Caught

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Caught

~Ariee~

Water.

Everywhere.

It filled my ears. My nose. My mouth.

My chest burned violently as I struggled, my limbs flailing in useless panic. The more I fought, the deeper I seemed to sink. The weight of the water dragged me down, swallowing every scream before it could even leave my throat.

This is how I die.

Not by Fiona. Not by the King. But by a stupid bath pool filled with flowers.

How humiliating.

My vision blurred, the light above me growing dimmer as darkness crept in at the edges. My body started to slow… my strength slipping away.

Then…

A hand grabbed me. Tightly.

My body jerked as I was pulled upward with shocking force.

The surface broke.

Air…

I gasped violently, coughing and choking as water spilled from my mouth. My lungs burned as they dragged in air like they had never known it before.

“Can’t swim, yet you jump into pools?”

Velvet frozen over ice. That was what the voice above me sounded like.

My entire body froze.

Slowly… very slowly… I looked up. And immediately wished I hadn’t.

Those eyes.

That same terrifying shade of icy blue.

The Lycan King.

King Kaiziah.

I panicked all over again. Of course it was him! This was his room to begin with.

But that wasn't what had my heart pounding. It was the way my eyes shamelessly trailed the tattoos on his arms down to bare torso.

Bare, with water stroking down his skin like a caress.

He was naked.

“Y—Your Majesty—!” I choked, attempting to scramble away from him, but my legs slipped beneath me. The water reached just below my shoulders, but I was too shaken to even stand properly.

Strong arms suddenly steadied me.

“Stay still.”

It wasn’t loud. But it wasn’t a request either.

My body obeyed instantly.

I froze in place, trembling uncontrollably as his hands remained on my arms—firm, grounding… and terrifying. My eyes squeezed shut, refusing to give in to the temptation that might very well end my life.

“I—I’m sorry!” I blurted out, my voice breaking. “I didn’t mean to—I mean—we weren’t—I mean—”

My words tangled over themselves in a pathetic mess.

Great.

Not only was I trespassing, I was now embarrassing myself in front of the most dangerous man in White Coast.

Just kill me already.

“…We?”

That single word dropped like a stone.

My blood ran cold.

Oh no.

NO.

I clamped my mouth shut instantly, my eyes widening in horror.

Behind me, I heard the faintest shuffle.

Traitor.

Fiona.

That coward actually stayed outside.

I swallowed hard, forcing a weak, trembling smile.

“I—I meant me! Just me!” I laughed nervously. “There is no ‘we’! Just… one very stupid me…”

Silence.

Heavy. Suffocating silence.

I could feel his gaze on me—sharp, dissecting, like he could peel me apart layer by layer and find every lie I was trying to bury.

I kept my gaze away from him as much as possible. Praying that this incident wouldn't trigger a forgotten memory.

“Look at me.”

My heart nearly stopped.

For some reason, he was underreacting to this whole situation. Why wasn’t he angry?

Was it because of those women earlier…?

I shook my head instinctively. “I—I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

His grip tightened slightly.

“Look. At me.”

There was no escaping that tone.

Slowly… painfully… I lifted my head.

Our eyes met.

And just like that…

Everything else disappeared.

It felt like being trapped.

Like standing in front of something far beyond you. Something you could never understand… never escape.

His wet hair clung to his forehead, droplets of water sliding down his face and neck. The flowers floated around us, brushing lightly against his skin, but somehow, instead of softening him, it made him look even more unreal.

Dangerous.

Beautiful.

Insanely attractive.

“You’re not one of the servants,” he said, his gaze narrowing slightly.

It wasn’t a question.

His gaze lingered… too long. Like he was trying to place me. The unspoken words echoed in my head, ‘I know you’.

“I—no…” I whispered, forcing myself to relax.

“A candidate.”

My throat went dry.

“…Yes.”

His eyes flickered briefly, something unreadable passing through them.

“Explain.”

Ah.

So this is where I die.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself.

“I was dragged here against my will!” I blurted out in one breath. “I didn’t want to come! I told her it was a bad idea! I said we should leave! I said…”

“Her.”

I froze.

Oh no.

Why did I say that again?

“I—”

“Bring her in.”

My eyes snapped open.

“What?”

His gaze shifted past me, toward the door.

“I know she’s there.”

Silence fell. Heavy. Inevitable.

For a brief second, I almost admired Fiona.

Almost.

Because she actually stepped in.

Calm. Composed. Like she wasn’t about to get us both executed. She didn't even react when she saw me in the pool trapped between big tatted arms, holding me upright.

“Your Majesty,” Fiona bowed gracefully, like she had been invited all along.

I stared at her in disbelief.

Where was THIS energy when she sent me in first?!

“We didn’t mean to intrude,” she continued smoothly. “Curiosity simply got the better of us.”

Us.

Oh now it’s “us.”

The King said nothing.

His eyes shifted between the both of us, unreadable.

Without warning, he let go of me.

I nearly collapsed, my legs giving out as I stumbled in the water, coughing again.

“Out.”

The command was sharp. Final.

I didn’t need to be told twice.

I scrambled up the steps, out of the pool as fast as I could, drenched from head to toe, my clothes clinging heavily to my body.

Fiona followed, far more dignified, though I could see the tension in her shoulders.

We stood there—soaked, guilty, and completely at his mercy.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

Then slowly…

He rose from the water.

I immediately turned around.

Nope.

Absolutely not.

I value my life. So did Fiona, apparently.

My face burned furiously as I stared at the wall like it held the secrets of the universe.

Behind me, I could hear the faint sound of water shifting… then footsteps.

Each one slow, lazy, yet terrifying. A moment passed before he spoke again.

“Turn around.”

My entire body stiffened. I wasn't ready to move just yet. But what choice did I have?

Slowly… I obeyed, unsure of what to expect.

He was already dressed in a bathrobe, standing there like nothing had just happened.

Like I hadn’t almost drowned. Like I hadn’t seen…

I shut that thought down immediately.

His gaze settled on me. Then Fiona. Then back to me.

“Trespassing in my private quarters,” he said calmly. “Spying.”

My throat went dry.

“Tell me…” He took a step closer. “What do you think the punishment for that should be?”

Silence.

I didn’t dare speak. Fiona didn’t either. Because we both knew there was no right answer.

“You will report to my chambers. Every evening.”

My head snapped up.

“…What?”

“Since you’re so curious,” his voice dropped, colder now. “I’ll allow you to observe up close.”

My stomach dropped.

His gaze locked onto mine.

“And you will not refuse.”