I was starting to grow restless staying trapped in this castle and it was telling on me. I could no longer plot my escape without the fear of the Lycan king catching me again and severely punishing me for it holding me captive. Apart from that, it seemed like everyone, including the guards were now keeping their eyes on me, making it nearly impossible for me to make another attempt at escaping. My nightmares were now more intense, most of it being with the same beast and it made no sense to me. I was still worried about my mother and I wanted to see her. If only I knew that the worst was yet to come. I was in the maids quarters, washing sheets with Helen when two burly knights matched up to us, their expressions set into a grim line. Rinsing off the soap in my hands, I stood to my feet, wondering what they would be doing here. "You have been summoned by the Lycan king. Do not keep him waiting." One of them growled, his gaze fixed on me. My heart skipped multiple beats, then began to
Aira. After my mother was ripped away from me for the second time, I sobbed my heart out till I fell sick. A fever so severe assaulted me, I was unable to get out of bed for a few days and I genuinely thought the worst. Fortunately, Helen looked at me with pity and offered to care for me till I recovered. Even then, going out felt like too much work so I spent most my time indoors. I couldn't bear the curious yet disdainful looks of the workers in the palace as I walked around, since most of them had heard about the incident and my reaction to it. Luckily for me, even the king had stopped stepping out also, retreating into his chambers for a 'self imposed' exile as Helen put it. That filled me with some sort of relief as I had no idea what I would do if I saw him again. The hatred I had felt for him had grown in leaps and bounds since that incident and I wondered what was going through his mind, making me meet my mother only for him to rip her away from me. He must have wanted me t
A powerful roar tore through the castle, shattering the eerie silence that had settled over the halls. The sound was primal, a raw expression of fury and power that sent shivers down my spine. It was followed by the frightened screams of a lady, her shrill voice piercing the air and striking everyone dumb. I froze, my head whipping to the corridor leading to the king's chambers. My heart pounded in my chest, racing with a mix of fear and confusion. Is that the king? Another roar came again, this time more powerful and ferocious than the last one. The sound seemed to shake the very foundations of the castle, causing the walls to tremble and the floor to vibrate beneath my feet. Every person in the hallway stopped, fear and panic radiating in their eyes as they stared at the hallway, paralyzed with terror.Alfred was the first to rush forward, a number of guards at his heels. "Where is Lady Nymeria!?" he asked, his voice firm and commanding. Everyone exchanged furtive glances, indicat
It didn't seem like I heard him properly so I asked, "What did you just say?"Lord Mortis snarled, his eyes narrowing further and I bit back a whimper, shrinking to myself. "I do not like to repeat myself." He gritted out through clenched teeth. "Alfred, prepare the dishes and make her take it to the king.""What!?" I was panicking now, my eyes darting around wildly. "But, he's going to kill me!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "You're a slave, are you not?" Lord mortis snapped and I recoiled, tears filling my eyes. "Yes... " I whispered, my voice breaking. "Yes, I am.""So, your life has no meaning here unless you're serving your master. You are taking the food to the king. We're done here." He stated with a note of finality. Alfred glanced at me, beckoning for me to follow him. Giving up at the protest they was stuck in my throat, I let out a pained sob and followed after him. He led me to the palace kitchen and I watched as he instructed the workers to prepare a tray filled w
Aira I'm in another dream again. This time I'm in a forest, moonlight scattered on the ground through the thick canopy from the trees. I hold my breath, looking around me and freeze when I see the beast lying in front of me, his back covered in arrows and it's magnificent fur marred with blood. A soft gasp escapes my lips at the gory sight, something squeezing my chest tightly. With a bated breath, I inch towards the beast, gently crouching by it's side when I'm close enough. It's breathing is shallow, and it seems unconscious. I reach out to inspect the gaping wound by its side and it's ears flicker, a low groan of pain rumbling in it's throat. But it doesn't open it's eyes. Something warm trickles down my cheeks and when I inspect it, I discover I'm crying. Why do I lose control of my emotions when I'm near this mighty beast? I have no answers to that question but I soon find myself running my fingers through it's fur, in an attempt to soothe it from the pain it's feeling. The u
He asked suddenly, his words taking me by surprise. "Don't you hate me?"I stiffened, ice flooding my veins. Fiddling with my fingers, I looked away from him, my heart pounding. Realizing he was expecting an answer, I forced myself to speak. "Well, although my feelings hasn't changed, you're still my master, and I have no choice but to serve you." I muttered but it felt like a lie. He didn't speak for a moment and I was already raring to leave. But I couldn't do that without an order. Finally he let out a groan, his next words leaving me dumbfounded. "Do you want still want to leave?"I stopped, my heart skipping multiple before racing. Stunned, I turned to look at me. Of course, he was staring at me, and those gaze held seriousness. He really meant what he said. "If you don't give me an answer soon, I might be forced to hurt you." He threatened and I snapped out of my daze. "Ye-yes." I stuttered out without thinking. Realizing what I had said, my cheeks grew hot and I swallowed t
"What do you know about the Lycan king? Why is he the way that he is?" I cornered Helen in the hallway after I had been released from the kings chambers, barely acknowledging the wounds I had sustained. My arms throbbed with pain, the wounds from Kael's claws still oozing blood. I clenched my teeth, trying to ignore the discomfort.She wore a puzzled expression as she took in my appearance. Her gaze raked over me, her eyes widening as they stopped at my bloodied arms. "What do you mean?.. What the!? You're injured! What happened in his chambers?!" She cried out, alarmed. I growled back, moving even closer, my eyes blazing with intensity. "My wounds don't matter right now," I hissed, my voice low and urgent. Ensuring we were alone, I whispered tightly, my words barely audible. "I asked a question earlier. What do you know about the king? Why is he the way that he is? What is it?"Helen's expression faltered, and she took a step back, her eyes darting around the hallway as if searching
I trudged back to my room, my feet heavy with the weight of Lord Mortis's revelations. The dimly lit hallway seemed to close in around me, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the walls.My mind reeled with the words that had come out of Lord Mortis's mouth, yet I knew he wasn't lying. The signs were there, hidden in plain sight. The Lycan king was cursed, unable to form a mate bond, and if he continued down his destructive path, he would succumb to a fate worse than death: going feral.I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, my heart heavy with anguish. "But he knows this, so why is he still doing it?" I had asked Lord Mortis, my eyes stinging with tears. Lord Mortis's expression had turned somber, his gaze growing distant as he replied, "He's grown tired of living. Over two centuries, and ever since he was a little child, not a moment's happiness. Of course, he would seek death."I stifled the sob that tried to escape my mouth with my hands, anguish twisting my in
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