Chapter 2
Krystal POV
As soon as the banquet ended, Rose spun on her heels, her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. Without a word, she grabbed my wrist, her nails digging into my skin as she yanked me along.
“Rose, wait, what’s wrong?” I asked, trying to keep up with her furious pace. My heart raced, not understanding the sudden shift in her demeanor. “You don’t have to be upset. Maybe he was just tired or—”
“Shut up!” she snapped, her grip tightening like a vice. She quickened her steps, dragging me out of the hall and toward the nearby pool.
I stumbled, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to pacify her. “Rose, please, it’s not worth getting so upset about. I’m sure Prince John—”
Before I could finish, she halted abruptly by the pool, her eyes wild with frustration. In one swift motion, Rose pushed me against the edge of the pool, her strength catching me completely off guard.
“You ruined everything!” she screamed, her voice trembling with fury. “He was looking at you! How dare you stand there and make me look like a fool!”
“Me? How did I? I kept my distance. I didn't even notice him looking at me often. His eyes were most times on you."
“Shut up, lying bitch!" She bawled, her hot hand connecting with my face and leaving a sting.
My heart pounded in my chest as disbelief washed over me. Rose’s rage was palpable, her eyes glinting with a madness I hadn’t seen before.
“Rose, I didn’t do anything!” I cried out, but she wasn’t listening. Her hands turned to fists, and she began hitting me, each blow more vicious than the last, fueled by her jealousy and anger.
I realized with growing terror that if I didn’t fight back, I would end up battered and bruised, or worse. Summoning what little strength I had, I pushed against her, trying desperately to break free. We grappled, our hands pulling at each other’s hair, our movements wild and uncoordinated. For a brief moment, I thought I might have the upper hand, but I was wolfless, and my strength was no match for Rose's.
With a savage push, Rose overpowered me, forcing me into the pool. The cold water shocked my system, sending a jolt of panic through me as I struggled to keep my head above the surface. But Rose was relentless, her hands pressing on my shoulders, keeping me submerged.
I thrashed in the water, desperate for air, but Rose’s grip was unrelenting. Panic surged through me as my vision began to blur, the edges darkening. I tried to scream, but only bubbles escaped my lips, rising helplessly to the surface.
Just when I thought it was all over, I caught a glimpse of the sky above. The full moon hung beautifully in the night, its light piercing through the darkness. I heard a distant wolf’s howl, the sound echoing in my ears, giving me a strange sense of calm even as my lungs burned for air. It didn't seem real, but deep down I knew it was.
As my body began to go limp, I felt the world slipping away, and just before everything went black, I couldn’t help but think how peaceful the moon looked, even as my life was being drained away.
While unconscious, I felt a strange sensation—like I was being lifted from the water. The weight of the water left me, but I couldn’t fully grasp what was happening. My mind was foggy, lost somewhere between the darkness and the faint sounds of someone calling out to me. I wanted to respond, to open my eyes and see who it was, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.
Suddenly, a strange tingling sensation spread across my lips, a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold that had seeped into my bones. It was soft and comforting, sending gentle waves of heat through my body, gradually pulling me back to reality. The sensation was so unexpected, so oddly familiar, that it stirred something deep inside me.
Confused but instinctively responding, I felt my lips moving against the warmth, my emotions a chaotic mix of bewilderment and... happiness? It was an odd feeling, especially when I had just been on the brink of death, but I couldn’t pull back. And whoever it was, they didn’t seem to want to stop either. There was something tender, almost intimate, about the way our lips moved together as if we were sharing more than just a desperate attempt to bring me back.
As I slowly opened my eyes, the world around me was a blur like I was looking through a foggy glass. The light was dim, but I could make out the silhouette of someone close to me—too close. My heart raced in terror as I realized what was happening. Was someone... kissing me?
My repulsive instinct kicked in as I sat up and slapped the person and wanted to push them away, but my body was still weak, my movements sluggish. Just then, the clouds parted, and the moonlight spilled down, illuminating the face of the person hovering above me.
I gasped softly as the light revealed a godlike face—strong jawline, high cheekbones, and eyes that seemed to glow in the pale light. His features were perfect, like something out of a dream. For a moment, I was sure I was still unconscious, lost in some twisted fantasy.
“Prince John?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. It couldn’t be. It had to be my imagination, a cruel trick my mind was playing on me in my weakened state. But as my vision cleared, I saw him more distinctly, and my eyes widened in recognition. It really was him. Prince John, the one who had seemingly ignored me all evening, was now trying to save me.
“Hey, are you feeling okay?” he asked, his voice laced with deep concern.
Realization hit me hard. He wasn’t kissing me—he had been performing CPR, trying to bring me back to life.
A surge of embarrassment washed over me, followed by a wave of dizziness. I wanted to apologize, to explain that I had misunderstood, but the words wouldn’t come out right.
My vision started to blur again, and I managed to whisper, “I’m... sorry...” before everything faded to black once more, leaving me with the lingering warmth of his lips and the shock of what had just happened.