Chapter 5

The woman unbuttoned my pajamas and removed some of the bandages. Shortly afterward, other women arrived and tended to me with great care.

When they’re finally done, the others leave, but the first woman stays. She’s talking about the care I need, the food I can eat for now, and topics that don’t interest me.

— I just want to know where I am. — At any moment, someone could call for my head. I have no chance of saving myself, much less now that I’m badly injured, but at least I want to know whose hands I’m in and where I am.

—You’re in the territory of the Golden Blood pack. This is the King’s castle.

Golden Blood?

The neighboring pack. What King is she talking about? — I’m in the neighboring pack. I guess that wolf is the Alpha here. — She laughed, but I don’t understand why.

— No, miss. This is King Lycan’s summer castle. This is where he retreats to rest.

— King Lycan? But King Lycan’s pack is in a distant territory. — I think you’re trying to make fun of me.

— This is the ancestral pack of the current King Lycan’s mother. He enjoys coming here to rest, especially in the summer. He’s here because he has matters to attend to in nearby packs; after resolving them, he’ll stay a few days to rest, then return home.

By all that is sacred. Now not only will I die a terrible death, but the Lycan King himself is going to kill me.

— I can smell your fear, but don’t worry. You’re safe here. His Majesty has ordered that you receive the best care.

He wants me to be in good shape so that when he decides to kill me, I’ll be at full strength and it’ll take longer for me to die in his clutches.

— Everything will be all right, young lady. Whatever it is that…

— Mila. — A man’s deep voice came from the doorway. — How is the young lady feeling?

— Your Majesty! You gave me quite a scare. You should wear a bell. — The woman gently pats her chest. — She’s making progress. She just woke up a little while ago, and as expected, she’s a bit scared.

The man crosses the room, and when he enters the area illuminated by the lamp, I can see that he’s a tall, burly man, very large, with blond hair and golden eyes, like those of the wolf that saved me.

— Are they taking good care of you, miss?

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. A strange sensation, as if the pain from my wounds had subsided, overwhelmed me, and I forgot to speak.

— As I already told you, she’s a little scared. She seems to think we’re going to hurt her.

— Then we’ll have to prove her wrong. What do you think I should do to make her feel more comfortable?

— How about you introduce yourself to her and chat for a while? That way she’ll realize we’re friendly.

I couldn’t see the look he gave the woman, because he turned his face toward her. When he looked back at me, his neutral expression gave me nothing to go on, so I didn’t know what to think.

The woman left and left us alone, which made me even more nervous, but he just pulled a chair up to the bed.

— I’m not very good with words; I don’t know what I could talk about, and I don’t think you can talk much either, but I think we need to talk about why you ended up in this situation.

I sighed, because of the pain and because I knew things couldn’t be that good. Sooner or later, he’d realize he was dealing with a problem not worth solving and would get rid of me.

— I found a voluntary exile document, but I couldn’t read the contents clearly or see the signature because it was covered in blood. Is it yours?

As the Lycan King, I have to answer truthfully; if I lie to him, I risk a horrible death. Nor can I remain silent. — Yes. — I said, my voice breaking with pain.

— Are you from the neighboring pack?

— Yes.

— This seems easier than I thought. We’re not done yet, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of settling the score with them. I just need to know why they ordered your assassination if you have a voluntary exile document.

I sighed, and it hurt more than I’d imagined. It’s best to tell him the truth, so this suffering ends quickly. — It was the coronation ceremony for the new Alpha. Darius turned out to be my mate, but I’m an Omega without a wolf, and he didn’t want a weak Luna, so he rejected me and took my stepsister as his Luna.

—He rejected you? The goddess granted him a mate bond the night he became Alpha, and he rejected you.

I nodded once. It’s hard to talk, and I overdid it a little, so I just hurt myself and let out a moan of pain.

— I’m sorry, I know it hurts, but I want to resolve this quickly so I can focus on taking care of you. Why did he exile you and send enforcers after you?

He seems concerned, as if he truly cares about what’s happening to me. I don’t know if it’s true or if he’s just pretending. Maybe I should be more cautious; after all, he is King Lycan. I’ve already come to the conclusion that I can’t lie or stay silent.

— He didn’t want me in his pack and demanded I sign, but he’s evil and likes to mock the weak; he enjoys others’ suffering, so he sent them after me.

His golden eyes seemed to gleam, and something in my chest gave a lurch. If I’d felt that sensation in my stomach, I’d think my insides were spilling out again.

— Don’t worry, little one. Your King will take care of all those bastards. — I felt chills run down my spine at what he said and the way he said it, deepening his voice as if speaking intimately to me. — That’s enough for now. Later we’ll talk about the scars on your back, though it probably won’t be necessary, we’ll see just how much the Silver River pack can withstand.

He stood up from the chair and approached the bed, kneeling down without hesitation.

— Your Majesty? — I asked, frightened. He gently took my hand in his, and a very familiar sensation coursed through my body, but not because I know him or we’re close in any way.

The familiarity of something I’ve already experienced overwhelms me, because it’s the same electric current that took hold of me before I ended up here, in this state, and that scares me. I don’t understand why this is happening, I don’t understand what I’m doing here, and I’m afraid.

— Don’t worry, little one. There’s no danger here; you don’t need to be afraid anymore. And call me Axel. Now rest, while I take care of everything. I’ll come visit you soon. Wait for me, little one.

He lifted my hand slightly and brought his face closer, then planted a gentle kiss on it. He gently placed my hand back on my bed and stood up to leave; he turned off the lamp before stepping out and then walked away without saying another word.

What the hell just happened?

King Axel left not long ago. I’m still staring at my hand and the spot where he kissed me. Worse yet, that tingling sensation still lingers on my skin.

How is that possible?

Not only am I an Omega without a she-wolf, but I was also rejected by my mate. There are no second chances. What I’ve heard about this, the little I’ve managed to gather over the years, regarding what happens after someone is rejected and finds a new bond: it isn’t real.

The loneliness of two wolves who didn’t find their mates, lost them, or were rejected leads to the formation of bonds of attachment, but never a true second bond.

The feelings won’t be the same. The need to have that person, to be close to them all the time, the love that springs from the bond, none of that will be there.

I let my hand fall gently, because the wounds, the pain, and all the emotions overwhelming me have drained my energy once again, so I head into the darkness to rest.