Erina stirred the water by grazing her fingertips. The petals of roses moved. She recited a Latin verse until the water started bubbling, the petals were slowly absorbed by its hurricane until it slowly showed the image of Aurora.
"Mother," she whispered carefully.
"How did it go?" Aurora asked, looking at her.
"I'm already inside the palace. The king has chosen me as his bride," she smiled cunningly.
Aurora smirked. "Oh, I really knew it. Always remember, Erina, bare his child... bare the fruit that we'll use to avenge our kind..."
Erina nodded. Someone knocked on the door. Erina abruptly stirs the water and started taking a bath when she heard the servant's voice waiting for her.
"Are you sure about this, Arden?" his mother asked while stalking him into his room.
"I already made up my decision, Mama. Besides, we don't need royalty by blood. The important thing here is someone's gonna bear my child and we can expand our lineage. That's what you want, right?" Arden said nonchalantly while taking off his coat and tossing it onto the bed.
"You could have at least considered the Rockwell's daughter! We also need to expand our empire, Arden! That's important!"
Arden shook his head while unbuttoning the buttons of his dress shirt. He's facing the high windows while he can see the reflection of his mother on the glass windows.
"Once your father found out about this, he's gonna be so disappointed in you!" she spat.
I don't think so. He thought to himself.
When he saw his son unbuckling his belt, she shook her head disappointingly and started marching outside.
"Bring her here," Arden said to the servant who handed his towel.
"Yes, your highness..."
Arden went to the bathroom and showered. Her face lingered on his mind as the water trickled down his body when he opened the shower.
Erina is indeed pretty. Aurora is right about her. There's no man who's not gonna fall for her beauty. Knowing that she looked innocent with an angelic face, it made her more attractive and enticing.
Someone knocked. Arden didn't budge.
"The lady is already here, King Arden," he heard the servant's low voice.
"Leave her there," he answered.
"Yes, my Lord..." the servant replied.
Arden spent an hour showering and went out while wrapping the white towel around his waist and opening the door.
"This is the dress you're gonna wear, Miss," the servant presented as soon as she went out of the bathroom.
The satin white dress looked seductive with its puff sleeve and sweetheart neckline. She nodded defeatedly and started changing.
The servant aided her. She ribboned the laces of the dress at the back while Erina stood in front of the mirror, her eyes gazing at herself.
Erina is aware that she's gorgeous because that's how her mother portrayed her. She's a temptation, like a weapon to kill a man's ego and crushed it into pieces.
But seeing herself wearing a luxurious dress, it almost stunned her. She can hardly recognize herself. It wasn't the life she has used to in the woods, a simple small house in the middle of the thickness of the forest. A simple dress with her basket where she's putting the herbs.
But right now, she can't believe that she's in the palace of the cruel King.
Someone knocked from outside. Erina's head turned to the door and saw the servant peeking its head.
"The king wants her in his room..."
Oh? This is easier than I thought huh...
The servant escorted her into Arden's room. Compared to her room, as soon as she entered, she noticed the intricate details of the antiques and it was two times larger than her room.
Is he occupying this space alone?
The servant knocked on the door of the bathroom and informed Arden about Erina's presence.
Erina's eyes wandered and went to Arden's self-portrait painting on the wall. He looked so ruthless while sitting on his throne.
Oh, I'm gonna make sure you're not gonna wear that confidence anymore once you're head over heels for me...
The door of the bathroom opened. She abruptly wear her innocent face and glanced at him. He saw him walking out of the bathroom while there was a white towel wrapped around his waist, the water dripping down his massive body.
She swallowed when she saw his broad shoulder, his hard rock stomach, and his firm thighs.
Arden raised his brow when she caught her looking at his painting.
"Good thing you showered," he pointed out nonchalantly and went to the bed.
Erina cleared her throat. She saw him pulling off the towel and revealing his nakedness while picking up the clothes on the bed they prepared for him.
Erina shifted her eyes. What a confident alpha...
Arden wore the clothes on while throwing a glance at Erina who was looking at the other side of the room.
"Come here," he ordered.
Erina glanced at him and showed how nervous she looked. She slowly strides towards him.
"Help me button my shirt," he said.
And here I thought he needs a wife and someone who would bear his child, but I didn't know he needs another servant to help him with things.
She stopped in front of him. Now that he has the chance to stare at her closely, he noticed the details of her features. Her freckles covered the bridge of her nose and almost reached her high cheekbones. Her almond-shaped eyes, which were amber in color, enhanced her appearance.
He’s amazed that she’s indeed pretty and of course, someone resembled her a lot. But at the back of Arden’s mind, he doesn’t want to acknowledge her.
“So, you’re a virgin,” he said nonchalantly.
Erina wants to raise her brow and smirked at him, good thing she remembered that she needs to wear an innocent facade in order to trick him that she was weak, powerless, and submissive when it was the opposite.
“Yes… I am…” she whispered nervously.
“Hmm… so you don’t have an experience,” he pointed out.
Erina shook her head softly while her fingers manipulated each of the buttons of his shirt. Arden can feel the slow and soft movements of her fingers. He can also smell her scent. Sweet but not too strong.“But you’re aware of what will happen, hmm?” his hot breath kissed her cheek.Of course, you idiot. Erina said to herself.“You’re gonna bear my child. I’m gonna put it here,” he said as his calloused hand rested on her flat stomach.Erina was stunned by the touch. She can feel the roughness of it even though there’s a cloth in between.“I know… I’m gonna… get pregnant and you’re gonna put the baby—““The baby?” he raised his brow.Erina looked at him innocently. He flashed a small smile but without humor. It looked taunting and welcoming.“I’m gonna put myself inside you before the baby,” he said in a raspy voice.Erina’s throat ran dry. She didn’t expect it. She’s aware that the king is cruel and ruthless, and she’s also expecting that he has a bad personality, but never in her wi
Erina is quite nervous about what Arden just said. He wants her to join him in bed. She knew that her main goal is to bear her child, but the anxiousness still lingered on her. She never experienced sleeping with someone else, even though she was already twenty. She couldn't remember her past self falling in love, because she felt like her life was just as blank as a sheet of paper. The only thing that's clear to her is their hatred for the Gunners for wiping out their entire kind and being the only survivors left. Erina could feel at dinner that Arden's mother despised her. She knew that what Mrs. Gunner likes is someone who comes from a wealthy family and can expand their lands since that's how royalties work. She caught her checking her out with a surreptitious disgust in her eyes as if seeing her eat with them—the royalties by blood—was so cheap. She's indeed reminiscent of the deceased daughter of the Remington, Arena Remington, but I could feel their differences. She's just
Arden’s temper is always on the edge every time her mother brings back the past, saying that his decision has something to do with Arena Remington, his mate who died and disappeared years ago. The Remingtons already knew that their daughter was already dead, which led every clan to try their luck on the Gunners for territory expansion by letting their daughters marry Arden, who’s now available to the public because of his mom’s vulgar declaration about his single status. The reason he’s also eager to choose a girl is that Arden is already dealing with his mother’s antics and her plans for his life, and he just wants to end it. Well, yes, she looked exactly like Arena, but that’s my least concern because all I want right now is someone to bear my child and to shut my mother up about these lineages she is talking about. Mrs. Gunner failed to stop his son from throwing a grand party. She went where Erina is while the servants are busy with her dress. Erina saw how Arden’s mother ent
"Where is Erina, mother?" Arden asked when he couldn't find Erina at the venue as he scanned the visitors."I told her to get some napkins. She didn't come back yet!" his mother said as she stood in front of the three girls, scowling and getting pissed by what happened. "You did what, Mama?" Arden's brows knitted,His expression darkened. "I just told her to get some napkins because I panicked! It's not harmful!" "This is so embarrassing for Arden, Mrs. Gunner!" Patricia, one of the girls, said as she looked at Arden, who just shook his head and walked out."Arden! Come back here!" Mrs. Gunner shouted as she followed Arden's back using her eyes, who was already walking away; then she glanced at the girls and smiled apologetically."Oh, don't mind him. He's just in a bad mood." "I can't believe that Arden chose that girl, Madame," Ricia said while frowning. Some of the servants handed Mrs. Gunner the napkin she requested. The servant shook her head, referring to Erina, who was not
Arden was amazed that Erina knew how to treat wounds. He never met a woman who knows how to survive in the forest because all his life, he’s always been introduced to women by royalties, a woman who has her own servants, and the reason they don’t know any chores is that they were raised dependently. "You’ve forgotten that I am not royalty and that I grew up in poverty," she said in a cold voice as she looked at the fire. "Did you also make that?" Arden asked and looked at the fire. "Who else could it be?" she raised both of her brows. Arden noticed that Erina doesn’t seem scared of him at all as if she was fearless. Knowing that he’s the most ferocious alpha wolf existing, has started wars, and shows no remorse when killing, Arden can feel that Erina doesn’t feel intimidated at all."We need to wait until you’re fully healed. And the snow seems aggressive. It might take a day before we could go back to the mansion," she explained as she looked at the entrance of the cave. Arden’s
The suspicious eyes of Arden's mother remained on Erina's mind as she slowly climbed up the stairs while two of the maids were guiding her. She went into the bathroom first to talk to her mother. She performed a spell just like how she communicated with her until she slowly saw Aurora’s face in the water. "My goodness, Erina! You haven’t contacted me for a day! What happened?" Her eyes looked so curious that the twenty-four hours of waiting had already drained her. "I got kidnapped, mother," Erina said quietly as she glanced at the door to check if it was locked. "You’re what?" Aurora’s eyes narrowed. "Who kidnapped you?" "I heard that the Rockwells sent their men to kidnap me. But then, Arden showed up and saved me," she said abruptly. Aurora’s face lightened. Her lips stretched into a wicked smile. "What happened to Arden?""He was stabbed two times and lost consciousness because they included some poison on the knife they used. I used some of the herbal to treat his wound, m
Erina doesn't know what to say in response to his saying that. She remained silent, not looking at him, as the servant now put the bandage on his wound. Minutes later, someone knocked until it opened and the head of the guard went in. "Alert all the guards. We are attacking the Rockwells tomorrow," Arden said calmly as the servant gave him his dress shirt. Erina froze a bit, knowing that the Rockwell ordered their men to kidnap her; she doesn't know what to feel. The guard nodded as if those things weren't new to him. The guard immediately went out, and he alerted the whole guard about their attack tomorrow. Arden dismissed the servant as well as took a glimpse at Erina's expression, who was furrowing her brows and seemed like she doesn't agree at all. "You're planning out a war just because of what happened?" Erina's brows furrowed as she couldn't control her mouth not to say anything about it. "Yes. Because if I didn't come there to save you, what would happen to you?" His br
When Erina was taken by those men, she didn't even know, as death flashed before her eyes, that it was probably one of her last moments. Either she would perform a crucial spell that might reveal her as a werewitch, or she was going to be dead. But never in her wildest dreams did she come to the conclusion that Arden would end up saving her, knowing that he just bought her and that he can easily replace her with the royalty girls who're thirsty for his attention. She knew that her loss wouldn't cause him too much damage at all. That's why, when she heard him at that moment, to see him in the middle of her life and death situation, she couldn't believe that he was there, showing up to save her. Arden's hand trailed down her neck, his thumb on her jaw, while his other hand remained resting on the headrest of the sofa as he continued to kiss her persistently, exploring her mouth and tasting every corner his tongue could reach. Erina gasped breathily as if her energy were fully consum