A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 113 - 112

Chapter 113: Chapter 112

I didn’t remember falling asleep.

One moment, I was curled on my bed, my body heavy with exhaustion, my mind too tangled in pain to make sense of anything. The next, I was standing—barefoot—on something soft.

Grass?

My brows furrowed.

I looked down. My feet were sinking into vibrant green grass, dewdrops clinging to my skin like tiny pearls. A soft breeze brushed against my skin, carrying the scent of blooming flowers—roses, jasmine, something else I couldn’t name.

I lifted my head.

A garden.

Not just any garden. A place that seemed to exist outside of reality, untouched by time. The sky above was an endless swirl of deep purples and blues, flecked with countless stars that pulsed like they were alive. Strange, glowing flowers dotted the landscape, their soft luminescence bathing everything in an ethereal glow. Vines twisted around marble columns, their petals opening and closing as if breathing. In the distance, a river shimmered like liquid silver, its surface reflecting the constellations above.

It was beautiful.

It was wrong.

Because I knew this place.

I had read about it in old texts, whispered about in forgotten prayers.

This was the Celestial Garden.

The domain of the goddess.

And just as that realization struck me, I felt it—her presence.

A chill crept down my spine as I turned my head.

There she stood.

Dressed in flowing silver robes that shimmered like moonlight. Her hair, still as white as fresh snowfall, falling down her back in soft waves.

Her eyes pierced through me like they could strip away my very soul.

The goddess.

Here she was again.

Did she enjoy watching me rush towards that door filled with hope.

Did she enjoy seeing me break into more broken pieces after seeing Thane!

Rage surged through me so fast, so violently, that I barely registered my own voice before the words came spilling out.

"You fucking bitch."

The air around me stilled.

The soft rustling of leaves ceased. The wind died. The stars above flickered like startled flames.

The goddess’s lips pressed into a thin line, her delicate brows drawing together in a frown.

"You should watch your tongue, pup," she warned, her voice smooth, like the calm before a storm.

But I didn’t care.

I took a step forward, pointing a shaking finger at her, my chest heaving.

"You’re a cruel, self-centered, miserable excuse of a deity!" I spat. "You sit up here in your little celestial palace, playing games with people’s lives like we’re nothing but toys for your amusement!"

The goddess’s expression darkened, the glow of the flowers dimming, as if they feared what was coming.

I knew I was pushing it. I knew I should stop. But I couldn’t.

I was done with being silent.

"Do you even care about the pain you cause?" I continued, my voice rising. "Do you think it’s fun messing with people feelings? To give me hope then take it away, to twist everything until I’m drowning in misery?"

"You and the Lycan king is a match made in fucking hell!"

The goddess slowly lifted a hand.

I barely had time to react before invisible force slammed into me, seizing me by the throat.

My breath caught.

My hands flew up, grasping at nothing, my fingers curling uselessly around the space where an unseen grip tightened like iron. My lungs screamed, burning with the need for air as my feet lifted from the ground, hovering inches above the grass.

The goddess tilted her head, her lips curling in the faintest trace of displeasure.

"I am not in the mood for your insolence, pup," she said, her voice colder than the void between stars.

Spots danced at the edge of my vision.

I gasped, choking on nothing, my legs kicking weakly in the air. The flowers around us wilted, the river in the distance stilled, the stars in the sky flickered dangerously.

My nails dug into my own skin, my body twisting, every muscle straining against the invisible hold that was slowly, surely, killing me.

Then, just as suddenly as it began—

She released me.

I crashed onto the ground in a heap, gasping, coughing, my hands flying to my bruised throat as I sucked in greedy, desperate gulps of air.

The goddess loomed over me, the glow of her celestial form casting long shadows across the grass.

"Watch yourself, Layla," she warned, her tone soft. "I am being merciful

Merciful.

Merciful.

I let out a bitter, rasping laugh, still clutching my throat as I glared up at her.

Her patience was thinning—I could see it in the way her fingers twitched at her sides, the way the very air around us vibrated with suppressed energy.

I pushed myself onto my knees, my body shaking with the effort.

Through ragged breaths, I met her gaze and forced a smirk.

"Did I hit a nerve?" I croaked.

The goddess exhaled sharply through her nose.

Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away.

As her retreating figure began to fade into the endless night, her voice slithered into my mind, smooth as silk yet heavy with warning.

"Don’t let a little grudge ruin everything I have planned."

A chill crept down my spine. My fingers curled into the damp grass.

"Stop throwing tantrums and accept Thane."

The name made my blood run cold.

Thane.

The very mention of him sent a fresh wave of anger surging through me.

"That’s the only way I can help you out of that tower."

My body tensed.

Help me?

A bitter laugh bubbled in my throat, but I bit it back, my lips curling in frustration instead. The goddess never helped me. And now she wanted me to trust her? To simply accept Thane and play along?

I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into the earth.

The garden around me darkened, the celestial glow dimming further, and I knew I was losing my grip on whatever twisted realm she had dragged me into.

My vision blurred—

The air around me shimmered—

And then—

I woke up.

A sharp inhale tore through my lungs as I bolted upright, my body drenched in cold sweat. My heart pounded furiously, my pulse echoing in my ears. I gasped for air, my fingers flying to my throat, expecting to feel bruises left by the goddess’s invisible grasp.

Nothing.

But the memory of it lingered.

I blinked, my surroundings slowly coming into focus.

I was back in my bedchamber.

The silk sheets clung to my damp skin. The heavy curtains were drawn, casting long shadows across the stone walls. The room was silent, very silent, save for the faint crackle of a dying fireplace in the corner.

Just a dream.

A nightmare.

Except—

I could still hear her voice, echoing in my mind like a ghostly whisper.

"Accept Thane."

My hands clenched into fists, my jaw tightening. My mind a tangled mess of rage, fear, and something dangerously close to desperation.

The goddess’s words echoed in my head again like a cruel taunt.

"That’s the only way I can help you out of that tower."

My hands tightened around the sheets, my nails digging into the fabric.

The only way.

The only way?

I gritted my teeth, my jaw aching from how hard I was clenching it.

So this was my fate? To accept Thane—the man who had tossed me aside like I was nothing? To forgive him, to play along just so I could escape this cursed place?

The thought of it made me sick.

But then again...

I looked around my chamber—the same cold, lonely space I had been confined to for too long. The same walls that felt like they were closing in on me more and more every day.

The Lycan King had no intention of letting me go.

I knew that.

And I had no intention of staying.

I had sworn to find a way out. To reclaim my life, my freedom. To break free of the chains that bound me to this tower, his kingdom, this fate that was never meant to be mine.

If this was the only way—

If swallowing my pride, playing along, pretending to forgive Thane would get me out of here—

Then so be it.

I exhaled sharply, my fingers trembling as I forced my hands to relax.

I would do what I had to.

But that didn’t mean I had to mean it.