Chapter 4

Riley 

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking several times as I tried to figure out where I was. For a few seconds, I simply stared at the ceiling, still feeling half-asleep. Then everything came rushing back to me.

I was still in the palace, I tried to move, but the moment I shifted my body, pain spread through almost every part of me. I immediately sucked in a breath and stopped.

My entire body felt sore, like I had been beaten up or hit by a hurricane. Even the smallest movement made me feel exhausted. My arms were heavy, my legs felt weak, and my back ached so badly that I didn't even want to try sitting up again.

I slowly pulled the blanket closer to myself and lay there, trying to recover. Now I understood why everyone called him a beast.

It wasn't only because of the way he was on the battlefield. He was just as much of a beast in bed. The strength and stamina he had were almost unbelievable. He seemed completely incapable of getting tired. Every time I thought he was finally done, he would start again, turning me over and over until I had nothing left in me.

Considering this had been my first time having sex, I honestly couldn't imagine ever experiencing anything like it again.

I turned my head slowly and looked beside me, he was still there. He was lying comfortably on his back, completely asleep. His breathing was slow and steady, and every now and then, he let out a soft snore.

I stared at him in confusion, he was actually sleeping. I remembered everything I had heard about him. They said he never slept. They said his curse made it impossible for him to close his eyes and rest, not even for a few seconds. Yet here he was, sleeping peacefully beside me as though there was nothing unusual about him.

I watched him for a while, unable to stop the strange feeling growing inside me. There was something familiar about him, I couldn't explain it, but the more I looked at his face, the stronger the feeling became. It was almost as if I had seen him before.

Then the memory came back to me, the stranger at the pool.Could it really be him? But it was impossible. What would a man like him have been doing at that abandoned house that night? Everyone knew he barely left the palace. There was no reason for him to be there, especially at a place that had been abandoned for years.

I tried to convince myself that I was imagining things but the memory was still clear in my mind.

Two years ago, my friend had convinced me to sneak out and attend the mating ceremony after my stepmother refused to let me go. She had made it very clear that I wasn't allowed to attend, but I had been desperate to experience the ceremony for myself.

So, after finishing all my chores, I quickly got dressed and sneaked out of the house. At the time, I had one hope in my heart, I wanted to find my mate. I had even convinced myself that if I found him that night, I would never return home.

I spent the entire night at the ceremony, moving through the crowd and trying my best to avoid Sophia. I kept hoping that I would feel the mate bond at any moment, but nothing happened.

I didn't find my mate, my friend did, though. While she was celebrating, I was left alone with my disappointment. I was frustrated, tired, and too embarrassed to return home immediately. Instead, I wandered until I reached an abandoned building that hadn't been lived in for years.

I had heard stories about the beautiful pool inside the compound, and with nothing else to do, I decided to go there. I managed to get into the compound and eventually found the pool.

I was drunk that night, drunk enough that I wasn't thinking clearly. I stripped down and got into the water, letting myself float for a while before I started swimming.

I was simply enjoying the silence when I suddenly felt something behind me, a hand wrapped around me. I froze, he kissed my back, slowly moving up toward my neck before turning me around to face him. Then he kissed me.

We kissed for a few minutes, and even though I had been drunk that night, I could never forget that kiss. There was something about it that had stayed in my mind all these years. I couldn't remember his face clearly, but I remembered the feeling of being in his arms and the way that kiss had made me feel.

Then I heard voices coming from somewhere outside. People were coming toward the pool, fear immediately took over me. I pulled away from him, quickly climbed out of the pool, grabbed my things, and ran. I didn't stop to look back. I just ran as fast as I could, desperate to get away before anyone saw me.

After that night, I couldn't stop thinking about the stranger I had met at the pool. I wondered who he was and why I had felt so drawn to him, but I never went back to that pool again. Now, as I looked at the king sleeping beside me, that same strange feeling returned. Something about him reminded me of the man from that night.

I stared at his face for a few more seconds before shaking my head, it couldn't be him. 

I slowly pushed the thought away and tried to get out of the bed. The moment my feet touched the floor, my legs almost gave out.

I quickly grabbed onto the edge of the bed to steady myself. Standing was harder than I expected. My entire body still felt weak and sore, and I had to take a few seconds before I could properly balance on my feet.

I carefully picked up the see-through dress from the floor and held it against my body. Then I quietly made my way toward the door, taking each step carefully so I wouldn't make enough noise to wake him.

I tiptoed out of the room and gently closed the door behind me.As soon as I was outside, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I hurried down the hallway and made my way downstairs. By the time I reached the main floor, the maids were still waiting there.

I walked straight toward them, trying not to show how uncomfortable I was. “Please, can I have my dress? He said I can leave,” I said immediately.

One of the maids picked up my dress, which had already been neatly folded, and handed it to me. Then she reached for a large black bag sitting beside her and handed that to me as well.

I looked at her in confusion. “What is this?”

“It's compensation for your service. You are not allowed to reject it,” she said. 

I stared at the bag, I wanted to refuse it. Taking money from him felt insulting but then another thought crossed my mind. I needed money, I quickly reached for the bag and took it from her.

“The driver will drop you off,” she said.

I nodded and followed them outside. A driver was already waiting beside the car. I got into the back seat, holding tightly onto the bag in my lap.

As the car pulled away from the palace, I watched the mansion disappear behind us.

I should have told the driver where my house was. Instead, I gave him directions to the city. I had made my decision, I was going to disappear for good.

The money in the bag was more than enough to give me a fresh start somewhere far away. I could find another pack, buy a small place, and start a new life where nobody knew who I was. A thousand miles away from here sounded perfect.