In the suffocating darkness, two figures entwined.
Gina's vision blurred, her breath unsteady as she gazed at the shadow in front of her. In a dazed, whispery voice, she asked, "Waldo… mm… do you love me?"
The man did not answer. He only continued his movements, unyielding, relentless.
Gina's consciousness wavered, but she refused to let go of the one chance she had been waiting for. This was when his will would be at its weakest. She pressed on, her voice tinged with longing, "Waldo, will you mate with me…?"
A deep, alluring voice echoed through the darkness. "Alright." The words carried a lazy, chilling undertone, spreading a sinister tension in the shadowed space.
"Really?" Gina's eyes gleamed with excitement, curving into a beautiful smile.
"But… do you deserve it?"
Before Gina could react to those frigid words, a blinding light suddenly flooded the room. Instinctively, she shut her eyes. And when she opened them again… her intoxicating, satisfied expression froze in place.
Her head jerked to the side, her heart pounding. Sitting casually on a chair, his long legs crossed in a careless posture, was her Waldo—fully dressed, exuding an aura of cold indifference as he stared at her with unhidden disdain.
Her pupils dilated in horror. No… no, this isn't real. Her lips trembled as she screamed, "Why… why are you doing this to me?!"
Waldo's wolf-like eyes darkened, an eerie glint flashing in them. His voice was cold, devoid of warmth. "Why?" He scoffed, his presence exuding a suffocating pressure. "That night… was it really you?"
Gina's breath hitched. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes. She stared at him in terror, her face pale as she stammered, "W-What… what do you mean?"
Waldo ignored her. His gaze lowered slightly as an image surfaced in his mind—Regina. Her pure, untouchable face haunted him, reminding him again and again that she belonged to a world he could never reach.
A bitter laugh escaped him, sharp as a blade. His sculpted features were tinged with a violent edge. One woman desperately wanted him; the other… wanted nothing more than to escape.
His chest clenched, a pain so sharp it felt like a dagger had been driven straight into his heart.
Regina… you want to leave me that badly? So much so that you'd send another mate in your place?
Waldo's slitted golden eyes narrowed dangerously. He uncrossed his legs with deliberate ease and stood up, his towering figure exuding an oppressive dominance.
Step by step, he walked toward Gina…
As Waldo's violent, bloodthirsty aura closed in, Gina trembled even harder. Her breath hitched as she watched him approach, terror consuming her. Instinctively, she tried to retreat, but her back was already pressed against the cold, unyielding wall. There was no escape.
"Do you know where you went wrong?" Waldo's voice was deceptively soft, almost gentle. But those who truly knew him understood—the calmer he seemed, the deadlier he was.
Gina shook her head frantically, her body reacting purely on instinct, submitting to the overwhelming pressure radiating from him.
"Your mistake…" Waldo's gaze darkened, a lethal frost creeping into his golden eyes. He spoke slowly, each word laced with ice. "Wasn't wanting to have me. It was…"
A cruel smirk tugged at his lips as he uttered the last words with chilling finality.
"…helping her escape from me."
Gina froze. Her face drained of color, her mind blank.
"You…" Waldo's voice remained indifferent, but deep within his eyes, a shadow of pain flickered. "You should never have helped her."
Realizing what he meant, Gina panicked, desperately trying to flee. But before she could move, a powerful hand clamped around her throat, trapping her.
"Ah—" A strangled gasp escaped her lips. Fear widened her pupils as she shuddered beneath his grasp. "W-Waldo… what are you going to do?"
A wicked, almost amused light flickered in Waldo's slitted, wolf-like eyes. His voice carried a haunting smile.
"What am I going to do?" His tone was teasing, sinister. "Can't you tell?"
"No—" Gina's face twisted in fear, her once enchanting beauty now contorted in terror.
Waldo suddenly released her with a forceful shove, sending her sprawling onto the bed. Straightening, he slid his hands into his pockets, his towering figure casting a cold, merciless shadow over her.
"Enjoy your wonderful night." His voice was devoid of warmth, his words dripping with mockery.
With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room without another glance.
"Waldo, you monster! Ahhh—!" Gina's anguished scream echoed through the night.
The piercing screams sliced through the silence, echoing through the vast, empty halls. Downstairs, Regina stood trembling, her teeth clenched so tightly they ached. The cries from above—sharp, agonized wails mixed with the savage growls of a rogue—burrowed into her ears, rattling her nerves like a relentless storm.
Two men in black gripped her arms, their hold firm, unyielding. She did not struggle. There was no point.
Waldo descended the stairs with slow, deliberate steps, his predatory gaze locked onto her pale face. A dull ache spread through his chest at the sight of her—small, fragile, yet burning with defiance.
Regina's fingers curled into tight fists. Her breaths came in shallow pants as she stared up at him, her wide eyes betraying a flicker of fear. Was she afraid? Shocked? Even her lips trembled, though whether from cold or dread, she did not know.
Waldo halted in front of her, his voice deceptively soft. "She ended up like this… because of you. Do you understand that?"
His sculpted face remained impassive, devoid of warmth. Slowly, he raised a hand, his long, calloused fingers brushing against Regina's cheek with an unbearable gentleness. His touch traced the delicate curve of her face before lingering at her lips, his thumb ghosting over them, feeling their slight tremor.
His golden eyes darkened.
Regina abruptly jerked her head away, glaring at him with burning resentment. Her lips quivered as she spat out, "Don't twist your cruelty… into something I caused."
Waldo's body stiffened. His wolf-like eyes turned sharp, dangerous. In a flash, his fingers clamped around her jaw, forcing her face toward him.
"Cruelty?" He let out a cold, humorless laugh. His grip tightened as his gaze bore into hers, searching, seething.
Her eyes, filled with disgust and scorn, were like daggers, stabbing into him, slicing through his restraint.
"You think this is cruel?" His voice dropped into a chilling whisper. "Then you should know… the real cruelty is still waiting for you."
Regina did not respond. She only clenched her teeth harder, swallowing back the fear clawing at her throat. No matter how terrified she was, no matter how violently her heart pounded against her ribs, she refused to let him see her break.
A shadow passed through Waldo's eyes. Whatever softness had lingered within them vanished.
"Take her away." His voice was hollow, emotionless.
The black-clad men dragged Regina forward. She didn't fight. But as Waldo watched her slender form disappear from view, something inside him tore open.
A wound long buried—ripped apart, raw and bleeding.
Moon Goddess… if loving you is a mistake… then let me keep making it.