Chapter 6 You’re Mine

(Hilda)

“You are my mate,” King Arlo repeated, standing in front of the door. “You will stay here with me.” 

“No,” I said, my voice firm despite the tremble in it. “I am my own woman, King Arlo. You’re just… a rebound.” 

“Did you just call the Alpha King your rebound?” My wolf laughed. “You are crazy.” 

King Arlo’s eyes darkened, a mix of frustration and desire flashing across his features. He took a step closer, his presence imposing, almost overwhelming. “You don’t get to decide that,” he said, his voice low and controlled. “The bond between us is real, Hilda. You can’t run from it.” 

I stood my ground, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to put as much distance as I could between us without actually moving. “You think you can just claim me because of some bond? I won’t be anyone’s consolation prize.” 

King Arlo’s gaze softened for a moment, and he reached out, cupping my chin gently. 

“You’re not a consolation prize, Hilda. You’re everything.” 

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, and for a moment, I felt my resolve waver. But I couldn’t let myself be swayed. I couldn’t let myself fall for another man who might betray me, who might use me and toss me aside when it suited him. I won't do that to myself twice. I couldn’t handle it. 

I jerked my chin out of his hand, taking a step back. “I won’t be controlled, King Arlo. I won’t be manipulated.” 

His eyes narrowed, and he closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, his body pressing against mine, pinning me to the wall. I could feel the heat radiating off him, the raw power that seemed to hum just beneath his skin. 

“I’m not trying to control you, Hilda,” he said, his voice a low growl. “But I won’t let you run from this. From us.” 

My breath hitched as his hands moved to my wrists, pinning them above my head. I struggled for a moment, but his grip was unyielding, his strength undeniable. 

“Let me go,” I demanded, but the words lacked conviction. There was something in the way he looked at me, something that made my heart race and my body ache with a need I didn’t want to acknowledge. 

“No,” he said simply, his lips brushing against my ear. “I won’t let you go. Not now. Not ever.” 

A shiver ran down my spine at his words, and I hated how my body responded to him, how it betrayed me. I hated how much I wanted him, despite everything, despite my fears and doubts. 

“King Arlo,” I whispered, my voice trembling. 

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into my eyes. “What do you want, Hilda? Tell me. Be honest.” 

I swallowed hard, my mind a whirl of conflicting emotions. “I want to be free,” I said finally. “I want to be my own person. I don’t want to be someone else’s possession.” 

He nodded slowly, his grip on my wrists loosening. “You are free, Hilda. You always have been. But that doesn’t change what we are to each other.” 

I looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of deceit, any hint that he was lying. But all I saw was sincerity, a raw, unfiltered honesty that took my breath away. “I don’t know if I can trust you,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. 

“Then let me prove it to you,” he said, his lips brushing against mine in a feather-light kiss. “Let me show you that you’re not just a fling, that you mean more to me than that.” 

My resolve crumbled at his words, and before I knew what I was doing, I was kissing him back, my hands tangling in his hair. His grip tightened on my wrists for a moment before he released them, his hands sliding down to my waist, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, a hungry, desperate dance that left me breathless and wanting more. 

“Arlo,” I gasped, as his lips trailed down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin in a way that sent shivers of pleasure through my body. “Please.” 

He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his gaze dark and intense. “Please what, Hilda? Tell me what you want.” 

I bit my lip, my mind racing. I knew what I wanted, but admitting it felt like giving up a part of myself, like surrendering. “I want you,” I said finally, my voice barely more than a whisper. “But I don’t want to lose myself.” 

“You won’t,” he promised, his hands sliding under my shirt, his touch igniting a fire within me. “I won’t let you.” 

As his hands roamed my body, his lips capturing mine in another searing kiss, I felt a sense of rightness, of belonging. Maybe it was the mate bond, maybe it was the undeniable chemistry between us. Whatever it was, in that moment, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to be both his and my own person. 

His lips trailed down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin in a way that made me shiver. My hands, seemingly of their own accord, moved to his shoulders, gripping them tightly. He lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bed. The moment my back hit the mattress, his body was on mine, pressing me down, his weight a delicious gift that made my heart race.  

“You’re mine, Hilda,” he murmured against my skin, his hands roaming my body with a possessiveness that both thrilled and terrified me. “And I am yours.” 

But just as he spoke, there was a knock on the door. 

King Arlo’s eyes snapped up towards the door, frustration flickering across his face. With a sign, he reluctantly pulled away from me, his touch lingering for a moment before he stood. The sudden loss of his warmth made me feel oddly sad, but I pushed the feeling aside, sitting up and smoothing my clothes. 

“What is it?” King Arlo barked, his tone impatient. 

The door creaked open, revealing one of King Arlo’s servants, a young woman with wide, frightened eyes. She glanced nervously between us, clearly aware she had interrupted something. 

“King Arlo,” she began hesitantly, “It seems you are needed immediately. That… person… you asked about is in the forest.”