Elyana
Silence.
That was odd.
"Mr. Whiskers, give me five more minutes." She muttered, her voice slightly muffled by the blanket partially covering her face.
Nothing. Still, no response.
Normally, her cat should be waking her up at this time like clockwork, making all those crazy hissing sounds, or just marching those tiny paws around her head, but her feline friend seemed to be neglecting its duty as its absence filled the void.
"Hmm!"
Her ears perked up as she listened to her surroundings, but the room remained deadly quiet. Not even a peep.
Now, she was slightly concerned as her spider sense tingled, telling her that something seemed to be out of place.
"Mr. Whiskers, what are you up to now?" She opened her eyes, dragging the blanket off her face, as if it had been just another ordinary morning.
Except, it was not.
Scrubbing her eyes, she sat up and gradually noticed that everything appeared strange.
The abstract painting on the wall, the bright light beaming from the tiny opening between the thick curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the expensive furnishings, the unfamiliar design of the room, and most importantly, the clothes scattered everywhere.
Wait! Where am I?
It was certainly not her room.
What happened last night?
Burying her face in the palm of her hands, she squeezed her brain tightly.
In a flash, images flooded her mind, reminding her of the party. Sandy and her friends. Shots after shots. Loud music and non-stop dancing. And then?
Movement.
Something stirred on her left, causing the bed to shift. Then, she heard it. Faint, but it was audible.
Breathing and a low, gravelly groan.
In a split second, she discovered that she was not alone. But that was not the worst part. She was also naked underneath the sheets.
"Fuck!" Like a frightened cat, she gathered her blanket and jumped out of bed as a man appeared in her peripheral vision.
"What the hell!" She mildly paced the floor as she cautiously watched the sleeping giant.
Well, he was huge. At least compared to her 5'6" height and slim form.
And surprisingly attractive, as her eyes feasted on those broad shoulders, athletically built chest, well-defined abs, and a V-line that disappointingly disappeared underneath the sheets.
Who the heck was he?
What the hell did she do last night?
"Oh, my!"
Images of her, throwing herself at him. Kissing him. And so much more.
"Damnit, Elyana." Like a scalded cat, she snatched the first cloth lying on the floor once she realized what she had done. But she briskly threw it away, seeing that it was his pants.
With stealthlike movement, she tiptoed her way around the room, picking up her dress at the foot of the bed, her brassiere hanging by the lamp, and her shoes by the door.
After putting her clothes back on, she walked into his side of the bed, debating whether to leave him a note.
"Goodbye. I hope we don't see each other again." Eventually, she decided not to.
One last look at his handsome face, she turned and strode toward the door, where she found her robe and mask lying on the floor. Without a second thought, she put them on, using her disguise to conceal her identity.
"No names. No faces." Remembering Sandy's words.
Although she had already seen his face, she seriously doubted that they would ever bump into each other again. Soon enough, he would be just a distant memory. Then, forgotten.
And if ever she did bump into him, she believed there was no way that he would recognize her.
Armed with that knowledge, she exited the room and made her way out of that hotel building, ignoring the glances that came her way.
A few moments later, a taxi dropped her off at the front steps of her house, back at home. Safe and sound.
Not as if she had been in any physical danger. But the anxiety was real. After all, she had just literally come back from her walk of shame.
"Last night was a mistake." It would never happen again.
It was a night that she should put aside, bury in the past, and better forget.
With a great resolve, she moved forward, opening the front door, ready to face a new day, which should not be much different from any other day.
"Where have you been?"
From staring at the marble floors, her face abruptly tilted up to the source of the familiar voice.
"Dad?" She gasped in surprise, seeing a man sitting in his favorite chair by the living room, as if he had been waiting for her for hours. "When did you get back?" Stopping by the other end of the couch, watching his father drink his preferred coffee.
Typically, her father never returned for at least a week from a business trip.
So, did he come back because he suddenly remembered her birthday?
A smile readily crept up on her lips, brightening up her face at the thought that her father might still care.
"Where were you all night?" Her father asked, glancing at her with a stoic look. Like always, his eyes didn't give away any hint of how he felt.
In any case, his eyes raked her body from head to toe, probably recognizing the old, wrinkled dress that belonged to her mother.
"I was out with Sandy." The reaction was automatic. It was not a lie, but simply an omission of the entire truth. "She threw me a party." Stepping forward, she kissed her father on the cheek.
Although she was disappointed with her father, respecting him was still deeply ingrained in her veins.
Admittedly, she was still slightly hurt that he had forgotten. Deep inside, a part of her still wished her relationship with her father were as it was before. Just like when her mother was still alive.
"Oh, about that. Happy Birthday, my princess," It was her father's turn to hug and kiss her. "I thought we should have dinner tonight." He suddenly suggested, as if that was his way of making it up to her.
As if Christmas came early, she smiled, ecstatic that her father seemed to remember and would like to celebrate her birthday with her.
"Oh, I like that." Even if it was a couple of days too late, at least he was making an effort.
Right?
"Then, I'll see you tonight." Her father turned to leave the room, but before he could make another step, she stopped him.
"Dad, can we talk about what you said the other day?" She had to confess. It had been bothering her. "You know... what you said about Mom's death?" She clarified when his father gave her that blank look as if he had no idea what she was talking about.
The idea that what killed her mother was not a wild animal but something else seemed far-fetched. Nevertheless, she could not understand why his father would even say that.
He?
It was possible that the wolf was a male, but the way his father mentioned the beast felt like it was nothing like an ordinary wild animal.
Something didn't add up.
"It's nothing." He dismissed it as if it were not important. "Just forget about it." His voice was indifferent, giving her no room for argument.
"But, Dad..." She wanted to argue as she followed him with her eyes. "I know there is more to Mom's death that you're not telling me." She could feel it in her gut.
"Elyana... I think you're..." Then, her father stopped, his eyes darkened, as if the wheels in his head were turning. "Fine." He suddenly conceded. "Maybe it is time that you learn about the truth."
"Tonight. At dinner." Her father held her hand firmly in both of his. "We'll talk."
All she could do was nod in response, curious, excited, and afraid.
"I almost forgot." Her father added as if an afterthought before he walked away. "There is also someone I want you to meet. He'll be joining us tonight."
Caught off guard, it took her a few seconds to respond, "Who?" She shouted while staring at her father's retreating form.
"Your future husband."
What?
My what!