Chapter 7

NIRVANA

I felt so cold, my chin trembling.

I was in my pajamas, barefooted, and walking in the woods alone in the dark. I couldn't remember how I ended up in this place, but I had a feeling I was lost.

I wrapped my arms around my body when chilly air seeped through my bones.

My body shivered, and my breath steamed as I mindlessly walked through the dirt path. Then, a big gray wolf appeared before me.

I stood frozen.

My heart hammered as its dark eyes narrowed, and the rings around the irises glowed golden as if it just found its prey.

I'd never seen a wolf so big before, taller, more robust, standing with pride, its fur shining against the darkest night.

The wolf prowled, growling, exposing its long, sharp, white fangs.

"Don't hurt me!" I jolted up in bed from a dead sleep, drenched with sweat, still catching my breath. My heart pumped so hard in my chest till it was so uncomfortable.

And my dream felt so real.

"Oh, thank God." I wiped off the beads of sweat all over my forehead and neck.

I was beyond relieved that it was just a bad dream. I tried hard not to think of what I saw back in the vineyards—scratch that.

There were things I didn't know existed in this world that could not be seen through the naked eye or what lurked in the dark out there. Who knew those myths and those monsters in the movies were true, or some kind of government experiments gone bad? —or something supernatural.

When I arrived back home, despite the constant knots in my stomach and sharp stabbing pain in my chest, I Googled a lot. My search history was funny. If someone saw it, they thought I was about to write a paranormal fiction. Most results, I found nothing useful other than fiction books, series on TV and movies, Gamepedia, and Fandoms.

I couldn't find concrete evidence that werewolves existed or that a man could shapeshift into a wolf, except for the myths and folklore. Or facts were filtered on the internet by the government agencies.

I still didn't believe they existed, though. Maybe the shadow behind those vines was playing tricks with my eyes, and I saw things because I was angry.

I got up from bed and went to the bathroom. After I washed my face and brushed my teeth, I looked at myself in the mirror. When I briefly closed my eyes, I could still see the image of that wolf and Knight, the jerk.

"Gah. I'm going crazy." I hadn't told anyone, even Grandpa. I didn't want him to think I was going insane with the idea that some mythical or supernatural creature existed.

I was just about to go to the kitchen when someone just lunged at me and hugged me tight, making me yelp in shock.

"Ouch. Did you just elbow me?"

My heart was in my throat when I faced Kailin. My eyes grew big. "What the hell?"

"Is that how you say hello to me now?" She was smiling from ear to ear.

"What are you doing here?" I pulled her into a hug.

"I feel bad." She dragged a chair and sat in there while I was waiting for the reason why she was here in my kitchen.

"I'm happy to see you here, K, but aren't you supposed to be in Cali?"

"I know Knight has something to do with why you left. Tell me exactly what he said to you, Vana."

I just left her a note that I had to leave. I knew it was unfair, but she was close to her cousin, and I didn't want to cause a rift between them. Family was the most important thing for them. I could see it now.

"It has nothing to do with him. I'm sorry if I didn't wait till you woke up. But why are you here in New York, K?" I sat next to her. "Coffee?"

"Don't bother. I got it covered."

"What are you doing here?" I demanded when I couldn't get a concrete answer I wanted. I wished it had nothing to do with my sudden disappearance in the vineyards, but I bet this topic would be discussed.

"Knight is visiting Blackwell Firm, and since I'm his assistant, I came with him and used his card to book a suite for myself."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You book a suite for yourself?"

"That's what we agreed upon, or I'll leave the vineyards, stay with you, and find a job."

"Huh." That was all I could say.

"He's loaded anyway. He has a penthouse here. He can stay there or book a suite for himself, but I didn't." Of course, it wouldn't be a surprise, but Knight, besides his nasty, gruesome attitude, seemed grounded.

Before I could reply, a knock on the door interrupted us.

"That's our coffee." Kailin rose to her feet and went to the door. Since she was my roommate, she still had keys to our apartment, even if she left months ago.

I was about to get up when I heard a familiar voice from my small living area. I was curious to know if it was still a remnant of my dream. I went to see if what I heard was right.

"Be nice, or I swear to—" Kailin warned Knight when they noticed me.

Knight almost knocked me off guard, towering in my living room. He seemed to have taken the positive energy in the vicinity when he was around. He looked smolderingly handsome, and it pained me to admit that he really had a spectacular specimen.

Knight was wearing an expensive blue Italian tailored suit, and he was a sight for sore eyes and highly pleasing as if he had just walked out from a men's suit runway. And he knew he pulled it off too well.

"Nirvana." I thought he smiled. Yeah, he did really smile. A small curve appeared on his full lips.

"Knight, welcome to my humble abode. I know it's nothing much to look around, but I call it home, and I don't kick out people I welcomed in the middle of the night." I smiled politely. Too polite, he almost cringed.

His smile was gone. Damn. I already missed it.

"You kicked her out?" Kailin growled in anger.

"Hey." I caught her wrist. "It's fine. And it was my decision to leave."

"Apologize now, Knight," Kailin said aggressively at her cousin, whose mood just soured.

He met Kailin's angry stare without blinking, no words as if talking through their minds, and as if Kailin was challenging his authority. His eyes narrowed further, his jaw ticked, and I could feel his anger radiating through him.

It passed a minute, and none of them tried to back down. And the silence in the apartment turned hostile.

"Guys, that won't be necessary. Water under the bridge." I picked up a coffee cup on the coffee table and sipped it.

They didn't badge, so I had to do something. "Guys, if you wanna keep your staring contest, I'm leaving. Unlike you, I got a job, and I have to go to the restaurant to work for my bills." I left them and went to the kitchen.

"Vana?" Kailin followed me.

I faced her. "I'm fine, K. Honestly, I'm good, but why is your cousin here?"

"I know he's the reason why you left without telling me."

"I don't wanna talk about it, K."

"You're my best friend, and I want you to be okay with him."

"As long as I won't see his face every day." I rolled my eyes when I felt Knight standing behind me.

"Just have patience for a day because we're having lunch at your grandpa's restaurant."

"I can do that." I turned around. Knight was still having the same expression on his face. "Do you have something to say to me, Knight?"

"Nothing."

"Right. Thank you for being honest."

We stared at each other for a moment, and his gaze was smoldering. I felt he had something to say but held it hard through his clenched jaw.

I looked at Kailin. "I need to shower. If you wanna stay and maybe entertain my guest for a few minutes, your room is the same as how you left it." I smiled. "I'm happy you're here, K."

"I'm leaving. I have business to attend," Knight said flatly. Gosh, how could he be so dick but still hot?

"Very well. You know how you get in. I'm sure you know how to find your way out."