Chapter 104 Chapter 103
Evelyn.
As I stirred from my short nap, the gentle rustle of leaves and the murmur of the river greeted my ears. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I found myself nestled against the warmth of the Alpha King's human form, his hands gently wrapped around me. His gaze was fixed on the tranquil waters, his expression a mixture of contemplation and a hint of vulnerability. Stifling a small yawn, I made to sit up.
"Hey," I murmured, my voice breaking the stillness of the forest. His eyes met mine, and there was a moment of silence before he offered a small smile. I returned it, adjusting myself so I was beside him. He returned his gaze back to the river and silence descended once more. After a while of quietly watching him, I decided to speak up. "How... How did you find this place?"
His gaze returned to the river as he spoke, "This place... I found it during my darkest days, the times when torture and pain were constants. Though I rarely ever visited here , whenever I did, it offered me a brief reprieve from all my nightmares." His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken pain.
Curiosity tugged at me as I sat up, propping myself on my elbows. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked, my gaze following the flow of the river. He shrugged and I watched as he pursed his lips in thought, his brows furrowing.
He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving the water. "I have no idea. But I did come here to think. This is one of the few places where my past doesn't have a hold on me." He revealed. I quietly conceded that he must not have brought anyone here before and although the thought made me somewhat glad, I couldn't help the twinge of sadness that flooded my being.
The river reflected the soft hues of the setting sun, casting a warm glow on both of us. I turned my gaze upwards, basking in the serenity of the view before redirecting my gaze back to him. As I thought about his words, I sensed a vulnerability in him, a rawness he rarely showed. The air was thick with a shared understanding, a silent acknowledgment of the pain that shaped him.
Inching closer to him, I looked at him intently. "Kieran, if I may ask... I want to know, why are you holding back? What's stopping you from completing the mating ritual, from knotting with me?" I whispered, dreading the words he would say to me but needing to hear it all the same.
His gaze shifted, and for a moment, he hesitated. The weight of his confession lingered in the air. "I'm still struggling to contain my wolf," he admitted, his voice carrying the burden of an unspoken truth. "The last thing I want is to lose control, to shift completely and hurt you. I'd rather be a rogue, an outcast, than be the reason you die."
A heaviness settled in my chest as his words sank in and I stared at him, at a loss for words. I knew the knotting would be dangerous but hearing this from him has made me realize just how deadly it could be for me. But time was running out and I didn't want to lose this fragile peace and understanding that was slowly forming between us. I reached out, my fingers gently grazing his. "Is there no way around it? Can we do something to help control it somehow? I hate to say this but... Time is running out and the more you delay, the more we delay this, the more precarious it gets."
"Not that I know of," he revealed, his voice grave. I swallowed, feeling tears sting my eyes. Why did I feel so hopeless? I've just begun to know this man and I risk loosing him to his unhinged nature and the Moon goddess prophecy. Blinking back the tears that threatened to flow down my cheeks and dropped my head on his shoulders.
"Whatever happens..." I began, my voice small. "Just know that I'm here, and I am not leaving this time around." I said. I felt some of the tension toll away from his shoulders and I let out a deep breath, wrapping around his waist. For a long time, we sat in that blessed silence, as the river continued its gentle flow, a silent witness to what had conspired in this tiny sanctuary.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled above and I snapped my head to look the sky. The golden rays of the sun were begininng to get hidden by dark, stormy clouds as a whiff of cold air, blew past us, causing me to shudder slightly. "We should probably get going." Kieran muttered as he stood to his feet, pulling me along. Mostly naked, except for the small trousers that he wore and barely reached his knees, I was given an ample view of his chest and the numerous scars that lined his body and the purple veins still on his arms. He started to walk away and I followed after him, the wind picking up speed.
We got to the spot where he had fought those rogues earlier and kieran stopped, watching the gory scene warily. Narrowing his gaze, he walked within their midst, properly inspecting it while I looked around, checking if there were people still hiding away.
"These aren't regular rogues." He rumbled and I turned my head to look at him, confused.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I walked closer, ignoring the biting cold that was begining to seep into my skin.
"They aren't regular rogues. I noticed it earlier but I didn't pay attention to it. Rogues aren't skilled in battle and they are also this big. Besides, these wolves seem to have an incision on their canines. That only means someone must have carved it in them."
Surprised by his astute observation, I glanced around again. Indeed they were bigger and more dangerously looking but I didn't worry so much about it due to how quickly the Alpha king's wolf handled all of them. Hearing this now caused a different kind of fear to crawl up my spine.
"They must be part of a group, killing my soldiers. I have to get back to the castle..." Alpha king keiran murmured, rising to his full height as he began to walk out of the scene, his domineering aura charged.