CHAPTER 6

ATHENA

I squinted my eyes open to find the shocked faces staring back at me and then at the Cursed Lycan himself. My vision was still blurry because of the blood which have found its way to my eyes. His surprised expression has shifted to a confused one. His golden eyes had changed back to its normal green color.

“That has never happened before,” he said coldly, staring at me with heavy scrutiny, enough to send shivers down my spine. “You are immune,” his voice came again, this time coldly.

I gulped loudly as I watched him turn on his heel, took a few steps and turned to the guards.

“Strip her!” He ordered loudly that I noticed the guards flinch.

I held on to my torn cloth tightly. I didn’t want to be stripped by those men. The guards started approaching me to carry out their Alpha’s order. I bet I wasn’t the first woman they have ever stripped.

Just then, the door to the court room pushed open and two women dressed magnificently walked in. The older woman was staring at me from a distance with disbelief written all over her face.

“Is she the trespasser that is immune to your touch?” she questioned.

“Yes mother,” the Alpha replied, his gaze not shifting from me.

“But that has never happened, has it? She must be wearing a protective charm.” The older woman’s voice came again. The alpha turned his gaze at his guards and motioned them to carry on with his orders.

“Please don’t,” I found myself stutter while I held my cloth tightly as though my life depends on it.

“You do not want to be stripped?” the Alpha questioned, his voice resonating with darkness.

I nodded almost immediately.

“Then I’ll have to do that myself,”

As though I was under his spell, I freed my hand involuntarily and allowed him strip off my cloth. I haven't felt someone have dominance over my body like that except for the Alpha of the pack that sent me to this deadly quest. Only Enzo had such dominance over me. That is when it dawned on me that the cursed Lycan does not only make people rot by merely touching then, he makes you do things too by just telling you to. He is as deadly as they said.

Despite how hard I tried to stop myself from letting him strip me, his hold on me was to no avail. His scent was becoming over powering too. When my cloth finally dropped just above my feet, there was a loud gasp. Everyone in the room held on a surprised look except for the cursed Alpha who was staring back at me with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. My face was wet with tears of humiliation. They were all staring at my naked body.

“The mark…” the old woman muttered. She came to my front and looked at me with a horrified awe. Her eyes were right on mine. “She… She bears the bond mark,” she stuttered this time.

What does she mean by the bond mark? That was totally impossible since I accepted Enzo’s rejection and that means our bond mark would automatically be erased by the moon goddess.

“She has the Obsidian brand,” the young woman gasped with her hands covering her mouth.

Unable to hold back my curiosity, my hand instinctively reached for the back of my neck but I felt nothing out of the ordinary. I turned as best as I could but it was to no avail. Whatever mark it is they saw, I’m sure it must be a big deal for them. They were all staring at me surprised except for the cursed Lycan who still maintained a calm façade.

“Cover her up,” the younger lady ordered one of the guards and he did exactly as he was commanded.

“You bear my mark.”

I gulped loudly. My lungs forgot its function for a few seconds and I was confused on what exactly was going on. I might have survived his touch but something tells me I’m not free yet.

“Please believe me. I mean no harm,” I muttered, my voice coming out cracked.

His eyes left mine momentarily to fall on the guard who was holding the knife that dropped from my body. I immediately fell on my knees.

“Please spare my life,” I begged, my palms rubbing against each other.

He said nothing, just stared at me, deaf to my pleas. In a flash of light, he was squatting very close to me that I could feel his hot breath. This was it. He is definitely going to end me without his touch. I closed my eyes making the tears that had already formed in my eyes to drop freely while I pray to the moon goddess.

“And why would I spare you, Mate?” a growl escaped his lips.