Chapter 2: Decisions

A half-naked man was standing beside the bonfire, waiting for something. He has been attacking the kingdom that promised to give him the woman he wanted and has been waiting for years. 

The first time he laid his eyes on her when she was still a little girl, he knew she was the one. And she will be hers no matter what happens. He knew because he had a grasp of the war. They were literally walking machines, real warriors. 

"Keep the South warriors going to keep any help from the other kingdom. At five in the morning, let the North force continue the attack and drive their force out of the forest," he said. 

"Your majesty."

He heard a voice.

"A messenger from Northlander has arrived," one of his warriors said. 

His heartbeat rose; he knew the King must have given up and would hand the princess to him. 

"Bring him forth," he replied. 

The wolf shifted into his human form and read the scroll in his mouth when he approached the King. 

"I, King Orion of the Northlander asking for your apology and not honoring our agreement, and you can claim your prize anytime at your will, Sir," the man read it out loud, and it was clear to the King that the stubborn old man had surrendered. 

He knew they were never going to win against him. 

"Tell your King to deliver the princess to the foot of the forest floor tomorrow night. Men will escort her to me," he said. 

"As you wish, Sir," the messenger shifts and returns to the castle, reporting to the King. 

"Ah, finally, you are going to have her, Cade," said Eadric, Cade's best friend and advisor. 

"Finally," he replied. "Call the war off. And Rouge and Briel stay and wait for the princess's arrival. Tell them I want her clean, unscratched, and fresh," he added. 

Eadric nodded at him and howled even in his human form, signaling the warriors wherever they were to retreat. 

The truth about the monsters that have been plaguing their neighboring kingdoms was all false. They were not Lycans or anything near that. They were simply the same as them running wild to the forest with their paws. It was that they were much bigger than them and honed in the battle. It was true they couldn't reproduce, and that fate had abandoned them. The chance of having a mate has gone. And to be able to multiply, they needed a mate from another kingdom, and that's why Cade was hellbent on having Zehra no matter what. And if indeed her mate showed up, he would kill him even if it meant defying fate that abandoned them long ago.

The news of the end of the war went by fire in the forest and the neighboring kingdoms. The warriors of both parties retreated, and there will be no more bloodshed and no more savage death. And Zehra knew that her sacrifice was worth it. 

The King of the Beasts was quick to respond to their pleas. His demands were very clear. He wanted Zehra and her alone. 

She was allowed to bring a maid and a trunk of her personal belongings. Zehra had resisted taking anyone with her, but Ember fought hard with her. Ember told her that if something happened to her, she wanted to be by her side and that Zehra was like a sister to her. 

But Zehra didn't want anyone to be with her because she thought it would be like leading someone into hell with her. But Ember was persistent. She will not back down no matter what Zehra says. 

Zehra knew she had to leave tonight and spent the rest of the day packing what she needed while trying to calm her, which grew restless with each passing second. She was scared. Who wouldn't be? She knew nothing about this King and its kind, and who would know how he would treat her? Endless nightmares and what if's hunted her mind as she gulped slightly before closing her eyes, trying to calm down. Zehra knew she had to be strong. It was the only choice she had if she wanted to survive. 

"Zhera?" She heard a familiar voice call her name and she turned around, her eyes widened to see who it was. 

"Keeran?" Zehra exclaimed, her relief and happiness showing on her face. She stood up, rushing to meet him. 

"I rushed here when I heard about your situation. I'm sorry I was out doing pack business with our people. Are you okay?" Keeran asked her. 

It was known that when Keeran turned twenty-one, he would find his mate, and everybody assumed that it would be Zhera. Nevertheless, Keeran had shown so much interest in her, and he already set his eyes on her. 

"I'm okay. I thought I couldn't meet you, and I didn't think I would be able to," Zehra said, her brown eyes looking at him warmly. 

Keeran was also her childhood friend and the heir to her father's friend, who is a king too. They had grown up together and played in the royal gardens. 

Keeran stood tall, as his face showed a mixture of anger and desperation. 

"Why did you agree to hand you over to the beast? My father was about to send warriors," he argued with her as Zehra could only shake her head.

"I don't want any casualties anymore. I can't let that happen, Keeran. My heart broke with the sadness of my people, and I don't want it to happen to yours too. If this continues, everyone will end up dead," she said.

Keeran knew it was the truth; you couldn't mess with those beasts in the forest. His Uncle Orion's warriors are the best fighters than he and the other kingdoms. But he was astonished at how they deduced efficient fighters to cold corpses. It was true, and those beasts were savage. But he cannot let Zehra sacrifice herself. Few months and he'll turn twenty-one. And he's sure she will be his mate. 

"But Zehra, I love you," he admitted, his hands cupping her face. 

But Zehra only smiled with tears in her eyes. She also felt the same with Keeran, and she only hoped that he could wait for her. Her wolf agreed with her.