Victor paused his actions when he saw ocean blue eyes staring back at him. Lyra smiled faintly "When did you wake up?"
He froze looking at her gorgeous smile, his heart started throbbing loudly in his chest, it almost felt painful and he wanted to grab it with his hand. Lyra observed the man in front of her and glanced at his bandaged wound "How did you get injured?"
Victor came out of his daze when he heard her voice and backed off-putting some distance between them "I was attacked by some beastmen" his voice came out hoarsely and he cursed himself in his mind for it, he could not believe him the one to being nervous to speak.
Lyra gasped "Oh my! why would they do that?"
"I don't know" he replied nonchalantly and observed as her cute face scrunched up in confusion. He wanted to see more of her expressions.
Lyra looked up to him and approached him slowly, Victor gasped when he smelled her addictive scent near him. She held his injured hand "Just a minute, The cloth on your injury is covered in blood, I'll clean it for you"
Victor dazedly looked at her, as she removed the cloth carefully making sure to not hurt him, he chuckled "You don't have to be so cautious, this injury is nothing to me" he paused when her eyes looked back at him and continued "It doesn't hurt"
Lyra frowned "How can you say that it is nothing? Look how much you are bleeding" she wore a sad face and continued cleaning his wound "Everyone feels pain"
His eyes mellowed hearing her words, never in his empty life had someone worried about him, his father tortured him because of his mother's death while giving birth to him, he spent countless days and nights in fear hiding from his father, his young mind didn't even understand the reason for his misery. After some days he just got used to the beatings making his mind go numb to even feel pain. For many years that he struggled to become stronger, his body experienced near-death situations but he didn't feel pain, instead, his blood lust increased making him kill his father. He was not even a tiny bit guilty to kill that bastard, he thought that by killing him could he feel liberation from his chaotic mind., But even then, he didn't feel anything.
His mind refused to feel any emotions, he fought many powerful beastmen to feel something, he didn't mind the emotion, be it anger, frustration, or pain, he just wanted to feel it, but all he saw was darkness and emptiness. But this beautiful creature was making him feel so many emotions at the same time. His heart was throbbing and his body shuddered because of her mere touch, he hated to admit it, but he felt vulnerable for the first time.
After bandaging his wound properly, Lyra got up to return when someone pulled the hem of her skirt, she turned around confused and asked "What's wrong?"
Victor quickly left her skirt and turned to his side avoiding her peering eyes, he was so comfortable with her near him that he panicked when she suddenly got up. He didn't understand his own emotions and it frustrated him, his mind was in shambles as he blurted out "M-my hand hurts, I also feel pain" then widened his eyes, 'what the hell did I just say?'
Lyra blinked her eyes, 'Didn't he just say that this injury was nothing?' she observed him and awkwardly replied "Okay" that was the only thing that came to her mind, his words were so random.
Victor scrunched himself into a ball in the corner of the cave and didn't dare to look at her. This was the most embarrassing thing that he ever said and pulling her skirt was a bonus.
After that awkward exchange of words, Lyra broke the silence "My name is Lyra, what is yours?"
Victor flinched when he heard her voice and nervously replied "Victor"
Then he glanced at her and said "Your clothes are completely soaked, I heard that females are fragile and fall sick easily"
Lyra looked down at her clothes and chuckled "True, but I don't have any clothes to change into. I'll just wait for my mate to find me"
Only then did Victor notice a wolf mating mark on her collarbone, but because of her long hair, Blake's mark was not visible. Victor didn't know why, but he felt his anger rising as soon as he saw that mark.
He calmed his erratic mind and questioned "What were you doing alone in the forest? Looking at how pretty you are, Any female less beastman can abduct you" like me, he added in his mind but didn't say it out loud.
Lyra blushed after receiving a compliment and mumbled "Am I that pretty?" she heard both Lucas and Blake complimenting her, but she also knew that they exaggerated everything because they liked her.
Her voice was muffled but Victor's sharp ears heard it and he looked back at her like she had grown two heads and questioned "You don't know?" he paused and crawled towards her "You are the most beautiful creature that I have ever laid eye on" he added with confidence.
Her mouth twitched "Cr-creature? How can you say that....?"
Before she finished speaking, Victor cupped her face, his silver eyes twinkling with mirth "As expected! you are so soft to touch"
Lyra looked at him dazedly "What?" that is all that came out of her mouth, he was making her dumbfounded so many times today that she was at a loss for words.
Victor didn't answer and just continued to stare at her face, the skin on his hands was so warm and soft, he had an urge to bite them but at the same time was scared that he would hurt her, No! he didn't like the mere thought of her getting hurt, his mind was going crazy just by thinking of her near any harm.
Lyra observed many different expressions on his face in mere seconds, then held his hand separating them from her cheeks, and said irritatedly "What do you think you are doing?"
Victor came out of his train of thoughts when his hand lost the warmth, he hastily tried to reach her when she quickly scooted away.
Lyra felt terrified looking at his dark face, she cursed herself for always finding trouble. Her breathing came out labored because of the intense tension between them.
Victor narrowed his eyes when he saw her moving away from him, he softened his eyes a little and stretched his hand out to her "Calm down love, I will never hurt you"
"The-then don't come near me" she nervously replied
He closed his eyes trying to calm himself, he didn't like her wariness towards him, he finally found his happiness and it was getting farther and farther away from him. This was his first interaction with a female and he was struggling to keep his anger in check, he was lost and confused about what he did wrong.
He glanced at her horrified face and opened his mouth "Tell me what I did wrong love, I'll correct it, but please don't go away from me"
Lyra wanted to cry because of the situation, how could she explain that she was scared by his rough actions and intense fluctuations in his mood? She swore to never help any man from now on. But seeing his troubled face, she understood that he was not aware of his behavior.
She calmed her breathing and looked into his eyes "I was startled by your sudden change in mood. I'm sorry"
Victor furrowed his eyebrow "How did I change?"
"I was scared when you tried to snatch me with a dark face" she replied
His features relaxed "I'm sorry for scaring you love, I just lost myself when you tried to run from me" he paused and smiled "Don't do that love, the more you run the more I want to catch you"
Lyra shuddered after hearing his words "See! this is what I'm talking about. Am I an animal to catch?" then she got up "The rain has stopped, I should return now" she didn't want to spend even a minute more in that man's presence, the words he talked with ease made her uncomfortable and anxious.
"Don't go, love, don't leave me all alone" she heard his desperate voice when she started walking.
Lyra stiffly turned around and faced his pleading gaze, he stood up and walked towards her "How can you leave me after caring for me?" he continued with madness filled in his eyes "You are my peace, how can I let you go?"
Lyra shivered when his hands reached and caressed her face "I want you" he then put something inside her mouth making her swallow it.
She pushed him with all her might and coughed, then said glaring at him "What did you feed me!?"
He tilted his head "Don't worry, it's just a soul crystal"
"Soul..." she wasn't able to continue her words before she blacked out.