NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older, and all acts of a sexual nature are consensual.
Mated
1 Lost and Found
Miranda rolled out of bed lazily when she heard a loud knocking on the large oak door of her bedroom. Yawning, she took her silk robe from the wooden rack at the left side of her bed and did a quick glimpse of the digital clock on her computer table which read fifteen past four in the morning.
Rubbing her eyes, she approached the door and made a loose knot on her robes before opening it. She thought that the reason for waking her up at that hour better be reasonable.
“Mira,” called a familiar hoarse baritone voice.
A large figure emerged in her blurry vision when the door swung open. The hallways were dark and if weren’t for the light emitted by the moon she wouldn’t be able to recognize her father. He stood six feet and two inches, making her feel like a dwarf with her five feet and seven inches height. He had thick and long dark wavy locks that were tied into a pony tail and his eyes were gray which she took after him. His shoulders were broad and looked strong despite his age. But what really caught her attention was the change of her father’s looks. It was as if he had suddenly aged.
“Papa,” she whispered groggily. Her annoyance faded when she saw him smiling down at her. She jumped on her feet and gave him a tight hug.
She hasn’t seen him for a whole season. And she missed him so much.
Studying for college far from home was something she personally chose but Miranda didn’t know it was very hard to be away from her only family – her father.
Miranda Walker was the only daughter of Marco Walker, fifty-seven years old, and a successful businessman. He raised her alone when her mother died after giving birth.
When she was just a child, her father would always remind her to be a good girl and to follow the rules in their household – to not ever wander in the woods at the back of the mansion. Her family owned a large chain of estate properties and the Wakerlin – the grounds around their old mansion – was the biggest. Miranda always wondered what it was like to see and explore the forest. But being the obedient child that she was, she never dared to get near the place – not even once.
Growing up in a rich clan was not very nice. It’s not that she was not grateful of living a lavish life. But she felt lonely along the way. Because technically, she grew up by herself with all the servants attending her and she could barely see her father at home.
But he was the only family she has. And she loves him.
“I missed you,” she murmured before moving away from her father, sniffing his familiar scent.
“Want to take a walk?” he asked, pushing the strands of her brunette hair to her left ear.
With gleaming eyes, she nodded in response. She had a long flight back home but she wouldn’t mind the jetlag. It was very seldom to spend quality time with her busy father. After all, she has the entire summer break to get herself some rest.
“I’ll just get dressed. Wait a minute,” she said and skipped on her heels, closing the door shut again. Quickly, she slipped in her morning exercise attire – jogging pants, sweater and rubber shoes.
It didn’t take five minutes and she was already taking the pathways to the garden with her arm encircling her father’s. The moon was full and the stars were bright. And she felt happy and light.
“How’s school?” Marco asked.
“Great! My classmates were cool and my roommates are nice. But…” she bit her bottom lip when she remembered her failing subject.
“But?” she heard him chuckle a little.
“But my professors aren’t really that nice,” she muttered shyly. She knew her dad understood what she meant.
“Of course, Princess,” he paused and heaved a deep breath, “not all people are nice.”
She crumpled her face. “I just wish they’d change a little.”
“Change is something we cannot control, Princess. People would change not because they wanted to,” her dad answered meaningfully, making her grimace.
“Are you okay, Papa?” she asked, stopping in her tracks and faced her old man. He was staring up at the dark sky. And with the reflection of the moon in his eyes, she thought he was just acting like the wise man that he was.
He gave her a nod and a gentle kiss on the forehead before motioning her to continue walking. Just like that, they shared a comfortable silence for about an hour.
When the first sun rays cracked into the dark sky, Miranda felt her father kissing her hair softly.
“Happy birthday, Princess,” he spoke, smiling down at her small figure.
Feeling a rush of excitement, she felt her eyes growing blurry. “I thought you have forgotten again.” Her voice cracked.
“How could I forget? You’re my Princess. I love you, sweetheart. I’m sorry for being a bad father.” He spoke, wiping the tears away from her face.
“No, you’re a great father, Papa. I love you, too.”
Though feeling curious about the sudden sweetness, Miranda couldn’t stop herself from getting emotional. It was like everything she had yearned for so long was already coming true. She may not be able to turn back the time but she could create new memories with her father.
It was not yet too late.
Pacing back and forth in her father’s large office, Miranda took quick glances on her wristwatch. All the visitors for her birthday party have taken their leave. It was already past midnight and her father was not yet back.
According to Edmund, her father’s assistant, he went out with one of the government official who attended her party – because he wanted to show the visitor a quick tour of the Wakerlin.
But she thought something was odd.
Marco Walker never showed the estate to anyone. And nobody – even the servants – was allowed to take a tour around it. Everyone in the mansion was only permitted up to the fenced lawns and backyard.
“Signorina,” Edmund mumbled. He looked tired just by watching her bothered expression. “I am sure the Signore Marco will be back. Maybe he had an urgent meeting.”
Miranda shook her head before slamming her body against the empty couch. “Without telling you? You’re his personal assistant!” she yelled in exasperation.
“Uhh Signorina, we know that Signore can be a little impulsive,” the poor assistant tried to reason with his voice low and stunned.
“Mi dispiace Edmund,” she apologized in her mother tongue, “maybe I’m just overreacting. You can rest.”
“Thank you. Buona notte, Signorina.”
Miranda walked back to her room and stripped her gown away from her body. Her father was a very unpredictable man. And she didn’t know why she was overreacting.
But one thing was for sure. Something was odd. And her father’s gestures that morning was weird.
After cleaning herself, she jumped on to her bed, hoping that her father was fine.
Three nights and two days have passed and there was not a trace of Marco Walker. Edmund was able to get in contact with the government official her father had gone out with in the night of her birthday party. But they did not get any lead.
She knew it would be practical to call the cops or hire a private investigator to find her missing father. But she couldn’t get herself to sit and wait for news. And Miranda was sure Marco Walker wouldn’t like the publicity.
“We need to look for him,” she urged Edmund who didn’t like her suggestion.
“I’m sorry Signorina but we can’t
go.”
“If you’re not going then I am,” she could feel her nostrils flaring up with anger. How could he stay calm at a time like this?
Edmund was declining her idea of looking for her father in the woods of Wakerlin. It was the place where Marco was last seen and there was a big possibility that if he wasn’t in there they could at least find a lead of his whereabouts.
Miranda was restless.
Calling some of the patrolling cops, she led the group to the woods. She didn’t have any idea where she was going but at least she had company.
At the very least, there were five of them.
“Are you sure your father is here?” One of the cops in his mid-thirties inquired. He was eyeing her from head to toe with a crazy smile on his mouth.
“I am looking for him. This is the last place he was seen before he went missing,” she answered in annoyance. She didn’t like the way the man was staring at her.
To her surprise, they reached the edge of the thick woods and saw an old-looking hanging bridge connecting to the other side. She looked for signage but there wasn’t any.
She presumed that it was part of Wakerlin, Miranda made her way up to the middle of the bridge. It was strong, like it was well-maintained.
“It’s safe. The materials are strong,” she called out. But when she turned around, she saw nothing but woods. No one was there.
She was alone on her own – thanks to her curiosity.
Stupid cops, she sniggered angrily.
Taking quick and large footsteps, Miranda reached the end of the hanging bridge without a problem. And then it started to pour heavily, making her wonder why. It was summer, after all.
She looked up and watched the dark clouds have covered the blue sky in no time. With a loud thunder and flash of lighting, it signaled her to run. She never liked thunderstorms.
The ground was muddy and the soles of her rubber shoes were covered with it. She followed the path without knowing where it was going to lead her. She wanted to look around but she was wet and was starting to shiver in cold.
Miranda stopped in her tracks when she heard a loud gun shot. It sounded so near, making her shiver in fear. Was it the cops? Did they find her father? Why did they have to shoot?
Frightfully, she ran across the thick woods. She didn’t know where to find her father. And she didn’t know where her feet were taking her. But one thing was for sure: the forest was not safe. She needed to find a place to stay before it gets too dark.
When the wind started to blow, she heard a loud and heavy bustling sound of water – a river. Hoping to find something, she led herself into the body of water. Gratefully, she saw a tiny hut by the edge of a cave beside the stream.
A light flickered inside the hut, giving her a tiny spark of hope. Miranda hastily approached it and knocked on the old plywood door. She looked around and saw no one. It wasn’t much. But at it’s better than dying under the rain before finding her missing father.
“Hello?” She called out, hoping to find someone – help.
The wind blew strongly once more and she shivered in cold. Her knuckles have turned blue and it was getting hard to breath. Desperately, Miranda tried to open the door and to her surprise, it wasn’t locked.
Taking a step inside, she uttered a silent apology to the owner of the place. She would pay her respects later – if she survives that dreadful storm.
Shamelessly, Miranda searched the place for a towel and went straight to the bathroom. She took a quick shower and covered herself, thinking of drying her wet body by the tiny fireplace. The place wasn’t actually small. It was enough for three grown-up people to live in. She found it small because she was used to everything large and extravagant.
The fireplace was lit and there was firewood arranged on the floor. It was like the owner knew it was going to rain.
Hugging herself, she sat on the rocking chair infront of the fireplace and waited for her clothes to dry. She let her mind wander about the odd happenings recently: her father was missing; storm in the middle of summer; and a gunshot. She closed her eyes and hoped for the best – that she would be safe and so was her father.
Miranda’s solitude was disrupted by a loud bang on the door. She opened her eyes instantly, trying to compose a reasonable statement to the owner for barging in.
But to her surprise, she saw a wolf as white as snow with green eyes looking back at her. She saw blood dripping from its left hind leg. And it stood almost as tall as a horse and had paws bigger than any kind of dog, making her tremble in fear. From the looks of it, she was sure it could eat a whole human.
The beast approached her in full speed, making her utter a silent prayer. Now, she knew why her father never allowed her to wander in the woods. She could die there without anyone knowing about it.
Papa, I’m sorry…
2 Signs and Secrets
Miranda opened her eyes when she felt a hairy thing rubbing against her leg. She thought the creature was going to eat her. But it looked tamed. And somehow, she could sense that it was begging for help.
She sighed in relief and took another quick look at the injured beast. It didn’t look like an ordinary cut since it was bleeding heavily. It whimpered helplessly, making her heart melt. She hesitated for a moment when the wolf looked at her, rubbing its head on her knees.
But after giving it a thought, she presumed that the creature was a pet of the house owner. So, she decided to mend its wounds. It was a good thing there was a first aid kit in the kitchen cupboards.
Seeing her carry the small box, the wolf laid flat on the floor – exposing its left side.
Clever doggy, she thought. Its injuries were from gunshots, making her wince everytime it cried in pain.
“Hush, it’s going to be okay,” she talked to it, petting its head with a hand. “Seems like the stupid cop shoot you, huh,” she went on. Her feared has subsided. And somehow, she felt at ease with the creature around.
When she finished mending the animal, Miranda went to the kitchen and made warm milk, making a mental note that she would pay everything she had used in her stay.
She felt relieved as the warm liquid passed her throat, reliving every vein in her body. “Thank God,” she whispered in the air.
The wolf whined in response and looked at her, getting up from and approached the kitchen table. Its nose moved, sniffing the scent of milk.
“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. Of course, you’d like some too.” She giggled, finding herself stupid. She took the empty aluminum bowl from the kitchen counter and filled it with the warm liquid. The beast helped itself, rolling its long tongue out.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I’d be very terrified if I was alone in this forest, you know. It’s my first time here,” she spoke, earning herself a loud grumble from the wolf.
“Do you think your master would get mad if he learns that I’m using and drinking his stuff?” She presumed that only a man would have such courage to tame a big wolf. “Please don’t eat me,” she shivered at the thought. “I mended your wounds. We’re friends now, right?”
The wolf raised its head, eyeing the jar containing the milk. With that, she filled the bowl with the rest of it. “Since you’re a good doggy and you need nutrients to get better, it’s all yours.” She scanned the bandaged leg of the beast. And Miranda was surprised when she saw the injury stopped bleeding – strands of the dressing started falling on the floor.
With curiosity killing her, she removed the dressing slowly – her heart beating loud and fast. She gasped in a mixture of surprise and anxiety at the sight of the injured leg – it had fully healed, as if there had not been bullets buried in it a few hours ago. She has been studying the Human Anatomy all these years and Miranda knew that neither human nor animal could regenerate cells that quick. It’s impossible – and ridiculous.
Questions have started popping in her mind. And the beast watched her as if it could understand what she was feeling – her fear, anxiety and confusion.
; While making a long and loud howl – a cry in pain – the wolf jumped on the empty couch. She felt like her eyes were playing tricks when its hind legs slowly lengthened – so long that it reached the floor – taking shape of human triceps. The front legs grew as well – forming into muscled biceps. With mouth wide open, she pressed her eyes hard, hoping that the vision would go away when she tear her lids apart.
But it went on…
The snowy white fur had vanished, replaced by a tanned human skin – there were black hairs too. And when she looked at its head, there were no traces of animal characteristics left. The ‘creature’ looked exactly like a normal human being. And she found him gorgeous. He had green eyes, long nose and square jaws. His lips were pinkish and supple. He had broad shoulders and lean chest, matched with a perfect six pack abs. And Miranda has to admit that for an unknown she found him hot.
And he was naked!
Alarmingly, Miranda turned around and marched her way to the kitchen, taking the frying pan – gesturing it as a weapon or a shield.
“What are you?” she questioned.
Damn it, she cursed silently when her eyes wandered lower from his torso. Stop looking at it woman!
Miranda mentally kicked herself as stupid ideas swarmed her mind. She was surprised because of the paranormal transfiguration she had witnessed. But the cave woman inside her couldn’t help but think that the wolf had a very good human body.
“Is that how you treat the good doggy’s owner?” The ‘creature’ spoke, standing on his feet, facing her with a mocking grin on his lips.
“I did not know that the good doggy is a spawn of Satan,” she sniggered. She was surprise that her voice didn’t crack. But she swore that if he’s going to take a step closer, her knees would definitely give in.
She was scared and nervous – and excited.
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Do I really look like a demon to you?” he asked, bemusedly.
Romance: The Campus Player: A College Romance Page 65
