavering. She was at the point of deciding to just leave when the door opened.

"Well, well," he greeted her upon seeing her and leaned against the doorframe. "I'm quite surprised to see you standing outside my door, my little tigress."

She glared at him. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. He must have sensed her long presence outside his room. She could see his eyes bright with mockery, raking her exquisite figure from head to her bare toes.

"Surely," he drawled, "you're more ready and braver now. Seeing you arriving here unchaperoned, in the den of the dangerous lone wolf." He growled the last sentence with mock emphasis and threat. Sofia felt annoyed.

"I just wanted to ask something. But because that's how you greeted me, I've changed my mind."

"Come inside," he commanded her and made space in the doorway.

She lifted an eyebrow. "I don't trust you."

He gave her a cold gaze. "I'm harmless. I don't really need to force myself on a woman," he said, then smirked. "Well," she narrowed her eyes at him, "except for you."

"Never mind," she growled and turned her back on him.

He stopped her by the arm and she lost time to pull away until she found herself sitting on a black couch inside his all too familiar bedroom. She gave him a murderous glare.

"What do you want to ask me?" he asked before sitting on another sofa and crossing his legs, then staring intently at her.

"Why did you bother saving my life?" she asked straight to the point, not wanting to make this conversation longer than she intended.

"You're my beloved."