The Lycan’s Bride

Chapter 5

Yelina's Point of View

I could not stand the sensation our little distance is giving me, so I took a step backwards just to have some air to breathe. His presence suffocates me in a strangely good way, but I did everything to not let it show on my face. I glared at him. "You can't fool me with your words. I have already found out about why the bearers of the lycan's mark before didn't return," I revealed, and even flashed a grin. "So, drop the act, monster."

He looked at me in disbelief, eyes filled with confusion and mouth partly parted. "You really misunderstood everything," he says, taking a step closer to me. I took a step backwards until my back hits the wall. I thought he would stop stepping close to me but he did not. He only stopped when our bodies are almost touching. My body shivers in his warmth.

"You're my bride, my mate," he whispers, leaning closer to me. I can feel his warm breath on my ears. "You are the vessel of my power," he adds as I feel his hand reaching for mine. The burning sensation from the mark intensifies as he holds my hand. He took a step backwards and showed me our intertwined hands, and that is when I saw a mark on his hand, too. "We are bound to be together until your last breath, Yelina. We will be together whether we like it or not. This is our fate."

"N-No..." I murmur. He sounded so true but I do not want to believe him. "I know you are just saying those words to trap me in an illusion that you are harmless, but in reality, you will r****h me," I told him as I meet his silvery eyes. "I am nothing but an offering, right?"

"No," he promptly replies, slowly shaking his head. "Where did you even get the idea?"

"Because none of the bearers have returned," I answered him honestly. "And what else could be the other reason for that?"

He let out a chuckle before he distanced himself to me. He turned around and took a deep breath. "I don't know where you got that idea but it's way too far from what really happened to them." There was this hint of amusement in his voice. He turns to me, eyes looking seriously. "They did not return not because they were eaten by me," he says, holding his smile. "But because there's no way home anymore. Once the bearer crosses the realm, she will remain by my side until the last drop of her breath. She will stand with me and guard the Northern Gates."

I shake my head in disagreement. "That's not true. They died because you killed them," I insisted.

I heard him sigh before he walks towards the door and open it. "Nothing will happen if we will just keep on talking here. I can't convince you; and I doubt anyone in this domain can," he says, gesturing his hand. "It's better if you leave and have Milly send you to her."

"To who?" I asked.

"The bearer before you," he answered.

---

“We’re almost there, Lady Yelina,” Milly says, holding a torch to illuminate the dark hallway of the building. She has been tasked by that monster to guide me to where the former bearer is. We are currently heading underground; and I was told that the bearer was kept at the deepest part of the fortress.

I asked Milly why the bearer was kept in a dark place like this, but she could not give me an answer aside from, ‘Only the Alpha knows the reason.’

“We’re here,” she announced, placing the torch in front of us to shed light to a massive double wooden door. “But this is where I must stay, Lady Yelina; I am no longer allowed to go any further,” she added. “But don’t worry, I will stay here and you can call me anytime if something goes wrong.”

I nodded at her before I pushed the door gently. It was a bit harder than I thought since the door is quite heavy. As I step inside, my eyes immediately widens in awe and surprise. Contrary to the dark hallway we passed through, inside the room is a vibrant and colorful place. I can smell the scent of roses in the air. The room is massive and there are astonishingly strange luminous orbs everywhere—they are the source of the vibrant white light. There are also white roses scattered all over the place.

But what really caught my attention are the elevated wooden platforms that seem to be floating and surrounded by white roses. I gasped when I saw a completely preserved body of a woman in a white dress, and it’s not just one, but there are more. All the floating platforms are beds of dead women!

“Are you the current bearer of the mark?” I heard someone ask in a weak voice. I looked around to find the source of the voice but I can’t seem to find her. “I am here...” she added, and that somehow helped me locate her.

She is lying on the farthest side of the room. She is surrounded by white roses and luminous white orbs. She looks like she is just my age, but I can see life slowly drifting from her eyes. She is wearing a white dress just like everyone I have seen around.

“Welcome to the Northern Domain,” she said, flashing a weak smile. “I am glad to see you before I depart,” she added as her eyes looked at me. “You have the beauty of the Alvarez clan.”

I don’t know what to feel. I could not even think of a word to describe the emotions and feelings dwelling inside me. I am too overwhelmed to assess myself.

“Are you the bearer before me?” I asked, taking a step closer to her.

“Yes, and I will soon pass,” she answers as she tries to move her hand. “As you can see, the mark is no longer there, and it only means one thing—my time has come to an end,” she added. “Now, it is your time to continue the legacy of our clan.”

“I...” I could not utter the right words to say.

“What’s your name?” she asks, closing her eyes. “I am Helen,” she introduced herself.

And since she can no longer move her hands, I did the honor to hold it. “I am Yelina, and it’s nice meeting you, Helen.”

She just nodded before a sweet smile painted on her lips. “Please be a good partner to the lycan,” she said out of nowhere, opening her eyes. Then I saw beads of tears forming on the edges of her eyes. “Please be good to him and treat him nice, because it was something we failed to do.”

“What do you mean, Helen?” I asked, forehead creasing. I am finally slowly absorbing and understanding things, but I need more time to fully embrace them.

“Zachary has received nothing but hate from us, and he does not deserve it. It wasn’t him who decided for this to happen. He is just like us—he has no choice but to live his fate; but all I did was be mean to him and put all the blame to him. So please, cut the chain of hate and see him more than the beast we thought who destroyed our lives,” she explained as her tears slowly roll down. “He deserves to be seen more than that.”

My mouth parted as I think of a set of words to say, but could not come up with anything. I just shook my head at her and looked down. “I...I don’t know.” Those were the only things I said to her before I turned my back. I had so much to ask her but I forgot them all because of the confusion she gave me.

Did they feel the same thing as I do right now? Did they loathe him for ruining their lives; for taking their freedom from them? But why did she say those words to me as if she regretted her decision to hate him?

“My time will soon come, Yelina,” she spoke again. “And I will die with so much regrets, so please live a different course of life,” she added.

I did not respond to her. I just walked away and pretended I did not hear her. And when I am near the door, my feet stopped on their track. I turned around to dash my way back to her. I can’t waste the chance to ask her everything I wanted to know.

“Helen...” I called, taking a deep breath. “Tell me, what are we? What are we supposed to do? Can we ever go back to our realm?”

“We can no longer go back, Yelina. This realm will be our new home and we will live the rest of our lives here protecting the human realm from the harm of the first creations,” she said. “You, as the current bearer of the lycan’s mark, is bound to stand beside Zachary and guard the Northern Gate until the next bearer is born.”

I weakly nodded at her as I slowly accept my fate. All this time, the words told to me were all true; it was actually me who had a misconception; who thought of something unimaginable. I was the one who brought demise to my own life.

“Hel—” I was not able to finish my statement when I heard the door closed.

I quickly turned around and saw a massive white wolf with silver eyes and twin tails. He is slowly walking towards me. I can feel bumps all over my skin as chills crawl to every fiber of my flesh. I have seen him in this form but I still cannot stop fearing him.

“Zachary...” Helen calls. “Is it time already?” she asks.

The white wolf let out a soft growl as I start to feel the gradual decrease in the temperature. Seconds by seconds, the air is getting cold. And when I looked at what’s in front of me, my eyes widened and my mouth parted in amazement as I see ice slowly forming on the floor surrounding Helen as glowing snowflakes fill the air.

“It’s time huh...” I heard her say. I peeked to see what is happening and I saw the snowflakes falling into her body, creating a wave of light that seems to cover her entirety. Her eyes slowly close as the rise and fall of her chest becomes less noticeable.

“I-Is she dead?” I asked.

The wolf turns to me and nod. He then started groaning as his body starts to reform. And I knew exactly what’s coming next so I turned around to avoid seeing ‘that’ again.

“Her role as my vessel has ended because you’re already here,” I heard him say. His voice was the usual raspy voice; the same thing he used when he talked to me. There was no hint of sadness or grief, as if he had not lost someone precious to him—or was she even one?

“Everyone you see here are the former vessels who have served the mortals; who have stood beside me in this fortress to guard the Northern Gate,” he told me before I felt his presence in my back. I can tell that he is so close. I can feel his warmth! “And it will be you this time, Yelina.”