The Lycan’s Bride

Chapter 3: Incompatible

“Are you sure you’re alone?” I inquired. I have been asking him the same question for the nth time, and not because I don’t want to believe him but because I just want to tease him. I can see his brow twitching while trying to keep a straight face. “Well, I can see the reason why there’s no one else in that fortress but you,” I added to tease him more.

“We should hurry,” he replied. “We need to fill that foul mouth of yours something so you can shut up already,” he added, speeding up. He went through the forest without even checking if I was able to follow him.

“Jerk,” I murmured, running just to keep up with him. As I enter the forest, I was again captivated by its beauty.

There are colorful plants and wild flowers around. The leaves and plants are vibrant green and butterflies and other insects are flying around, something I wasn’t able to see back in the human realm. The whole forest smells like a mixture of floral and herbal scents. The most prominent scent I can smell is the scent of wet mosses and decomposing leaves, and it gets stronger the deeper we go into the forest.

“My sandals,” I mumbled when the only footwear I brought in this world snapped. I looked at Cragore and he didn’t stop; he did not give a dámn about it. I cursed under my breath before I took it off and decided to just carry it. The lower part of my white dress is already wet and dirty. “My dress...” I could not help but to pout when I realized I brought nothing with me aside from the ones I am wearing.

I looked at Cragore and he was already way too far. “Wait!” I screamed and started running barefoot. I winced when my feet stepped on something hard and sharp. When I looked down, I noticed that my other foot is bleeding.

I bit my lower lip when the wound started to sting. I looked in the direction where I last saw Cragore but he was no longer there. “Forget about that jerk,” I whispered, sitting on the ground and checking on my foot. The wound seems deep and the bleeding won’t just stop.

My knees weakened just by looking at all the blood that has been coming out from it.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. “I need to stop the bleeding,” I murmured, looking at my dress. I shook my head and closed my eyes before I ripped a part of it and used it to put pressure on my wound and tie it. I groaned when I tied it tightly.

I was slightly panting when I finished it. I tried getting up but my knees are really weak and my foot hurts for me to be able to stand properly.

I looked around to see if there is anyone around to help me, but all I saw were trees and plants. The only person who can help me already left me and certainly doesn’t care about me because it seems like he doesn’t need to unseal his power anymore since there’s no reason for him to stay on guard against the dryads.

I sighed, clutching my hands. “Fúck!” I screamed loudly, echoing all over the forest. I don’t care if anyone hears that. “Fúck this life! Fúck everyone! Fúck you, you fúcking lizard!” My throat hurt a little and my shoulders were going up and down after screaming all my frustrations away. I bit my lower lip and grabbed on the nearest tree to help myself stand but I tripped and fell again, hurting my feet and butt. I grunted and cursed, hitting the ground with my balled hands.

“I told you not to call me a lizard.”

I looked behind me and got even madder when I saw him just standing and looking at me. I balled my hand with some soil on it. “You!” I screamed, throwing him the dirt. “This is all because of you!” I added, looking at him with blame and anger.

He just looked at me and let me vent my frustrations. He did not even dodge when I threw him dirt. And it made me madder, more frustrated.

“Are you done?” he asked, taking a step forward and getting on his knees to level our faces. “Have you let everything out?”

I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh to control myself. I can feel my blood boiling even worse. My rage is consuming me and I just want to punch him in the face. “You really have what it takes to get into every single nerve I have,” I told him with gritted teeth.

“Fúck you,” I murmured, shaking my head. “Just help me up, will you?”

He just nodded before he carried me.

“I said help me up not carry me!” I complained and tried to go down but he didn’t let me. He pulled me closer to his chest and held my waist and legs tightly.

“It’s more convenient this way. We need to get there as soon as possible, and if I let you walk with a wounded foot, you’ll just slow us even more,” he replied without looking at me.

“Put me down,” I said with weight in every word I uttered. “Put me down or I’ll scream,” I warned him but he didn’t listen. He continued walking as if he didn’t hear me.

I scoffed. “You’re really testing me,” I murmured and started screaming. I don’t care if my throat will hurt after this because I want to show him that it wasn’t just a threat.

“If you won’t shut up, I’ll silence you in a way you will never like,” he warned but I didn’t listen. I continued screaming and even made sure to make it high-pitched so it will hurt his ears more. “I already warned you,” he said before putting a bunch of leaves in my mouth. “Shut up and chew on that herbs,” he added.

“You!” I screamed and struggled. “I hate you!” I hysterically screamed.

“You’re really getting on my nerves,” he said. “I hate noisy people you know,” he added before dropping me on the ground.

I groaned when my butt hit the ground. I looked at him and he was looking down at me. His eyes still show no emotions. “It would be better if you just wait here while I get some supplies,” he said before turning around. “Don’t even try to leave this place or you’ll meet creatures that are far more horrible than your nightmares,” he added then left.

I immediately looked around after hearing what he said.

“He’s just joking, right?” I mumbled, moving closer to a tree and resting my back on it while keeping my eyes around me. Suddenly, my senses were heightened and I became too sensitive to everything I hear around me that I flinch and had my guard up.

I stayed under the tree for minutes and waited for him to return. And I have never been that relieved when I saw him walking towards me with two baskets in both hands.

“Let’s go,” he said, passing through me.

I watched him and waited for him to say anything but he didn’t. He just kept on walking so I had no choice but to force myself to stand and walk just so I would not be left behind. I was wincing at each step I did. I even bit my lower lip just so I would not groan in pain.

“W-Wait!” I shouted, and that was the only time he stopped walking.

He turned around to face me; looked at me from head to toe before letting out a sigh. He then walked back to me, turned around, and bent over. “Get on,” he monotonously said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

He sighed and was about to stand up when I stopped him by placing both of my hands on his shoulder. “F-Fine, I’ll do it,” I said, slowly wrapping my arms around his neck.

He stood up and held both of my legs to support my weight. He did that while carrying two full baskets.

“T-Thanks,” I whispered and rested my face on his shoulder and that’s when his scent got into my nose. I don’t really know how to describe his scent, but it reminds me of honey and mint. I could not stop sniffing him in secret.

“Will you please stop it?” he said out of nowhere. “I feel violated,” he added and I instantly knew what he was trying to say.

I instantly felt all my blood rushing to my face. “W-What are you talking about?” I responded, trying to keep myself calm and composed.

“I can hear the sound your nose makes when you sniff my neck,” he replied. “It’s creeping me out. I feel like you’ll bite me anytime.”

“Y-You!” I was about to hit him when I realized he is doing me a favor so I chose to save it for later when we get back.

I stayed quiet until we reached the fortress.

“We’re here,” he informed, bending over.

I got off him. “Thank you,” I told him since I am not that heartless and shameless to not appreciate what he did for me. But I still hate him though.

He just nodded and left me with the baskets. “Eat whatever you want,” he said, walking away. “Everything in those baskets is yours,” he added before leaving.

I checked the baskets and there were fruits, vegetables, eggs, and even meats. “These are enough,” I mumbled, carrying the baskets to the kitchen and ignoring the pain I feel in my feet because all of my attention was focused on my hunger.

When I reached the kitchen, I checked the tools and all the equipment I will use, but to my dismay, all I found were old ones covered in dust and cobwebs. “When was the last time these were used?” I muttered, slowly shaking my head. “Whatever, these can still be used,” I convinced myself and was about to wash them when there was no water source around.

“Oh, God!” I exclaimed, looking for something I could use to fetch some water. “This place is as dead as that lizard!”

I don’t know how I was able to do all those things with a hurt foot and an empty stomach, but I did. I fetched water from a deep well and used it to wash the tools and equipment, made fire using firewood, and then prepared breakfast and almost blacked out during the process because of extreme hunger.

“Breakfast never felt this good,” I said with my eyes closed, munching the boiled egg. I feel like crying because it feels like I haven’t eaten anything for a long time.

I wanted to have something fried, but there was no oil around so I settled with boiled and grilled foods. I guess I have to go to that dryad community and look for ingredients myself because that lizard jerk doesn’t really care about me.

I will make sure he will regret making me feel unneeded. I will give him headaches. I will annoy him until he pleads with the divine creator to just bring me back to my realm because I am nothing but a pain in his áss.