"Secure the bindings," Morgana ordered one of the soldiers and immediately Arthur was suspended, his arms spread wide and tightly bound. The ropes dug into his skin as the soldiers ensured they were secure. His gaze shifted to a large basin of boiling water in the corner of the small underground basement. Steam rose aggressively from it, showing its scorching temperature.Whips, both made of horsehide and leather, as well as spiked ones, were scattered about. There was a crown made of thorns, a branding iron, and many other tools Arthur had never seen before.Arthur swallowed nervously. Fear of the impending pain settling deep in his gut, though he refused to show it. A branding iron? His eyes followed the movements of a maid, who appeared to be preparing a fire pit. Did lady Morgana intend to brand him? Force him to wear that crown with its piercing thorns digging into his skull?"So, you must be enjoying these little niceties, aren't you?" Morgana taunt trying to goad him. With a
"I could ask you the same thing, Morgana" Xerxes’s tone was deceptively calm. His gaze swept across the room, taking in the array of torture tools and the little figure of Arthur, who was suspended no air like a sacrificial offering. Then, his eyes returned to the young woman his heart once beat for. “ What has come over you, Morgana?" The disappointment in his voice couldn't be concealed, causing Morgana to avert her gaze.She felt so embarrassed that she wished for the ground to open and swallow her up. She has always wanted to maintain that angelic reputation in front of her beloved. She never dreamt that a day like this would come when Xerxes would catch her in the act. How will she explain this, hanging a defenseless creature over a burning gangetic pot, and all this torture equipment.Xerxes took a step forward, his beast angry and ready to tear down the people who did this to their mate.On noticing how Xerxes was struggling with his beast Morgana quickly retreated a step. "
Arthur had finished bathing in the river and returned to his chamber to dress, Mira's voice echoing in his mind. It was sad to accept but his sister that night was right, of course. This is a reckless path he has chosen to trade, the road fate had thrust upon him was filled with unpredictable disaster.But does this really have anything to do with fate, destiny or however those weak minded creatures would put it? Arthur has never been the type to believe that whatever decision he decided to take has been planned and written down by any powerful being up there. He has always believed that he has full control over whatever was happening in his life, well not until he heard the conversation between the grand king and the sorceress back in the dungeon.Their words back then had planted a seed of doubt in his young mind and this seed was fast growing. For the past few hours he couldn't help but think “ what if '' what if there was indeed a being more powerful than the grand king sitting u
{ January 29 2032.}Cassy's forehead pressed against the steering wheel, her eyes squeezed shut, and her fingers jammed into her ears in an empty attempt to shut out some noise. She was a picture of desperation, a childlike pose that belied her grown woman's fears. "Go away!" she shrieked, though the car was empty. The words were a futile attempt to banish the horrors that haunted her since her childhood.Fourteen years of unrelenting terror had etched deep scars on her psyche. The memories of that fateful night still seared her mind: creatures crawling, crushing, and destroying her home resulting in the permanent dismissal of her father and her mother's current condition.To save her mother Cassey has sold everything her parents have worked hard to build,yet there was no improvement in her health. Her mom has been bedridden for the past fourteen years."Don't touch me!" The warning was a reflex, a futile attempt to maintain a boundary between herself and the unholy entity.A grotesq
There was something captivating about the young woman standing before him. Alpha Jay observed the lady. Her wide, startled blue eyes, the nervous fidgeting. That amongst other things piqued his interest. She was very beautiful—both in human and supernatural beings' standards. Her luxurious black hair, cascading down to her waist, framing a delicate face with rosy full lips that she chewed anxiously. The way the white gown clung to her figure, revealing every subtle dip and swell, ignited a spark of unfamiliar...something within him.However, it was not her beauty that had first caught his attention upon setting his eyes on her. It was her scent. The lady before him had the most enticing scent he had ever encountered in a long time. It was a scent that drew him in. Made him crave more."I…I…didn't see anything?" She stammered, retracting her step."I guess that explains why you are taking a step back ," he joked . He noticed her nervousness increase. "Just joking, " he laughed in a
Cassy burst into her mother's ward, her eyes brimming with tears that spilled down her cheeks like a torrent. She slammed the door shut behind her, as if trying to contain her grief within the four walls. The weight of her sorrow was crushing her, threatening to consume her whole. She slid down the door, her body wracked with sobs, and crawled to her mother's bedside.Her mother, once a vibrant and strong woman, now lay motionless, her beauty frozen in a coma. Cassy rested her head on the bedside, her tears soaking into the sheets. She poured out her heart, telling her mother everything, as if hoping that somehow, someway, she would hear her."Mom, please wake up," Cassy begged, her voice cracking with emotion. "I need you so much. My life is a mess, and I don't know how to fix it. I've seen things, terrible things, and I can't escape them. I feel so alone, so broken."She paused, her chest heaving with sobs. "I wish you were here, Mom. I wish you could hold me and tell me everything
{3} Three days later.This was the third day since his late night conversation with his kid brother,yet Jay doesn't seem to have gotten over that ugly night.What was even more disturbing was the fact that Carlos' words were a bitter truth thrown right in his face.A beast without a soul might never be able to recognize it soulbond. Not that it's entirely impossible but it has never happened and the chance of it happening is rare, not to mention how he has lost it in the first place. ******Venturing into the moonlit woods for a hunt, are Jay and Kaeden with their bodies half-shifted into their beast forms, furs mingling with human flesh, eyes glowing with a predatory light. Neither of them had any intention of completing the transformation, with the balance of beast and man unpredictable at best. The woods were alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, the rustling of leaves, and the distant hoot of an owl. It was exhilarating. Jay leaped from a tree with feline grace, snatch
Cassy's life had been an unvaried routine since her encounter with Jayantha, the enigmatic billionaire. Days blurred into weeks, and weeks into months. Three months had passed, and she had almost convinced herself that their paths would never cross again. She had no desire to revisit the memories of that fateful night, and the mere thought of Jayantha's piercing gaze made her shudder.But fate, it seemed, had other plans.Four days ago, Cassy received a call from the hospital, shattering her fragile sense of normalcy. The hospital management was growing impatient, demanding that she either take her mother home or transfer her to another facility. The bills were piling up, and with no signs of improvement in her mother's condition, the hospital saw no reason to continue providing care.Cassy felt the weight of the world crushing her. How could she possibly consider withdrawing her mother from the hospital when she was still fighting for her life? The thought of losing her mother was un