Contract Marriage: The Lycan Queen's Tempting Fate [GL]

[SAKURA]

She was on fire, almost literally. The thought of going back to Odanera made her blood flow so fast and with so much ease that Sakura would have passed out from extreme excitement. 

Granted, she had maintained a blank face as she stared at her mother's pained face, but she was happy. She would see Kiyomi again after so long. She had been counting the days and it felt like forever since she had seen the love of her life. 

Maybe it was weird for her to be that excited, but then with the way that everyone walked knew of Kiyomi's importance to her, Sakura had nothing to hide. 

So, leaving her mother in the council room with the others who were way too shocked at Izanami's admission, Sakura portaled out to go and get ready. For good measure, she intensified her mother's pain on her way out. 

She wouldn't let Izanami be unless they were at Odanera City Hospital. Life was shit but Sakura was going to see the prettiest woman in her life. What the fuck could be so wrong about that, no?

"Should I wear my hair down or up?" Sakura mused as she stared at her reflection in the mirror for the first time in the months she had been home. She had stayed away from the mirror all this time because she couldn't stomach the fact that she had been without Kiyomi. 

She didn't want to see what she had become when she came home and she didn't want to think of what Kiyomi had seen in her. As she stood in front of the mirror, she couldn't help but relearn to smile heartily, just like Kiyomi liked her smile. 

She was in a blue tux today, determined to prove to everyone that she was alright. Her eyes had sunken but she could fix her appearance before she left. At that moment, all she could think of was the good doctor, the woman she had missed for so long. 

She wondered whether Kiyomi would be glad to see her or if she would not want her. 

Then again, when she had left for Doiwa, she had left on good terms. There wasn't what she had done to break the good doctor's heart, right? Besides, she had defended her and made sure that no one would hurt her. 

The doctors from Yena had also gone to help her out, so that meant she had extra points with Kiki, no? 

Oh, how excited Sakura was.

"Are you sure about this?" Otaru asked as he stared at his queen. He knew that she had only listened to him earlier because she didn't want to be someone Kiyomi Kimura wouldn't recognize. 

Of course, there was also the truth her mother then threw in so casually about the Bogdans and the Kimura house, but then that wasn't a matter to be dealt with today. 

Today, Sakura was going to go to her Erasthai.

"I don't know what you want me to say," Sakura said as she took a good look at herself in the mirror. She hoped she was the better version of herself and that Kiyomi wouldn't kick her out.

She hoped that Kiyomi would give her an audience even if it meant dealing with her mother again. Oh, it was a tempting situation, but what else was Sakura supposed to do?

"You are covered in the scent of your pet, Sakura. You reek of other people. Is that how you want to go and meet her? Are you sure she will want to see you when you smell like sex?" Otaru asked and Sakura flipped him off. 

She wasn't in the mood for negativity. She had not slept for weeks, and frankly, she didn't care about what that meant for her. All she wanted to do was to see Kiki, even if it was from a distance.

"I already masked my scent," Sakura stated like that was supposed to make everything better.

"You have showered but you still smell like your pets," Otaru pointed out.

"What would you have me do, Otaru? I have to go and see her. I need to see her. I can't think straight without her. I don't want to hurt her, but there is just no way around all of this for me. 

"What do you want me to do then?" Sakura asked.

Otaru laughed sadly. He had always seen Sakura in her worst state, but he had never seen a confused Sakura Watanabe. Right now, that was who he was staring at, there was no denying it. 

The woman was the most powerful and had the strongest spells that could cleanse her scent, yet she blatantly refused to erase it all. It was like she wanted to go to Kiomi, but she was not sure if there was a better way around it.

"You want her to smell home on you, don't you? That's why you can't erase all these scents? You want her to know just how miserable Doiwa has been for you, and you're scared that if you go to her clean and composed—

"... she will think that you're doing better without her, isn't that so, Sakura?" Otaru asked and Sakura stayed silent. Her best friend was right. She was scared of what this would mean and she was willing to risk a rejection for it; her life had been miserable in Doiwa. 

She had suffered so much without Kiyomi and she wanted Kiki to know her pain. 

She wanted the woman to know what Sakura had felt when Kiyomi was in Odanera. It was crazy for someone who had always gotten what she wanted, but then Otaru understood her. 

He had seen her want to be the best version of herself because of Kiyomi Kimura and frankly, he couldn't blame her.

"I'm taking my mother to her, Otaru. Shit is already messy with Izanami acting like she lives on the highest realm above all of us. Who knows what Mother dearest will tell her about me? 

"I'd rather she finds out about what I was doing without her than hide away and let mother do what she always does best and ruin the only good thing in my life," Sakura said and Otaru felt terrible for her. 

She was willing to risk it all just to make sure her mother was not able to manipulate her and Kiomi. It was a hard choice for Sakura, but for Kiyomi she would do whatever it took to see the woman happy. 

But would she really be happy with all those scents around Sakura?

"Cast the spell, Sakura. She knows you. She loves you. She will know if you went through shit. Besides, didn't you say she was the best and understanding of you? Even if you go bare-faced, she would know if you're fine or not. 

"Don't give in to the possible fear of your mother. Let yourself loose and let yourself love and be loved," Otaru said.

Saki stared at him as if to ask if this was really a certainty. But then Otaru was not leaving. He was there for her, to support her through whatever was coming. Perhaps that was also why Sakura took a deep breath before she cleaned her scent up. 

It was scary for her, but she had Otaru to hold her hand in case she was to fall anyway.

"Let's go see your girl now," Otaru said proudly.