CHAPTER 4.

KEIRAN

My eyes tightened when I felt the heat of the morning rays, slowly, I opened them, my gaze fell upon a slender back, I didn't need anyone's help in deciphering that she was a woman. Her incredibly long, silk, black hair that my fingers itched to run through, her slender waist that fitted perfectly between my arms like we were custom made for each other, her smooth light skin.

I'd almost smiled but I stopped myself, the images from last night surfaced. How I'd given into temptation.

Fear ran like ice through my veins, the thought of me killing my fated mate dawned on me but I chose to ignore it, praying to the Moon Goddess that she was still alive.

Carefully, I looked over her shoulder, her gorgeous face came into view. Her chest heaved softly, her pulse thrumming gently against her skin.

She was alive.

She survived my rut.

I couldn't help the proud smile that climbed up my face. My fingers moved slowly as I gently tucked a hair behind her ear as I took in the beauty that was my mate.

Through the darkness last night I could barely see her face but now, in the light I could see her clearly. Long delicate lashes, sharp but nose, freckles dusted across her chin, slim peach lips.

“ Our mate is so beautiful…” Tyrian remarked and I couldn't agree more. I continued tracing delicate lines over her face, making sure not to wake her in the process.

But then footsteps sounded, cutting through the silence, it was my guards. They wanted to speak but I shushed them, covering my mate's naked body with mine.

The thought of another male staring at her made Tyrian crave murder. They gave me a bow and walked away leaving just me and her in the comforting silence.

We stayed that way for a few more hours before I felt some light movement beside me. “ Mmm…” she stretched turning to her face towards me with a smile but the smile vanished, her face incredibly pale.

****

EVELYN

I slept with a stranger. I actually slept with a stranger in a cave.

“ He's no stranger, he's our mate…” Someone inside me said and I blinked, my heart hammering against my ribs. Who just said that?

“ Are you okay?” He asked gently, his gaze soft and I swore I felt something flutter in my chest, something I badly wanted to ignore.

I rose to my feet, picking what was left of my dress as I tried to cover myself from his heated gaze. This gorgeous man laid there, dark hair falling over his shoulders, gold eyes, a stubble that made him look incredibly manly. My eyes moved downwards, stopping at the line of hair that led to his…

“ Are you okay?” He asked again, sitting up. I shifted back.

“ I'm fine, thank you.”

“ You don't seem fine.” He stood coming towards me, I took several steps back, not wanting him anywhere near me. “ Are you sick? Should I get you to a doctor?” He tried touching my forehead but I slid away from his grasp.

“ Don't worry I'm fine, just put on some clothes please…” His lips curled to a smirk.

“ You didn't seem to want me clothed minutes ago…” He teased, making my cheeks burn from embarrassment.

“ That was minutes ago, not anymore…” I replied, earning a chuckle from him as he wore his clothes. I looked away, until he told me he was done then I turned and this time, thankfully he was fully clothed.

“ I'll get my guards to get you some clothes,” He offered but when I realised that I had nothing else to wear I gave him a nod and settled on one of the boulders of the cave.

Minutes later, he returned with a white shirt which I took. “ Turn around,”

“ What? Are you shy? You weren't that shy last night…”

“ Turn around!” I snapped and he raised his hand in surrender, turning around. I immediately threw the clothes on, tossing the remnants of my dress to the ground.

“ You can turn around now.” He obliged, waking towards me, his hands shoved neatly in his pockets. I must say, he was incredibly dashing but I didn't know who he was… he could be a rogue! A criminal!

“ Who are you?” I asked and he walked towards me, my heart jumped to my throat but he crossed me, settling on the boulder beside me, I drew in a breath as I tried to calm my nerves.

I walked in front of him, crossing an arm around my chest as I tried not to think of the fact that I was literally standing before a total stranger with nothing but a white shirt over my back. “ Who are you?”

“ I'm Keiran.”

“ And…”

“ You don't know who I am?”

“ If I did, would I have asked my question?” I replied and his lips stretched.

“ He’s smiling, he's smiling at us.” The voice inside me chimed again as my stomach flipped but it didn't sit right with me.

“ I'm the King of The Moon realm.”

I didn't register his words at first, but once it settled, shock climbed up my face.

I'd slept with the Lycan king.

The King of the Freaking Moon realm.

I'd heard so many stories about him. How he murdered people mercilessly, how he was incredibly cold and cruel to people but the man before me was nothing like that.

“ Okay so now you're lying?”

“ I wish I was, I really wish I was…” He replied smugly and that was enough of an indication to believe him but I refused, it all didn't make any sense.

How did I?

Wander into a cave and find the freaking Lycan King?

Nope this wasn't happening, this wasn't happening…

He stood to his feet, closing the distance between us. His hands found my chin, pulling me to meet his gaze, my breaths stalled in my throat. “ You know you're my mate, don't you…”

I peeled my chin from his grasp. “ Mate? Impossible…”

“ Deny it all you want, your wolf has already accepted the mate bond…”

“ Wolf? I don't have a wolf.”

“ That voice in your head that speaks to you, you must've heard it by now.” He took a step toward me. “My power didn’t just claim you, it broke something that has been dormant for a while. Surviving a Lycan King’s rut is barely heard of.”  

Wait, what?

“ Hello, Evelyn!” The voice chirped, excitement surging through its tone. “ I'm Ira, your wolf…”