Obsessed With A Secret Mate: Future Luna

"Grrah!!!" The voice scared me, nearly hitting me toward the wall. I had to be looking around to see who or what was behind, but I couldn't trace anything or anyone.

Where was that coming from?

I had just dashed out of the house. As usual, the air blowing from the strong wind outside was just too much for me to endure. Whenever it was that stormy, I would have to close the partially tight window behind me.

It was getting darker. The wind suddenly stopped blowing, giving a chance for an unexpected silence. I didn't notice at first until I took my hands off her ears and remained outside.

Here I was in the woods, the dark world of Arleta, the spookiest place I ever knew.

My eyes got cleared off dust. But that was when my nose grew scratchy, and I released a sneeze. I didn't know if going back in was the right thing to do.

Arleta wasn't a space to live in without being observant.

Not at all.

Its nearby snowy mountains were many, and not just many, but dangerous. The trees covered most part of that land. It was often haunted by the strange beasts and some wolf rogues who paid visits and always came on a mission.

Suddenly, I heard a sound. It echoed above me, but there was no high place, which was as close to me as my local bedroom, so I thought it came from the mountains.

"Who's there?" I managed to ask, my voice light and cool. I didn't want to react, but my mind was unruffled by the climatic change and the sound.

Nothing.

Just silence.

Then, I locked my window from outside, slid down the soft sheet I usually secured the room with, and I was ready to enter any time.

In a twinkling of an eye, I felt kicked away from the spot. I felt the hands that flung me like a piece of paper, so I looked around. I couldn't trace my house anymore.

I heard a voice.

"Who did I touch just now?" That voice, deep in a masculine way, echoed like a bell in my ears, louder than just a lone wolf's snarl. I felt his touch again, this time, around my shoulders and reaching the chest.

"Argh!" I exclaimed, my chest beating uncontrollably. My eyes grew larger than before, almost leaving my eyebrows unseen. I couldn't even point to a path, as the entire place got darker and darker.

"Just come close," the voice re-echoed, tracing me backwards. It happened that the man's hands were larger than a normal human's hands, so that he could easily bounce me away from my house.

"I can't see anything..." I managed to complain, my hands standing firm by my thighs. I began to feel colder than the weather. I nearly froze.

I moved closer and could see him. He was tall, a blue-eyed, muscular, hairy, very strong, and handsome man. I didn't know which kingdom he had come from, but what got me shocked was that he wasn't a giant.

My eyes weren't just interested in turning away from him.

"Ellie, be calm..." I said to myself, forcing a smile on my face to make him feel at home, at least. I kept yelling on my wolf inside me. "Remember you must never forget where you are going to."

"You?" The stranger asked, his eyes blinking from side to side and casting a glaring display of his handsomeness. I was attracted to him immediately.

"From where?" I asked him back, shunning his own question.

"I live in Arleta here..." he responded, laying his right hand on my shoulder. I felt that same weight, and I knew he was so strong but wasn't a giant. He returned, "And, you?"

"Same." I reciprocated.

"Why are you staying alone?" He questioned me, shrugging with his long and weighty hands.

"I don't have anyone to converse with, and again," I revealed, my voice spelling clear pity. "I can not go to the mountains, as well."

"The mountains are safe, my dear." He explained, his voice suddenly widening like the increase of a sound volume. "I play there all the time with my friends..."

With my face turned to him very closely, I interrupted him. "Who are those friends?"

"My pack members." He said.

"Are you a wolf?" I reverted, shifting away from him.

He grabbed me to himself and bulged his eyes at me. "What if I am your destined soulmate? What if I can kill your pains?"

"Can you kill my past?" I rapped as I stared at him.

"It's not a beast." He replied, looking around as he demonstrated his powerful moves. "I can end the life of a thousand enemy beasts at once..."

"My past?" I reiterated, expecting a direct and suitable answer from him. I wasn't joking with him this time. After all, I didn't know him before.

"With my words, I guess I can..." he muttered.

"If you are able, I can also warm your veins." I said, my voice sounding softly and sweetly to his ears, as I thought.

"Wait." He called, holding my shoulder again, with a single hand of his. "What do you mean by that?"

"I am to warm your veins while you kill my past." I replied, my hands suddenly touching his arms. I felt strength in him, as if I was loaded with gravels.

"How's your past?" He asked me, his eyeballs rolled around the socket to watch out. He probably was watching out for the innumerable enemy beasts of the mountains.

"It's more than I can tell at once..." my soft voice swept the aura, casting a lovely tone in the air. He was attracted to me, too.

Unexpectedly, he moved closer and whispered to my ears. "Do you want me to be yours?"

"Who knows if you are the one sent to kill my past?" I questioned myself, as I kept explaining. "I have been in this forest for many years. My life had been lived in fear until I grew with it, seeing the dark as norms. What if you're my saviour?" I expected no answer and no objection from him. I nodded and smiled at him.

"Huh?" He wondered, his eyebrows raised above, almost touching his brows.

"I can't help it." I continued, my face drenched in the thin tears that slowly dropped down my chin. "I was badly injured by some wolves on the mountain."

"When?" He asked, his voice raised louder than he had been talking earlier. "And, how? How did that happen to you?"

"Before I reached here, I was encaged by their Alpha..." I started again, as though I was going to narrate a long story to him.

"Alpha...?" He retorted, interposing my halfly uttered statement. "Is that why you asked me where I came from?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice rather cold and stiff. I was tired of saying any other thing, especially if it had to do with my past.

"Did he really injure you?" He asked, his brows suddenly squeezing to a deep frown as he walked up and down in anger. He turned to me again and hugged me.

"Huh!" I sighed, feeling cold and more comfortable in his arms.

"Keep warming up my veins!" He exclaimed, his voice tense and deep. He was grabbing me from behind as he drew more closely, tightly to my side.

"Angus..." I blushed.

"Ellie, I hope you later discover why you have come to know me." Angus revealed, stalking about with stomping feet, his hands dipped in his pockets.

My past dawned on me, making me feel reserved and engulfed in loneliness. My eyes were completely closed as the past travelled back into my senses with clear flashes of emotion.

I shook my head. That was exactly when Angus noticed me.

"What keeps bothering you?" Angus's voice was a bang in my ears, suddenly driving me back to my consciousness.

"It's a long story, Angus," I muttered.

"What is it, darling?" Angus responded, squatting beside me.

"You can't relate," I said, blinking with emotional pity for myself.

"I'm going out for hunting, Ellie," Angus said, his voice light but clear. He stood up and smiled as he made to leave. "I'll be right back. Please forget whatever hurtful memories you have in your head right now."

I was surprised.

Angus didn't force me to say what was going on in my mind. I was left to feel the fearful memories alone. The voice of those fierce beasts reverberated in my ears. I could clearly recall how they tore my only mother to pieces.

Why I was made into such a world, I didn't know. Left to endure the sleepless nights and escape the wolves' teeth.

"Huh!" I sighed, my breath coming out as someone ready to pounce on a prey. I began to imagine those beasts like prey, remembering that they all wanted something I didn't give them.

It wasn't my mother they wanted.

There was a stubborn wolf among them whose stripes distinguished him from the others, and he proved to be their leader. He would often shift when he wanted to reach me, and I got to know he only wanted me to join their pack.

"Huh!" He often scoffed at me.

Whenever I tried to know his name, I usually forgot. Most often, I would even ask him, but he would only say he was a strong man.

"What do I know about you, dark wolves?" I complained to them publicly, my eyelids dropping up and down as though they were going to fall off. "Am I to be trained how to bite, injure, and kill just to recruit?"

"No." The wolf leader replied, his voice raised very loudly, almost defeaning my ears. "What you are to do is follow orders and never go against them!"

"But, why won't you untie my mother?" I returned, shivering and breathing heavily at the same time, revealing my anger. "She is innocent and humble."

"Do you want to know?" He queried, his voice tense and stiff. He was posing questions in my mind, and I began to feel even uncomfortable.

"What?" I walked closer to him, almost raising my hands at him. "Tell me!"

"Are you confronting me?" He questioned back, grinning and scoffing at my unexpected boldness. "I can't spend a minute cutting off her head!"

"Whose head?!" I reverted, my voice coming low, unconsciously. "What are you up to? Can you just tell me exactly what my mother did wrong to you or to your pack?!"

"Until you can explain why you are threatening me with your voice..." he said.

"No, master." Another wolf suddenly came out from their midst and felt sympathy for my mother. His eyes were already soaked in tears, even while he was a young wolf.

The wolf leader turned to the young wolf and snarled. In a jiffy, he approached him, lifted him up with its hands, and challenged him, "I never called you to this. I hate treachery!"

"Treachery?" The young wolf asked his leader, smiling as though he wasn't afraid of death. "I could recall you said we are for ourselves. If you want this woman to join us, why not command her to be a part and just free her, and her poor child standing here?!"

I was shocked. My mouth was zipped for a minute, and I could no longer tell if the wolf was a mere wolf. Perhaps he had an old wolf's spirit inputted into him. What wit could he be speaking of?!

"Huh..." I breathed, touching my chest with my hands. I was feeling calm, but I didn't know what the wolf leader wanted to do with my mother yet. I was aroused to speak with anger again. "What else do you have to say to that?"

"Nothing." The wolf leader replied, bringing down the young wolf. "I actually said we are for ourselves, in this pack..."

"Pack?" I questioned.

"Yes," the wolf leader answered me bluntly and was ready to confront me. I could see his mood changed, as his face suddenly marked fury.

"Anything..." I wondered, moving my footsteps back bit by bit. I could clearly see his eyes turning red, his skin growing hair, as his muscles came out and his belly continued to protrude and shapen up.

"If only I can swallow both of you at once!" He shrieked as he suddenly turned his face to him. I could no longer see my mother.

I didn't know what to say. He must have turned into the beast in him, so I couldn't speak. "Youngie, please, can you get transformed as well?"

"I..." the young wolf slurred in return, his eyes blinking as though he wanted to sleep. "I cannot change my master's mind now. So, I can't assure your mother will be safe..."

I froze. I couldn't recall what the young wolf said. I knew something must have happened to my mother. I wouldn't want to lose her. I could save her.

Words couldn't come out of my mouth. I kept mute as if I was dumb. I could notice the wolf leader snarling with very loud and audible breaths. I covered my face, and suddenly, I jumped off the bar he flung at me. I didn't know where the power arose from.

"Do more!" The young wolf encouraged me, looking at me, as he tried to escape their already angered wolf leader. He must have been tired of him, as well. "Young lady, run and be free. Run from your mother. Master wants to feed on her..."

"I can't run from my own mother!" I retorted, my voice overwhelming the entire space. "I will never do that!"

I hissed, my elbows landing a bang on the young wolf's head. It was not deliberate, but I couldn't turn back to plead to him. My mother was my utmost concern, and I had to save her.

From the rogues.

"Mother!!!" I screamed, trying to alert her to her senses. I had noticed those rogues had a way of snoozing creatures into succumbing to commands from their heartless hearts, but I didn't want it for my mother. I wanted to call her back.

"Ellie..." she responded to my amazement, but her voice faded out within seconds.

"Mother!!!" I called again, heading close to where the wolf leader had landed, together with my mother. "Where are you? Mother, talk!"

No response at all.

I knew she was going through serious pain. I left the spot and moved closer to hear her, but it wasn't a faint voice of hers I could hear, as though she was being strangled.

"Ahh... Mother!" I couldn't hold it any longer, as my kept imagining the unseen scene of the torture. "Leave my mother, you fool! Where are you?!"

Suddenly, the atmosphere wore another appearance, and a larger part of the sky was bright, as my eyes blinked uncontrollably and tears dropped down my cheeks.

The gravity of the windy atmosphere of Arleta, echoing and continuously itching our ears, wrapped us up with rage until it woke both of us up at the same time.

"What a violent wind!" I whimpered, blinking to see the clear brightness of the day.

Arleta could contain a great number of creatures but would harm or disturb whoever wouldn't adapt to the cold, snowy, and entirely strange nature of the land. It was like a cursed space of the woods.

I yawned.

Last night?

Then, I realised my hands had been on Angus's chest, all through the night. I began to wonder if he had even demanded sex from me that last night.

Angus had always been a friend. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I could see the way he had been treating me-just as his sister-or some kind of a lover.

But, I wasn't comfortable. Maybe not yet.

"Huh!" I sighed, taking my hands off him. I formed a smile on my face at him and received the same from him.

"Ellie?" Angus called, his voice alluring to me. But I wouldn't just give in easily. "Have you recalled what you did last night?"

"What's that?" I asked him, my hands raised up to my lips as I tried to hold a yawn.

"You've been silent for a long while..." Angus answered me and continued, "I almost thought you were thinking about an injury on your body."

"Oh!" I exclaimed as I forced myself to say the truth. I was still troubled, even though I had slept over the memories of my hurtful past. The thoughts still kept hovering over the borders of my heart and wouldn't stop reverberating. I didn't know he brought it up again.

Indeed, Angus could sense my feelings about my past. He seemed to expect me to have started asking him more questions about himself, which would make him think I really desired him. And, as he would always do whenever he fished something, he snapped. I didn't know all about him.

"Ang...?" I called.

"Call me Angus." Angus demanded, spreading his arms as he stood up.

Suddenly, Angus approached me and embraced me, and I felt the cold touch of his hands. "Do you know you have to cheer up. I have promised to kill your past and affect your future..."

"Yeah..." I said, trying to take his hands off. "I guess I'm not in for this, Angus."

"Why not?" Angus questioned. "Don't you trust me?"

"I don't know all about you." I revealed, my voice soft anyway.

His first words really re-echoed in my ears, making me interrupt, "I notice you saying you can kill my past. Do you know my past, and how much can you erase from it in my heart?"

"Haha..." Angus laughed and returned his chin to the normal shape again. "I have wolfish eyes."

"Wolfish?" I asked, my hands supporting my jaws very firmly, an expression of a deeper interest in his words.

"Yes," Angus returned. "I know how it all happened."

His words caught me.

Then, I pushed my brows forward very softly but rapidly to express my amazement. "How did it happened...? Were you by any chance one of those who..."

"Huh?" Angus reverted quickly.

"Tell me everything." I demanded, my voice much louder than his.

"Who did what?" Angus questioned me back, his words rushing out speedily and at length. "There was a ferocious and heartless pack that still lives up to this time. The Alpha of the pack wanted to recruit me as one of their members by bribing me with a beautiful woman for me to marry, then..."

Immediately I heard the marriage plan earlier, I knew Angus wasn't a small man. He was experienced as well, and I could know from the way he spoke with me. But, my mind also traced that to his spiritual powers rather than what he could do on his own.

"Continue, Angus..." I requested, my eyes brightening at his face. I began to blink my eyes as the fragments of his words hit my ears.

"The Alpha told me all the packs in Arleta wanted to enthrone a woman as Queen, and that..." Angus explained, adjusting as he laid his hands on my bare laps. "I mean, anyone that would be her mate must go through the attacks of the dark forest. There was a muddy area that was very dark, watery, and dangerous to inhabit, but whoever must take that future luna as a wife must pass through the woods and must not die."

"Could anyone escape death in such a dangerous land?" I questioned, my lips joined together as my teeth stood stiff, an expression of my aggressive willingness to leave Arleta. "I can't wait to leave here."

"Almost impossible," Angus said.

"To leave Arleta or what?" I asked him bluntly, turning my eyes away.

"No, I mean escaping death..." Angus explained. "Like you just said."

"Impossible!" I objected and smiled broadly. "How is it possible? I am sure bloodthirsty wolves must be there, who can not but pounce on whichever prey they see."

"True," Angus assented. "Don't take this as just a story. I could tell you who lived in that forest for years and still keeps living till now."

"I love your pranks." I remarked on his rather unbelievable words. "But, I don't understand you yet."

"They aren't pranks, baby." Angus retorted with a low voice. "They are a real life secret. And, why can't you understand me?"

"I don't know," I said, folding my arms together.

"Well, I know a lot about this forest. I have been living here for years, that's all I can say about me." Angus expatiated, his both eyes fixed on my face. "Arleta's dark regions are all alive."

"Does that mean that dangerous land is still in existence?" I asked, my voice breaking as I expected him to say no.

"It is," Angus replied. "Even more vastly, the wolves are increasing every day, birthing and nursing their betas, and training them to be attackers."

"Ah!" I interjected. "Why are they interested in just attacking people?"

"They claim to be serving the forest goddess." Angus revealed, lowering his voice as if he was keeping it secret.

"And, why would the goddess be after humans?" I questioned.

"It's a long story, Ellie..." Angus explained. "When the forest goddess was first living as a Queen Luna of the pack, she made a demand of a mate as her husband, but no one was willing to fill in that space. So, she became furious and committed suicide, vowing to ruin families who possibly would have issued out a man for her while she was alive."

"Pathetic!" I retorted. "I wonder how my family got entangled in her web, anyways, and it pains me to the bottom of my heart."

"Hmm..." Angus reacted, slowly approaching me. I guessed he sensed the strange frown on my face. "What's really wrong, Ellie?"

"Arleta wouldn't be enough to contain those painful secrets when spilt out." I let out, breathing softly. "I will never agree if anyone tells me to remain in Arleta for the next three months."

"Oh!" Angus retorted. "Do you have a plan?"

"What if?" I answered, questioning him back. "What if I just meet myself in another world?"

"It happens," Angus revealed.

"Really?" I asked, already intrigued by his suiting response. "I would love to leave Arleta."

"You want to be free from the forest goddess?" Angus asked me.

"Not only her." I replied, my lips spreading in unease. "I can't help staying in a dangerous and harmful land. I can not stand the teeth of the threatening wolves, as well."

"You have a point, though." Angus commented. "I wouldn't stand against your dreams."

"Dreams?" I returned. "No, they are my plan. I will leave and start another life, elsewhere, wherever I appear."

"I would like to depart with you, though." Angus said, his voice sounding lovely in my ears.

"Why not?" I said, as I faced the wall and sneezed. "Sorry, I don't know what will happen later."

"What if I was sent to you just... secretly?" Angus asked, leaving my mouth open agape.