Chapter 3

Curiosity

***

It was a busy day for Leila. She had received so many texts about ordering cupcakes and cookies. It made her so busy that she almost forgot about what happened to her yesterday.

Well, almost, but not quite, for the moment she went to her gate, and she had seen the massive mansion just beside her house – everything just popped into her head like a fleeting mockery to her.

She pouted and let out a deep sigh before shrugging her shoulders. Maybe, she wouldn't ever forget how he treated her cookies!

She'd made sure to avenge her poor cookies when the time came!

She chuckled at her own joke and slightly shook her head. She wasn't that morbid, though. Maybe, she'll just put some stimulant laxatives in his food – nothing more.

Leila bit her lower lip as her mind drifted towards the man who had occupied her mind the entire night. She let out a frustrated sigh before driving towards the arc where her customers were waiting for her pastries and cupcakes.

"You're such a talented young woman, Leila. Josefa and Emilio would be so proud if she's still here with us." An old woman tenderly told her as she smiled at her.

Leila reciprocated it with a sweet smile.

"That was so kind of you, Mrs. Gomez. Thank you." She softly replied.

If her grandparents were still alive, they may have looked like the old woman in front of her. She just missed them so much.

"By the way, I just want you to be careful. You're living alone and your nearest neighbor was just so snobby and mysterious. Be careful, okay?" Mrs. Gomez worriedly reminded her.

"No worries, Mrs. Gomez. I have my baseball bat with me." She jokingly stated as she pointed her bat at the back of her bicycle.

The old kind woman giggled at her funny remarks.

"By any means, do you know who the man living in that mansion is?" She curiously asked.

Mrs. Gomez' forehead creased as she tried to remember something.

"Well, I heard his name was Hunter Black and he was just living with his butler named Henry. They were just so aloof that not anyone in this village had always seen them. Anyway, what I know of was they just moved in recently. They didn't attend to any of the invites that we sent them, so..." Mrs. Gomez shrugged her shoulders.

"They were just so distant and mysterious." She simply added.

Leila just nodded her head. So, the gorgeous rude man's name was Hunter Black. It suited him well. She bit her lower lip as she remembered how stunningly handsome, he was – if not for his rude behavior.

She instantly thanked Mrs. Gomez and went home. She needed to clean up her mess. She was her last customer for the day. She was so glad, though. She had four of them, which was very satisfied with her pastries. They even told her that they'd recommend her to their relatives.

"Oh, wait, I still have my carrot cake." She, then, remembered and immediately went to her fridge after cleaning up the mess in her kitchen.

Her perfectly baked six-round carrot cake was standing proudly there. And she thought of a bright idea. She immediately placed the cake into a box. She would try to talk to her rude neighbor once again.

Well, she was certainly too persistent that way.

Though she wasn't that heartless, she didn't put any type of laxative in her cake. She mentally chuckled.

She pressed the doorbell once again, but no one went out. She's been pressing it thrice, but to no avail.

"What kind of mansion is this? Was no one around?" She suddenly thought as she tried to push the gate, and to her surprise, it was open.

Leila shrugged her shoulders and peeked into the gate.

"Hello?" She softly whispered.

She saw a vast lawn with various plants around it. The brightly colored flowers were blooming attractively, and their fragrance filled her nose. She was undeniably awed!

Leila was just so amazed and curious that she walked towards the stone pathway that led towards the mansion. She was just right. It was so beautiful, and the design of the mansion was just so intricate and stunning.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to grasp the magnificence in front of her. Not until she had heard a loud eerie scream coming from the second floor of the house. She gasped in horror.

A loud painful cry resonated in the entire mansion once again and it made her more worried and scared at the same time.

Did someone need help? – She mentally thought as she felt doubtful whether to go up or just walk away.

She went there unannounced anyway.

Leila was so agitated until a loud painful groan echoed throughout the entire mansion once again.

With that, she slowly walked towards the grand staircase.

Her heart was pounding so loud because of mixed nervousness and concern.

She heard a hurtful panting followed by a loud crashing sound and then a painful growl.

Leila swallowed the lump in her throat as she found a huge wooden door where the noise was coming from. She held her breath as she held the doorknob – when someone had grabbed her hand.

She flinched and almost screamed out loud if the man didn't cover her mouth.

"Who are you?"

His voice was hoarse – full of unsaid accusation and coldness.

It was an old man wearing a black waistcoat over his white long sleeves and tie paired with black trousers and black shiny shoes.

A typical uniform for a butler.

He must be Henry!

Leila was staring at him with her eyes widened.

He was maybe in his mid-fifties, yet still muscular at his age. His gray eyes were like piercing the hell out of her.

She bit her lower lip and played with her fingers, the moment he removed his hand in front of her mouth.

"Uh..." Leila couldn't find the right words to say.

Her eyes widened when she heard the loud screams once again. She stared at the closed door and then at the butler standing in front of her. She saw a bit of concern that flashed in his eyes but immediately changed into coldness – as if she was just hallucinating.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The man strictly interrogated her.

Leila cleared her throat.

"Uh, I'm Leila. I live in a bungalow house just beside the mansion. I met Hunter yesterday and I just wanted to give you this – only to find out that the gate wasn't closed. I heard loud screams that led me here. Your Butler Henry, right?" She swiftly said those words without a pause – as if some horses were tailing her.

She took a deep breath right after.

The man held the box that she gave and nodded his head.

"Yes. I'm Henry and I think you need to go now, Miss Leila. Master Hunter didn't want any visitors in the meantime. He was resting." His hoarse voice sent shivers down her spine.

She looked away because of the embarrassment she felt.

Butler Henry led her downstairs. He was just a few inches taller than her – for she had just reached his shoulders.

"Uh, what is h-happening inside? Is someone hurt?" She nosily asked while slowly following him.

The butler's forehead creased and let out a deep sigh.

"Master Hunter likes to watch suspense and thriller movies. His room wasn't soundproof yet." Butler Henry simply replied.

Leila just felt her entire face turn bright red because of the pure humiliation she felt. The loud screams were just the sound effects of what Hunter was watching?!

What the heck was she thinking anyway?

She harshly bit her lower lip as they reached the gate.

And before she even took a step out, she gathered all her strength to face the butler.

"Uh, sorry for barging in." She sincerely apologized.

The butler just nodded his head, and she immediately went out of the gate.

Leila slightly knocked her head twice for the embarrassment she felt.

"So much for being so nosy, Leila." She lowly whispered and marched towards her house.

On Hunter's mansion, Butler Henry heaved a deep sigh before proceeding urgently towards the second floor, where the woman named Leila almost caught Hunter's shifting.

He immediately opened the huge wooden door and found Hunter lying naked on the cold floor. He instantly went near him and covered him with a huge blanket.

"I smell someone entered in my territory." Hunter seriously commented while gritting his teeth.

Butler Henry's eyes widened.

He wanted to hide Miss Leila's trespassing escapades, but Hunter had advanced senses – even more advanced than their Alpha Hudson, his father, had.

Butler Henry cleared his throat.

"Our neighbor went inside the mansion." He plainly stated.

With that, he saw how his deep ocean blue eyes darkened – because of fury.

Chapter 4

Almost

***

Content Warning: This chapter might contain violence, abuse, crime, or triggering factors that may be harmful, disturbing, or traumatizing to some. Reader's discretion is advised. Thank you.

***

"You're such a great baker, Leila. Thank you for this." Mrs. Johnson proudly commented as she stood beside her.

Mrs. Johnson contacted her to create a customized cake for her daughter's birthday. She was slowly building her name in the community and words were easily spread all throughout.

Those words brought her back to reality and gave the kind woman a gentle small smile.

"I really love baking. Thank you for trusting me on this, too." She sincerely replied.

"I'll surely help you market your pastries and cakes, then. Maybe you can give me your portfolio so I can share it with my friends." Mrs. Johnson excitedly told her.

That made Leila ecstatic.

"Sure, Mrs. Johnson. I'd do that. Thank you for giving me an idea." Her voice was filled with happiness and anticipation.

Leila was walking absentmindedly down the street a few more blocks away from her house. She didn't use her bicycle because the cake was just so big and heavy that it might be ruined, so she just assiduously took the ten minutes' walk away from her house.

It was all worth it, though.

She was busy staring at the full moon, watching her every move. She loved how it shines so brightly in the midst of darkness.

But the moment it was hidden in the dark clouds, someone had grabbed her from behind.

She yelped, but whoever it was instantly covered her mouth with his filthy hands.

He was so strong that he immediately dragged her out of the road. The attacker forcibly moved towards the dark forest.

Leila was so scared that her eyes instantly moistened. She was praying so hard for her life. Whoever was trying to kidnap her was just so strong. She regretted the times that she disregarded entering the taekwondo class, when her mother offered her to enroll. She even regretted bringing her baseball bat with her.

She could hardly breathe so she tried to calm her nerves. She needed to get away and to make that happen, she needed to think hard and fast.

Leila gathered her strength to step on the foot of whoever her attacker was. She tried to escape, but he grabbed her long wavy hair and forcibly dragged her down the ground.

She felt pain in her knees and elbow because of the harsh impact. She let out a hurtful sob as she tried to stand up and ran away, but the attacker grabbed her both arms and tied it together with a thick rope.

"Help!" She agonizingly yelled.

"Help me! Please!" She helplessly cried but a loud laugh resonated in her ears – making her look at whoever her attacker was.

"Even though you scream at the top of your lungs, no one would hear you." A familiar voice sarcastically commented – making her heart beat crazily.

Her eyes turned into thin slits as she tried to look at his face, but the darkness wasn't helping her.

"Who are you?!" She furiously exclaimed.

The man sarcastically chuckled.

"Oh, dear Leila. You just left home, and you have already forgotten all about me, huh?" The man mockingly replied as he stepped out of the darkness.

Under the bright full moon, she was able to recognize who it was – her eyes widened in shock and fright.

"Donovan..." She lowly uttered.

Her tears flowed down from her eyes down to her cheeks. She felt disgusted and scared.

It was none other than her stepfather, Donovan Harrow. He was the main reason why she left home and decided to live independently even though it hurt her so much.

He was always giving her malicious stares, and at night, he always tried to open her door – that she even bought an install three more locks just to feel safe.

Unfortunately, he always found ways to touch her hand and arms – and worst – her bottom when her mother, Sheila, wasn't around.

She was just so furious and disgusted that she decided to live independently, for she couldn't find the strength to tell it to her mom. She couldn't find it in her heart to ruin her stepbrother's father and their relationship.

Now, she thought she had already gotten away from him, but he resorted to this kind of thing.

"What do you want?" She asked while gritting her teeth.

She needed him to talk as she tried to untie the rope in her hands.

Donovan let out a hearty chuckle.

"That was so obvious, my love. I want you." He smugly answered.

She wanted to puke.

How could he do this to her? Even to her mom?

"You're sick!" She angrily yelled.

"Whatever you say, dear Leila. I wanted to collect your debts. I am the one who raised you. Now, that you've grown up so stunningly beautiful, I wanted you." He maliciously said those words as he touched her face.

"F*ck you!" She cursed at him as she helplessly stared at him.

The knot he had put in her hands was just too tight that it was making it hard for her to untie it. She was feeling pessimistic now.

"You don't even try to think of my mom?! How dare you do this!" She bitterly accused him.

He just smirked at her.

"Your mom was aging, dear. I wanted a new one." He seriously told her as he licked his lips and looked at her entire body using his ghastly stares.

"No. No, please... Don't do this..." She eagerly pleaded.

But it was making Donovan more turned on that he grabbed her hair and sniffed it.

"I just so love your smell, you know." He whispered before running his filthy tongue over her left cheek.

Leila shut her eyes tightly. She could feel the hair at the back of her head stand up because of pure repugnance.

"Beg, Leila... I want to hear your sweet pleadings." Donovan whispered into her ear.

She opened her eyes and clenched her fists before hardly biting his ear.

Donovan automatically cried and slapped her hard – wounding her lips and cheek. She finally untied the rope!

"You b*tch!" He irritably spat while holding his bloody ear.

He was about to hurt her when they heard a loud growl.

It was so eerie that her heart almost stopped beating.

Before she could even run, a huge dark brown furred wolf appeared in between them.

Leila was rooted to the ground while Donovan tried to get a stick and whipped the wolf.

It let out a furious snarl – showing its bared long canines.

Donovan's eyes widened in horror, and without thinking twice, he instantly ran away – leaving her with the enormous wolf.

Should she be thankful? Or should she be praying now; for she might be its next prey?

The massive wolf stared at her and groaned before leaving her – stunned in the middle of the woods.

Chapter 5

Left

***

Leila was dumbfounded, but she tried to stand up with her trembling knees. She had no idea why, but she followed the massive wolf that actually... rescued her!

She couldn't believe that there's a meek wolf like that – not to mention that it was so huge and bulky. She had seen them on television, and they were predators – mostly wild and fierce.

Leila ignored the bruises that were throbbing in some parts of her body. All she could think about was following the massive wolf and finding out who owned it.

She wanted it!

She wanted one for herself!

Well, that might serve as her best friend while living here in the village.

Her mind was clouded with the gratitude towards the wolf that saved her. She couldn't believe that during that hard, awful, and hopeless time – she could find someone unexpectedly.

She was panting inaudibly – breathing in her mouth as she tried to keep up with the wolf, which was slowly walking like it had nowhere to go.

The owl cooed, and it echoed in the entire forest. It intensified the eeriness of the place – making the hair at the back of her neck stand up. She had been following the huge wolf for about five minutes now, and her heart almost dropped when it took a short glance at where she was standing. She instantly hid in the huge tree in front of her.

Leila blew an inaudible sigh into her mouth. She was almost caught by the wolf!

It might change its mind and eat her! It would dig its bared canines into her flesh, and blood would splatter everywhere and-

'Oh, great! What a morbid imagination, you have there, Leila!' She murmured to herself and slightly shook her head. She was already being carried away by her own thoughts.

But then, the wolf stopped, and she almost dropped her jaw when she saw it enter the backdoor of... Hunter's Mansion?!

"Oh, my gosh!" She whispered under her breath as her hands flew in front of her mouth.

"Did he own the wolf? How did that happen? Wait... I need to talk to him..." She added and was about to go near the mansion when she suddenly fell down.

She took a swift glance at herself. She was full of bruises – not to mention the blood that was falling into her knees. She might also be so filthy because of the mud and dirt after her struggle.

How could she face Hunter now?

She tried to touch her bruises, but they were so bad. It was throbbing in pain – the reason why she fell down.

Her tears fell from her cheeks unconsciously. She felt like she had been transported back to what had happened earlier. Fear started to consume her entire being.

And amidst the massive fear that was engulfing her – was the thought of fury stirring in her blood. She just couldn't believe that her stepfather would do something as low as this!

If not for the wolf that saved her... she didn't know what would happen to her in the hands of Donovan.

She didn't know how she managed to go back to her house. Her mind was drifting with too many thoughts.

Above all, she felt so alone... scared... and violated.

However, after she tended to herself, she decided to go home to her mother's house. If Donovan could do something immoral like that to her, there's no reason for him not to do something worse to her mother and to Darcel.

A lone tear escaped from her eye, and she instantly wiped it away. Her hands were trembling as she clenched them tightly in her lap.

The travel time she had to take seemed to be so fast because of the thoughts that were lingering inside her head. Her mind became more chaotic after she reached her mother's house.

The sun had almost risen, and she hadn't even taken any food since last night. She couldn't feel the hunger – only her clenching heart, which was slowly drowning in pain.

What if her stepfather was in the house?

Can she really say everything to her mother?

What will happen to Darcel once he finds out that his father tried to abuse her?

No.

She couldn't say anything like that... but she must!

But how?

Her thoughts abruptly stopped when she saw her mother crying on their patio. Her eyes widened as she instantly ran towards her.

"Mom, what happened?!" She worriedly inquired – ignoring her things dropped on the ground.

Her mother's face was shocked upon looking at her. She might not expect her to go home now.

"L-Leila..."

She hugged her mother while sobbing in her shoulders.

"What happened?" She inquired, as she had gotten her some water.

Her mother swallowed hard.

Darcel was still inside his room sleeping, while her wicked stepfather was nowhere to be found around the house. And she was grateful that he wasn't around.

"It's... It's D-Donovan... he already left us..." Her mother whispered lowly, but enough for her to hear.

She was speechless. She knew that deep inside her, that was what she had been waiting for. Her vicious stepfather didn't deserve her mother but all that she could thank him for was having Darcel.

"He left a note and left. I already s-see this coming. He changed, and he is becoming hotheaded these past few days. But..." Her mother sobbed as she explained those things.

Leila didn't want to see her mother like this. Maybe, it was a good idea that she went home. She mentally heaved a deep sigh.

"But... he has left all of his debts to me..." She problematically stated.

Her forehead creased at that.

How dare he do that?!

And how the heck did that happen?

However, Leila wasn't surprised anymore. Her stepfather could be this merciless if he wanted to be.

She gritted her teeth.

"And they will be here in the house later. Donovan signed some papers that he agreed to pay his debts through the sale of this house." Her mother wept as she said those words.

Her blood boiled at that.

That's not possible. This house was named after her mother. This held a lot of memories for all of them, and she wouldn't allow that to happen.

Her mother seemed so problematic and in deep sorrow, as she might be thinking the same thing as hers.

"Don't worry, Mom. We will think of something." She assured her.

"But how?" Her mother cried.

However, before she could even say another word, a luxurious car suddenly stopped in front of their house, and a familiar man stepped out of the front car seat.

Her mouth dropped open when he moved towards the backseat door and opened it for someone.

Leila held her breath as she saw who stepped out of the opulent car.

Her heart raced as her stomach churned inside.

She always laughed at her best friend's stories about her boyfriends and crushes. She always scoffed at her whenever she told her about how her world stopped whenever her crushes walked towards her. She always rolled her eyes at her whenever she told her how her heart warmed and how fast it beat at mere eye contact and interaction with that particular man.

But she couldn't scoff, roll her eyes, or ignore the fast beating of her heart.

For at that very moment, her best friend was right.

Everything seemed blurry, and her own world stopped. Her eyes were glued to the man who was dashingly walking towards them – wearing his midnight blue suit and tie. His dark brown hair was neatly done, and his stubble was all shaved now.

He was gorgeous the very first time that she laid her eyes on him, but now, he was even hotter and more strikingly handsome in her eyes.

But what's more intriguing is how her heart beat suddenly turns wild at the mere eye contact that they have. It was like there's something in between them that suddenly arose, and she couldn't pinpoint how or what.

"Hunter Black..." She uttered unbelievably as he stopped in front of them.