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.
22. Shinjitsu = Truth
Megumi was glad that Rin didn't live too far away from her.
She only had to walk 10 minutes before she could see his house. Standing by the entrance, she could see Rin's tall figure and sensing her presence, he turned around and walked right up to her.
He greeted her, "Hey."
Megumi could see how red his cheeks had gotten and could tell he had been waiting outside for her since they ended their call. She felt her heart clench. Megumi was incredibly grateful towards Rin that all the feelings she had been holding in could no longer be contained. She leaped into his arms holding him tight.
Rin's body stiffened from the shock, not knowing what was going on. His arms were left hanging in the air, not knowing what to do with them.
This was the first time Megumi had done this. He could feel her body shaking and for the first time since they'd met, he noticed how small she looked in his arms and without a second thought he wrapped his arms around her, bringing Megumi closer.
"What's wrong?" He worriedly asked.
Megumi shook her head indicating that she wasn't in he right mind to talk right now. Rin nodded his head in understanding giving her a chance to calm down.
Minutes later, Megumi pulled away from him. Her face was covered in tears and her eyes were bloodshot. Rin frowned at the sight of her face and brought his hands to her face, wiping some of the tears that were still rolling down her face.
"Hey it's cold out here, let's head inside okay?" He finally said.
Megumi nodded her head and let Rin lead her inside of his house.
Rin was grateful that his parents were away on a business trip and his little sister was already asleep.
The two went inside the house and Rin told Megumi to go up to his room while he boiled some water and made her some tea.
Megumi had been over to Rin's house many times before and so she knew which room was his. Rin's room was always neat and tidy which Megumi found comforting.
She sat on his bed and tried to calm herself down. Rin entered his room and pulled out a small table, placing the tea he had prepared in front of her.
He put two ice cubes inside the tea in order to bring the temperature down and make it easier for Megumi to drink, since she wasn't too good with hot drinks.
Megumi grabbed the cup and took a couple of sips before setting it down.
"So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or are you gonna shut me out again?" He said, with a tinge of resentment in his voice.
Megumi looked down, feeling guilty. She felt bad that she was keeping secrets from him but she didn't want to worry him with her problems. Plus she felt like he wouldn't understand what she was going through at all.
But she knew it wouldn't be fair to Rin if she kept quiet about everything considering how he was giving her a place to stay for the night.
So she took a deep breath and told him everything.
"...Wow." Was all Rin could manage to say.
Megumi nodded her head at his reaction. "Yeah, wow indeed." She laughed mirthlessly.
Looking at Rin who was still trying to wrap his head around everything Megumi had told him made her feel a little relieved.
She was glad she had someone with whom she could share this madness with.
"...To be honest, I am still incredibly confused but I know I don't want to be set up with some rando." She sighed.
"Yeah, I get what you mean. I mean, at least with...Kanae he's someone you know, albeit not that long but it beats a total stranger." He said reluctantly.
But I honestly don't think he's a better option. Rin thought to himself.
"I feel like there's a connection between Kanae and me already but a part of me keeps thinking I am being delusional. Plus Kanae hasn't acted any differently with me since it all happened."
"..."
"So what should I do?"
"I'm not really sure since I've never been in a situation like this before. I guess the only advice I can give you is to follow your gut and choose what's best for you. And I'm sure there's a reason why your parents keep pushing this dude on to you."
"You should try talking to them again and actually asking them for a reason. You can decide after hearing them out." He shrugged.
"Right, I guess I should've asked them instead of lashing out. But my mom drives me crazy sometimes that I immediately go on the defensive for everything. I mean the lady broke into my drawer and read my journal for crying out loud!"
"That's..."
"Some psychotic level shit." They both said in unison.
"Right?!" Megumi exclaimed. The both of them burst out laughing.
Megumi's mood was lifted and she was starting to feel like herself again.
"Thanks for listening Rin, seriously."
"No problem dude, that's what friends are for. Actually I should be thanking you for trusting me with all of this. And I'm sorry for acting like such a guy earlier."
Megumi shook her head, "No I was also in the wrong."
"Well let's forget about it. We've made up so that's all that matters. Are you staying the night?"
"Yeah if you don't mind. I don't think I can go home right now."
"Alright. At least text Taiga to let him know where you are but knowing him, he probably already does."
"Yeah, I'll still let him know."