Chapter 5

SYLVIA

I ran out of the room and the palace as fast as my legs could carry me. My mind reeled with the events of the night. All the blood, the violence, it was all too much. I needed to clear my mind. I inhaled the sweet night air, breathing in the smell of the forest. So peaceful.

I sank down on the mossy ground by the silver lake. Staring at the moon’s reflection on the water, I wished my life would have been different. If only I had met Hunter sooner. The crickets’ song stopped abruptly. A twig snapped behind me. Before I could react, his scent enveloped my senses. Hunter.

He reached for me and I fell into his arms. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Will he reject me like his father wanted? How cruel is the Moon Goddess? After all I have lost, will this be the ultimate loss? I will surely die.

“Sylvia, don’t cry, my love.” Hunter pressed my head against his hard shoulder. He stroked my back, his fingers gently moving over my scars. I hated those scars. I pushed him away. Covering my face in my hands I sank to the damp ground.

Hunter sat down beside me. He gently removed my hands from my face. “I was so worried, Angel. Please don’t run away like that ever again.” Softly he removed my disheveled hair from my face, stroking it back. “I’m so sorry you had to witness my father and I arguing. After all that happened tonight, you didn’t need that.”

I nodded. “I got scared. I was afraid he’d hurt you.” The Alpha King treated me so coldly. I could see the disappointment in his eyes. Drake used to tell me I was only good enough to fuck, useless for anything else.

He snorted. “No, he wouldn’t.”

“But he hates me. Oh, he will banish us. You can’t let him do that, Hunter!” He was next in line to be king. I can’t allow him to lose his rank. But still, I couldn’t bear losing him. “Are you going to reject me?” I asked, barely above a whisper. “You should. I am not good enough.” Tears streamed down my face. I steeled myself for his answer, knowing nothing would hurt more than that.

“I would rather die than reject you, Angel.” He pulled me closer to him. “Nothing will stop me from having you. Not my father, not anyone on this earth.” He lifted me onto his lap.

I gasped. I’ve never been so close to another man except Drake. It felt strange, but good. His arms around me were so strong, muscular and yet so gentle.

“Let me worry about my father. My mother will speak to him.” His fingers caressed my arms, drawing little circles on them. “He may be the king, but she is the ruler of his heart. Just like you are of mine.”

The ruler of his heart? I smiled at him. Can this be real? No one has ever spoken such beautiful words to me. Maybe I am dreaming.

I moved back so I could see his face. My greedy eyes couldn’t get enough of his perfect features; high cheekbones, sharp angular chin, full lips. The moonlight kissed his face and made him seem somehow unreal. He was beautiful. And I felt scarred, used, ugly.

“What is it, Love? You look so troubled.” He took my hands in his. “Talk to me, Sylvia. Trust in me. Nothing you can say will make me want you less.” Hunter brought my hands to his lips and kissed my fingers. His lips were so soft and did weird things to my insides.

I’ve never felt anything like it. The pull, the sparks, like tiny flames burning through my blood. It thrilled and scared me at the same time. He was my True North I had no choice but to move towards him.

And yet…

“I am used, broken. Alpha Drake did unspeakable things to me.” I looked down, I felt ashamed. “I’m no longer pure.” The one thing I wanted to give to him, my virginity, violently taken by Drake. “Even my wolf left me.” Tears streamed down my cheeks. Kira, how I missed her!

Hunter shook his head. “I know he hurt you and I’m so sorry. You deserve to be loved and happy.” Softly he wiped the tears from my face with his long, slender fingers. “I would never do anything to you that you won’t want, Angel. I will worship you with my body and my soul, because I am yours and you are mine.” He smiled at me and my heart somersaulted. I touched his cheek.

“You are so good, Hunter.” I wanted nothing more to run my fingers through his blonde mane. “I know you are nothing like Drake. He is an animal, he took me by force, many times. I… He chained me up like a dog and...” Visions of all the horrible things he did flooded my mind, I couldn’t stop them. My heartrate sped up, I struggled to breathe. My chest hurt so bad.

Hunter held onto my shoulders. “Sylvia, look at me. It’s me. He can’t hurt you anymore.” 

I focused on his eyes. Even in just the moonlight I could see the kindness reflected in his eyes. I inhaled his scent, the citrusy musk smell of him calmed me down. His hands were on my arms, lightly stroking and for the first time in years I felt safe. I had hope.

“You belong right here in my arms, Angel.” He lifted my chin. “I will give you the moon if it would make you happy. You are the most precious person in my life.”

I wanted to believe him more that anything. Trusting people wasn’t easy for me. Especially men. But Hunter was different, wasn’t he?  He was good and he loved me.

“Believe me when I say, Drake will get what’s coming to him and more.” He pulled me into his embrace, his nose in my hair. I felt his pulse in his neck where my head rested. So powerful...

A shiver moved through his body. His arms tightened around me. I looked up slowly, our faces so close together. His lips were slightly parted, his breathing rapid. I held him around his waist. He felt hot to the touch. So hot. Lowering his face to mine, our lips almost touching. I wanted him to kiss me. But then he growled and his wolf surfaced, his eyes glowing red.

“Oh no, no!” I shouted and tried to get away from him, but he held fast.