Yes! I decided to name the chapters from now on.

Stay home! Stay Safe!

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WATER-

This should have been first. Water is as essential to us as oxygen. It boosts skin health and it helps in maintaining the blood pressure and body temperature. It prevents kidney damage and constipation.

I am sure everyone, everywhere tells you to drink water. Listen to them!

I did not. Not when I was a child. I started seriously drinking water only when I was in college. But by then I had started getting skin related problems.

It's recommended to drink seven litres of water a day, but to this day I cannot do it. I can manage around 4-5 litres. I drink hot water only because I get sick if I continuously drink cold water.

So yeah... Keep a water bottle with you always and it goes, wherever you go!

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"Attraction is not an option. "
― Neil Strauss

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CHAPTER 03 – ARCTIC BLUE EYES

The next two days Cyane realized how stupid she had been in escaping from Bardo or the hospital because right now, she was in the real world and to live in the real world, one needed money and Cyane didn't have any of it!

After leaving the hospital— without paying the bills— Cyane had gone to a hotel and eaten some French fries but when the hotel staff had come to know she had no money, she had to give them her engagement ring.

The price of the real gemstone in that ring was way more than a plate of fries but she had no other option. It was the only piece of jewellery she had other than her earrings and she refused to sell her earrings. Her conscience also refused to toy with the idea of using the princess card or steal from others.

She would cope! She swore to herself. She would find a way to live by herself because she didn't want to go back to either of her grandparents. She still hadn't forgiven them and she won't... not until she finds out the complete truth as to who killed her parents and why!

Her stomach grumbled again and she kicked away the dried leaves near her feet, as she sat under an age-old banyan tree. The first day, she had been roaming around the city until she had caught sight of a couple of wolves. Knowing how easy it could be for Bardo's men to come after her, she had escaped and had been hiding in the woods since then.

Cyane didn't know where exactly she was. Scevola or Aelius? What she did know was that she preferred this than going back to the castle!

A smile curved on her lips when she taught how her grandmamma would react if she saw her like this.

Yolanda had provided Cyane with fresh clothes and now, she was wearing a legging and an over-sized t-shirt. One of the nurses had taken pity on her when she didn't have any shoes and then passed on a pair of flip-flops.

Cyane knew she didn't have to do all this because she was only hurting herself but right now, she didn't need anyone. All she wanted was to stew in silence! And maybe have some food...

"Ow!" Cyane winced when something hit her head and she looked up to see a golden-eyed gorilla on top of a branch.

She smiled when she noticed he had a handful of fruits. She picked up the fig he had thrown on her head and ate it not bothering about hygiene. Twirling around an aerial root, the gorilla dropped down beside her and dumped the fruits on her lap.

"S'efharistó, Kýrios Black," she told him as he once again shifted to his cat form, which was her favourite. "You want some?" she asked passing him the guava.

He shook his head and walked around, while she sat down and munched on the delicious fruits. Cyane was grateful to have Mr Black by her side because she knew she could trust him. He never lied or betrayed her. That might be because he cannot talk and is only a shape-shifter who can shift into any animal form of his own will.

She had first found him in the forests of Sylvan a few months after her parent's death. Taking an immediate liking to the black cat, she had picked him up and taken him home. Her grandmamma had flatly refused to allow her to keep a pet and a tearful Cyane had handed him to her guards so that they could drop him back in the woods.

However, she had been in for a pleasant surprise when she had found him in her bedroom window sill the next morning. When she had learnt what he was, she had promised to herself to keep his secret and throughout the years, she had successfully managed to hide him from her family.

He was not just her pet; he was also her friend. The only real friend in this world!

As she was feasting on some berries, she heard the thud-thud sounds of feet hitting the ground while sprinting on full speed. Without wasting a second, she dropped the fruits from her lap and soared up to cling on the nearest branch, while Mr Black turned into a raven and flew up to perch on the same branch.

Cyane held her breath and closed her eyes when she heard the footsteps approaching closer.

When she heard the barking sounds, her eyes flew open and she looked down to see two wolves running ahead. One with white fur was leading, while another with light brown fur was following close behind.

They weren't normal mountain wolves. They were werewolves and Cyane spotted the difference not just because of their size, but also because of the abnormal speed in which they were running.

Cyane let out a breath when they were out of her sight but stiffened again when she heard two more wolves approaching.

One of them was brown, the same as the earlier one, while another was running in his human form beside the wolf.

They were racing each other, Cyane did not doubt that!

She sighed when all the wolves were out of sight and looked at Mr Black, who seemed anxious. She ran her fingers over his wings to soothe him.

Then she heard it!

Another thud-thud of footpads hitting the ground as dried leaves flew behind. She saw the wolf approaching from a distance and her brows furrowed because the scent disturbed her. Larger and faster than others, this one was agile and had a mix of grey and white fur.

Cyane took in a deep breath inhaling his scent— that had her insides fluttering— before exhaling with a dazed look as he leapt.

The wolf came to an abrupt halt near the tree trunk, sending dried leaves and twigs flying all around. As the wolf scanned the area, Cyane held her breath and pretended to be a stone. She watched him sniff the fruits and circle the trunk.

The grey wolf looked around in all directions before walking a couple of steps ahead. Cyane straightened in her place and it caused some of the leaves to flutter violently.

She stopped moving but realized a bit too late that her action had already attracted attention because the wolf stopped and then slowly began to shift into a human.

Cyane watched in fascination as peach-toned skin replaced the fur while the wolf shifted back into his human form.

Over the years she had trained and fought with several wolves, but she had never seen them shifting back and watching this particular wolf, whose scent had a strange effect on her senses, she couldn't stop staring.

Her heart thumped in her chest and her eyes widened when she saw the tattoo on his right shoulder blade. The intricate drawing of a wolf, climbing an invisible mountain. The tattoo was done carefully and beautifully, giving importance to every single detail, including the claws and once again, Cyane appreciated the talent even though she disliked any kind of body art.

He raised to stand upright and Cyane's lips parted company because it was also the first time in her life that she was watching a full-grown naked man and this particular specimen was an unforgettable sight to behold!

Her violet eyes drifted over the neatly cropped brown curls in his head, ran over his muscular shoulders, to the tattoo and the length of his strong, stiff back before moving down to well-toned buttocks and muscles all over.

Cyane meant to look away and move to another branch, but unable to take her eyes off him, she bent sideways and as she leaned, she held her breath and tried to hold on to something to support herself, but missed and caught unprepared, she hit the ground even before she could spread her wings.

Groaning, she sat up and closed her eyes in pain because her left arm hurt badly. Softly massaging the injured elbows and arm with her other hand, Cyane opened her eyes in a scrunched-up face and noticed a man's most private area for the first time in her life.

Her furrowed brows vanished as her eyes flew wide and her jaws almost dropped to the ground, when she stared at his member. It was right in front of her face and she couldn't look away, even when she flushed all over.

Knowing she was being indecent, Cyane let her eyes drift upwards starting from the dark curls on a flat stomach, to the hard and ripped abs and a wide powerful chest. Her mouth went dry and she was breathless when her gaze collided with eyes the colour of the sharp, cracked ice found in the artic.

While she inhaled, she closed her mouth and when she exhaled, it came out more like a sigh!

Énas keravnós pou chtýpise tin kardiá mou— That's how she felt when she saw him. As if a thunderbolt had struck her heart!

He was so, so beautiful! She could turn into a poet and start writing wonderful verses on this man. He sent her heart into a frenzy mode as he stared at her with those arctic blue eyes, making her stare back at him like an awestruck school girl, mooning over her first crush.

Cyane noticed that he, on the other hand, didn't even bat an eyelid when he fixed his sole attention on her uncaring about his current nude state.

However, it bothered her. It bothered her very much and it was making her feel things, for the first time for this guy, who was probably in his mid or late twenties.

Theos! It was a day with a lot of firsts for her!

Their brief moment was interrupted by a growl and as Cyane turned her head to the left, her eyes rounded in shock when she saw that Mr Black had turned himself into a huge grizzly bear this time around.

Standing tall, Mr Black aggressively growled at the man in front of her and Cyane frowned.

"Move," he said out loud as he stood defensively in front of her, his hands an angry potent fist as the veins in his arms bulged.

Cyane didn't waste a second. The moment his back was turned on her, she scrambled away on her knees and once she was safely hidden behind the wide trunk of the tree, she flew up and sat on the topmost branch of the tree.

Mr Black was still growling at him and they both looked ready to attack, but neither of them made a move until the guy from earlier jumped out of nowhere and tackled Mr Black to the ground. Cyane gasped out loud when the other three wolves joined in to help take down Mr Black while he started looking around... for her!

Cyane was stunned to see him circling the trunk and looking around the area for her. She pressed her knees closer to her chest and tried to make herself as invisible as possible. Thankfully the t-shirt was of military green colour and that kind of helped her in concealing herself.

Loud growls were coming from the wolves, his friends, who were fighting against Mr Black and Cyane flinched as she feared for her friend.

When he realized she was nowhere near, he paused and took in a deep breath. Cyane gulped when he slowly started tilting his neatly cropped head backwards to look up and she looked away not ready to face whatever happens next, even though she highly doubted he would be able to spot her when she was hiding so far.

"What the hell are you doing? Come on, help" his friend called out.

Her gaze pivoted back to the group when he joined them and she inhaled sharply when she saw that the wolves had successfully managed to pin Mr Black to the ground.

"Damn! This is one fat bear. My mouth is watering already" his friend said and she stared at them in disbelief.

Mr Black was her friend; not their food!

"Never had a bear before and now, I can see my breakfast, lunch and dinner" the same guy added with a twisted grin and the other wolves growled in agreement while he seemed distracted! He wasn't hurting Mr Black, but he wasn't stopping his friends either.

Mr Black thrashed violently and Cyane's heart pounded in her chest when she watched him in pain. He is her only friend and he has always helped her and now, Mr Black needed her help!

Without wasting a minute more, she slid down the thick branch of the banyan tree and when she caught one aerial root of the tree, she leapt over and clutched them tightly with both her hands.

"I volunteer to make the final kill" the guy proclaimed as he raised his hands to extend his claws.

As she slid down, she leapt over to a vine plant and swinging, she moved ahead and kicked the guy in the face, before dropping down to land on her feet, a few metres away.

"Ow," The guy groaned as Cyane turned to face them. A wolf whined and rushed towards him and when he noticed the bruises on his friend's face, he snarled aggressively at Cyane.

However, her eyes were fixed on him. Standing tall, he watched her, his eyes cold and curious, and his whole demeanour screamed that he was unperturbed about his nude state. How can he be so unaffected while she felt a jumble of emotions run through her?

There were more growls and Cyane sucked in a breath, as the other wolves bent low to snarl aggressively at her, letting go of Mr Black. They were a total of five of them and Cyane had trained with several more.

She wasn't scared of them but she didn't want to thrash them either. Hunting was their nature and she didn't want to punish them for it!

However, she wasn't about to spread her wings in front of them because she didn't trust them and she didn't want anyone to know where she was, which meant she had to fight them without using her combat skills.

With that thought, she bent down and picked up the peaches and plums from the ground and started throwing it at them.

The wolves snapped their jaws at her, while the other guy screamed, "What the hell?" when one of the fruits hit his chest. While he... he never took his eyes off her even when a plum crushed against his chest and the juice trailed down. She refused to let her eyes drift below the hard as rock, chest.

Could someone please give him some clothes? She thought while he continued distracting her with all his sexy nakedness. For her sanity, someone had to cover him up, quickly!

Two wolves leapt forward to attack her and Cyane stepped back defensively but spreading an arm, he stopped them.

They halted and stared at him but barked at her angrily, showing their dislike to her.

Cyane paused, the fig fruit still in her hand and watched the naked guy as her chest heaved and her heart refused to calm down.

Spectacular! He was just so different from every male she had ever seen that everyone else paled in comparison to him. How can that be? Cyane had been taught that no one was ugly and that everyone had a part to play in this world and what they did, how they behaved it was all just them playing their role in the stage that was this world!

But how was it that this one particular man stood out for her? What was his role?

Confused by her reaction and not knowing what else to do, Cyane gnashed her teeth and drawing back her hand, she threw the fig at him.

When he caught it, mere inches away from his eyes, the gasp that that escaped her mouth was very loud. He slowly lowered his arm to reveal eyes that were now a shade of turquoise found in the ice glaciers under the morning sunlight!

Cold! So cold... it made her shiver!

One corner of his lips tipped upwards, the only expression in his otherwise stoic face and Cyane took several steps back in panic.

The grin reminded her of a hungry polar bear grin which she had once seen in a documentary.

Breathing heavily, Cyane raised an arm and held the aerial root unsteadily.

"Where did she come from?" his friend as well as the other wolves around him, all were watching her with unashamed interest, their attention completely diverted from Mr Black!

Slowly, she tilted her body sideways to look behind them and was pleased to see that Mr Black had used the opportunity to escape.

The sigh of relief that escaped her was noticeable and when they followed her gaze, they were taken aback to see that the bear was nowhere in sight.

"What the—? Where did my food go?" his friend screamed as the wolves jumped around looking for the bear that had long escaped.

Amethyst eyes gleaming with amusement and a cherry pink mouth that tried hard to suppress a smile, Cyane straightened and looked at him fearlessly. As the predatory grin in his face refused to fade, she raised her chin and then tightening her hold on the hanging root, she swung around the trunk of the tree and landed on a branch, while two wolves barked repeatedly at her from below.

Refusing to look at any of them and get distracted, Cyane jumped from branch to branch, swung over vines and roots like Tarzan. His friends followed her but they couldn't keep up and when she was far away from them and at the top, she raised high and spun around a few times as she spread her wings wide.

Her cheeks were burning as she placed a hand on her chest to calm her heart. Her lips curved to form a smile and she had to tuck them into her mouth to stop giggling like a fangirl.

Mr Black flew as a raven in front of her and watched with inquisitive eyes. Feeling shy, Cyane lowered her head and when she closed her eyes, she could see him. Tall and naked!

God! He was beautiful!

How can she ever forget him?

A chuckle escaped from her mouth and when Mr Black cawed, she shook her head and flew away, while her friend followed.

___

"I am sure he works out. I mean it's not possible to get a body like that without working out, is it? I have seen videos. One has to work hard to get that kind of spectacular body" Cyane muttered with a mouthful of berries, while Mr Black watched her with a boring look.

It had been three days since her encounter with him and she still couldn't stop thinking or talking about him to her only friend.

He was nothing like the men she had met before and maybe that's why she got so attracted to him.

"I wonder what he does? I mean, if he was clothed, I could have guessed something but he was naked" she shrugged while Mr Black looked away. Thinking about it, Cyane once again felt her cheeks colouring and after taking a deep breath, she huffed.

"He was so shamelessly naked. I mean, of course, he has a very good body but to flaunt it like that? That takes guts" she said impressed and Mr Black yawned.

"I really should stop this, shouldn't I? I have more important things to think about but look at me, mooning over a crush" she shook her head and then gazed at the night sky, filled with countless stars and a crescent-shaped moon. It was picture perfect and Cyane knew it looked even better from the castle!

She did miss her home but she also didn't want to go back because they all lied to her. Every one of them!

No one had ever told her what had happened to her parents. But most of all, she hated herself because she had never cared enough to ask about them. As her eyes began to get watery, Cyane leaned back against the branch and closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come sooner.

___

"I don't think I want to go there, Mr Black" Cyane told her friend while they stared at the wide building of the Moonflower Community Hospital, from a great distance.

Cyane had returned to the place she had once escaped only because she had nowhere else to go and because Yolanda had been nice to her. For a week now, she had been roaming the woods and then realized that instead of going to Scevola, she had been venturing deeper into the Aelius land.

So, swallowing her pride, she decided to get back to the hospital to ask help from one person who had seemed genuinely kind.

"But these clothes stink. I stink and I am tired of eating fruits" she muttered and Mr Black nodded in agreement.

Compressing her lips, she descended to the ground and marched ahead to the hospital. The hospital campus had two buildings at two ends. One was a veterinary hospital and another a community hospital. She was sure that the veterinary was for the werewolves of the kingdom.

Once she entered the campus, the wolves around noticed her and some even recognized her because they growled at her. Refusing to let that deter her, she walked into the reception desk and asked for Dr Yolanda Zeke.

The receptionist's eyes darkened when he saw her but he nodded in agreement and asked her to wait. As she looked around nervously, a tall buffy guy stepped forward and then told her that he would be escorting her towards the doctor. Hesitantly, she followed after him to the veterinary building.

They went up an elevator to another floor and he pushed open a closed office door, "Doctor Zeke, she is here" he informed.

"Send her in" Cyane heard Yolanda saying.

Gulping, Cyane stepped into the room and the moment the guy left, she sat stiffly on the chair, unsure on what to say, while Yolanda watched her patiently with sympathetic eyes.

Her eyes scanned the room before landing on the desk nameplate. "You are a vet," she told Yolanda.

"Yes. I am" Yolanda nodded. "I am a doctor for my kind. Not humans."

"I am—"

"I know you are neither a human nor a werewolf! You took after your mother because a child born to a single werewolf parent will either end up being a wolf or a human. Not a hybrid. But you are one, aren't you?" Yolanda watched her curiously.

Everyone in her maternal family was hybrid and that was what made them stronger and dangerous than other fairies.

"I take after my mother, yes" Cyane agreed.

"But you look like your aunt" Yolanda watched her with a sad smile. "Except for the eyes of-course."

Violet eyes might have been unusual here, but in her family, it was very common. As common as the platinum blonde hair!

"You knew them? My dad and my aunt?" Cyane questioned because she remembered Yolanda saying their name.

"Growing up here, your aunt had been my best friend" Yolanda answered genuinely. Cyane was surprised by that information but it also startled her because it meant Yolanda was older than she had earlier imagined.

Impervious to her thoughts, Yolanda continued, "And she knew I had a huge crush on your father."

Cyane's eyes rounded while Yolanda simply shrugged. She didn't know that. She didn't know anything but maybe she could. Maybe she could find things here about her father that she had never known. Maybe she could find out who killed her parents and why?

If she asked, she feared her grandparents would only further lie to her to protect her, but Cyane didn't need any protection. She wanted to do things on her own. She wanted to make choices of her and she wanted to just live for a short while without constantly being reminded about the crown. She wanted to just be herself because every day Cyane felt like she was losing herself.

"I didn't know that" Cyane stated honestly.

"Your father did and he was kind about it because he never thought me any different than his sister."

Cyane winced and Yolanda noticed because she laughed. "Of course, that was before I met my mate" Yolanda added.

"That's great I guess" Cyane trailed off uncertainly.

"Enough about me!" Yolanda waved her hand dismissively, "Tell me about you Cyane. Tell me why you didn't go home after leaving from here?"

Cyane frowned until Yolanda started digging her bag and pulled out the ring that she had sold for some food, "You had me followed?"

"Yes. Until he lost you" Yolanda didn't bother denying it as she handed over her engagement ring.

"Why?" she asked irritated. Cyane had seen wolves around but she hadn't been aware that there was another following her without her knowledge.

"I had to make sure you reached home safely. Now, I know you didn't" Yolanda said earnestly and though Cyane was touched, she wasn't happy. Yolanda noticed because added "If you have some problem at home, you can share it with me Cyane. I'll do my best to help."

Cyane stood up and paced, while Yolanda folded her hands on the table and waited patiently for her to talk.

It was difficult to say it out loud, but eventually, Cyane found the courage to say it out loud.

"I am a runaway" Cyane began honestly and Yolanda nodded slowly. Cyane had read once that talking helped and talking to strangers, who didn't know anything about you and who wouldn't judge you helped better.

"I've pulled a runner twice this past week. One from my wedding and one from my grandpa's men."

Yolanda's dark brows furrowed as she heard it, "You were forced to marry someone?"

"No. No one forced me. I didn't want to marry him that's why my grandpa helped me escape."

"Then why run away from his men? Did they—"

"My parents were killed when I was eight. All these years, I thought they died in a plane crash and when I found out how they were killed—"

"You ran from there" Yolanda finished and Cyane nodded. "You don't want to go back to your family?"

"I am not ready to face them just yet" Cyane stated bluntly.

"Postponing a thing won't make it easier" Yolanda suggested kindly.

"Yes. I am aware but I'm... I'm hurt" Cyane bit out painfully.

"So, you want to punish them? Your old grandparents" Yolanda questioned quietly and Cyane flinched when she heard it.

Did she? Did she want to punish them?

As she blinked away the tears, Cyane realized that she did want to punish them for lying to her all these years. For imprisoning her. For protecting her so much from the outside world that she started getting suffocated inside.

"Cyane—" Yolanda said softly when she saw the tears staining Cyane's cheeks.

"I need some time," Cyane said slowly. "To feel better. To know better. To learn. I need some time. I have lived in the shadows for so long, that I am lost. I don't know who I am. I have become someone who can't look at her reflection in the mirror. Ever since my parents died, a huge responsibility fell over me and I... I was told to go through it and I obeyed without a word of protest. For years, I have been listening to every single command, never rebelling. If you tell me now that the sun rises from the west, I am going to believe you, that's what I have become!"

Yolanda's eyes widened before she said sympathetically, "I once knew a girl who was very similar to you."

"My aunt?"

"No. Lisa had always been very brave. I am talking about me" Yolanda finished quietly and Cyane found it hard to believe that the woman in front of her, who was an epitome of poise and elegance could have once been anything but.

Yolanda got up from her seat and moved around the desk to lean in front of it, "I will help you. As long as you wish, you can stay here."

Cyane blinked taken aback because she hadn't expected this to happen so quickly. She found it oddly suspicious and so she asked, "Why would you do that?"

Yolanda's lips curved upwards but there was a faraway look on her eyes as she spoke, "Consider it as my silly attempt in repaying a debt that I will forever owe to your family."

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Well, what do you think?

Please do vote and comment.

Next update on April 14th.

Until then...

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE