Chapter 68: Totally Different

Chapter 68: Totally Different Natalie~ The silhouette kept speaking, but I was past listening. My entire world had narrowed down to him. The shape of his body, the warmth of his presence, the steady thrum of his pulse just beneath his skin. My instincts screamed at me, louder than any voice, louder than logic itself. Mark him. Claim him. Make him yours. Jasmine purred in my head, her voice a silken whisper that dripped with excitement. "Yes, yes, hurry up, Mara. He’s ours. He was always ours. What are you waiting for? Sink your teeth in already!" I took a shaky breath, my vision pulsing with golden light of the Medallion. I could feel my heart hammering wildly in my chest, my lips parting as something deep and ancient inside me took over. My fingers curled into the fabric of his cloth, drawing him closer, pressing my trembling body against the solid warmth of his. The moment my teeth sank into his neck, the world spinned. A sharp gasp tore from his lips, his muscles going rigid beneath my grasp. The second his blood rushed onto my tongue, a shudder ran through me so violently that my knees nearly buckled. The taste was intoxicating—deep, rich, achingly familiar. It sent a thousand memories clawing at the edges of my mind, memories I once forgotten, memories that should’ve never been lost. I knew this taste. I knew him. The fog in my mind trembled, then shattered all at once. My vision cleared in a single heartbeat. The white-hot energy that had clouded my senses receded, peeling away like the final remnants of a dream. And then I saw him— Zane. Zane was in my arms, his body tense, his breath ragged. No. Not just Zane. Frederick. I had just marked Frederick. I stared at him like I had never seen him before, my breath caught somewhere between a sob and a laugh. He was just as beautiful as ever, his blue eyes burning into mine, his lips parted in shock. His presence was magnetic, drawing me in, anchoring me in a way I hadn’t even realized I was searching for. Zane. My Frederick. "OH MY MOON, IT’S REALLY HIM!" Jasmine’s scream practically deafened me inside my head. "LOOK AT HIM, MARA! HE’S STILL SO HANDSOME! AND RED—RED IS JUST AS STRONG AND WONDERFUL AS EVER. I CAN FEEL HIM!" She was hyperventilating, her excitement spilling over like an overfilled cup. I could barely focus on her words, too overwhelmed by the rush of emotions flooding through me. Zane was still in shock, his lips slightly parted as he tried to process what had just happened. His hands hovered in the air as if he didn’t know whether to push me away or pull me closer. I didn’t give him a choice. With a desperate sound, I threw my arms around him, crushing him against me. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as I clung to him, my body trembling against his warmth. "Jasmine, it’s him. Frederick is Zane." I cried to her, relief pulsing through my body. "It’s fate. This can only be fate." Jasmine replied, her voice filled with wonder. "You’re him," I whispered against Zane’s shoulder, my voice breaking. "I can’t believe it. You’re my Frederick. You were here all this time... and I didn’t know." His breath hitched. His hands, which had been frozen at his sides, slowly lifted—tentative, hesitant—before they finally wrapped around me. His hold was strong, grounding, as if he was afraid to let go. Tears welled up in my eyes, and before I could stop myself, I pressed frantic, fluttering kisses against his face—his cheeks, his forehead, the bridge of his nose. "You were here," I murmured between kisses, my fingers tangling in his blond hair. "You were always here. I didn’t know. I didn’t know—" A sound rumbled from deep in his chest. At first, I thought it was a growl, but then— Laughter. Warm, rich, and startled, like he hadn’t expected it to escape. I froze, my lips hovering just over his cheek. He was laughing. Zane—Frederick—was laughing. "You’re insane," he muttered, shaking his head even as his lips curled into the smallest of smirks. "You just tried to bite my throat out, and now you’re kissing me all over my face?" I pulled back just enough to glare at him. "Oh, shut up. You have no idea what I’ve been through—what I felt!" His smirk softened into something I couldn’t read, something that made my heart ache in my chest. Slowly, he lifted his hands and cupped my face, his thumbs tracing gently over my cheeks. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Are you okay?" I blinked, startled by the sudden tenderness in his tone. I nodded. "Yeah. I think... I think I’m finally okay." His blue eyes studied me for a long moment, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "Your eyes... They’re normal now. A few moments ago, they were nothing but pure white light." I smiled, my heart still pounding. "Yeah, that happens sometimes." He exhaled sharply, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "What even happened to you, Natalie? How did we end up here? How are you the celestial princess?" My smile wavered. "I didn’t know who I was all this time. I didn’t even recognize you because... I was reincarnated without Jasmine. I was... incomplete." His brows furrowed, his grip on me tightening. "Wait... Slow down. First of all, who is Jasmine?" I brightened immediately moving closer to him. "Jasmine is my wolf!" I announced proudly. "She’s been asleep this whole time while I suffered alone, but now she’s finally back." "Oh, don’t you start guilt-tripping me again," Jasmine groaned dramatically in my head. "I already apologized! I was literally dead, Mara! I wasn’t exactly taking a nap!" I rolled my eyes but laughed, feeling lighter than I had in years. "She keeps apologizing, though, because she feels bad for missing everything. But she really, really wants to meet you." Zane’s lips parted slightly, surprise flashing in his eyes. "You’re joking," he said, his voice laced with disbelief. I grinned, "Nope." "Are you serious?" He demanded, squeezing my hand, his eyes flashing with disbelief and something that resembled hope. I nodded eagerly. "Do you want to meet her?" His expression shifted—something between amazement and curiosity. He hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice almost reverent. "I’d love to meet her." Jasmine squealed. "OH, FINALLY! I’M COMING OUT!" I grinned and closed my eyes, letting the change take over. ************ Zane~ My mind was still reeling. One moment, Natalie was flashing her fangs at me—fangs, which she absolutely didn’t have before—and before I could even begin to process that horrifyingly beautiful sight, she bit me. Not a gentle graze. Not a teasing nip. A real, deep, searing bite. The kind that sent raw, electric heat straight through my body. The kind that meant something—something I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. A mark. She had marked me. The sting of her bite lingered for only a second before my body adjusted, my wolf going completely silent in my mind. Silent, but not calm. "What the actual fuck just happened?" Red finally wheezed. I had no answer. My hand instinctively went to my neck, feeling the raised ridges of her claim, and my heart pounded so hard I was afraid it would crash right out of my chest. Then suddenly she threw herself at me, arms wrapping around me in a desperate, trembling grip, I froze. Her warmth seeped through my clothes, her fingers clenching tightly into the fabric of my shirt like she was afraid I’d disappear. "You’re him," she whispered against my shoulder, voice breaking. "I can’t believe it. You’re my Frederick. You were here all this time... and I didn’t know." That name again. Frederick. It felt foreign and familiar all at once. My breath caught, my hands hovering at my sides, unsure—before instinct finally took over. Slowly, cautiously, I brought my arms around her, pulling her close. She was shaking. I held her tighter. Then, before I could say a single damn word, Natalie started kissing me all over my face. Her hands tangled in my hair, her lips pressing desperate, eager kisses to my jaw, my cheeks, my lips—hell, even my nose. She was laughing and crying at the same time, whispering my name—Frederick? —over and over again, like it was a prayer. I stood there, completely frozen, my arms hovering uselessly at my sides. Because who was this woman? This was not the same shy, reserved Natalie who barely spoke above a whisper, who flinched at the mere idea of taking up space. This was someone else entirely. And goddess above, she was so beautiful. Her eyes, still that stunning shade of blue, gleamed with a new kind of vibrancy, something powerful and untamed. Her red hair, no longer glowing, still shimmered like fire in the dim light. Her skin, flawless and radiant, seemed to pulse with life. But it was her energy that had changed the most. She was free. And before I knew it, I began laughing. I couldn’t help it, I felt like I was in a beautiful dream that I never wanted to wake up from. I was now struggling to breathe from the laughter, and also trying to process everything, when she pulled back just enough to cup my face, her thumbs brushing over my cheekbones with a tenderness that made my chest ache. "Oh, my gods," she whispered breathlessly. "I can’t believe it’s you. It’s you, Zane. My Frederick, my mate. You were here all along. I didn’t know—I didn’t know—" Her voice broke, but before I could respond, she was laughing again. Laughing. I hadn’t realized how different Natalie’s sound of joy could be compared to her previous laughters until it hit me hard. Red finally broke free from his shock and let out a low, awed whistle in my mind. "Well, damn. I don’t know what just happened, but I really like this version of our mate." Goddess, she was beautiful. The fire in her voice, the raw emotion in her eyes—I had no words. Instead, I reached up, cupping her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheeks. "Are you okay?" I asked softly. She blinked, caught off guard. Then, after a beat, she nodded. "Yeah. I think... I think I’m finally okay." I smiled at her. "Your eyes," I murmured. "They’re normal now." She smiled, a little breathless. "Yeah, that happens sometimes." I exhaled sharply. "What even happened to you, Natalie? How did we end up here? How are you the celestial princess?" Her smile wavered. "I didn’t know who I was all this time. I didn’t even recognize you because... I was reincarnated without Jasmine. I was... incomplete." Red’s voice echoed in my head, breathless and full of disbelief. "Who the hell is Jasmine?" I didn’t respond right away. My eyes were locked on Natalie, on the fire in her gaze, the sheer excitement radiating from her. She looked like she was about to burst with joy, and it was... stunning. So instead, I asked the same question out loud. "Wait... Slow down. Who is Jasmine?" Natalie’s eyes sparkled. She grabbed my hands, her grip warm and firm, as she leaned in like she was about to share the world’s greatest secret. "Jasmine is my wolf!" she said proudly. "She’s been asleep this whole time while I suffered alone, but now she’s finally back." I stiffened. "You’re joking," I said, my voice low, almost hesitant, because I didn’t know what to do with the hope clawing its way into my chest. Natalie grinned. "Nope." Red sucked in a sharp breath, the equivalent of hyperventilating inside my head. "Zane! ZANE! Did you hear that?! Our mate has a wolf! A real one! This is—this is insane! This is the best day of my life!" "Are you serious?" I demanded, squeezing her hands, searching her face for any sign that this was some kind of elaborate joke. Natalie nodded eagerly. "Do you want to meet her?" Red practically howled. "Say yes! Say yes right now!" I exhaled sharply, shaking my head in amused disbelief. "Yeah. I’d love to meet her." Before I could blink, Natalie was shifting. Her body glowed with a brilliant silver light, the air around her crackling with energy. My heart slammed against my ribs as her bones elongated, muscles rippling beneath her skin. Fur sprouted across her body—red mix with white, rich as moonlight, cascading over her form in waves. And then, standing before me, was the most breathtaking wolf I had ever seen. Jasmine was massive, nearly as tall as me even on all fours. Her coat shimmered like liquid fire, each strand of fur catching the light as if woven from the stars themselves. But it was her eyes—Natalie’s eyes—that stole my breath. Deep, piercing blue. Just like hers. Red let out a strangled sound. "Zane. Zane, I think I’m in love all over again." I had no words. I could only stare. And then Jasmine tackled me. I let out a surprised grunt as I hit the floor, my back slamming against the hardwood. A second later, a giant wolf tongue was dragging across my face, slobbering all over me like an overexcited pup. "Okay! Okay—Jasmine, stop!" I laughed, trying to push her away, but she was too strong, her massive paws pinning me down as she continued her relentless attack. "Do you think I’m beautiful?" her voice purred through the mind link, smug and mischievous. Goddess, we had a mind link now! I snorted, breathless. "Yes! Yes, you’re beautiful—now get off me before you drown me in saliva!" Jasmine huffed, stepping back, her tail wagging lazily. "Told you," Red murmured in my head, utterly starstruck. "We are the luckiest Lycans alive." A moment later, Natalie shifted back. I quickly averted my gaze as she transformed, the glow of magic fading to reveal her human form. I felt the warmth of her presence before I heard her voice. "Where’s Alex?" she asked, glancing around. "And everyone else? The house is way too quiet." I sat up, running a hand through my hair. "Jacob took them to his place." The second the words left my mouth, Natalie’s eyes gleamed with something dangerous and then she smirked. "Ah, my brother always knows how to please me." I arched a brow. "What does that mean?" She shrugged, completely not going to explain. Her lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. "Are we alone, then?" I blinked. "...Yes?" She jumped for joy, clapping her hands together. I frowned, confused. "Why are you so happy about—" And then it hit me. Before I could react, she ran straight into my arms, throwing herself against me. My hands instinctively caught her waist as she crushed her lips against mine. The kiss was soft at first—hesitant, searching—but then she pressed closer, molding against me, and suddenly, it was anything but gentle. Raw. Desperate. A hunger that had been buried too long. I groaned against her lips, unable to stop myself. She moaned in response, her fingers threading through my hair, tugging me closer. Goddess. I was drowning in her. Then, just as abruptly, she pulled back, her breath warm against my skin. Her voice was playful, teasing—dangerous. "Zane," she purred, "can we fuck like we used to?" I froze. Red went deathly silent. Then— "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!" I coughed violently, struggling to process what had just come out of her mouth. "I—uh—what?" Natalie giggled, running her fingers down my chest. "You heard me." Red whimpered. "Zane, I—she’s broken me. I don’t know how to handle this." I swallowed hard, trying to think past the heat building between us. "Natalie... you just went through a huge transformation. Maybe we should—uh—wait a bit." She pouted. "I don’t want to wait." I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down my face. "I just want to be sure you’re thinking clearly." "I am thinking clearly." She wrapped her arms around my neck, her breath ghosting over my jaw. "And I’ve missed you touching me so much." Red whined. "Zane. Zane, I swear to the goddess, if you say no—" With every ounce of willpower I had, I pulled away, forcing a smile. "How about a drink?" I suggested, already backing toward the door. "You must be thirsty, right?" Natalie narrowed her eyes. "Great! I’ll go grab one," I said quickly. Then, before she could react, I spun on my heel and bolted. I barely made it to the hallway before she tackled me from behind. "ZANE!" she laughed, wrapping her legs around my waist as she clung to me like a damn koala. "You can’t run from me!" I stumbled into the living room, laughing as I tried to pry her off. We crashed onto the couch in a heap, both of us breathless, tangled together in a mess of limbs and laughter. "You’re insane," I chuckled, shaking my head. She grinned. "You love it." I opened my mouth to argue—but then I realized something. She wasn’t calling me sir anymore. That one little change hit me harder than I expected. I had wanted to correct her before, to tell her she never had to address me like that, but I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. But now? Now she was calling me by my name. It was a tiny thing. But it meant the world. I was about to say something when— "Ahem." Both of us froze. Slowly, we turned our heads toward the living room door. Sebastian stood there, arms crossed, staring at us with an unimpressed expression. I sighed. "Of course." Natalie, still sprawled over me, grinned up at him innocently. "Oh. Hey, Seb. Can you come back later? We’re kinda busy." Sebastian’s brows raised in what resembled disbelief. "Seb? Do I even want to know what’s going on here?" I groaned, rubbing my temples. "No." Sebastian smirked. "Too bad. Because I definitely want to know."