17. Kiss of Life

Rowan

Rowan was lost in an endless void of darkness, a place where time seemed to have no meaning. He couldn't remember how long he had been trapped in this abyss, his mind adrift in a sea of nothingness. But just as he was about to give in to despair, a melodic female voice called out to him, its gentle tones cutting through the oppressive silence.

"Rowan," the voice whispered, "open your eyes."

At first, Rowan wasn't sure if he had the strength to obey. The darkness had become a familiar companion, and the thought of facing the unknown filled him with trepidation. But there was something about the voice that compelled him, a soothing presence that urged him to trust in its guidance.

As he slowly blinked his eyes open, Rowan's thoughts immediately turned to his family. Were his siblings safe? How long had he been away from them? A wave of worry washed over him, threatening to pull him back into the depths of his own fears.

But as his vision cleared, Rowan found himself standing in a place that could only be described as paradise. A vast field stretched out before him, its expanse filled with tulips of every color imaginable. The sight took his breath away, and for a moment, he forgot about his worries, lost in the sheer beauty of the scene.

As he took a step forward, marveling at the way the tulips swayed gently in the breeze, Rowan noticed a figure in the distance. Even from afar, there was something about the man that made Rowan's heart race, a strange pull that he couldn't quite explain.

"Go to him, Rowan," the female voice encouraged, her words filled with warmth and understanding.

Rowan hesitated for a moment, uncertainty clouding his thoughts. But deep down, he knew that he couldn't ignore the inexplicable connection he felt to the mysterious figure. With a deep breath, he began to make his way through the field, his steps cautious but determined.

"Hello?" Rowan called out, his voice carried away by the gentle wind that rustled through the tulips. "Can you hear me?"

As he drew closer to the man, Rowan felt a strange sensation wash over him, as if his very life force was being drawn towards the figure. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, a feeling he had never experienced before.

And then, the man turned, and Rowan found himself gazing into the most captivating eyes he had ever seen. They were a striking shade of green, flecked with gold and filled with a depth of emotion that made Rowan's breath catch in his throat. He felt as though he could lose himself in those eyes, content to drown in their mesmerizing beauty.

The man extended his hand, a silent invitation that sent shivers down Rowan's spine. "Take it, Rowan," the female voice whispered, her tone filled with encouragement. "Trust in the connection you feel."

Without a second thought, Rowan reached out and grasped the man's hand, their fingers intertwining as if they were always meant to be together. The moment their skin touched, the world around them dissolved, the field of tulips vanishing in a blinding flash of white light.

Suddenly, they were suspended in a void of nothingness, just the two of them, their hands still clasped tightly together. Rowan knew he should have been afraid, but somehow, with this man by his side, he felt an inexplicable sense of safety and belonging.

He found himself gasping for air, his eyes snapping open to an unfamiliar wooden room. Disorientation washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him feeling lost and unmoored in this strange new reality.

As his gaze darted around the room, taking in the rustic furnishings and the warm, golden light that streamed through the windows, Rowan's eyes landed on a woman seated beside him, her nose buried in a book. She seemed not to have noticed his sudden awakening, too engrossed in the pages before her to pay him any mind.

But then, as if sensing his gaze upon her, the woman looked up, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in Rowan's confused and disoriented expression. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of joy and disbelief. "You're awake! Luca! Luca, come quickly!"

Before Rowan could even begin to wrap his head around the impossibility of it all, the door burst open, and there he was. The man from his dream, the one whose eyes had captivated him, whose touch had set his soul on fire. He was here, in the flesh, and the sight of him made Rowan's heart skip a beat, his breath catching in his throat as he tried to process the reality of what he was seeing.

"You're awake," the man breathed, his voice filled with a depth of emotion that made Rowan's chest ache. "I can't believe it."

And then, before Rowan could even begin to formulate a response, the man was crossing the room in two long strides, his arms wrapping around Rowan's shoulders and pulling him into a tight, desperate embrace. Rowan froze for a moment, his body stiff and unyielding in the man's arms. But then, as the man pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, Rowan felt himself melting into the embrace, his own arms coming up to wrap around the man's waist as he buried his face in the crook of his neck.

"I don't understand," Rowan whispered, his voice muffled against the man's skin. "How is this possible? Who are you?"

The man pulled back slightly, his hands coming up to cup Rowan's face as he gazed into his eyes with a look of pure, unadulterated affection. "My name is Luca," he said softly, his thumbs gently stroking Rowan's cheekbones. "And I've been waiting for you to wake up, to come back to me."

Rowan's brow furrowed in confusion, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of Luca's words. "Come back to you?" he repeated, his voice small and uncertain. "But I don't even know you. At least, I don't think I do."

Luca smiled, a soft, tender thing that made Rowan's heart flutter in his chest. "It's a long story."

"I'm Rowan. Rowan Elderwood." Rowan croaked.

Luca smiled at him sweetly. "And my name is Luca. Lovely to finally meet you, Rowan."

As if sensing the shift in the room, the woman who had been seated beside Rowan quietly rose from her chair, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she took in the sight of the two men locked in each other's arms. "I'll give you two some privacy," she said softly, her voice filled with a quiet kind of understanding. "But if you need anything, just call for me, okay?"

Rowan nodded, his gaze never leaving Luca's face as he murmured a soft "thank you" in the woman's direction. And then, as the door clicked shut behind her, he turned his attention back to Luca, his heart racing as he tried to find the words to express the depth of his feelings, the overwhelming sense of connection and belonging that he felt in Luca's presence.

"Luca," he said softly, his voice hesitant and raspy from disuse. "Where am I? What is this place?"

Luca's response was immediate, his voice deep and soothing as he pulled Rowan closer, his arms tightening around his waist in a gesture of comfort and protection. "You're in the Wolfheart Pack, Rowan. This is my home, and the home of my people."

Rowan felt a shiver run down his spine at Luca's words, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just heard. The Wolfheart Pack. He had heard stories of wolf shifters before, had read about them in the ancient myths and legends that he had always been so fascinated by. But he had never imagined that they could be real, that he could be standing here, in the heart of their territory, wrapped in the arms of one of their own.

"Wolf shifters," he murmured, his voice filled with a mix of awe and disbelief. "I thought they were just stories, just tales that people told around the campfire to scare each other."

Luca chuckled, his breath warm against Rowan's ear as he nuzzled into his neck, inhaling deeply as if trying to memorize his scent. "We're very real."

Rowan's brow furrowed in confusion, his mind racing with questions as he tried to make sense of Luca's words. "How long have I been asleep?"

He could feel Luca stiffen slightly in his arms, could sense the hesitation and uncertainty in his voice as he pulled back to look Rowan in the eye. "I don't know. I wish I could give you a clear answer, but the truth is, we don't know how long you've been under the curse. It could have been days, or weeks, or even years."

Rowan felt a wave of panic wash over him at Luca's words, his heart clenching with fear and confusion as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea of losing so much time, of being separated from his family and his life for an unknown period. "But my family," he said, his voice small and afraid. "My siblings, my parents. They must be worried sick about me. I have to find them, Luca. I have to let them know that I'm okay."

Luca's expression softened, his hand coming up to cup Rowan's cheek as he gazed into his eyes with a look of pure, unadulterated understanding. "I know, Rowan. And we will find them, I promise you. But right now, the most important thing is figuring out what happened to you, and how we can keep you safe from whatever or whoever put you under that curse in the first place."

Rowan swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry as he tried to process the enormity of what Luca was saying. He had so many questions, so many gaps in his memory that he didn't even know where to begin. But as he looked into Luca's eyes, as he saw the depth of concern and affection shining there, he knew that he had to trust him, had to believe that together, they could unravel the mysteries of his past and find a way forward.

As if sensing his distress, Luca reached out and took Rowan's hand in his own, his touch warm and comforting against Rowan's skin. "Hey," he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet kind of reassurance. "I know this is a lot to take in, Rowan. But I promise you, I will be here with you every step of the way. We will figure this out together, no matter how long it takes or how hard it gets."

Rowan felt a lump rising in his throat at Luca's words, his eyes stinging with sudden, unexpected tears. He had always been the strong one, the one who took care of others and shouldered their burdens without complaint. But now, in the face of so much uncertainty and confusion, he found himself leaning into Luca's support, drawing strength and comfort from the warmth of his presence.

"I just feel so lost, Luca," he admitted, his voice small and vulnerable in the quiet of the room. "Like I'm adrift in a sea of questions and doubts, with no idea which way to turn or where to begin."

Luca's expression softened, his hand tightening around Rowan's in a gesture of comfort and understanding. "I know, Rowan. And it's okay to feel that way. This is a lot for anyone to handle, let alone someone who's just woken up from a curse with no memory of how they got there."

He paused for a moment, his eyes searching Rowan's face as if trying to find the right words to say. "But you're not alone in this, Rowan. You have me, and you have the support of the entire Wolfheart Pack behind you. We will do whatever it takes to help you unravel the secrets of your past and find your way forward."

Rowan felt a flicker of warmth and gratitude kindling in his chest at Luca's words, a sense of hope and determination that helped to chase away some of the shadows that had been clinging to his heart. He knew that the road ahead would be long and difficult, that there would be challenges and obstacles at every turn. But with Luca by his side, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he could face whatever lay ahead with courage and strength.

"Thank you, Luca," he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet kind of awe. "I don't know what I did to deserve your kindness and support, but I am so grateful for it. I don't think I could do this without you."

Luca smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made Rowan's heart skip a beat. "You don't have to thank me, Rowan. This is what pack is for. We take care of each other, no matter what. And you're a part of that now, whether you realize it or not."