I woke up from my slumber, my mind foggy and disoriented, my body feeling like it had been submerged underwater for hours. Taking a deep breath, I blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the haze. As I stretched my tense muscles, I became aware of the body next to me.My gaze drifted towards Aira, who was laying on her side, sound asleep. Even in the darkness that cloaked the room, she was still as clear as day in my eyes. My gaze stopped short as I took in her sleeping features: her lips lightly parted, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, her hair fanned around her in a soft halo, and her breathing soft and peaceful. She looked so at peace, so trusting, that a pang of guilt and unease struck my chest.Why was I keeping her around me again? At first, it was because she had helped quiet the demons in my head. Being next to her made me feel a sense of peace, if only for a short while, which is why I allowed her to stay. But now, it had gone way beyond that. The thought of her spending
Your majesty!?" She cried out, shocked, as she pulled away from me, realization dawning on her. Her face burned with embarrassment, her skin flushing a deep shade of pink. I watched her, noting as her embarrassment deepened, before she broke eye contact, curling into herself, a pained groan escaping her lips. "Heavens, my body is burning," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the words sent a shiver down my spine."I'm sorry... " She panted out, her body misty with sweat, her skin glistening in the dim light of the chamber. She tried to slip off the bed, but a contraction must have hit her, as she whimpered, crumpling to the edge of the bed and gripping her abdomen tight. Her fingers dug deep into her skin, her knuckles white with tension."It's here again... Oh, why?" She cried in misery, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes, her voice cracking with despair. Her body shuddered, racked with sobs, as she struggled to catch her breath."You... Wake up from your dreams, like
I woke up from my sleep, my head spinning and my body heavy. Blinking away the fog that had settled in my eyes, I let out a low yawn, stretching my stiff muscles before becoming acutely aware of the tenderness on my breasts and between my legs. Stiffening slightly, I sat up on the bed, pulling away the covers as I rushed through my memories, before tensing as my mind replayed every single stolen moment I had with the king the night before.Was it the night before? I wasn't even sure. Being in this ever-dark chamber had me losing track of time. Unbidden, my mind drifted back to those moments, and a low smile began to form on my lips, my cheeks burning. The pleasure I had felt with the king this time far surpassed the previous one when I had sought out my relief myself.Why had he gone that far? Did he like me now? Now, you're reading far into it, Aira, I cautioned myself, the smile on my face dropping for a bit. It's just wishful thinking. His attitude towards me hadn't changed yet."I
"Who cares, it's juicy," she said, rolling her eyes. "Now come with me. You need all the privacy you can get." I nodded, following her through the winding corridors, until we reached a secluded bathhouse, tucked away from prying eyes. Helen set about preparing the bath, while I undressed, feeling the warm water envelop me like a soothing balm. As I began to wash my body, Helen kept me company, looking around for intruders. It seemed as if we weren't supposed to be here in the first place but I didn't mind. As I poured water on my body, Helen's gaze landed on the reddened parts on my flesh, and she stiffened, her eyes narrowing in concern. "Where did you get those?" she asked, her voice low and gentle.I stiffened, my face burning up as memories flooded me. "Oh... I had those dreams again," I answered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the embarrassment.Helen gasped, alarm crossing her features. "You did?! What did the king do?""Funny, he helped me through it, again," I replied, fe
The weeks flew by, and I started to notice improvements in the King's demeanor, which filled me with happiness and deepened my feelings for him. One of the most significant changes was his continued patience with teaching me to read. He'd spend hours with me, going over letters and words in the picture storybooks I adored. Thanks to his dedication, I could now read the books, although I still struggled with many words."You'll get better," he groaned one night, exasperated by my mispronunciations and muddled sentences after I finished reading a story to him.I looked up at him, my voice small. "You think so?""I wasn't expecting it to be this hard," I admitted, frowning at the jagged lines that had begun to take form in recent days.He murmured reassuringly, settling into the pillows. "Yes, you just need more practice."I smiled, clutching the book to my chest, resolving to practice more whenever he fell asleep.Our nighttime walks had become more frequent, with the King preferring to
Your Majesty... Is anything the matter?" I asked softly, hesitant to approach him. My voice trembled slightly, betraying my fear.His eyes narrowed, his gaze blazing with intensity. "This is why you're doing this, isn't it?" His voice was low and rough, like gravel, filled with an immense amount of loathing. I flinched, my heart racing with anticipation."To go back to her. Isn't it?" he spat, his words dripping with venom.I rushed to defend myself, feeling a surge of panic. "What? No! I only said I missed her. I wasn't planning on going back...!" My words tumbled out in a frantic rush but the king cut me off, his voice slicing through the air like a knife. "Liar..." He growled, the sound almost animalistic, sending shivers down my spine.I tried again, desperate to reason with him. "If you would just listen to me, Your Majesty...!""Get out." The command was curt, absolute. I froze, my heart sinking. I must not have heard it correctly. "I'm sorry?" I ventured, hoping against hope
I cried all the way to the maids quarters where I met Helen, looking lost and confused. Not knowing what else to do, I rushed towards her, pulling her into an unexpected hug as I cried on her shoulders. Deep, pitiful sobs that racked my entire body.Helen's arms slowly wrapped around me, holding me in place as I cried. She stood there, a steady presence, as I poured out my emotions. Finally, when my wailing had subsided a little, she gently pulled away to stare at me. Her hands cupped my face, and she carefully wiped away the tears from my cheeks."What happened?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned. Her gaze assessed me, taking in my tear-stained face and trembling lips. "Why are you crying so hard?"I sniffed, taking a deep breath as I tried to get the words out. "I-it's the king!" I rushed out, my voice cracking with emotion. I was close to breaking down again, but Helen's calm demeanor helped me hold it together."He just switched up on me all of a sudden!" I exclaimed, my han
The sound of something hitting the ground grew louder and sharper as he approached, the smell of fear and urine flooding the air like a noxious cloud. Soldiers poised to attack, their eyes wide with terror, as they realized the king was beyond reason. Within seconds, the king was within view... or what was left of him. He had morphed into a half-shift, his arms and face covered in a thick, dark fur, his body several times larger than its original size. His hands had transformed into razor-sharp claws, and he stood on his hind legs, throwing his head back and letting out a powerful roar that shook the very foundations of the castle.The soldiers, stricken with fear, immediately let out a command, lunging forward in an attempt to restrain him with chains and arrows. But he broke them apart like they were mere twigs, his fury mounting with each passing moment. With a sharp strike of his arms, he slashed through several soldiers, decapitating one, and screams of pain filled the hall as bl
Holy Hades, he did it again, another assertive lick across my core that had my spine arching and my body hyperventilating, broken moans escaping my lips. "Please... " I rushed out, struggling to get away from his tightened grip. "Please, stop. It doesn't, it doesn't feel right." I added as I felt his warm breath on my sensitive skin, his eyes peeking at me between my spread thighs. He ignored me, diving in again and probing my opening with his warm, sinew tongue. My entire body shuddered, pleasure like no other colliding into me, leaving me breathless. I mewled, sweat pouring out of my skin as his grip on my thighs tightened, his tongue carving a path in my warm, pulsing core. Then, he would pull away, teasing my opening and driving me to the edge of madness. I gripped the sheets on the cot, thrashing my head from side to side, trying to get away from him. "Kael... I don't think this is necessary!" I tried again, pulling away again, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. Kael paused
After what seems like forever, I'm back in this dream space once again. I've never been so happy to be here. Looking around, I find the beast lying on the ground, his body still injured and bleeding, and my heart aches at the sight."Hey..." I call out hesitantly, and it turns to look at me, a low growl escaping its lips. My heart squeezes tightly in my chest, like someone is reaching in and strangling it. I did this to him.When it makes no attempt to move, I inch towards it, lowering myself next to its side, my eyes fixed on the wound."I'm sorry... I'm sorry for hurting you. Please, forgive me. I didn't mean to," I whisper, my voice breaking as tears stream down my cheeks. It lets out a low moan of pain, but a paw reaches out, touching my hands. I stiffen, and it purrs slowly. I sniff, blinking eyes."You forgive me?" Again, another groan. But it doesn't sound angry."Thank you so much," I mutter, squeezing its paw. Its ears flicker, a sparkle of happiness in its eye. I glance at t
I returned to the cave, still reeling from Helen's revelation. My heart was heavy, my mind foggy despite my numerous attempts to clear it. Reaching the edge of the cave, I took a deep breath, shuddering slightly as Helen's words replayed themselves yet again. As much as I wanted Kael to heal, I wasn't sure I was ready to lay down my life for that purpose. Besides, wouldn't that devastate him further? We'd had such little time together, with threats popping up left and right. No wonder he kept refusing every time I brought it up."He most likely doesn't want to lose you that way," Helen had said, picking up a twig on the ground while she played with it. "If you still want to go ahead with it, however, you're going to do more than just convince him. You need to prepare yourself for the pain that would come."Taking a deep breath, I entered the cave, staring at the pathway that led to the corner where Kael stayed most of the time, recovering. I felt tears sting my eyes, and I hastily bli
"Is your beast truly dormant?" I asked Kael after a while, my voice soft and almost inaudible. We were alone in the cot, lying next to each other at his request, our bodies barely touching. He glanced at me, his expression turning blank, and I felt my heart pound with concern. The old lady's words had been echoing in my mind relentlessly since she left, weighing heavily on my chest."I haven't felt its presence since I woke up, so it must be," Kael groaned out after a while. "Even if it was active, my body feels too weak to contain its presence. The most it can do right now is force an aggressive shift that might kill us both."I felt my heart drop, a rush of hopelessness filling me. Taking a deep breath, I balled my hands into fists, trying to maintain a neutral expression as I sought out my next words."I'm not trying to place pressure on you or anything, because you more than anyone know what's happening right now and the gravity of the situation we're in. I just wanted to know if
"Are you really the witch that cursed Kael?" I asked, turning to the old lady once we were alone in the cave the next day, far away from earshot. She turned slightly to look at me, her brow furrowed in confusion, no words spilling from her mouth. The revelation had been messing with me all night, making it impossible to sleep. Did she really do that? And if she did, what for?"Why would you do that? Do you know how much trouble you've caused for us now!?" I rushed out, barely giving her a chance to answer as my chest heaved with anger."I didn't curse him," she said after a while, looking away from me. "What happened to him was the result of the spell I did for him. That he requested.""He requested it?" I asked, folding my arms. "You expect me to believe that?"She finished arranging the herbs she was keeping away and turned to me, her steely gaze fixed on me."This isn't the first time Kael has been betrayed by those he trusted and should have protected him. He's suffered that fate
"Weak, but fine." He answered truthfully, dropping the topic as well."You need to take your medicines, have something to eat, and have your wounds redressed. Then, I shall leave you alone to recover." She informed him, walking to his side.He nodded, and I stood to my feet, assisting her as she worked. I administered the potions, and when a meal had been prepared, fed it to the king until he could eat more on his own.Finally, after all had been said and done, one by one, they all left until it was just me and the king.He was lying back on the cot, but his gaze was fixed on me as I fretted around, unsure of what to do now."Come here..." He uttered in a low growl, beckoning me with his hand as he patted the tiny space next to him.I immediately obliged, joining him in the tiny bed. Turning to face him, I blushed as his gaze raked over me, his warm breath tickling my cheeks."How have you been?" He growled, his face barely inches away from mine.I swallowed, doing my best to be hones
"Kael... Is that really you? Are you truly awake?" I asked, unable to believe the words spilling out of my lips, desperately hoping this wasn't a hallucination my mind conjured to appease me.The figure before me let out a smile, a faint crinkle appearing around his eyes. "It's me, Aira," he muttered lowly, his voice sending shivers down my spine.I took a step closer, feeling my heart pound, threatening to burst out of its ribcage. "You're really awake!" I cried out, rushing towards him to grab his face, my hands trembling and tears filling my eyes. "Oh, you're truly awake! You're here!""Yes, I am," he growled, a serene expression on his face. Oh, that voice. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I had stopped hearing it.I threw my hands around his neck, pulling him into a hug as tears spilled out of my eyes, sobs of relief and happiness racking my body. My heart wouldn't stop racing, my palms sweating, my ears ringing. This is what I'd prayed for, cried for, begged for, an
It's been weeks since we've been hiding in this cave of a home, cut off from the rest of the world. During that period, Helen and I had grown undeniably closer, getting to know more about each other and having a budding friendship develop between us. Along with the lone soldier who had followed us while we were escaping, constantly guarding and gathering information on what's going on in the kingdom. Their presence helped to distract and reassure me as I cared for the king."Lord Mortis has assumed leadership of the kingdom," the soldier, whose name I had come to learn was Eiran, informed us after days of scouting the area. I turned to look at him, my heart skipping a beat."He has also gone to wage war on the humans for being the species that took the life of their king. Most of them have been captured and taken back as slaves." He informed us, and my heart dropped to my stomach, a tense atmosphere settling in the area."That means he's already announced that the king is dead," Helen
"How did you know about her?" I found myself asking, genuinely surprised. My mother let out a warm smile, the sunset reflecting in her eyes as she gazed at me. "Just because we're not there with you physically, that doesn't mean we're not watching you, love. We know who Aira is – your mate," she said, and I looked away, clenching my jaw."Don't you have at least some regret about leaving her behind like this?" she prodded again, her voice soft. A mix of emotions swarmed me and I had trouble pinpointing them. "To be honest..." I began quietly after a while of staring into the distance, gathering my thoughts. "I'm not quite sure. A part of me feels sad about it, but yet again, another part of me feels relieved."Taking a deep breath, I continued. "She won't have to worry about me anymore; she's free to live her life as she pleases. Besides, mate or not, things have already been ruined from the start." I confessed, clenching my jaw. "Why would you say that?" Arzhael asked, staring at