Chapter 3

~Rielle

I opened my eyes to illumination filtering through the curtains. I squinted at the evading light. I turned my head away but a throbbing blossomed at my temple and I groaned.

"Princess," Came a husky voice.

I ceased moving as the owner of the voice stalked closer. My eyes took a while to focus. When I did see him clearly, my heart stopped. There was no need for introduction. He knew that too.

"I am guessing I don't need to introduce myself."

Raphael De Amato, the Alpha of the Crimsonclaw pack. An Alpha of one of the Triad Packs and the most powerful Lycan. There was no mistaking him with any other. Like the stories said, his eyes were neither blue nor green but a distinctive crimson. He was the red-eyed lycan that appeared only once in a generation.

An Alpha born with red eyes was said to have powers that no other Lycan would have access to. Yet, he was known more notoriously for his cruelty. He had bodies strewn on stakes outside his castle. And now the same man was before me.

"I… I…I… I am…"

"You are Rielle Archer." His voice was smooth, velvet with a rugged edge that made me hyper aware of every part of him. "Only daughter of the late merchant by the name of Riorson Archer."

My eyes widened into identical saucers that surely took up half of my face. "How do you know me?" I asked, my voice was miraculously stable.

He raised a quizzical brow. "Why would I not know the name of the woman I rescued?"

Rescue… I should be dead by now. I looked down and only then did I notice the white bandages that were wrapped around my wrist. Suddenly, the wounds underneath began to ebb. I shook away the discomfort, not quite ready to acknowledge the fact that I should be a cold lifeless corpse by now.

He came even closer, his scent wafted through the air, cedarwood and leather with a hint of wild sage. He had his eyes on me in an accessing look that made me feel naked.

"Why did you rescue me?" I asked.

He finally stopped and crossed his arms over the wide expanse of his chest. "You were dying." he said simply with a slight shrug.

"How did you know… that I was dying? How did you get into the castle?" So many questions whirled around in my head.

His stare became more intense and I could have sworn the red of his eyes dimmed to scarlet. "I have been watching you."

I did not know why his answer shot heat through my core. "Why?"

"Because your father wanted me to."

My brows rose at the mention of my father. "My father?"

He nodded.

"You were his friend?" I found it hard to wrap my head around the possibility that my father knew the most revered lycan Alpha.

He did not answer quickly this time but his eyes bore into me as he gave me an inscrutable look. "Yes."

Yes? Was that all he would say? He took another step and I froze. "How are you feeling, princess?"

It was a loaded question that I was not ready to let myself answer. "You keep calling me princess." It just did not make sense why the lyan alpha would be calling me, a girl who had not even found her wolf yet, princess. If not for my father's money and influence, I would have been looked down upon.

"There is much that you don't know." He replied. "but it will all come to light in due time."

He turned away but I pushed myself to speak. "I still don't understand, what is going on?"

He paused and without turning to me. "All I can tell you now is that a lot is at stake and your pack needs you." Then he walked out, leaving me with far more questions than answers.

*****

I went back to sleep even though I tried to stay awake. Snoring in ignorance while Raphael De Amato was anywhere near me was stupid but my weak body had other ideas. I awoke to the aroma of food and my stomach growled. I sat up and almost fell out of bed when I saw him leaning on the doorway, his long legs crossed at his ankles.

"Eat," He said, "We are leaving at first light tomorrow.

I blinked. "Leaving?"

But he offered no further explanation. I pulled the stool of food to myself, while trying not to wince at the pain in my wrists.

I took the spoon and scooped only to wince. My cheeks flushed at the realisation that he was seeing me fail at eating food. I heard footfall and the bed sank when he sat down. He took the spoon from me and our hands brushed. A jolt of electricity passed through me and charged the air around us. If he felt it too, he did not show it. He fed me the whole bowl.

I stole a glance at his sharp, chiselled features. His rugged attractiveness was accentuated by a well-defined jawline and a tousled mane of dark, untamed hair. The scars on his tan skin only did well to elevate his daunting aura.

I gulped involuntarily when his crimson eyes steadied on me but it went the wrong way and I hacked a cough. Raphael deftly brought the glass of water to my lips as he got up. He rubbed my back rhythmically as I swallowed. His touch was at odds with his appearance in its lightness. The fact was more shocking than the touch itself. My body threatened to lean into him. What the hell was wrong with me? After everything that had happened, the last thing that should have been invading my thoughts was a man.

"Alpha," I raised my eyes to see another man with a letter in hand.

"From Alpha Lucas?" Raphael asked.

Alpha Lucas, as in Lucas Van Berg of Scarletmoon pack. Scarletmoon pack was another one of the Triad Packs. If power was a person it would be Raphael but Lucas Van Berg was affluence personified.

Raphael closed the gap between them and took the letter.

They mumbled words and most I could not hear but I watched the other man's eyes fall on me.