Chapter Ten- Engraving your body

Iris POV

It's like fate is against my hope for peace, and it's hell-bent on ruining plans to earn Thor's trust.

Considering the meeting that I just had with Elder Elder Lykaios and now this, I feel drained and annoyed all of sudden.

"Get the chain off him!" I command, striving not to lose myself to my anger.

"Yes, my Luna!" A guard hastily said as he rushed over to Thor.

My heart ached when he unlocked the chains and I saw the burn marks on Thor's wrists. It looked so painful. I could only imagine the anguish that he must be in.

"Whose fault is this?!" I shouted, clutching my fist tight as I gaze at the faces in front of me.

The room grew quiet as they lowered their heads, and that enraged me while I shouted, "I swear, I will punish you all if someone doesn't open their mouth and speak now!"

Suddenly, Rona stepped further, raising her gaze to meet my eyes, and whispered, "It was I, my Luna."

And it keeps getting worse. Rona is my maid, and she has been by my side since birth. How was I supposed to punish her for this… for penalizing a slave who is below her according to the pack law?

"Why?" I mumbled, working my brain to find a solution to this problem.

"Because he hurt you," Rona said.

Eyeing Thor, I couldn't guess what he was thinking because of how calm his eyes were.

Looking back at Rona, I hardened my face and asked, "What would make you think that?! I don't remember having such a conversation with you at any point of the day!" 

"But you were crying in your chamber after leaving the west wind!" Rona said in a defensive tone.

"So you took it upon yourself to assume and act without my authority?! How little respect for me do you have, Rona?!... Do any of you regard me as your leader?!"

"My… my Luna…"

Immediately, Rona dropped on both knees along with the rest of them, and she looked up at me with worry in her eyes as she cried, "I apologize for my ignorance, my Luna. Please, punish me?!"

Drawing a breath, I gazed at Thor, staring solely into his eyes, and said, "You owe me no apology, but him!"

"But… My Luna…" Rona stuttered.

I knew the words she refused to speak. It was the same as the rest. Even though they uttered no word, I could see the look of dismay in their gaze.

"Thor is a part of my people now! You don't touch or do anything to him unless it's my command!"  I said, keeping my tone strict.

Fear crossed their faces, and Rona's eyes darted towards Thor, and she said, "My apologies for acting without understanding the truth, and pain that my action has brought you."

Silently, I watched as they all gave their apologies, and I wondered if that would be enough to mend the damage their actions have caused my peace plan with Thor.

"Get out! And someone informs Arthritis that I need his presence here!" I commanded, trying not to show the weariness that I felt.

Immediately, they all stood to their feet and rushed out of the room, Rona shutting the door behind them.

After staring at the doorway for a while, I felt weak in my knees, and my legs betrayed me. But when I was about to fall to the floor, Thor grabbed me in his arm, sweeping my feet off the ground.

After he carried me to the bed, he gently let me down at the edge of it, got down on one knee, and took my hand in his.

"Why would you grab a sliver whip with your bare hand?" Thor whispered, sounding annoying as he stared at the burn mark in my palm.

"It will heal," I mumbled.

The tenderness from his touch as he held my hand made me feel confused, and I tilted my head to meet his eyes.

"Why are you gentle towards me? Do you not hate me for what happened just now?" I mumbled when he stared solely at me.

"As a man, my ego is bruised and my heart is raging with anger. Yet, as your mate, I can not help but feel care towards you." Thor said, his expression serious.

"I am not the one behind this. I was just as stunned to walk in here and see you being tortured."

"I guess it's your first time touching a silver whip so you don't know this. But a sliver whip's wound doesn't heal that quickly. You should take care of the scar until it heals and not put pressure on it."

He was avoiding my words, and I knew he had doubts… he wasn't still trusting of me. Yet, Thor remained so gentle with my hand, and I couldn't help but ask, "I know the effect of the bond, but why are you being like this towards me?"

The stories that I have heard about Thor over the years of growing up portray nothing of the man in front of me. 

Our first and second interaction told me that he was not someone soft who would crumble to the will of his wolf and the connection of the bond if he didn't want to, so I wanted to know, Why with me today, he was suddenly so delicate.

Resting his palm on my cheek, his gaze pierce into my soul as his hand gracefully stroked my skin, and he mumbled, "Who knows,"

Then his thumb slowly rubbed against my lip, causing my heart to flutter as he whispered, "Take a guess,"

An alpha raised by an iron fist, trained by his father to be the best at the beginning of the age of three.

When he reached eighteen, the battlefield was already his playground, and the brothel was only a place for him to find sexual relief.

People say, his victory was more than that of his father at such a young age, and it wasn't long after his father passed that he became the Storm Rider pack leader, even though he was only sixteen at that time.

For two years, he led his pack to great victories, rewarding himself with the heads of his enemies until my uncle captured and imprisoned him.

When I saw Alpha Thor in that cell yesterday for the first time, I couldn't take my eyes off him, even after all the rumors that I have heard.

He is truly a man that ceases the heart of a maiden with just a glimpse.

If only our story was written differently and he wasn't the leader of the Storm rider pack, I want to rest his head on my legs and slowly run my fingers through his short hair until he falls asleep on my lap. It was an immature fantasy, but I wanted so desperately to do it. 

"Do you think you will have your answers once we share a night and my mark is carved into your neck after engraving your body with the memories of my touch?" Thor suddenly said, and I paused as I looked into his eyes without blinking.