Chapter 16 They came back
Aurora:
Carlus lifted me as if I were a mere piece of paper, his large hands spanning my waist with terrifying ease. The strength in his arms was absolute, making me feel small and utterly powerless.
"Please, can you drop me down?" I begged. My voice felt thin, like a thread about to snap. He didn't seem to hear me. Maybe my voice wasn't loud enough, or maybe he was simply choosing to ignore the pleas of a girl who had been silent for so long.
I tried to crane my neck, desperate to look back at the Hollow King. I wanted to see the man who had claimed me, to understand the carnage he left in his wake, but Carlus moved with a purpose that blocked my view. He stepped into the palace, the air instantly turning cooler as he sped through the grand, echoing hallway.
"Please drop me. I can walk," I tried again, putting more force behind my words.
This time, he stopped. He looked down at me for a heartbeat before setting my feet on the polished floor.
"Did you just say something?" He smiled as he looked into my eyes. This was the first time I and this arrogant looking man were truly facing each other. Up close, I could see stories written in his eyes, a depth that didn't match his cocky exterior. His blond hair was well styled, falling perfectly around a face with a perfect nose and the rugged features of a seasoned warrior.
"I am so glad you finally found your voice, Luna. I knew you weren't a mute," he said, his blue eyes searching mine.
I swallowed hard, my throat feeling tight. "How did you know? And... and how did he kill those people like they were nothing?"
Carlus sighed, his expression turning serious. "I found out when I went to pass a message to Alpha Leonardo. Also, do not blame the King. He is King Deacon for a reason. The Hollow King. He has to be ruthless, or else this world would swallow him. Do not judge him, he is a very good man, but you must be careful."
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper. "Do not trust anybody in this palace. For the next seven days you are going to be spending here, do not trust anyone. Not even me or the Alpha. Sometimes the King will be rude to you, but you just have to understand that is how he is. He feeds on souls and pleasure."
He paused, looking down the hallway before turning back to me. "And if the bond is rejected, I need to ask you for a favor?"
"What’s that?" I spoke slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"Do not go back to the Moonstone pack. I will give you a place to stay in the human world. As soon as the Hollow King goes wolf with you... because on the seventh day, the second and full claiming ceremony will happen right in front of everyone. And if he goes rogue on you, run away. Men will try to buy you, do not look back. They are only doing it just to use you as their form of pleasure. Leave the palace and never return. You need to be happy."
Before I could respond to the weight of his words, he lifted me again. He carried me into a lavish room and dropped me onto the plush carpet. As he was about to leave, he turned back one last time.
"There is something about you that I can't seem to understand yet, but do not think you are wolfless. The first thing the King noticed when he stepped into the Moonstone pack house was your scent. That was when he knew that someone like you was inside. Do not lose your voice again no matter what you go through, Luna. Be fierce, speak out properly, and be audacious. That is the only way you can survive both in the human world and the rogues. Do you understand?"
"Yes," I whispered.
"I will take my leave now."
He stepped out and I heard the heavy thud of the door being locked from the outside. I rushed to it, rattling the handle, but it was useless. I was a prisoner.
By now, it was almost daylight. The sky was starting to get clear, the dark blues fading into a pale, morning grey. Since I was locked in, I began to explore my gilded cage. I saw a large, ornate window and hurried toward it. From there, I had a perfect view of the courtyard where the Hollow King was still standing with his people.
I tried to see if I could get a closer look, but the distance was too great. I paced back to the bed, nervously tying the silk rope of my garment.
"I thought in places like this they used to have zooming lenses, or what do they call them? My brother used to bring them to the forest when we went hunting," I muttered to the empty room.
I began to check the drawers of the heavy wooden furniture. In the bottom drawer of a nightstand, something fell out. It was a picture, but the head of the person had been torn off. Tucked right behind the ruined photo was a zooming lens.
"I knew it. My intuitions are always right."
I picked it up, stuffed the picture back where it fell from, and ran to the window. I pressed the lens to my eye and aimed it toward the Hollow King. Even though the situation was complicated and terrifying, I couldn't help but admire his looks. His muscular build was breathtaking through the glass. I couldn't help but fantasize about the way he would come fuck me when he was done. He had told me he would be back and that I shouldn't wear any panties. That was why I wore only the robe. I couldn't wait, but a part of me felt like a bad person. I hadn't even thanked Carlus, and I had never had a proper conversation with my mate. How could I, when I had been playing mute all my life?