Haunted By Desire

2. The Death God

Orelia

Standing amidst the c*****e of dead bodies and blood, my eyes widened like an owl’s as I watched the man whose mere presence had killed the wolves chasing after me.

In that surreal moment, time itself seemed to grind to a halt as the truth dawned upon me like a thunderbolt - he was none other than Prince Kingsley . The embodiment of Death stood resolute before me. The death god.

Beneath the expansive canopy of the night sky, I found myself ensnared in the presence of his towering 6′3" figure, his eyes a mesmerizing blend of gold and black, penetrating deep into the recesses of my soul, denying me even the solace of a fleeting blink under the weight of his unwavering stare.

Beads of perspiration adorned my forehead as I drew in ragged breaths, my gaze fixed upon him, wide with trepidation, as he advanced towards me with measured steps, drawing closer until the expanse of his formidable chest loomed mere inches from my own. A primal instinct urged me to retreat, to create a chasm of space between us, yet before I could act, his touch was upon me, his finger tracing the line of my jaw, coaxing my chin upward with deliberate slowness, his voice a soft murmur against the backdrop of the night, “I found you.”

His remark struck like a match to the tinder of my terror, igniting a blaze within me that threatened to consume all reason. My vision blurred as dizziness seized control, my legs quivering beneath the weight of my dread until they could no longer sustain me, and I plummeted into the abyss of darkness.

Just as my body surrendered to the void, a powerful arm intercepted my descent, suspending me in the liminal space between earth and oblivion.

I fostered a profound bond with the members of the Earth Moon Pack, where camaraderie ran deep, and we embraced each other as kin. We shared meals, engaged in playful activities, and pursued knowledge together, cultivating a sense of unity that made nearly every member of the pack my confidant. Despite being an orphan, life felt manageable within in the pack. However, upon reaching the age of eighteen, when my wolf failed to manifest, unforeseen challenges began to emerge.

“Orelia, all of us friends are planning to visit Moon Mountain during the upcoming full moon. Would you like to join us?” A group of my friends, who also worked with me in the pack hospital, offered.

“Moon Mountain? What’s the occasion for going there?” I asked curiously as I grabbed my food from my plate. We had half an hour for lunch, and with the approaching full moon, all the girls were buzzing with excitement and chatting endlessly. Everyone was anticipating meeting their soulmates as soon as possible.

“Don’t you know about Moon Mountain and its tale?” one of the women exclaimed.

I shook my head. “No, I’ve never been into tales since childhood.”

“Alright, then let me tell you the story passed down from our ancestors! Not everyone knows it, but I heard it from a storyteller,” she began, capturing everyone’s full attention as we stopped eating to listen.

“Thousands of years ago, it was deemed impossible for high-ranking wolves and low-ranking wolves to be together. The high-ranking wolves would often end their bloodlines to protect their pack’s name and reputation if their children try to tarnish their names by getting into the relationship with low ranking wolves. It was said that they even rejected their soulmates if they turned out to be low-ranking wolves. However, there was a couple who defied all the norms by falling in love with each other. They were soulmates and desired to live together despite the odds. This alpha and omega defied the entire werewolf realm with their union, becoming a thorn in everyone’s eyes. Their love story further stoked the flames when the Alpha renounced his position, family name, and became an ordinary wolf for his Omega soulmate. He left his pack, and they began living together like ordinary wolves. However, the high-ranking wolves could not tolerate it. Their bond and love story were a direct challenge to their egos that they could not bear. They always minded their own business and yearned for a peaceful life. However, day by day, survival became increasingly challenging among the normal werewolves as well. Eventually, they both decided to retreat to the mountain where they had first recognized each other as soulmates and had fellen in love. Over the months, they constructed a small house and began living peacefully. Unfortunately, their tranquility was shattered by a deadly attack from powerful packs seeking to eliminate them. Faced with overwhelming odds, the couple couldn’t withstand a pack of wolves intent on their demise. The Omega she-wolf was on the brink of death, her Alpha mate also nearing his end beside the river. Together, they made the decision to die together if they couldn’t live together. As they jumped into the river, the moon goddess appeared.

“Goddess?” All the woman’s gasp together and I was too surprise to even blink at the story.

“Yeah. The goddess was deeply moved by their unconditional and true love. However, she couldn’t intervene in the cycle of life and death. Unable to save them, she granted the couple’s final wish.

“Any unmated wolves who journey to that mountain in search of their true love, soulmate, or anything sacred will find it with the goddess’s grace. Every pure desire will be heard by the goddess,” she explained and paused to catch her breath.

“Is that true?” another woman asked skeptically. “It sounds unbelievable.”

“Yes, indeed. The mountain is blessed by the Goddess which is why it’s called Moon Mountain. It’s said that even those destined to be together are unknowingly bound to each other there. The mountain holds many mysteries, and the path can be challenging. But as long as your intentions are pure, the goddess will bless you with your desires. Your prayers will be heard,” she remarked.

Every girl was impressed, and their desire to visit Moon Mountain was ignited into a passionate pursuit. As for me, I wasn’t sure whether the stories our ancestors had passed down were true or not. However, I couldn’t resist the urge to accompany my friends to Moon Mountain during the full moon. Leon had already left for the kingdom months ago, so staying in the pack without him was boring too so I quickly packed a few things and joined the group.

It was early in the morning when we began our ascent, but the weather on the mountain differed from what we were accustomed to in the pack. It was sunny during the day, but in the evening, unexpectedly, it started snowing. Taking shelter under a large tree, we waited for the snow to cease, but it persisted relentlessly. Despite our warm clothes, they gradually became ineffective against the freezing cold. Disheartened, everyone in our group decided to descend the mountain and return home. However, I remained determined to continue climbing the mountain.

“Orelia, climbing the mountain alone in this abnormal weather is very dangerous, especially for a young woman like you. Please don’t be stubborn and return to the pack with us,” my friend suggested repeatedly.

“It’s alright. I believe I can reach the summit before the full moon. You mentioned that today’s full moon is a rare occurrence, happening once every hundred years, right? I don’t want to miss the chance to make a wish to the moon goddess. Don’t worry about me; return to the pack safely. I’ll come back on my own after I’ve climbed the mountain,” I remarked, hoisting the small pack onto my back.

“Alright, if that’s what you truly want, we won’t stop you. I’m curious, why are you so fixated on today’s full moon? What desire do you have that you seek from the goddess? Perhaps you’re hoping to find your soulmate? You’re already ninteen, so finding a soulmate must be your motivation for climbing up!” They teased me.

I simply giggled in response, covered the scarf on my face where my eyes were only visible and continued on my way up the mountain, while they all descended.

Yes, it was true that I was desperate! None of my friends knew that I had already discovered my soulmate who was the soon-to-be Alpha of our pack. Meanwhile, I had concealed the fact that I had no wolf with me. For the past year, I had struggled to avoid attending full moon celebrations and shifting, offering various excuses. However, hiding it was becoming increasingly difficult, and pack members were growing suspicious. I feared that once my secret was exposed, I could be expelled from the pack. So, my sole desire to the moon goddess was to bless me with my wolf. I longed to have my counterpart like others and experience the mate bond with Leon. Like him, I wanted to recognize him as my soulmate and run through the woods with him in our wolf forms during the full moon. That’s why I couldn’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers and prayed to the moon goddess on this special full moon.

Despite my exhaustion and the eerie darkness surrounding me, my desire propelled me onward. As I ascended, the snowfall intensified, chilling me to the bone. The stories seemed true; the path to Moon Mountain was indeed arduous. Taking brief breaks every kilometer, I persevered until finally, I caught sight of the peak of the mountain.

Thrilled, I gazed upon the breathtaking sight of the full moon shining brightly in the sky, and my heart swelled with joy. I had made it!

I raised my legs to start running, but the thick snow made it difficult for me to move swiftly. After a few seconds of running, I collapsed to my knees, my cheeks flushed and lips curved into a smile as I clasped my hands together to pray to the goddess for my wolf. However, before I could utter a prayer, a growl pierced my ears, sending shivers down my spine.

I opened my eyes wide in terror. What… what was that? Frozen in place for a moment, I realized it was coming very close to me. Something dangerous and enraged. Forcing my muscles to move, I fearfully turned back, only to find a dangerous dark woods that was all around me.The sounds of growling and fighting among wolves grew louder with each passing second, sending shivers down my spine. Cold sweats broke out on my skin. Had I unknowingly intruded into someone’s territory? Nowhere in the stories was a mention of wolves on the mountain.

My instincts screamed in my brain, warning me that whatever lay beyond those dark woods was extremely dangerous. Without hesitation, I sprang to my feet and began sprinting down the mountain. However, after only a few meters, I came to an abrupt halt when I noticed the white snow was tainted with something red. Raising my head, I scanned my surroundings and realized that all the snow around me was red—it was blood!

My eyes widened in shock and fear, my heart leaping into my mouth, as I spotted five large wolves lying dead in different corners. Their bodies were torn apart, faces disfigured, and some even missing their heads. Who could have killed them so mercilessly? Was it a beast who killed him? But I had no time to dwell on that thought when I could be in danger myself if the killer was still around. I raised my legs once again to run, but something odd behind a large tree caught my eye.

Hesitantly, I approached the figure, only to discover that it was a man. He sat against the tree, his eyes closed and his body covered in blood. He appeared injured and completely naked. Could it be that he was attacked by those wolves? But was he dead too? His facial features were sharp and even in this state his aura was strong. He did not seem like a normal wolf.

I couldn’t resist the urge to raise my hand and cautiously bring my finger to his nose to check his breathing. Suddenly, he snapped his eyes open and grabbed my hand. The sudden movement startled me, and I let out a shocked scream. However, my voice was quickly silenced as a pair of beautiful golden-black eyes locked with my wide blue ones. He... he was so… breath-takingly handsome.

His intense gaze seemed to penetrate my soul. At that moment, I felt relieved that my face was covered with a scarf, leaving only my eyes visible to him. He appeared like a wounded tiger, more dangerous than anything I had ever encountered.

My heart pounded in my chest as my hand trembled in his tight grip. Suddenly, he moved and stabbed something behind me. The long iron rod went right past me, missing my face by an inch, and a trail of blood splattered onto my neck.

At that moment, I felt paralyzed, unable to comprehend what had just occurred. Slowly turning my head over my shoulder, I saw a large wolf lying dead on the ground, its chest impaled by the iron rod. It had been about to attack me from behind.

That man... he had saved my life?

I looked at him again, only to find his eyes closed once more, but this time he appeared not fainted, but dead.

“Are... are you alright?” I stammered, touching his arm and attempting to shake him, but he didn’t respond at all. Upon checking his breathing, I realized it was extremely weak.

Fear gripped my mind, rendering it blank. He had saved my life. If I left him here and he died, I would carry the burden for the rest of my life. He had saved me, so I couldn’t let him die.

“Don’t... don’t die,” I pleaded, summoning all my strength as I pulled him upright. With effort, I draped his strong arm around my shoulders and began to descend the mountain with him. His weight proved overwhelming, and my own weakness made it difficult to support him. After just a few minutes of walking, my legs gave out, and I knew I couldn’t continue. That’s when a hut caught my eye.

“How could there be a hut in these woods?” I murmured in surprise as I stared at it for a moment. “If there’s a hut, there must be someone who can help us!”

With that thought in mind, I struggled to drag the man to the hut. Upon reaching it, I found it strangely empty. With no other options, I laid the man on the ground and quickly shut the door to keep out the snow and cold.

Where could the occupants of the hut have gone? I rushed back to the man to check his breathing again. It felt extremely weak.

“Is he really dying?” My panic intensified as I felt utterly helpless. I couldn’t bear and turned to face the small window of the hut where the full moon was visible—I hadn’t even made my wish yet!

Joining my hands together, I closed my eyes and prayed desperately, “Goddess, please don’t let him die. I need to repay him for saving my life. If he dies, I’ll never forgive myself. Please help,” I pleaded with all my heart, sacrificing my wish to get my wolf before returning to the man.

He remained still, unmoving. Feeling utterly lost, I recalled what to do when this kind of situation comes. I had been assisting the doctor in our pack for years and had good knowledge. I lifted the scarf from my face slightly, gently opened his mouth, and began to give him my breath, my eyes tightly shut in shame.

Our lips touched, and my heart began to race wildly in my chest. I couldn’t believe what I was doing. It was the first time in my life that my lips had touched a man other than Leon. However, I was trying to save a life, so it couldn’t be counted as cheating. That’s what I told myself.

Desperately, I continued to give him my breath for a minute until I felt his lips moving as if he were kissing me. Alarmed, I pulled away from his lips, only to find that his eyes were still closed, but he had regained his breathing.

Was it only my imagination? I wondered as I put my hand over my lips that was still hidden behind my scarf. But I was relieved that he was still alive. I couldn’t help but eye his handsome face and strong build. He had a broad face with a sharp nose and jawline. His fair skin and red lips were exceptionally beautiful, unlike any man I had ever seen. Even in an unconscious state, he exuded an intimidating presence, as if he were not from this world. Then next my eyes went to dangerous thing between his leg.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat at his size. I quickly tore my gaze away from him. As a unmated she-wolf eyeing a naked man was not a good for me. However, he lay on the cold ground naked, and if left there, he could succumb to the elements. My overcoat wouldn’t be sufficient to cover him.

Glancing around the hut, I noticed some peculiar supplies stored there, prompting me to get up and investigate. Upon rummaging through the stocks, I was surprised to find blankets, food, and water. Each item bore a familiar royal seal. It dawned on me that this hut was originally intended for soldiers guarding the mountain, but where had they disappeared to? Could they have used it occasionally?

Realizing that the supplies bore a royal mark, I knew I couldn’t use them. Instead, I covered the man with two warm blankets after wiping the blood off his body with water and a clean cloth. He was injured, so the royal guard wolves would understand his situation well.

When I finished tending to him, I settled into a corner of the hut and gazed at the man for a while before shifting my gaze to the small window. The night had only just begun, and I found myself stuck with an injured stranger—a stranger who felt more dangerous than the gloomy night itself. Lost in thought, I didn’t realize when I began to doze off.

I couldn’t say how much time had passed when sudden strange noises jolted me awake.

Blinking, I noticed that the snowfall had intensified into a storm, and the man who had been sleeping was now sweating and shivering uncontrollably.

“Oh no!” I exclaimed, rushing closer to check on him. How long he had been in this state? His body felt as cold as ice. “If this continues, he will die,” I realized, and quickly began rubbing his palms.

I rubbed and rubbed, but he continued to sweat endlessly, and the action of rubbing his hand didn’t seem to affect him at all, which worried me deeply.

“I need more blankets to warm him,” I murmured to myself, preparing to stand up and fetch them. But suddenly, my hand was grabbed and pulled down.

Startled, I fell atop his body, and his strong arms enveloped me. I gasped, frozen by his powerful embrace. Why... why did he suddenly...?

My whole body shivered, and I looked up at him. His eyes were still closed, and he had stopped shivering from the cold, but he was... holding me.

“Let me go! Let go!” I panicked, struggling to break free from his hold, but his grip only tightened, adding to my already panicked state.

After several attempts and using all my strength, I managed to break free from his grasp. Terrified by what he had done even in an unconscious state, I couldn’t bear to stay with him any longer. With trembling hands, I grabbed my backpack and rushed towards the door, desperate to escape before I got into any more trouble. However, my feet froze on the doorstep when I heard him breathing.

Looking back, I realized he had once again started sweating, and the cold was dominating him. The moment he had saved me crossed my mind, and my heart grew heavier with guilt. I dropped to my knees, unable to run away and leave him to die there. Cautiously, moving to his side, I stared at him, clenching my sweaty palms.

He had calmed down when he had hugged me, but as soon as our bodies drew apart, his condition worsened. Could it be that he could be saved if...

My heart leapt into my throat, and I instinctively covered my mouth with my hand. I couldn’t possibly do it with a stranger, especially when I had a soulmate. But he had saved my life, and at the same time, I was a nurse. Saving people’s lives had always been my first choice, but was I truly ready for it?

I sat there without moving for a long time, watching his condition grow more and more critical until I could no longer bear it. With shaking hands, I lifted his blanket and slipped into it beside him. As soon as I did, his hands immediately wrapped around my body, pulling me into his chest, our bodies touching completely.

I closed my eyes tightly, unable to believe that I had finally gotten into bed with a stranger. But it was the only way to save his life. I lay in his hold like a statue while he softly brushed his entire body against mine, sharing the heat from my body. Due to our proximity, I could smell his scent, which was very manly and...

I tried to distract my mind and think about Leon, but the man’s groaning in my ear was so s****l and provocative that I couldn’t seem to focus. The strange sensation his proximity and touches aroused in my whole being was completely new to me.

My breathing became uneven, my n*****s hardened against the fabric I wore, and strange tinglings started between my legs. Suddenly, he buried his face in my neck, practically pinning me under him. My eyes widened, and I wanted to push him away, but I couldn’t move a muscle. My whole body was being rubbed against his, and I could feel every part of him. It reached a point where my body betrayed me. A soft moan escaped from my lips involuntarily. Instantly, I bit my lips and closed my eyes tightly, wishing for him to stop. But he grew bolder and bolder.

I was ashamed of my own reaction. How could I moan with a stranger’s touch? It was strange and unbelievable for me. It wasn’t like me.

I didn’t know how long he continued touching me, but when I opened my eyes, I was shocked to find myself sleeping in the arms of a stranger. I tilted my head slowly to find him sleeping, and I was still in his strong arms. His body was no longer cold, and his breathing was stable too.

Confirming that he was no longer in danger and would be fine, I slowly slipped out from under the blanket. Without making a noise, I grabbed my backpack, opened the door of the hut, and then ran away without looking back.

My whole body was shivering, even though the snow had stopped. I was sweating like crazy. I had done something insane. I had shared my body heat with a stranger, which was a sin for an unmated she-wolf like me who already had a soulmate.

When I successfully returned to the Earth Moon Pack, I didn’t tell anyone what happened on the Moon Mountain. My friends were curious about what I wished for from the goddess, and all I could do was smile. I sealed my mouth and tried to forget about it every day until one day, gossip about the ruthless and insane Crown Prince spread throughout the pack.

The glass dropped from my hand, and I slid to the ground in horror when I heard about the Crown Prince. He was the one and only werewolf in the history of the royal family who was born with golden black eyes.

With a fair and smooth complexion like snow, he was breathtakingly handsome, but more than that, he hated women. I couldn’t believe that the man from that night was the Crown Prince. I had spent the night with him, shared my body heat with him that he must have repulsed by it.

As I had a nightmare of that night, I jolted out of my unconscious state only to find myself in a room that was definitely not mine. Alarmed, I sat up in bed, wondering where I was. It was definitely not the Earth Moon Pack, but my small pack was sitting in the corner of the room.

The memory of me coming to the kingdom in search of Leon, being chased by the brothel wolves, and then Prince Kingsley ’s appearance crossed my mind. I... I saw him. He was there! But why? And why did he say… he found me…

A very bad feeling arose in my heart, and I immediately jumped out of bed, grabbed my luggage, and ran towards the door. But as soon as I opened it, a figure standing 6′2" tall stood in front of my 5′8" frame.

“Are you running away again?” a deep and heavy voice resonated in my ears, far sexier than any voice I had heard in my whole life. My pack dropped from my hand in horror when I saw the person in front of me was none other than Prince Kingsley .

“P... Prince...” I took a step back, realizing he recognized me, even though I had a scarf over my face that night.

“I asked you something,” he stated, his aura growing sharper, indicating he was ready to kill me. Startled, I clenched my dress at my side.

“I... I apologize for that night, my Prince. I committed a sin!” I couldn’t help but nearly cry. I was afraid. Afraid of death.

I couldn’t understand how I ended up in the hands of the Prince when I was supposed to find Leon.

Suddenly, he took a step closer to me and questioned, “What are you apologizing for?”

I looked up at him with teary eyes. Did he want me to confess my sin before he killed me? “I... I didn’t know you were a prince. I wanted to repay you for saving my life, and I am a nurse too. So I shared my...” I bit my lip, fearing to say the word “body heat.” “I wanted to treat you, but I didn’t know...”

“Shhh...” he suddenly put his finger under my chin and raised my chin up. “You say you treated me, but it turned out you made me sicker...”

“What?” My eyes widened at the accusation.

“And since you are responsible for it, then how about treating me completely?”

I couldn’t dare to ask how I made him sick, so I asked, “H... how?”

He softly took my hand in his and put it over his manhood, “It stands up only with your touch…”

My face turned pale and my heart skipped a beat.

“From now on you will be my doctor, seeing as only you can be my cure…”