Chapter 14

ARABELLA

“M-Marked?” I blurted out.

I know I shouldn’t be part of the conversation. Lucien made it clear that I should just shut my mouth but how can I do that when the King is ordering him to claim me?

“Why?” King Tobias looked at me. “You don’t want my son to mark you, Sienna?”

I glanced at Lucien who was already watching me sharply. If his father wasn’t here I would probably be begging for air again.

“I-It’s not like t-that K-King Tobias but isn’t it too soon?” I let out a nervous laugh. “T-The blood moon w-will appear i-in a few months can’t we j-just wait for that?”

King Tobias smiled. “I don’t want to scare you but once the news spreads that Lucien has already found his mate, your life will be put in danger. Werewolves who were hungry for power will be after your head. They will do everything to take your place just to make their daughters the new Queen, right Magnus?”

Alpha Magnus who was quietly standing beside King Tobias nodded. “Yes, King Tobias,”

King Tobias held Alpha Magnus's shoulder then turned to me. “This man right here has a beautiful daughter who is suited to be Lucien’s Queen but he doesn’t want to risk his daughter’s life for power. Becoming a Queen means putting one foot on the grave, Sienna. I hope my son told you that?”

I nodded. Well, Lucien didn’t put it that way but he made it clear that I would always be closer to my death the moment I agreed to his deal.

“If my son marked you then his mark will serve as your protection. The Kingdom will recognize that they belong to the next Alpha King and harming you means harming the future of this Kingdom. Aside from that, your wolf’s connection will be deeper. Lucien will know if you’re in danger. I would feel more at ease with that. Your father trusted you to us. I don’t want Ronan to lose his precious daughter,”

I don’t think the decision lies in my hands. How can I even go against the King?

I turned to Lucien. He was silent, as if he were thinking deeply. When he turned to me and our gazes met I felt an electrifying sensation. I have no idea if he felt it but he quickly looked away.

“Lucien,” his father called, waiting for his son’s decision. “What do you think? Marking her tonight is reasonable, right?”

Lucien stretched his silence but after a while, he gave his father a nod.

He agreed?! He will mark me tonight?! That means our bond will grow stronger and I might…I might fail to control my wolf’s desire. Aurora will grow more possessive of him and I don’t think I can handle that.

“I will mark her tonight, Dad,”

King Tobias' smile grew wide. I saw how his face lit up as if a thorn was pulled out of his throat.

“I will inform the Royal Council. A marking ceremony will be held tonight,”

King Tobias tapped his son’s shoulder then he smiled at me before walking away. Alpha Magnus was walking beside him and they seemed to be talking about something I could no longer hear.

“This is not what we talked about,” I protested when King Tobias and Alpha Magnus vanished from my sight. “Marking me is not part of our deal, Alpha Lucien,”

Alpha Lucien sighed and looked at me with boredom. “What do you want me to do? Go against the King and raise suspicion?”

“But still…do you have any idea what would happen if you marked your mate? You feel his joy…his pain… we will be drawn to each other in ways that we couldn’t resist,”

That’s what Adrian told me. That’s what he says he feels towards Stephanie. That’s the reason why he brought her to our pack and gave her protection because if she got hurt he would feel her pain. If she were held by another man then his wolf would be tormented and I don’t want to feel that.

I was in deep pain whenever I watched Adrian and Stephanie together what more if I saw my fated mate spending time with the woman he loves?

I don’t want to be swallowed by jealousy again. I don’t want to feel that kind of pain again. I am tired of looking like a desperate woman begging for love I couldn’t have.

“I don’t want you to mark me, Alpha Lucien,” I said, firmly.

Lucien stared at me, his gaze seemed to pass through my eyes and went straight to my soul. He can already pull me like this what more if he claimed me as his. What would happen to me then?

“Are you afraid you can’t control your wolf’s desire when I marked you?”

He stepped forward. Before I could take a step back he quickly grabbed my waist and pressed my body to his. His warmth started to travel on my arms then to my chest until it settled in between my thighs.

No. I don’t want this feeling.

My knees grew weaker when he started caressing the side of my waist.

As if our distance wasn’t torture enough, he bent down and began sniffing my neck. Each breath he took made my skin even more sensitive.

My heart started beating violently. My chest rises and falling from each breath I take.

This isn’t good. He wasn’t doing anything yet but I am already losing my control.

He pulled his head back, just enough to see my face. A smile crept on his lips while watching me. “You want me that much, rouge?”

I glared at him trying to conceal the burning sensation that slowly suffocates me.

“I am not a slave to my wolf’s desire, Alpha Lucien,” I fired back.

His smile grew wider. He held my chin and pulled my face closer to his, making our noses touch. “We will see about that, rouge,”

He leaned in and for whatever idiotic reflex system I have, I ended up closing my eyes. I didn’t feel his lips but his laughter filled my ear.

His thumb traced up to my jaw and gently caressed my lips. “I’ll take care of your desires, little rogue. I’ll satisfy you so you don’t have to suppress them.”

His gaze, locked on my lips, slowly climbed to my eyes. “Just bite your lips whenever you want me to fuck you,”