Going Home With the Beast

Iris's POV

I gulped at his words, he didn't look like he was joking. My gaze locked with Jacob’s for a split second, and I tore my eyes away immediately. 

I didn't want to think of him anymore. The more I did, the more pain I felt. His words kept playing in my head, “By the moon goddess, I reject you, Iris Greywell, as my mate.”

My eyes shut tightly as I tried to push those memories aside. Lucian gently placed me in the car and covered my shoulders.

There was silence as the car moved. I was leaving home and getting married soon to someone who wasn't my mate. This was something I never expected nor wished for.

All my life, I had prayed to get my own wolf and a mate who would love me. Well, I had gotten the mate, but alongside it came another package: rejection.

I couldn't help but chuckle at how pathetic my life was. I would also soon end up missing and dead, like all his wives. Thinking of this, I subtly looked at Lucian. He laid on the seat, with his hands on his forehead; he was probably taking a nap.

I couldn't see his face as the cloak did a good job of hiding it. A sudden warmth filled me as I thought of what he did: standing up for me. This was something no one had ever done for me except my mother.

Why did he do it? Why did he care? What was his motive? What happened to his wives? Did he kill them?

These questions filled my head, and I had no answers to them. I sighed and laid my head on the car seat, rubbing my forehead softly as I felt my headache.

Suddenly, I felt cold fingers rubbing softly on my head, and my eyes snapped open. It was Lucian, and he wasn't even looking at me. His hand was just stretched as he massaged my forehead.

Surprisingly, the headache was gone. I said nothing but instead enjoyed the soothing feeling if his fingers.

“Why?” I blurted out of the blue. “Why do you care?”

He paused, then seemed to stare at me. I couldn't see his face, but on closer observation, I noticed he had blue eyes, cold and icy. I wondered what he looked like without the cloak on.

He withdrew his hand and went back to the position he was in before. I looked at him again, I would soon die without a trace like the rest of his wives.

Different rumours spread about the Lycan beast king. Some said he ate his wives, which made him more powerful. Another rumour spread that there were ghosts in his mansions which killed his wives.

Others said he sold them or used them for dark magic rituals. The one which amused me more was his wife's death during consummation. But all in all, despite the rumours, his wives always ended up missing, with no one knowing what happened to them.

“How long is the journey going to take?” I asked, half hoping that he would answer.

Seconds passed, and there was no response. I sighed and decided to take a nap. He seemed allergic to questions.

“A day.” He eventually answered, and I raised my brows.

“You should eat.” He said.

“Ah, no. I'm not—” My stomach growled, seemingly opposing me.

“Great, just great,” I muttered.

“Azariel.” He called.

Azariel, who was driving, replied with a nod and snapped his fingers. A tray of food sat on my lap, and I gasped.

I knew that something didn't seem right with Azariel since he alighted from the car back home. He uses magic; is he a sorcerer? I stared at him, deep in thought.

But I was certain of one thing: I wasn't going to eat food made of magic.

“Thank you, but I would like to—” 

“It's not magic food.” He said as if reading my mind.

“Then how did—”

“There was food in the car, he simply brought it to you.” He cut me short, yet again.

I threw him a subtle glare, but he didn't let me finish my words. He always seemed to know what I had in mind. I looked at Lucian warily, I couldn't trust him.

What if there was something in the food, and I’ll go missing like the rest of his wives?

“Eat.” He said, which sounded more like a command.

I bit my lips and stared at the tray; my stomach growled again, and I shut my eyes in embarrassment. On the tray were mashed potatoes, glazed chicken and a glass of juice. I picked up the fork, eating slowly and uncomfortably as Lucian kept his gaze on me.

After I was done with the meal, I felt drowsy and was filled with the sudden urge to sleep. I laid my head on the seat and was long gone.

****

I stirred, my body shifting slightly. My head rested on something which was firm, yet warm at the same time. I ran my hands through it. Was it a pillow? Was I back home? Was everything a dream? 

Maybe it was indeed a dream, maybe I was indeed back at home. Back to my normal life, back to the abuse of being wolf less and the beatings. Back to the pain from rejection and to keep being reminded of how useless I was, and how life would be better off without me.

Half-asleep, I ran my hands around feeling something hard, warm and solid beneath a cloth. Then suddenly, I could feel a rise and fall motion like…someone’s heartbeat.

Wait, what?

My hands went upwards, as curiosity filled my sleep-headed mind. As I brought my hands lower, I felt a hand grip me, and I froze.  The sleepiness vanished immediately, and I sat up. my eyes widened as I stared at a pair of icy blue orbs: Lucian.

Realization struck me, I wasn't dreaming. What the hell did I do?