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A week later, Ismena walked through the huge front door of his tower. Her eyes took in the tall walls that surrounded the space as she walked towards the stairs.

She has barely been here since he left because she'd tried to keep her mind away from him. Not thinking about him will help her not to miss him, she'd said to herself. The only problem she didn't count on was the fact that she thought about him all the time.

Every little thing reminds her of him. Eline's house, her bedroom, shower, a walk with the cougar sentinel, Everything. She missed him so damn much it was troubling. Her body had felt him for days after he felt, which didn't help.

The scratch the mountain lion had given her on the hips still reminded her of him too. Even after a week, it still marveled her how she forgot of that violent part of him. Fortunately, he'd remembered enough to be able to control himself in the throes of passion.

The memories of it never ceases to make her turn red, and the memories are always there. That, was most definitely not helping her either .

So, she'd sort another option which is to keep busy.

Over the week, Eline had taken her out a lot. She even took her to the Manor House and introduced her to the omega females, and they were surprisingly very good to her.

They were friendly, they treated her with kindness and respect—even from those who were way older than her. It baffled her.

Eline explained to her that it is because she is the mate of the Alpha King. The explanation filled her with sadness, because it had reminded her that he would never be mating her in the way that will bind them together forever.

Then, she'd pushed the feeling away and forced herself to cheer up. After all, there is no certain guarantee that she will live that long, even though her heart condition seems to feel almost non-existent these days.

Apart from Eline taking her places, she'd also concentrated on learning the fighting and defense the cougar sentinel was teaching her every day. Eline is a teacher whose relentlessness almost bothered on ruthless, she worked her like a slave driver until her whole body felt like one giant bruise.

Ismena always curse at her in her mind with all the cursing words she knows—even invented new words—but as days passed and she was getting stronger, she'd started feeling grateful to the cougar sentinel.

All in all, it has been a productive week, but even keeping busy hasn't been able to stop the thoughts of Wolfaraine flickering in and out of her mind.

He even began the last thought that pops into her head at night before she falls asleep and the first thought that wakes with her in the morning. Damn invasive man.

She also misses her family so badly, and her poor friend, Sandra who called her a few days ago, screaming at her and asking her where she is. Apparently, Sandra had dropped by her house but everywhere was locked up.

She'd lied to her friend that she's still having fun and soul-searching in New York City. What else could she say? The truth was too complex to be said on the phone.

"So, how many have you done from the list?" Sandra had asked.

"Almost all of them. Just a few to go." She'd lied.

"You lucky woman. At least you get to take off work and enjoy yourself so damn much, while I'm here chasing celebrities around. Being a journalist can be hard, I tell you. I envy you, my friend."

Ismena had laughed, feeling very excited just hearing her best friend of more than ten years talk. She'd missed her so damn much, she wished Sandra was in Naturiah with her. Her best friend will totally love this place.

Sandra had proceeded to tell her how work has been. Then, she also told her something weird.

"I've been dreaming about the man you bumped into on that very day we went for your trip shopping." Sandra had told her incredulously, "You remember him right? That huge handsome man in dark shades and black suit that scared the very devil's out of you?"

Of course, Ismena remembered him because it was Alphose. "Yes, I remember him." She'd confirmed.

"Good. I see him in my dreams every night since that day. Doing nothing, just being there. And you know the worst part?" Sandra's tone had lowered in a conspiratorial whisper.

"What is it?" She'd asked curiously .

"I wake up wet. Like wet and dripping." Sandra scoffed through the phone, "Isn't that unbelievable? Anyway, I come to the conclusion that it's because I found him very attractive on that day. He is just like those males in my books. Damn, I'm very attracted to that man"

Ismena had laughed, her confusion cleared. Sandra has always been a romantic at heart, with all those romantic fantasy books she read all the time, she's bound to feel so attracted to a man that comes close to those descriptions so much that she'll see him in her dreams.

"I wonder if I'll ever see him again..." Her friend had trailed off.

How will Sandra react if she finds out that her friend lives in the world of the male in question? The thought had made her smile.

Her friend had asked her when she'll be back in Oklahoma and she'd answered truthfully. "I don't know, Sandra."

The ring has to be found before she goes back. They'd talked about other things before Ismena hung up.

After talking with Sandra, she'd called her mother the next morning just to hear from her, she'd asked about Valentina and her father.

Her mother had gone into details, explaining to her how everyone is; how her father's craft workshop has been doing so well lately, how Valentina has been following her father to the workshop while she waits for college to start in the next fall.

Her mother had also told her that Valentina complains about stomach pains but when she suggested they go to the hospital, her stubborn sister had refused, saying it's just cramps and nothing to worry about.

Of course, that only made their mother worry the more, which had caused Ismena to smile when her mother was narrating it all to her because she understands Valentina really well in that aspect. Their mother has always been a very paranoid person .

While growing up, Ismena had realized that little things got her mother scared. It's almost as if Amelia has been in a traumatizing life-threatening situation before, but if she has, she has never told them.

So, she and her sister had come to terms with it. This is also one of the reasons why it had worried her to death when the doctor had told her that she wasn’t responding to treatment and because of that, she only had three months to live.

These days, her happiness knew no bounds because her bad heart is obviously responding to a different kind of treatment.

She'd spoken to her mother for long hours before Amelia had hung up, with a promise from her that she will come to visit them one of these days. Her poor mother thought she's still in her apartment, being busy to the teeth with working for her ass of a boss.

If only her mother knew how much of a turn her daughter's life has taken these past few weeks.

For the rest of the week, she'd done everything that'll keep her mind away from the fact that she has not heard from Wolfaraine. She was not worried, he is out there for business after all.

But her traitorous heart couldn't help wondering if he was also thinking of her, the way she does him?

Over the week, she'd visited his tower twice—today makes it the third time. She comes to see Nalaila.

Thankfully, the wolf was asleep the times she'd visited. So, she only sits outside her dungeon, weaving tales and telling them to sleeping werewolf. It was also some sort of pastime for her too, spending time with the beautiful white wolf and telling stories to thin air .

Which brings her here again today. As usual, she dressed in light pants and blouse—the one she has on the day Wolfaraine brought her to Naturiah—and also wore the running shoes she purchased from the market. Just in case Nalaila breaks out of her dungeon to chase her in a rage.

In her dungeon-room, Ismena opened the door and walked through it. The white wolf was asleep again.

Although she was relieved, she also wondered if the wolf ever wakes from sleep? It worried her.

As usual, she took her spot at one side of the large room, lowering herself to the floor, and crossed her legs. She opened the book she brought with her today which she found in Eline's bedroom. The story of a fox.

She began reading it out loud. She stayed there until evening before she closed the book and rose to her feet.

"Till we meet again, Nalaila. I will come and visit next time." She said out loud. Already, she is used to speaking to the wolf even when she knows that the wolf wouldn't hear her, or appreciate it if she wakes.

Walking out, she closed the doors and took the stairs down the tower and out of it. She was outside when her cellphone rang.

When her mother's name came out as the caller ID, a smile split her lips. She picked it up, "Hello, mother? I—"

"Mena-aaa... You have to back h-home..." Came the hoarse voice of her mother.

The smile wiped from her face when she realized that her mother was crying. She was sobbing .

"Mother? What is going on?" She asked, panic filling her chest. Her mother is paranoid but she is also a strong woman.

If there is one thing she knows for sure, it is the fact that her mother will not be crying if the situation was not serious.

"I-It's Valentina. It's your s-sister, Mena." She sobbed uncontrollably.

Ismena knew at that moment that something bad has happened to her little sister.