The Alpha King's Fated Mate

Chapter 2

Lucian stood there, his hands framing Isla’s face as her tearful plea echoed in his mind. His thumb stroked the soft skin of her cheek, brushing away the remnants of her tears, but the red mark remained. It burned into his mind like a brand, igniting the fury inside him. Whoever had hurt her, whoever had broken her in such a way, was going to pay.

But right now, Isla needed him in a way he had never anticipated.

He studied her face, his mind battling against itself. Lucian had always been a man of control, one who never allowed his emotions to dictate his actions. His reputation was built on strength and an unyielding discipline, especially when it came to women. They were never anything more than fleeting moments of pleasure, a way to pass the time and silence the hunger that simmered beneath his skin. But Isla was different.

She had always been different.

From the moment he met her, Lucian had felt something stir inside him, something dangerous. It wasn’t just her beauty, though that alone could have easily ensnared him, it was her strength, her independence, the fire in her eyes that had made him want to protect her, even from himself.

He had promised himself long ago that he would never cross that line with her. She was too important, too precious, and he knew once he allowed himself to taste her, he would never be able to stop.

But now, standing before him, she was offering herself to him. She was begging him. His wolf sensed her need, felt her pain, and wanted nothing more than to take her, to claim her, to mark her as his. His primal instincts howled at him to accept, to do what she asked. But Lucian knew that if he gave in, it would change everything between them.

"Lucian," Isla whispered again, her voice trembling as she pulled herself closer to him. “Please, I need you.”

His resolve wavered as he watched her, her lips so close to his. The storm outside mirrored the chaos inside his mind. For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine it, her soft skin beneath his hands, her lips yielding to his, the taste of her on his tongue. His wolf growled with anticipation, its hunger intertwining with his own, urging him to take what was being offered.

His face was so close to hers that he could feel her breath against his skin, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned in and kissed her. The moment their lips met, it was like a spark igniting a fire that had been long contained. The kiss was gentle at first, tentative, but as her hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer, something inside Lucian snapped.

He deepened the kiss, his hand moving from her face to the back of her neck, pulling her flush against him. He could feel her trembling, whether from the cold or the overwhelming emotions, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that in this moment, nothing else mattered but the woman in his arms.

Lucian broke the kiss, his chest heaving as he stared down at her. Isla’s lips were parted, her cheeks flushed, her eyes half-lidded with a mixture of desire and vulnerability. She was breathtaking, and the sight of her like this, raw and open, was nearly enough to make him lose all sense of reason.

Before he could second-guess his actions, he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her as though she weighed nothing. Isla let out a soft gasp, her arms wrapping around his neck as he effortlessly moved through the hallway and toward his bedroom.

As he carried her, Lucian’s mind raced. He had always kept his relationships with women on the surface, never letting any of them close to his heart. They were fleeting distractions, one-night indulgences that he could forget as soon as dawn broke. But with Isla in his arms, everything felt different. This wasn’t a woman he could simply use and discard.

He set her down gently on the edge of the large bed in his room, his gaze never leaving hers. Her wet clothes clung to her body, but despite the chill, she seemed to radiate warmth. His wolf stirred again, pushing against his control, eager for more.

“Isla,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to navigate this sudden shift between them. He had always wanted her, more than he was willing to admit, but this felt dangerous. It felt like a point of no return.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain, vulnerability, and something else, something darker, more desperate. “I want you, Lucian,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Her words sent a surge of heat through him, but they also stirred something more profound. Lucian knelt in front of her, his large hands resting on her knees as he looked up at her. “Isla, you’re not like them,” he said, his voice rough with restraint. “You’re not some distraction. You’re... you’re more than that.”

She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears again. “But that’s what I want right now. I want to forget. I want to feel something else.”

Lucian’s heart ached for her, for the pain she was trying to escape. He could give her what she wanted, he knew he could. But he also knew it wouldn’t fix anything. It would only complicate the bond between them, a bond that had always teetered on the edge of something deeper.

He could feel his wolf pushing against his control, sensing her need, her vulnerability. But Lucian fought it, refusing to let his primal instincts take over. “If I do this, Isla,” he murmured, his voice low, “there’s no going back. I need you to understand that.”

Isla reached out, her hand trembling as she placed it on his cheek. “I understand,” she whispered. “I’m not asking you to stop. I’m asking you to make me forget... just for tonight.”

He had always been able to control himself around her, always able to keep his desire in check, but now... now, it felt impossible.

Slowly, he leaned forward again, capturing her lips in a kiss that was far more intense than before. His hands moved to her waist, tugging her closer as his body responded to her every touch, every plea. He knew he should stop, knew this was a dangerous path, but in that moment, with Isla in his arms, he didn’t care.

Lucian broke the kiss, his breath heavy as he stood, pulling Isla up with him. His hands moved to her waist, his fingers brushing against the wet fabric of her clothes as he slowly, deliberately peeled them away.