I slowly drifted back to consciousness, my entire body feeling like it had been submerged under a bog, heavy and unmoving. The sounds of dripping water from a distance drifted to my ears, the sound both comforting and confusing. Blinking my eyes open, I held my breath as I waited for the haze to clear, my eyes focusing on the jagged rock surface above me.The nerves in my body roared awake, reminding me of the pain still lodged in my bones. It felt like I'd been mauled by a thousand horses. Everywhere hurt. I tried to speak, but I could barely make a sound, my throat feeling scratched and hoarse. My eyes were still heavy, and it was a struggle to keep them open.I closed them, breathing deeply as I moved around on the cot. That's when I noticed it - I wasn't in any ordinary room. The air filling my lungs had a peculiar smell I couldn't quite name. I blinked my eyes open again and observed the entire area one more time.I was in a cave, a well-decorated one at that. Posts littered ever
Lord Mortis paced around the opulent living space in the King's castle, his jaw clenched tight, eyes blazing with fury. After announcing the tragic incident to the workers of the castle and the villagers, he had watched them grow furious and devastated, ready to unleash their wrath upon the person responsible for the king's demise. Their reactions had satisfied him, but upon returning to the castle, he was met with a new frustration: the king and Aira were nowhere to be found. All attempts to find them had proven abortive, and it was grating at his nerves. Resisting the urge to throw something at the wall, he balled his hands into fists instead, letting out a pained growl of frustration. How could she have slipped past the soldiers and workers with the king, unnoticed? "Fuck! I should have killed her when I had the chance," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Now, there was no body, and the human slave was nowhere to be found. Lord Mortis
I sat next to the king, even after I had stopped crying, just staring at his face and holding his hands while he fought for his life. I spoke to him as though he could hear me, telling him about everything and nothing. All my sobbing and griefing had given way to numbness yet again, and after a while, I had grown exhausted and just settled on watching him, occasionally brushing away strands of his hair that brushed against his pale face, committing his features to memory. The distant sound of water dripping filled the otherwise tense silence. I heard footsteps approach behind me, but I didn't turn to see who it was. Gently squeezing King Kael's hands, I started humming to him, gazing at his face with tired eyes."You need to eat; you've barely left his side all day," Helen finally broke the silence, her tone firm yet filled with concern."I'm not hungry..." I muttered quietly, threading the King's fingers with mine. That much was true; I really wasn't hungry."Well, that isn't good,
I found myself standing in a bright, endless expanse, surrounded by an eerie silence. The vast, empty space stretched out before me like an endless canvas, with no horizon in sight. I furrowed my brows, trying to recall how I had arrived here. Had I finally died? Was this the afterlife? The thought brought a bitter smile to my lips, a mix of emotions swirling in my chest.Taking a tentative step forward, I began to wander through the desolate landscape, unsure if I was making any progress. The emptiness seemed to stretch on forever, with no landmarks or features to guide me. As I walked, I started to call out for someone, anyone, my voice echoing off the invisible walls. A part of me secretly hoped I would find someone, anyone, to break the crushing solitude.Then, I heard it – laughter, accompanied by the clash of swords and boisterous yells. My heart began to pound in my chest, my eyes going wide with excitement. Could it be?!"I'm the stronger one!" A voice carried on the wind, se
"How did you know about her?" I found myself asking, genuinely surprised. My mother let out a warm smile, the sunset reflecting in her eyes as she gazed at me. "Just because we're not there with you physically, that doesn't mean we're not watching you, love. We know who Aira is – your mate," she said, and I looked away, clenching my jaw."Don't you have at least some regret about leaving her behind like this?" she prodded again, her voice soft. A mix of emotions swarmed me and I had trouble pinpointing them. "To be honest..." I began quietly after a while of staring into the distance, gathering my thoughts. "I'm not quite sure. A part of me feels sad about it, but yet again, another part of me feels relieved."Taking a deep breath, I continued. "She won't have to worry about me anymore; she's free to live her life as she pleases. Besides, mate or not, things have already been ruined from the start." I confessed, clenching my jaw. "Why would you say that?" Arzhael asked, staring at
It's been weeks since we've been hiding in this cave of a home, cut off from the rest of the world. During that period, Helen and I had grown undeniably closer, getting to know more about each other and having a budding friendship develop between us. Along with the lone soldier who had followed us while we were escaping, constantly guarding and gathering information on what's going on in the kingdom. Their presence helped to distract and reassure me as I cared for the king."Lord Mortis has assumed leadership of the kingdom," the soldier, whose name I had come to learn was Eiran, informed us after days of scouting the area. I turned to look at him, my heart skipping a beat."He has also gone to wage war on the humans for being the species that took the life of their king. Most of them have been captured and taken back as slaves." He informed us, and my heart dropped to my stomach, a tense atmosphere settling in the area."That means he's already announced that the king is dead," Helen
"Kael... Is that really you? Are you truly awake?" I asked, unable to believe the words spilling out of my lips, desperately hoping this wasn't a hallucination my mind conjured to appease me.The figure before me let out a smile, a faint crinkle appearing around his eyes. "It's me, Aira," he muttered lowly, his voice sending shivers down my spine.I took a step closer, feeling my heart pound, threatening to burst out of its ribcage. "You're really awake!" I cried out, rushing towards him to grab his face, my hands trembling and tears filling my eyes. "Oh, you're truly awake! You're here!""Yes, I am," he growled, a serene expression on his face. Oh, that voice. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I had stopped hearing it.I threw my hands around his neck, pulling him into a hug as tears spilled out of my eyes, sobs of relief and happiness racking my body. My heart wouldn't stop racing, my palms sweating, my ears ringing. This is what I'd prayed for, cried for, begged for, an
"Weak, but fine." He answered truthfully, dropping the topic as well."You need to take your medicines, have something to eat, and have your wounds redressed. Then, I shall leave you alone to recover." She informed him, walking to his side.He nodded, and I stood to my feet, assisting her as she worked. I administered the potions, and when a meal had been prepared, fed it to the king until he could eat more on his own.Finally, after all had been said and done, one by one, they all left until it was just me and the king.He was lying back on the cot, but his gaze was fixed on me as I fretted around, unsure of what to do now."Come here..." He uttered in a low growl, beckoning me with his hand as he patted the tiny space next to him.I immediately obliged, joining him in the tiny bed. Turning to face him, I blushed as his gaze raked over me, his warm breath tickling my cheeks."How have you been?" He growled, his face barely inches away from mine.I swallowed, doing my best to be hones
The next five days passed with bliss and happiness. So much so that I wished we didn't have to return to the castle. I loved the simple, rustic life here in the cottage and was rather nervous about how things would pan out in the castle, but Kael assured me that things would be alright, promising that we would occasionally come here to get away once in a while.Following the events of the mating night, the bond had been restored, and we could now hear each other's thoughts and emotions. I had loved it so much, though I did find it rather jarring when he listened to the soft musings in my heart. My erotic fascinations that I thought were private only to me. He said he would put up a shield later on when they returned to the castle and had to resume his duties, as he wouldn't want to be distracted, but I hoped he wouldn't so often.Like him, I loved listening to his thoughts as well. His were usually incredibly detailed, a sharp contrast to his simplistic outlook. We did get to know eac
"Gods, when you beg like that... " He trailed off, rising from the water and taking me along. I immediately wrapped my legs around his waist, while he led us to the bedroom. We tumbled to the bed together, drenching the sheets with our wet bodies and kael resumed kissing me, more ardently this time, filled with utter possessiveness and primal need. His hands roamed around my body, groping and squeezing while mine dug into his back, pressing his body closer to mine, as if we weren't close enough. "You're so beautiful... " He murmured, spreading my thighs apart and throwing my legs over his shoulders, practically folding me in half. "So are you." I gasped back, hazily kissing him, my spine arching as I felt his arousal nudge my weeping core. "Want you." I moaned into his mouth. "Want you too. You have no idea just how much I've been holding back.""I... I don't want you to hold back." I rushed out and he growled, the sound more animal than male. Fuck, I'm just as wanton as he thinks
"Wow... If someone had said I'd see this side of you, I would have laughed them off." I muttered, my fingers already reaching for the bindings on my dress.He cocked his head to the side, a crooked smile on his face. "What? Am I not allowed to take care of my woman?" he asked, and I felt my cheeks grow warm."My woman." I didn't know what to say to that, so I just focused on undressing until I was standing bare in the room, bathed in the warm candlelight, the air around us suddenly too warm.His intense gaze never left my body, and when I couldn't take it anymore, I headed straight to the tub and got in. I gasped as the water encased my legs, the surface rippling and scattering my reflection.Surprisingly, the water was warm, and I realized I liked it that way. I slowly submerged into the warm water, resting my body at the edge of the tub while Kael sat across from me, his body slightly tense.I bit my lip but refused to pull my gaze away from his, watching as the tension swelled and
I started to back away, but the animal, already irritated, began to growl and paw at me. I swallowed, my eyes darting quickly, trying to find an escape route but painfully drawing a blank."Kael... I'm in a situation here!" I called out as the animal trailed after me, its growls growing louder and meaner. Just then, the bear let out a menacing sound, getting ready to pounce, and I let out a scream, curling into myself.When another figure jumped from right behind me, catching the bear mid-lunge, I only raised my head when I heard a painful whimper coming from the bear and the sickening sounds of bones cracking. Before me, Kael was holding the bear meters from the ground, the latter slumped, blood dripping from its mouth."Woah..." I muttered without thinking, and Kael discarded the dead animal, a mild look of disgust flashing in his eyes. "That's so cool," I added when he locked eyes with me. Kael didn't look too pleased."That's the end of hide and seek, young lady," he announced, hi
We continued to run through the woods till Kael reached a clearing that opened up to a small cottage nestled in the heart of the forest. Gripping his fur tight, I let out a sound of wonder, my eyes taking in the quaint dwelling bathed in the resplendent moonlight.Only then did Kael slow down, urging me to slide off his back. I did so, and he reverted back to his male form, a soft smile on his face. "Do you like it?" he asked, his eyes searching mine, and I scoffed."Like it? I love it! It's so beautiful," I muttered, taking several steps forward while he followed behind, holding my hands. "I've always wanted us to come here. This is where we'll be spending the next seven days," he informed me, and I felt my cheeks grow warm.Squeezing my hands gently, he led me to the porch, picking up a small torch that had been carefully laid out and lighting it up with a nearby fire striker. The kindling on the torch burst into flames, and he opened the door, leading us into the living space.For
Kael stared at me in disbelief, his eyes slowly widening as he held my gaze, a brow slightly furrowing. I managed a small smile, feeling my heart pound in my chest, my fingertips tingling. "You... You really mean that?" he stuttered, his deep voice shaking ever so slightly.I giggled, nodding my head vigorously. "Yes, Kael. I want to be bonded with you. I think I've had more than enough time to think about it, and I'm sure now," I whispered, searching his eyes.He let out a huff, a chuckle hidden somewhere in it, before sitting up, a huge grin on his face. Suddenly, he slipped out of the bed and pulled me along, placing me into a bone-crushing hug as he twirled me around. Laughter bubbled from my lips."I thought I would have to wait forever for you to say that," he said as he lowered me to my feet, pressing his forehead against mine. I let out a sheepish smile at that.He held my cheeks, his gaze transforming to something tender, almost reverent. "You have no idea how happy I am to h
I woke up to the sun shining against my face, a warm feeling spreading over my chest. Tossing and turning for a bit, I finally cracked my eyes open when I saw that Kael was no longer in bed. I must have overslept while he went on with his duties. Sitting up, I brought my knees to my chest, unable to help the grin that broke out on my face, my cheeks heating up.The night before had been magical, and I still blushed every time I thought about it. Kael had gone into great detail about the mating ritual, and hearing about the process had been both awe-inspiring and panic-inducing. Even now, as I thought about it, I had goosebumps.He had informed me that the mating ritual usually lasted a week, as per werewolf/lycan customs, where we would not only get to know each other personally but also had to engage in sexual intimacies. However, it came with its own twist. I had wondered how I would have the energy to go through that for seven days straight when one night with him had tired me out,
I sat submerged in the bath water, head leaned back, thinking about everything and nothing. Cracking my heavy eyelids open, I watched the water that reached my chest swirl and ripple around me, while I tried to make sense of my thoughts. Today had been a long day. After I had returned with Aira, we had hosted a celebratory banquet with all of my loyal subjects that had lasted well into the night, officially introducing her as my mate and, as time went on, my queen.As expected, there had been outrage because of what species she was. A human. Despite the years that had passed, my kind still held a deep animosity concerning humans that was only exacerbated by Morris's actions in bringing them back into slavery once more. I had been quick to counter it, however."If it wasn't for her quick thinking... " I said as I stood up from my throne, addressing everyone present in the hall with a loud voice while she stood next to me. "The Traitor Mortis would have succeeded in his plans of killing
Thank you for bringing me here." I whispered, and he nodded. He moved forward, and I followed after him, mildly surprised he was taking the route that led to my mother's cottage.We finally arrived there, and for a moment, I stopped, staring at the small building that had been my home for so long. I could still recall the memories I had made here with my mother - the happy, sad, and downright ugly ones. Fresh tears filled my eyes, and my hands began to tremble.Kael tenderly held my hands, and I glanced at him, seeing the encouragement in his eyes. I shakily nodded, cleaning off the stray tears with the back of my hands as I led him to the back of the cottage where she was buried.A shabby tombstone stood at the edge, hastily crafted, and for a while, I watched the space, the whole world around me going quiet. "Mom..." I started to say, my voice wobbly with grief, moving forward."A lot has happened since you left. I thought my life ended when yours did. But instead, it was only about