Chapter 1 - Imprisoned

Rynari's POV

My parents always warned me not to go to the forest and yet I was determined to stop the war between the werewolves, vampires, and the witches. I have to.

"The forest is dangerous, Rynari. We can't go outside for blood floods the ground outside. We are safer here and that is why we must stay here. The blood of the witches is spilled every now and then. We cannot do anything against the Lycan King and his army. The vampire's also help him. We cannot fight for our blood will also be spilled along with the hundreds of witches who perished during the war. I love you and that's why I don't want to lose you so just listen to me and stay at home," she said as she caressed my head. That's what she told me one night when she tucked me to bed.

What she said is true. I always see this in my dreams. Werewolves, vampires and witches are raging wars after wars and because of this, I decided to finally make a move. On the night of my eighteenth birthday, I snuck out of the house and decided to find the man that I always see in my dreams every night. I decided to search for the Lycan King to stop this war. I ran away and hid for five years and to finally get an answer to all my questions. 

The young boy that would always appear in my dreams experienced something that turned his heart to stone. He lost a loved one and because of that; he became the candidate for the Lycan King’s throne. The day he became the Lycan King, he started to punish the race of the person who killed his brother; witches. He loathed them so much that he bathed in their blood.

That is why I decided to sneak out of my house and go wander the Crimson Forest in order to make an audience with the Lycan King. Through a portal, I was able to enter his territory. I have to make him understand that not all witches are to blame for his brother's death. He should know this. However, I am reluctant because I am a witch and a werewolf hybrid.

My dad and my mom were shunned from the Malevolent Wolves Pack because my dad’s mate is a witch. A lot of lives has been lost and for what? For revenge? You must not punish the innocent and condemn the sinner instead. That is only rational.

The Lycan King needs to be taught a lesson. He needs to see that war is not the answer but peace. Peace is what makes a nation prosper!

I was cut off from my train of thoughts when I snuff out something.

“W-what is this scent that I'm smelling?” I mumble to myself. I started sniffing the surroundings more thoroughly. Crina perked her ears. I took a deep breath. It is now or never. I have to know more about the world and this is the chance that I’m willing to take if I want to survive this cold and cruel world.

After a few seconds, I decided to follow the scent and I reached a place where I witnessed something that truly frightened every fiber of my being.

There are about a thousand people witnessing what I was witnessing but our feelings towards the scene greatly differ. My heart thundered and my palms sweated. I could hear some of them cheer as the poor girl screamed in agony. Tears welled up in my eyes.

There, on the altar is a young witch being burned to death. My heart could not bear it and I clutched my dress tighter. No! She’s innocent! I wanted to stop them but I’m afraid of what might happen. There’s thousands of them!

Suddenly, my eyes met with a cold red-blooded eyes. He had a dark and brooding gaze and my wolf instincts took over. Without a second thought, I ran as fast as I can. I ran away from the man sitting on the throne.

"Of all the ways to have our first meeting, why does it have to be the moment I enter the forest? Why can't it be when I'm ready? Life can be so unfair with me sometimes," I grumbled to myself as I ran faster. Why won't my legs do as I say? The more I wish to run faster, the more it slows down!

I did not look back but due to my clumsiness and the constant distractions from my surroundings, my foot got caught by a tree trunk. I shrieked as I stumbled on the soiled ground. I quickly covered my mouth. I wobbly stood up and I checked my knees. It was bleeding!

I frantically looked around.

“No! They’ll sniff this!” I screamed in panic but it was muffled because I covered my mouth. I looked around and examined the wound.

“Ahhh! Aurgh! S-stop!” I screamed in agony as I held my head. I was suddenly hit with an agonizing pressure in my head. It was crushing me!

I slumped on the ground and panted as I tried to fight it. It felt like someone was hitting my head with a hammer!

They will reach me if I continue to be out in the open like this. I scanned the place and tried to find a place to hide. I need to protect myself.

I saw a very tall tree and I tried to climb it but it was impossible. I don’t know how. It might be easier if I can shift into my wolf but I cannot. I never could. My wolf Crina never listens to me whenever I ask her to shift.

“Please Crina, help me hide. Please!” I begged her but she just ignored me, again. She would talk to me sometimes but oftentimes, she would just keep quiet and adamantly ignore me.

“You are such a b*tch, Crina! Such a selfish wolf you are! You don't even care what happens to me!” I angrily retorted to her. She just laughed and then yawned like she was bored. What a despicable wolf!

“There is no use. You can’t escape anyway,” a cold voice suddenly spoke from behind me. He caught up to me! I’m doomed. Please don’t. Please!

He suddenly grabbed my arm and I felt his nails digging on my skin. I yelped as he clutched harder. His big and calloused hand felt so wrong yet so right against my skin. I shivered and clutched his arm. I refused to turn around to face him. I could vividly feel his body heat and it scared me more.

His warm breath hit my skin and I shuddered. What to do?

“What were you doing in the forest, huh? Mate? You really thought I would not be able to catch you?” he taunted me and another wave of nausea hit me like a boulder. My knees buckled and I leaned on the tree for support. It hurts so bad!

“Please! Ahhh! M-my head. I won’t run away, I swear. Just please let me go. I’ll do anything you want,” I pleaded as I clutched my head. I panted as I felt myself losing my consciousness. Tears burned my eyes as the pain worsened. My eyes clouded. I turned around to face him and tried to balance myself against the tree.

“Show me your hands. If you try to run away then I won’t hesitate to kill you,” he menacingly threatened me as he looked down on me. I showed him my hands and I shuddered as goosebumps ran up and down on my skin when he touched my hands.

Another wave of nausea came and everything around me went pitch black as I felt my body falling.

Endrée’s POV

We are in the middle of a witch immolation when I felt it. I snuff the air. That scent. I describe it as nothing but divine. My wolf is salivating. I felt my heart beat faster. I shook my head and composed myself. I clenched my teeth when the scent suddenly became stronger.

She’s here. My mate. I can feel her approaching and my eyes wandered until it finally found what it was searching for. Her purple eyes that was focused on the witch being burned on the altar suddenly turned to meet my red-blooded ones and something inside me boiled with the realization. I scoffed.

She's a witch. I can see her aura. It was usually faint but she must've not undergone training as she had no idea about it. She was frightened when she realized who I am.

She quickly turned around and ran away.

“Chase after her and don’t let her escape!” I roared to my men through telepathy. I clenched my fists and walked towards the forest. I don’t want to miss this chance.

“My king, she seems to be going deeper into the forest. Maybe we should wait for her to reach her destination and maybe find more witches in there,” Derrick suddenly said through telepathy. He is my Beta. I shook my head even if he can’t see it.

“No, I won’t risk it. She might be alone and got lost inside the forest when she escaped a pack or something. We need to take her with us tonight,” I ordered as I shifted to my wolf. My paw hit the ground and without a second thought, I dashed towards the forest.

I snuffed the air and searched for her scent. She's not that far away. After a few minutes, I finally caught up to her.

I tried using my Alpha Dominance to control her. I was able to catch up to her and I reached her in no time. I snuffed the air. Her scent hit me like a boulder and my wolf tried to take control but I stopped him. I looked at her.

So she has the blood of a wolf, huh? My grimace deepened at the thought of whoever her parents may be. They would surely receive extreme punishment if I catch them.

“There is no use. You can’t escape anyway,” I said and stalked towards her. She did not move an inch. I clenched my fists and asserted my Alpha Dominance to her. She leaned on the tree as she clutched her head. She started to pant and goosebumps ran up at down my skin as I felt her body heat.

‘Mine!’ Dante barked out but I shut him up. He just growled and tried to take over me again and again.

I grabbed her arm and my nails dug on her skin. She yelped and clutched my arm. She did not turn around to face me.

“What were you doing in the forest, huh? Mate? You really thought I would not be able to catch you?” I taunted her and I asserted my Alpha Dominance on her again. She frowned. Her knees buckled and she leaned on the tree for support.

‘Mine!’ Dante barked out again. He growled at me and stomped his paws. I shook my head at him.

“Please! Ahhh! M-my head. I won’t run away, I swear. Just please let me go. I’ll do anything,” she pleaded as she clutched her head. She panted harder and turned around to face me. She leaned on the tree. Her eyes clouded. I smirked.

“Show me your hands. If you try to run away then I won’t hesitate to kill you,” I threatened her as I looked down at her. She’s so small, almost fragile. I could just crush her with my bare hands but that could wait. I have to find out more about her and what she’s hiding.

After a few seconds, she suddenly collapsed and I was quick to catch her before she hit the ground. Her soft womanly curves felt heavenly against mine but I restrained myself. My wolf howled in joy. Heat blossomed inside my body and I growled in annoyance. F*cking mate bond!

“I found her. Get back to the palace,” I blew a breath after I talked to my men through telepathy.

I carried her bridal style. She’s breathing fine. My hands tightened around her when I saw my men. They peered at her and smoke almost came out of Dante’s ears.

My neck craned as I glared daggers at them. They backed away and I shifted to my wolf. I carried her on my back. We reached the palace in no time and I immediately ordered my men to prepare a cell room for her. I continued to keep her close to me so I put her on my bed. The urge to bury my nose on her beautiful and luscious white locks almost drove me mad but I stopped myself. Damned mate bond. I clenched my teeth and looked away from her.

Witches are nothing but poison. They destroy lives and I refuse to be mated to someone who has that race's disgusting blood in their system.

'But she's mine! Mine!' Dante barked at me and wanted to take over me again.

“Make sure she never escapes and don’t feed her. Ever. Even if she begs for you to bring her food, just ignore her,” I told the guards that I appointed to guard her cell inside the dungeon. They nodded and stood straighter.