The Alpha King's Fated Mate

Chapter 5

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, Isla stirred, her body shifting slightly against the warmth surrounding her. For a moment, she remained still, her mind groggy with sleep, not fully aware of her surroundings. But then she felt the steady rise and fall of a chest beneath her cheek, the solid weight of an arm draped around her waist, holding her close.

Her eyes blinked open, and the events of the previous night rushed back all at once. The storm, the rain-soaked clothes, the heated glances exchanged between them, and finally, the moment she had surrendered to Lucian, their bodies intertwined in a way that felt more intimate than she had ever imagined.

Isla’s heart raced as she lay there, her head still resting on his chest, her body unwilling to move just yet. She wasn’t sure how she felt. The night had been… intense. She hadn’t planned on things going that far, but with Lucian, she had felt safe. Needed. And now, in the quiet aftermath, the weight of what had happened settled over her.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes drifting upward to find Lucian already awake, his gaze locked on her. His blue eyes were soft, the usual intensity in them tempered by something almost… gentle. He smiled at her, the corners of his lips curving upward in a way that made her stomach flutter.

"Good morning," he murmured, his voice low and husky with sleep. "Did you sleep well?"

Isla’s mind swirled with thoughts, but she didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she looked at him, trying to read the expression on his face. Was he regretting last night? Did he think it was a mistake? She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came. Instead, she swallowed, her throat suddenly dry as her fingers lightly traced the edge of the sheets.

Lucian watched her closely, his smile fading slightly as the silence stretched between them. After a moment, he shifted, propping himself up on one elbow as he stared down at her. "Is this the part where you hate me?" he asked, his tone light, but there was an underlying tension in his voice. "Because, if I remember correctly, I did warn you."

His words tugged at her, and Isla shook her head, finally finding her voice. "No, I don’t hate you," she said softly. "I’m just… thinking. About everything. About what happened. And if I… if I want it to happen again."

Lucian’s heart skipped a beat at her words. He hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward, and the idea of her wanting this again, wanting him again, stirred something dangerous within him. As much as he wanted to say yes, to pull her back into his arms and make her his all over again, he knew better.

He wanted her. God, did he want her. But he couldn’t let himself get too attached. If things between them got too serious, it would complicate everything. Lucian wasn’t the kind of man who fell in love easily, and truth be told, he wasn’t sure if he even knew how to love. What he had with Isla right now, whatever it was, was already dangerous enough.

"Isla," he began, choosing his words carefully, "if you want this again… we need to be clear about what this is." He shifted, his gaze steady but serious. "This can’t be anything more than… a friends-with-benefits kind of situation. No strings, no expectations. Just us, when we need it. If it gets too complicated, if feelings get involved…" He trailed off, his jaw tightening slightly. "It won’t end well."

Isla’s eyes widened slightly at his words. She hadn’t expected that. A friends-with-benefits arrangement? With Lucian? The man who had been there for her during her hardest moments, who had held her like she meant something to him? She couldn’t deny that the thought of being with him again excited her, but his proposal… It was so detached, so clinical. Could she really handle that?

She looked away for a moment, biting her bottom lip as she considered his words. Lucian wasn’t offering love, or even a real relationship. He was offering… something temporary. Physical. And while part of her wanted to say no, to walk away before things got too messy, another part of her, the part that had been so vulnerable and broken before last night, was tempted to take what he was offering. Because she did want him. Maybe more than she should.

Isla sat up slightly, pulling the sheets up to cover herself as she processed Lucian’s words. The morning was still, the air between them charged with the tension of unspoken thoughts. She knew what she had said last night, how she had let herself fall into the moment, but now, in the clear light of day, everything felt different. She didn’t want to be just another one of Lucian’s casual encounters, tossed aside once the excitement faded.

"I don’t want to be like one of your girls," Isla said softly, her voice almost hesitant. Her eyes met his, and she could see the flicker of something in his gaze, perhaps surprise, maybe even something deeper. "I know I said last night that I didn’t want anything serious, and I still don’t. But I don’t want to feel like just another name on your list either."

Lucian’s expression darkened, but not in anger. He exhaled slowly, shifting his weight on the bed to sit up, facing her fully. His hand raked through his tousled hair, and he seemed to think carefully before responding. "This isn’t about making you feel better, Isla," he began, his voice serious. "But I don’t sleep with the same woman twice. I never have." His gaze locked with hers, unblinking. "Making this offer… with you… it wasn’t a decision I made lightly."

Isla’s breath caught at his words. He doesn’t sleep with the same woman twice? Then why was he offering this? Was she different? Or was this just another way for him to keep control, to keep her at a distance?

"So what you're saying," she started slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to gauge his reaction, "is that anytime I want this… you’ll be willing?"