As I stared at the creature in terror, frozen to the ground, I felt a rush of warmth envelop me. Suddenly, a blue light flashed before my eyes, and a figure emerged from it, tearing through the darkness of the forest. A crystal-white silver blade sliced through the creature, cutting it in half before I could even blink. The creature lay in two pieces on the ground, blood splattered everywhere, and I gasped in shock as the sticky red material sprayed onto me. I sobbed, and Lord Xendrotie turned to me, his eyes full of concern.
"Are you alright?" he asked, approaching me. "We have to clean that blood off you as soon as possible." He raised his hand to touch my cheek, but I pushed his hand away, breathing heavily.
"What was that?" I asked, shaking all over.
"It was a lycan," he replied. "They have infected the Lunar Valley forest, and only silver can kill them. We have to clean the blood; it's poisonous." He reached for me again, but I scrambled away, staring at him in terror.
"Please, no," I begged. "Don't touch me."
He took his hand back, and a look of sadness mixed with fury passed over his face. He got up, removed his white robe, revealing his bare chest and clearly defined stomach muscles, and extended the robe towards me. This time, I allowed him to drape it over me without touching me. He brushed my hair out of my face, and the warmth of his hands spread through me.
"Let's go home and get you cleaned up," he said.
"Did you not come back to take me to the dungeons?" I asked, fearful.
He shook his head and brushed my hair again.
"I know you are scared, but I know you did nothing wrong." He leaned in close, his silver eyes glinting in the darkness. "Trust me; I will not let anyone harm you."
"Why would you trust me?" I asked, unsure of his intentions.
"Because you are right," he replied, and I felt a warmth spreading in my chest. "I know you did not try to kill the Alpha Prince."
The sound of rustling interrupted us, and several pairs of golden eyes appeared. I shivered with fear and looked to Lord Xendrotie for protection. His mood changed quickly, and he glared at the wolves, the silver in his eyes turning to ice. He helped me stand up, pulling me behind him while keeping his eyes on the wolves.
"Step back," he commanded, and every wolf snarled.
"I am a Crescent Moon Alpha, and you dare to disobey me," he growled. The wolves retreated, and one of them turned his head back, the others parting to make way for him. He disappeared behind a bush and emerged in human form, kneeling in front of Lord Xendrotie.
"Forgive me, Crescent Moon Alpha, but the girl beside you is a prisoner of the Alpha King."
"She is no one's prisoner." "The woman is under my protection," he declared firmly.
I looked up at him, shocked. But the same warm feeling rushed over me as he leaned closer, covering me. I saw his bare back muscles tightening.
"Crescent Alpha, she is a criminal," the other wolf protested.
"She has not tried to kill the Alpha Prince," he retorted.
"She needs to be executed," the wolf crept closer.
"No one will touch her, You have to cross me," he warned.
"Alpha, with all due respect, why would you take a woman like this under your protection?" the wolf challenged.
"She is my mate!" He growled.
He growled, his words vibrating through me. It gave me a feeling like being in a familiar old dream that lulls you into comfort. I looked up at him, wondering what it meant. His declaration made every wolf scramble back, and the man looked at him in shock. Shock waves ran through the atmosphere at his words. Every snarl turned into a whimper, and they all retreated quickly.
"Whatever the matter will be, I will discuss it with the Alpha King myself." He hissed "You all leave," he commanded.
The man bowed again, and every wolf followed him. They soon disappeared into the darkness. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. He turned to me, his cold exterior melting away.
"Now, no one will ever hurt you."
"It's done," he assured me.
"What happened? What did you mean by mate?" I asked, my heart racing and every muscle in my body ready for the impact of the answer. Something inside of me already knew what it meant. What he said was irreversible.
"Forgive me; I should have asked you first," he apologised.
"What are you saying? I don't even understand what it exactly means. I have heard the word before, but I don't understand it," I admitted. It was something they held in high regard. With this word, I was ridiculed in the alpha's court.
"I will tell you, but will you trust me now?" he asked.
"You've saved me three times now. I have no reason not to," I said simply. Our eyes locked, and his gaze softened. The silver in his eyes brightened, and I could feel the tension leaving his body. My words were true to my heart, and I realised that I had never trusted anyone as much as I trusted him in that moment. It was a relief, and the dull ache deep inside me that had been there since I met him disappeared. His hand reached for me again, and I pulled back slowly. It felt wrong to pull away from him.
"I am sorry. It's nothing personal. It is just..." I closed my eyes, and I felt his hand on my hair again. It was a soothing sensation, and he guided my face to look at him with his hand on the back of my head.
"I know," he said.
I opened my eyes and found his eyes filled with conviction. All I wanted in that moment was to get close to him, but my body never cooperated.
"I know," he repeated. "Now let's take you home."
In a blink of an eye, he pulled me closer. His robe created a barrier between our skins and worked as a shield for me. With his one arm around my shoulder, I looked at his hand in shock, and with the other under my knees, he picked me up. I gasped, and my heart pounded in my chest.
"What are you doing?"
"You trust me, and now I'm asking you to trust me a little more," he said, a soft smile grazing his lips. I looked down, unable to meet his gaze, my cheeks feeling heated. What is this strange, pleasant uneasiness in my stomach?
Silently, he walked with me in his arms, and everything inside of me slowly let go of the tension.
***
A house appeared after a few miles of walking along the forest line, and the structure outside seemed similar to the courthouse but smaller. There was a sense of comfort coming from the golden glow of the lantern that illuminated the night, as if inviting refugees to take shelter under its roof.
"You can put me down now," I said as he stepped onto the porch. He put me down, and I felt dizzy. He grabbed me again, catching me before I fell, and my eyes focused back on his eyes.
"Are you sure? You can walk."
I look down at his hand around my elbow. His touch didn’t create pressure in my chest like it always happens with others; instead, it was his beholding me, drawing me closer to him. I nodded to him.
"Let me help you." He moved closer, my senses overwhelmed by his scent, and he wrapped his arms around me. I nodded.
He led me inside carefully, crossing the courtyard. I looked up at the balcony; there was nothing else around. On the balcony, there was a door. He took me to the left corridor. My eyes studied my surroundings; I couldn’t look at him. A strange sensation close to aching was budding in my chest. My eyes went to the walls. Embroidered paintings hung on the walls, and roots and tree branches were woven together to create art on the ceiling. There seemed to be no one around. He took a candle from the stand nearby and turned, leading upstairs. He turned back and looked at my bare, cold feet, then met my eyes. He came closer, his bare chest glowing until the candle light, and his handsome face just inches away from me. He reached for me, touching the ties on the robe. He covered me with
"You take this." He handed me the candle, "Carefull," and I grabbed it tightly before I could blink my eyes. He wrapped his arms around my waist again and carried me up in his arms. My other arm went around his neck, grabbing on tightly. He was warm, soothing warm, but feeling his iron hold around me sorched my blood.
"You don’t have to..." I try to sound breathless.
"Your feet are bleeding." His voice was firm and slow, driving through. He pointed at my feet, and I curled up my toes; they started to ache the moment his eyes landed on them.
He took me up the stairway leading to the front balcony, which I could see from downstairs, and he reached the door in the middle. I took a deep breath as we entered, and he put me down on the four-poster bed in the corner, with lanterns lighting the room in every corner, small tables, a candle on the window, and a dressing table. He met my eyes, and his eyes roamed, seeming to study every inch of my face. He met mine again, and his hand raised, brushing my hair away, and my breath hitched as his knuckles brushed my ear. Why this? Why is all of this so overwhelming?
"You wait here," he said, and he walked away, moving behind the screen, where I assume it must be cleaning chambers.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I went in front of the mirror and stumbled in shock at my appearance. Half of my face was covered in mud and blood. I touched it, and my attention went to my hand, bruised, bleeding, and with first-filled fingernails. I looked away from the redness in my eyes, and I fumbled with the ties of my robe, but my hand shook. I was lost in my thoughts, trying to take those bloody clothes off. I jumbed as Lord Xendroite entered the chamber holding a basin and washcloth, placing them on the table beside me. In the orange glow of the candlelight, I could now clearly see his well-defined muscles flexing as he moved. There was tension in his body, but he moved with precision, and his rusted, rough skin seemed darker with the grime of the forest still on him as he move closer to me, I step back a little my heart pounding in my chest; I don’t think I could bear it if he come closer to me, but he grabbed my shaking hand. I stutter, unable to let out any words.