Warm rays of the sun shine gently on my face, stirring me from my slumber, my face nuzzling into the soft sheets under me.
Soft sheets?
I frown, trying to open my eyes and get up from the soft mattress I was lying on but my body was too exhausted. Even opening my eyes drains my energy making me fall back onto the bed. My throat feels dry and scratchy as I swallow, trying to moisten it.
I hear movement around me, and before I could react, warm hands cup my face as a deep but sweet voice calls my name.
"Elara" he said, his voice tinged with worry.
Kael. I remember his name, and the conversation we had in the cave before I lost my consciousness. I never got to process it.
I try to move away from his touch. I don't trust this strange man with his strange and outlandish claims, but he refuses to let go, holding my face firmly yet gently in his palms.
"Elara! Can you hear me? Open your eyes"
I open my eyes with some effort meeting his gaze- molten gold filled with concern and fear. Relief washes over him as recognise those same eyes: Gray's. Confusion and denial grip me.
The same eyes- the only one who could have known my name this strange world. My pretty wolf. My Gray.
But that thought sent a stab of pain through my chest, a gripping ache at the thought that I was betrayed by the only one I relied on in this world.
No. This is somebody else, if Gray was really some kind of shapeshifter, he would have told me much sooner. Right. He would. Gray was just a wolf. This man is lying and I need to find out how he knows my name and Gray.
I open my mouth but my throat hurts. I cough, signalling him to get to me some water.
He scrambles away from the bed in a hurry and comes back a minute later with a clay cup filled with water. I take it and drink it in a hurry, sputtering and coughing a little finally relief for my parched throat.
"Who are you?" I ask eventhough I remember his name.
"My name is Kael. Kael Veyric. I know this will be hard to process and I didn't want to tell it to you in this way but I'm Gray" he says, blurting it out in a hurry.
I stare at him for a few seconds, absorbing his words.
"How can a man be a wolf or a wolf be a man? And please don't give me the 'I'm a werewolf' bullshit" I say blankly.
He stares at for a few seconds, stunned by my words. He gets up from the bed and announces, "You must be hungry. I shall get you something light to eat- you have been asleep for two days after all" then he turns on his heel, walking away and closing the room door behind him with a click.
Did he just ignore what I just said and walk away? Wow. On top of that, I was out for two whole days? I gaze out of the small window beside the bed and realized it was early in the morning with the sun just rising. No wonder I felt so weak, I hadn't eaten well in the week I spent with Gray and with the fright I had that day I was completely out for 2 days.
But where am I now? I look around the room trying to gauge what I might have gotten myself into.
The room was almost empty except for the wooden bed and a wooden wardrobe that looked handmade. The window covered with a mesh instead of glass. All of this is so bizarre and new that I don't know how to process all of this.
I hear the door click open, Kael walks in with a bowl and a glass. He sets the glass on the edge of the bedframe, he sits next to me with a smile on his face, holding a spoon with some kind of porridge in it and looks at me expectantly.
The aroma of the porridge fills my nose, my stomach instantly twisting in anticipation of real food- but I hesitate.
I don't know this man or his intentions and every crime documentary and thriller novels I've watched and read were screaming at me to refuse.
He notices my hesitation, without a word, shoves a spoonful in his mouth.
"See? It's safe to eat. I would never hurt you Elara" he says, his voice soft.
My head spins, my stomach hurts and I know I have to eat if I don't want to pass out- or worse.
"Will you explain once I eat?" I ask.
"Yes! Just eat and I will answer everything you want to know" he replies, excitedly bringing another warm spoon of porridge to my mouth and this time I open my mouth letting the mild but flavorful taste fill my mouth.
I eat slowly but steadily until the bowl is empty and the glass of water is sitting on my lap.
"Are you a shapeshifter?" I ask, it was stupid but the only way I can uncover the whole truth.