CHAPTER FIVE

Immediately after the mating ceremony, the Lycan king ordered for them to start the journey back to his kingdom.

Esme had barely had time to say goodbye to her mother and Isabella before he was swinging her up on his horse and they were riding into the darkness.

The journey back to the Lycan kingdom was long and tedious. And seating so close to the king and being in his arms every day was beginning to wear on Esme’s strained nerves.

It was on the night of the second day that the king called for their party to halt and camp near a small stream. Esme was glad because she hadn’t had a  bath in two days.

While the lycans set about making camp for the night, Esme slipped out into the cover of the night and went to use the stream. 

For a moment, she considered using this opportunity to run away from the Lycan king but she knew she would not get far. And even if she did, she knew the king would keep his word and kill mother and Isabella.

Sighing heavily, she stripped off her clothes and waded into the stream, unaware of the burning eyes that watched her from the forest.

The cool water shocked her flesh for a moment but she got used to it soon and dipped her head into the water before coming out, the water sliding down her body.

She was unaware of the stunning image she made to the man watching her from the bank, his eyes hooded.

“For a moment there, I thought you wanted to drown yourself.”

Esme gasped in anger, covering her breast and sinking further into the water, when she turned and saw the king staring at her body so brazenly.

“You! I should have known you would do something like this. How did you even know I was here?” Her eyes narrowed. “Did you follow me?” 

The king shrugged without remorse. “The forest isn’t safe and I wanted to see what you would do if you’d the opportunity to escape. I must say I was surprised when you came to bath here instead. And I got a free show too.”

Esme had never been this angry in her entire life. “You swine. You dirty, stinking, black hearted swine. If I had a sword, I swear I would run it through you.”

The king’s smile vanished. His eyes did an insolent sweep of Esme’s body.

“Perhaps, I should join you there in the water.” He said silkily. 

Esme’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare-”

But she was talking to the wind because the king was already removing his clothes. Esme looked around in blind panic. Her clothes were hanging on a tree near the bank. She couldn’t get to it without exposing her naked body to the king and he knew it.

Esme shot her eyes tightly when the king’s nude body entered the water. Oh goddess save me, she cried in her heart.

“Open your eyes, Esme.”

“No,” Esme shut her eyes tightly. She was afraid of the sensations that were boiling in her stomach when the king stroked the straight line of her neck. 

“Why are you doing this?” Her voice broke.

“I wanted to at least be a clean, black hearted swine.”

“Just go away.”

“Open your eyes Esme,” when she still refused, he threatened, “If you don’t, I’ll kiss you.”

Esme’s eyes blinked open in an instant. She couldn’t let this man kiss her. Right now with his body so close she was finding it hard to think straight, if he kissed her she might just melt into a puddle.

“I knew that would work.” His eyes gleamed mysteriously. “Would it be so bad if we kissed, I wonder?”

His fingers brushed her sensitive ear, while his voice hypnotized her. “I must confess when I saw you bathing here, naked with the water sliding down your skin, I was jealous. I wanted to be those droplets, touching your skin, kissing every inch….”

Esme’s eyes was rounded, her heart pounding faster, her breath coming in short pants. The mate bond worked further, drawing them closer still.

“You looked like a goddess,” he continued huskily, “a beautiful, golden haired, goddess bathing in the moonlight. Let me touch you…”

Unwittingly, Esme’s hands fell away and the king's rough strong hands replaced it, cupping her breast. Her head fell back. She could never have imagined that such pleasure could come just from a mere touch.

Michael had never made her feel like this before, she thought deliriously. Michael! The name sounded like an alarm bell in her brain, clearing the pleasurable haze she’d fallen into.

“No!” She yelled wildly, pushing him away violently. “Don’t touch me. I don’t want you touching me!”

The king’s voice was softly cajoling, his hands reaching for her again, “That’s not what your body was telling me…”

Whack!

The king's cheek jerked to the side as Esme’s hand hit it with force.

Esme stumbled back in shock, realizing what she’d just done. She had slapped the Lycan king.

Her eyes widened with fear when she saw the black anger in his face, his body trembling violently. Turning, she tried to get away from him, running deeper into the water but the king was fast.

He jerked her back to him and twisted her arms behind her back, making her gasp with pain. 

“You crazy bitch!” He roared furiously. “I should fucking kill you for that.”

Esme closed her eyes, expecting a blow at any moment. 

“Afraid?” He sneered. “You should be, princess. I’ve let you get away with stuff that have gotten other people killed for less.”

“Please, you’re hurting me…”

But he wasn’t listening, too full of rage. “Did you think you were special because you are my mate? Because you’re not. There’s one way for a Lycan mate bond to be broken and that’s through death.”

She flinched. He laughed.

“But don’t worry, princess.” He said cruelly, “I won’t kill you yet. You won’t get off that easy. By the time I’m through with you, I promise, you’ll wish you’d never even been born.”

Disgusted, he flung her away from him. Esme stood there, small and shivering.

“Get out! The mere sight of you sickens me.”

Running, Esme stumbled out of the water and stopped only long enough to grab her clothes before she was sprinting off again. She must have run for hours before she slid down a tree, wailing like a child.

Oh goddess, what a mess! If  he hadn’t before, the lycan king well and truly hated her now. Which was what she wanted right?

Esme was so deep in her thoughts, she didn’t hear the sound of branches creaking, until she felt a hot breath at her neck. Freezing she turned and her eyes met the bloody red eyes of a Rogue.