Chapter4
1726 Words
~ Wayne
"Wait a minute," she said, breathless and gaping at me.
"You're the King?"
I nodded, observing her closely.
I understood the shock; for the longest time, only Alphas within my territory had seen my face.
Rumors had circulated, painting me as a deranged beast or a bloodthirsty psychopath. I was fine with the misconceptions as long as they served my agenda.
Andrea, however, appeared to be navigating a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions simultaneously. I could sense her fear, confusion, and excitement.
"Now we are mated," she murmured, more to herself than to me, as if affirming a dream.
"Bonded," I corrected.
"What?" she asked, blinking out of her daze.
"Bonded," I corrected her. "What we just did was meant to create a mate bond between us. For your kind, the mate bond is predestined and quite mild. For my kind, it is premeditated and very intense. To be mated, we'd have to be intimate for that to occur."
The darkness surrounding us disappeared to shadows of light, allowing me to observe as she blushed and quickly averted her gaze.
Her eyes unintentionally landed on my naked chest, widened, flew back to me, and immediately elsewhere. I sensed her embarrassment like goosebumps on my skin, prompting me to rise and locate my clothes.
If it were my choice, I'd have chosen to remain single throughout my life. However, being a King, I had to fulfill specific duties to my people.
I wondered if she sensed my discomfort and reluctance. "So what happens now?" she asked, "your Highness," she added as an afterthought, appearing unsure.
"We're heading home," I responded, avoiding direct eye contact.
Turning on my heels, I strode toward the path leading out of the woods, determined not to risk another encounter with those captivating eyes of hers.
Her eyes mirrored the deep blue of the ocean, captivating my thoughts and temporarily silencing my mind.
At the halfway point through the woods, I found myself waiting for her to catch up multiple times. When her pace slowed me down for the sixth time, I sighed, turned towards her, and without a word, I scooped her up over my shoulder.
"Hey!" she protested, pushing against my hold and attempting to break free. "Put me down!"
"No," I replied firmly.
"Is this how you treat women, your highness?" she huffed. "Carrying them over your shoulder like a sack of carrots!"
"First of all, quit that 'Highness' crap," I said, ignoring the proximity of her butt to my face, which was driving my wolf crazy.
"My people call me 'Wayne ,' and you should do that too."
"Okay, Wayne ," she said, emphasizing my name. "Can you please put me down?"
"No."
"Why not?!"
"Since you're too slow, and I have more important matters to attend to. " she fell silent.
I welcomed the quiet because, truthfully, I had nothing better to do.
As we left the woods, a portion of my people, who had gathered in a sizable crowd to stand vigil with me, erupted in joyous cheers and applause. It was the first time in a long while that I smiled, not because I now had a mate, but because they seemed genuinely happy.
As I strolled by, they not only bowed but also continued to applaud and cheer until I vanished from their view.
I walked on for a quarter of a mile until I reached my Victorian-style manor, nestled amidst vast fields, farms, and a sprawling lake.
Sensing Andrea attempting to peek around, I gently lowered her. Gripping her arm trying to prevent her from falling, her hand rested on my chest. We locked eyes, feeling an electric charge between us.
Electrons surged through my body, starting from my head and racing down to my core. Before it could escalate, I stepped out of her reach, withdrawing my hand.
She blinked and averted her gaze. Despite my wolf's growl, I paid it no mind.
"Is this where you live?" she stuttered.
"Yes, please. Let me show you in," I said, passing by her carefully to avoid any contact, and opened the door to my house.
There was something about the way her mouth dropped open, and her eyes rounded as she gawked at the interior of my house that made me want to puff out my chest in pride. I realized how ridiculous it was, but I just couldn't help it. The mate bond was really messing with me, though I managed to school my face into a neutral expression.
"No wonder you're a King!" she said. "You live like one."
I didn't know how to answer that question, so I cleared my throat, getting her attention again.
"I should wash up, you should do the same too. Let me show you to the bedroom," I suggested.
Her eyes rounded at that.
"Relax," I said. "I'm not going to eat you up."
A blush crept up her cheeks, and averted her gaze.
"Follow me," I said, turning towards the staircase leading to various wings in the manor.
In silence, we walked until we reached my bedroom. I heard her whisper in awe but resisted the urge to stare at her again.
"So, this is our bedroom. I'll have my servants bring your things in. Where did you put them?"
"What?"
"Your things. Where are they?"
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Where I live?"
"You didn't bring anything?" I frowned, realizing she might have assumed she wouldn't be mated and would return to her pack afterward.
"Believe me when I say that I have no idea how I ended up here," she said sincerely.
Suddenly feeling tired and itchy, unable to compose a single train of thought, I nodded and began to undress.
As my black t-shirt came off, I caught a glimpse of her in my standing mirror.
She appeared uneasy, standing around and observing everything. It struck me that she might hesitate to sit due to being dirty.
"You can take a shower first," I suggested, capturing her attention. "There are clean towels on the rack. Just toss your dirty clothes in the laundry basket when you're done. You can wear one of my shirts until we can get your things."
"Thank you," she replied with a shy smile, then headed into the bathroom.
Though my instincts urged me to follow, I resisted and moved in the opposite direction.
Soon, I left my room, grabbing my phone on the way out. I sent a quick text to my Beta, Dean , while heading to the kitchen.
"Where are you? Any luck?" I inquired.
Almost immediately, he called, and I answered.
"Hey," he said, his voice low on the other end.
"What's up?" I asked, sensing his sadness.
"Did you find anyone?"
"No one. Just got back home," Dean replied. "I heard you found your girl.
Congratulations, man."
"I wish it was you who found yours. I have no business being mated." Not after the oath I took with my late ex-girlfriend, Mara, never to fall in love with any woman.
"I understand, Wayne, that's so sad," Dean said. "At least, this will give our people some form of hope."
"Fine," I sighed. "I'll try my best."
"Where is she?" Dean asked. "Don't tell me you left her alone!"
"I came to the kitchen to prepare us something to eat."
"Did you do that because you're a romantic, or did you do it to avoid her?"
"Can't it be both?!" I retorted.
Dean laughed on the other end. "Damn, Wayne. You really have a long way to go."
We continued talking about various things until I finished preparing the sandwiches.
After we ended the call, I sighed again and carried the tray of food upstairs to my room.
Typically, my staff handles these tasks, but I had given them the day off.
As I approached the door, I skillfully balanced a tray with one hand and opened it to find Andrea in my white shirt, drying her hair with a towel. My gaze traced her from the long wet blonde hair to her slender neck, down to her chest revealed underneath. I noticed the subtle outline of her n*****s through my shirt, and I struggled to contain my instincts.
I swallowed hard, and closed the door behind me. Just when I was about to speak, I was interrupted by a loud rumble from her stomach. Her eyes shifted to the food on my arm, gazing longingly before returning to my face.
I entered, presenting her with the tray of food. With a grateful 'thank you,' she took the tray, promptly perched on my bed, and voraciously began to devour the meal.
She appeared as though she'd gone without food for days, a common state for a werewolf who recently entered into a mate bond with a lycan.
"This is really good!" she exclaimed between bites.
"You're welcome," I replied, turning away to remove my slacks.
Suddenly, I felt the intensity of her gaze on my body, swiftly, I covered my chest in awareness. When I faced her again, she was frozen mid-motion, a sandwich poised at her lips, eyes fixated on my lower region.
In that instant, a primal expression flashed in her eyes, but it vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Sorry. Next time, I'll undress in the bathroom," I mumbled as I headed for my shower, ensuring the water was icy cold.
The way she looked at me stirred something within me that I preferred to keep buried. To commit my life to her, I needed to sort things out.
Just a few hours in, and Andrea is already affecting me.
I fulfilled my people's wish; I got them a Queen. However, it doesn't mean I must expose my vulnerability or get too close, making me break my oath with Mara. She can have her space, and I'll have mine.
Starting now.
Walking out from the shower, I felt a surge of renewed energy and a firm determination to resist my mate and keep the bond from affecting me further.
Stepping out of the bathroom, I entered a spacious walk-in closet that led to my bedroom.
Clad in fresh Night wear, I opened the door, prepared to retire for the night and dismiss Andrea from my thoughts.
However, what unfolded next caused my determination to crumble in an instant.
- Writer
