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[3rd POV]

Two weeks before the starts of Autumn, on the first night of full moon, around half past one in the morning at Raven Ash Pack. The night was dead silent, everyone was cocooned in their blankets except few who are on patrol duty.

On that night, somehow, Mark left the comfort and warmth of his bed. Heading down the stairs, and exiting the house, he started following Rei.

It was just on the North-West of the town, not far from the residence, was a cliff. The cliff of death – the townspeople called it.

He tailed after her without questions ask nor did a single doubt flash through his head.

Mark followed her straight to that cliff. Stopping at the edge, Rei slowly turn on her heels, gazing softly at him “I’m sorry.” Was all she said. And in the blink of an eye, Rei threw herself off the cliff. Screaming in horror, Mark reached out for her.

Just as he was at the tip of the cliff, seconds away from plunging into his death. Pair of sturdy yet feminine arms yanked him to reality from his sleepwalking state.

Mark’s eyes fluttered opened, finally he woke up, staring off at Rei for a whole minute before pulling her into a tight embrace. Rei said nothing but wrapped her arms around his torso.

How did this happen? Well, Rei wasn’t sleeping yet and was in the kitchen when she caught a glimpse of Mark walking down the stairs and out of the front door.

Curious, she followed him – she even called out for him, but he didn’t respond. Rei approached Mark closer, and found him to be sleepwalking. She only let him lead them to the cliff because the probing side of her was eager to find out on what would unfold.

She never thought that he would want to step off the edge of the cliff. Lucky that she was there and the way her quick reflex kicked in, she was fast enough to hold on him. Or else, he would already be a goner, despite being a supernatural being himself – that fall, would’ve been the end of him.

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[Rei]

In the next following week, Mark grew distant and confusing. It’s like he wants to be with me and protect me, but at the same time, he doesn’t know how to and so he starts pushing me away. Just like how it was three years ago, but I made it a mission to stay at the Pack house a little longer only to watch over him.

And that’s when it comes down to this. For a start, we argue; next, we raise our voices; after, we’re clawing at each other; now, we’re deciding who wins the argument.

“Do you know how painful it is for me to feel that you’ve hurt yourself – every ing time?” He glares at me as if it was my fault to cause him to be in that position, well, it is actually. But, it wasn’t like I volunteer myself to get hurt or get attack. “And the worst thing is that, I don’t know where you are, and I ended up getting anxiously worried about you.”

“Why? Why do you have to care?” I shot back “Is this because of the dream?”

After the nearly death experience at the Cliff of Death, he had told me that he dreamt of me asking him to follow me to that exact spot. In that dream, he said, I killed myself by falling off the cliff.

It was creepy! Even though I didn’t experience it first-hand, but I had goosebumps while listening to him telling me about it.

He paced side to side, huffing, exasperate “I care because I’m falling in love with you.”

I froze, but sighed in the end out of exhaustion. “Why do you bother? Didn’t we sort of break up in terms of the bond link crap?”

“You did, but I didn’t accept it. I can still feel everything you’re feeling, even though not strongly, but I’m able to know how your emotions are at times.” He looks sullen for a split second before masking his expression

He’s trying to guilt trip me – that’s what he’s doing. “Why didn’t you? Isn’t that what you wanted? To be free from the bond your Goddess placed on us.”

He was suddenly quiet. What is he thinking?

“Answer me, Tuan!” I exhale sharply.

He stared at me straight in the eyes “That’s not what I want.” He said confidently. It had taken me aback, and had me wondering. “If I wanted the bond to be broken, I would’ve rejected you from the moment I saw you.” He added “But because I don’t, I let this continue on.”

Now it was my turn to glare at him “You’re one hell of a confusing man.” I honestly wanted to punch him in the face right now, but I need to know something else “Answer me thi