Chapter 3 The Choice Is Hers To Make
As soon as Fernanda realized it was Sebastian, she stood up and began to run as fast as she could without looking back. He hesitated for a moment before he followed her, overtaking her in no time even though he wasn't running at his full speed.
Fernanda was already panting heavily, she shook her head as Sebastian reverted back to his human form. Seeing him in his Lycan form scared her, but not as much as his human form did.
Apart from being intimidatingly tall and muscular, his eyes were calm shade of blue, contrast to the harshness on his face. The scar across his left eye added a rugged, battle hardened edge to his chiseled features.
Fernanda couldn't help but stare at him in awe. A subtle smirk played at the corner of his perfectly shaped lips, when he saw how she was staring at him. "Stop gawking, it's making you look ridiculous." He said, the deepness of his voice yanking her away from her thoughts.
"I will not marry you," Fernanda said, shaking her head vigorously, "I'd rather jump off a cliff." She added firmly, her lips forming into a thin line as she tried not to pay attention to his bare upper body.
Sebastian slightly cocked his head to the side, "Is that any way to address your King?" He responded and Fernanda thought for a moment she saw amusement flashed in his eyes, but it was gone as fast as it appeared.
Fernanda nervously gulped when she realized she was standing not just in front of a man she was betrothed to, but also the most feared man in the Lunareth.
She bowed her head slightly, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke. "Pardon me, Your Majesty," she said, "But I hope you can understand that I'd like the opportunity to choose my own path in life. Forcing me into marriage doesn't seem fair." Despite her efforts to sound calm, a hint of tremble was still audible in her voice.
Sebastian's gaze hardened as soon as she bowed, he was enjoying her stubbornness at first. "I'm not here to forcefully take you as my wife." He finally said after a long awkward silence. Fernanda's head shot up to meet his hardened gaze. "Your father once did me a favour, and I've come to repay him." Sebastian told her.
Fernanda scoffed, of course it's a favour, Caroline had planned everything. She was so sure her stepmother had brainwashed her father into proposing a marriage for his daughter as a reward for saving the king's life on the battlefield, thereby getting rid of her and forming a great alliance with royalty as in-laws of the King. It's like killing two birds with one stone.
The fire in Fernanda's eyes returned, she felt like a chess piece that was being moved around by everyone for their own selfish benefits. She tilted up her chin, fisted her hands tightly and moved backwards.
"I won't be going anywhere with you." Fernanda said the last two words with spite, the fire in her eyes burning brighter. "Go repay my father's favour with something else, surely a man as powerful as you can't start begging a woman to marry him, can he?" The scowl on her face deepened as she swept her gaze over him before turning and walking away.
Unfortunately for her, Sebastian was not used to people being disrespectful to him. It never happened because no one had ever been brave enough to speak to him like that.
He appeared right in front of Fernanda and in one swift movement, scooped her up and placed her over his shoulder with ease as if she weighed less than a feather. Fernanda let out a short squeal, clearly astounded and caught off guard by the King's brazenness.
"What are you doing?" She breathed as she tried to wriggle off his strong grip against her thighs to no avail. "You are right, I don't beg." Sebastian said, his deep voice making her tremble from a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite comprehend. "I just take, without apology."
The absurdity of the situation made Sebastian question his choices and wonder if she was really worth the effort. But something about the way she stood her ground on what she wants, captivated him.
"Put me down right now!" Fernanda sharply stated, trying to wriggle off her body from his very firm grip. He only held her with one arm yet it felt as if the weight of the world was upon her. His raw strength scared her so much. "You are one feisty young lady, aren't you?" Sebastian's voice, although came out as a whisper, was heard by her because of how deep it was.
Fernanda let out a frustrating grunt when she felt his grip on her waist tightened the harder she tried to wriggle off. "Yes, do you really want to deal with all that when you marry me?" She said, hoping that would discourage him. Fernanda was thinking of everything bad thing she could say to sabotage the marriage arrangement.
"Don't worry about me, I have dealt with worse. Your whines are nothing compared to the pleas of mercy from my enemies as I tear them apart." His reply only got Fernanda more frustrated than ever.
She let out another grunt, a painful one this time around. "If you are going to force a lady to come with you, you should at least try to be gentle with her!" She snapped at him and yelped when he suddenly placed her down.
Sebastian trailed his gaze to her waist and noticed how she held a side with both hands, trying to massage the pain away. He wasn't even using his strength when he held her down, but she still felt crushed anyway.
He resisted the intense urge to reach for her and try to soothe her pain. Not only was that unbecoming of him, it made him seem weak and softhearted, totally contrasting with his brute nature. His expression deepened with darkness as he lifted her up again and placed her on his horse that waited patiently for him to arrive.
Fernanda gasped again, feeling disrespected by the way Sebastian kept lifting her as if she weighed nothing at all. "Stay still." Sebastian's two words command was enough for her to stop when she tried to jump down.
Fernanda held her breath when he mounted the horse behind her and held the reins. As the horse galloped away, an uncanny feeling settled inside her stomach when she felt the hardness of his chest against her back. She felt trapped but in a good way and she couldn't explain it. She was supposed to be running from her fate, not towards it.
They arrived at her father's mansion in no time and the strange but good feeling in her stomach dissipated immediately, replaced by a feeling of dread knowing her worst fear are about to come true.
"The King approaches! Stand alert!" Levi, Sebastian's second in command and beta, harshly commanded the warriors and the Lycan warriors who were already alert, stood more upright when they saw their King marching in their direction with a lady with him on the horse.
As the King dismounted his horse, Fernanda's father, stepmother, and house servants breathed a collective sigh of relief, their faces etched with gratitude as if they had just been spared from a death sentence. "Thank goodness!" Alpha Jordan whispered to Caroline, his hands clasped in hers as she nodded in fervent agreement.
Everyone except Fernanda had their heads bowed in reverence, but she remained upright, her eyes fixed on the King. As she attempted to jump down from the horse, the King swiftly lifted her off, his hands wrapping around her waist. Fernanda's eyes narrowed, her face a picture of disapproval at the King's sudden display of familiarity.
A collective gasp rippled through the air as Sebastian's actions left many stunned, including Anderson, who seemed taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
Sebastian swiftly approached him and received a new cloak, which he promptly draped over Fernanda's shoulders instead.
Jordan and Caroline exchanged perplexed glances, concern written on their faces as they wondered what had transpired between them in the forest.
Sebastian's expression remained impassive as he addressed Fernanda, his voice devoid of empathy. "You should be grateful I found you," he said, his eyes glinting with a hint of menace. "Had I not, your parents would have had to face a dire consequence, by my order."
"We are filled with gratitude for your mercy, Your Majesty. We will get her ready for departure immediately." Jordan said as he gestured for the servants to take Fernanda inside to get her ready.
Fernanda didn't know what to think, her vision clouded by tears of frustration and anger. She felt like a mere pawn, manipulated to the whims of those around her. As the servants approached, she stiffened, "I refuse to go anywhere," she blurted out, her voice ringing out, halting all movement.
Her gaze locked onto Sebastian's, his ocean-blue eyes glinting with a cold, calculated intensity. "And I will never marry a king as ruthless as you," she spat, her voice dripping with venom.