Red Mark of Fate
"What's that smell?" Taiga asked her brusquely cutting her off. "What?" She could tell her brother was angry. This surprised her. He almost never got angry with her. What was his problem she thought. "Also where did you get this sweater. I don't remember ever seeing you wearing it." He asked again. Megumi could feel her heart beating out of her chest. She started to panic but quickly composed herself, putting on a poker face. "A friend let me borrow it okay, its not a big deal, get off my case." She said shrugging him off. But his grip on her arm got tighter. "No, that smell. It doesn't smell like Rin and I know you don't have any other friend's so who is it?" "What? Rude! I have other friends!" She said feeling offended, despite his words being the truth. " I swear to God Megumi, don't lie to me. Who gave this to you because the smell coming out of you is the scent of a prey, and a deer no less." Megumi cursed inwardly. She forgot how good her brother's sense of smell was. It almost rivalled her own. Megumi didn't bother trying to hide it, she couldn't lie to her brother anyway. "So what if it is? Where's the problem in that?" Her words seemed to anger her brother even more. "Where's the problem in that?! Megumi are you serious?" "Do you not realize how dangerous this is?" Megumi looked at him confused. Taira couldn't help sighing seeing how genuinely lost his sister was. "Having a deer's scent on you is a form of marking Megumi. It's a form of submission for wolves!" This revelation shocked Megumi almost beyond repair. "How can a wolf submit to its prey?!" In what world did that make sense? ************************************************************************************************** Megumi Ahane, born into a wealthy family and blessed with wolf genes resents the life she has to live. In a world where you are either prey or predator, Megumi finds herself in a conflicting position where she has to choose between rejecting the genes she was born with or giving in to fate. ************************************************************************************************** Note: This story takes place in a modern setting but has some fantastical elements to it. There are a couple of twists and turns as well as some betrayal but overall there's not too much toxicity between the protagonist and the male lead. This story is both short and sweet.
19. Daishinyuu = Best friend
It was already 5:30 PM, time went by in a flash.
The two teenagers had finished the first part of their project and were now heading home together. This time, Megumi made sure to bring her own sweater and made sure to return the sweater she had borrowed back to its rightful owner.
"Thanks again for the sweater." She said handing it to him. Though her tone seemed grateful, her face showed a complicated expression.
Kanae did not miss this but choose not say to anything. The two walked in comfortable silence before Kanae spoke up again.
"Hey, is everything alright with you and that guy?" he asked. Megumi turned to look at him surprised by his sudden interest in her.
Kanae looked away embarrassed, "Sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." He said.
Megumi couldn't help but stare at the boy in front of her. The slight pink hue that were painting his cheeks made him look even more adorable than usual. She couldn't help but think he was cute.
"No it's fine. I guess you saw how tense it was back there huh."
Kanae nodded.
"Ah, it's nothing really, just a little disagreement. Rin has always been the person I confide all of my problems with and I guess he's gotten use to that role...I had something I couldn't share with him for the first time. So when I told him to let it go, he was upset."
"I see. How long have you two known each other?"
"We've known each other since primary school, but we didn't become friends until middle school. I was pretty quiet and reserved as a kid and didn't have any friends back then. Rin was the first person to approach me. I would've normally turned him away but seeing how genuine he was, I gave in." She said with what looked like a shadow of a smile forming on her face.
This was the first time Kanae had ever seen even a semblance of a smile from Megumi. The thought of her smiling because of someone else annoyed him for reasons he couldn't comprehend.
"You guys seem so close I mistook the two of you as a couple." He honestly said.
"You aren't the first person to think that." She said, a look of sadness on her face.
Kanae's heart clenched at the sight.
"We are just friends. Rin is a great guy, I am honestly unworthy of him."
"I see." Was all Kanae could manage to say. Without the two even noticing, his light brown eyes, turned two shades darker.
They had finally arrived in front of Megumi's house and as she was about to say her goodbye's, she heard the sound of her door open and her mother racing out of the house.
She stoped at the gate glaring at her daughter. "Megumi! Do you know what time it is? Why are you home so late?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"U-uh mama, why are you out here, it's cold out and you don't have a sweater on." She said trying to divert her mother's attention.
"Oi, don't change the subject, why are you coming home when it's already dark out?" She asked again her voice even icier than before.
Megumi shivered unconsciously. "I-I had a project I was working on at the library."
"Never mind, we will discuss this inside, hurry and get in." She ordered.
And Megumi did just that but not before turning around and apologizing to Kanae with her eyes. The boy simply nodded, his face unchanged.
While Megumi went inside, Naoko eyed Kanae. She was sizing him up with sharp eyes. Her lips then formed a smile, but her eyes remained cold.
"Thank you for bringing my daughter home...uh?"
"Ito. Kanae Ito."
"Ah Ito-kun. Though I appreciate the gesture, you no longer have to go out of your way." Her words sounded sweet but they were clearly laced with venom.
She was very clearly giving him a warning and the perceptive Kanae read her loud and clear.
Who the hell does this woman think she is, he thought.
Kanae shot her an equally poisonous smile, his tone sounding disingenuous.
"No worries m'mam, it was no trouble at all."
He left but not before seeing the murderous intent in her eyes.
Wah, what a scary woman he thought while chuckling to himself.