Your majesty!?" She cried out, shocked, as she pulled away from me, realization dawning on her. Her face burned with embarrassment, her skin flushing a deep shade of pink. I watched her, noting as her embarrassment deepened, before she broke eye contact, curling into herself, a pained groan escaping her lips. "Heavens, my body is burning," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the words sent a shiver down my spine."I'm sorry... " She panted out, her body misty with sweat, her skin glistening in the dim light of the chamber. She tried to slip off the bed, but a contraction must have hit her, as she whimpered, crumpling to the edge of the bed and gripping her abdomen tight. Her fingers dug deep into her skin, her knuckles white with tension."It's here again... Oh, why?" She cried in misery, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes, her voice cracking with despair. Her body shuddered, racked with sobs, as she struggled to catch her breath."You... Wake up from your dreams, like
I woke up from my sleep, my head spinning and my body heavy. Blinking away the fog that had settled in my eyes, I let out a low yawn, stretching my stiff muscles before becoming acutely aware of the tenderness on my breasts and between my legs. Stiffening slightly, I sat up on the bed, pulling away the covers as I rushed through my memories, before tensing as my mind replayed every single stolen moment I had with the king the night before.Was it the night before? I wasn't even sure. Being in this ever-dark chamber had me losing track of time. Unbidden, my mind drifted back to those moments, and a low smile began to form on my lips, my cheeks burning. The pleasure I had felt with the king this time far surpassed the previous one when I had sought out my relief myself.Why had he gone that far? Did he like me now? Now, you're reading far into it, Aira, I cautioned myself, the smile on my face dropping for a bit. It's just wishful thinking. His attitude towards me hadn't changed yet."I
"Who cares, it's juicy," she said, rolling her eyes. "Now come with me. You need all the privacy you can get." I nodded, following her through the winding corridors, until we reached a secluded bathhouse, tucked away from prying eyes. Helen set about preparing the bath, while I undressed, feeling the warm water envelop me like a soothing balm. As I began to wash my body, Helen kept me company, looking around for intruders. It seemed as if we weren't supposed to be here in the first place but I didn't mind. As I poured water on my body, Helen's gaze landed on the reddened parts on my flesh, and she stiffened, her eyes narrowing in concern. "Where did you get those?" she asked, her voice low and gentle.I stiffened, my face burning up as memories flooded me. "Oh... I had those dreams again," I answered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the embarrassment.Helen gasped, alarm crossing her features. "You did?! What did the king do?""Funny, he helped me through it, again," I replied, fe
The weeks flew by, and I started to notice improvements in the King's demeanor, which filled me with happiness and deepened my feelings for him. One of the most significant changes was his continued patience with teaching me to read. He'd spend hours with me, going over letters and words in the picture storybooks I adored. Thanks to his dedication, I could now read the books, although I still struggled with many words."You'll get better," he groaned one night, exasperated by my mispronunciations and muddled sentences after I finished reading a story to him.I looked up at him, my voice small. "You think so?""I wasn't expecting it to be this hard," I admitted, frowning at the jagged lines that had begun to take form in recent days.He murmured reassuringly, settling into the pillows. "Yes, you just need more practice."I smiled, clutching the book to my chest, resolving to practice more whenever he fell asleep.Our nighttime walks had become more frequent, with the King preferring to
Your Majesty... Is anything the matter?" I asked softly, hesitant to approach him. My voice trembled slightly, betraying my fear.His eyes narrowed, his gaze blazing with intensity. "This is why you're doing this, isn't it?" His voice was low and rough, like gravel, filled with an immense amount of loathing. I flinched, my heart racing with anticipation."To go back to her. Isn't it?" he spat, his words dripping with venom.I rushed to defend myself, feeling a surge of panic. "What? No! I only said I missed her. I wasn't planning on going back...!" My words tumbled out in a frantic rush but the king cut me off, his voice slicing through the air like a knife. "Liar..." He growled, the sound almost animalistic, sending shivers down my spine.I tried again, desperate to reason with him. "If you would just listen to me, Your Majesty...!""Get out." The command was curt, absolute. I froze, my heart sinking. I must not have heard it correctly. "I'm sorry?" I ventured, hoping against hope
I cried all the way to the maids quarters where I met Helen, looking lost and confused. Not knowing what else to do, I rushed towards her, pulling her into an unexpected hug as I cried on her shoulders. Deep, pitiful sobs that racked my entire body.Helen's arms slowly wrapped around me, holding me in place as I cried. She stood there, a steady presence, as I poured out my emotions. Finally, when my wailing had subsided a little, she gently pulled away to stare at me. Her hands cupped my face, and she carefully wiped away the tears from my cheeks."What happened?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned. Her gaze assessed me, taking in my tear-stained face and trembling lips. "Why are you crying so hard?"I sniffed, taking a deep breath as I tried to get the words out. "I-it's the king!" I rushed out, my voice cracking with emotion. I was close to breaking down again, but Helen's calm demeanor helped me hold it together."He just switched up on me all of a sudden!" I exclaimed, my han
The sound of something hitting the ground grew louder and sharper as he approached, the smell of fear and urine flooding the air like a noxious cloud. Soldiers poised to attack, their eyes wide with terror, as they realized the king was beyond reason. Within seconds, the king was within view... or what was left of him. He had morphed into a half-shift, his arms and face covered in a thick, dark fur, his body several times larger than its original size. His hands had transformed into razor-sharp claws, and he stood on his hind legs, throwing his head back and letting out a powerful roar that shook the very foundations of the castle.The soldiers, stricken with fear, immediately let out a command, lunging forward in an attempt to restrain him with chains and arrows. But he broke them apart like they were mere twigs, his fury mounting with each passing moment. With a sharp strike of his arms, he slashed through several soldiers, decapitating one, and screams of pain filled the hall as bl
After a while, Lord Mortis arrived with a couple of soldiers, carefully lifting the king from my grasp. I watched, tears streaming down my cheeks, as they carried him back to the castle. I trailed behind them, my gaze fixed on the unconscious king, his limp form a stark contrast to his usual powerful demeanor.When we arrived at the castle, Lord Mortis immediately summoned the healer, and I was tasked, along with other maids, to set up a new chamber for the king. The healer arrived soon after, his face etched with concern as he began his examination. He checked the king's vitals, his fingers moving with a gentle yet practiced touch. Next, he carefully removed the arrows from the king's body, cleaning and dressing his wounds with a meticulous attention to detail. The king remained unconscious throughout, his chest rising and falling with a steady, if shallow, breath.The healer administered some herbs and potions, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Finally, he stepped back, his expres
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