-HER-

I was gasping for breath as soon as he finally pulled away from the kiss. I was both out of breath and feeling completely hot due to the heated kiss that messed up everything for me. I was thankful that he was still holding me otherwise I was afraid that I was going to fall to the ground and pass out.

It was just so intense, it felt like he almost sucked half of my life out of me. I rested my forehead against his shoulder and caught my breath. Meanwhile, I felt one of his hand travelling down to my hip and resting there briefly. As the sexual haze slowly cleared, I was able to hear his racing heart up this close as well.

I remained like that for a while, catching my breath but that strange tingling sensation intensified between my thighs, making me squeeze my thighs. When I was finally somewhat in control of my body, I tried to step away from him because I was afraid if we remained like this then things could soon take a very dark turn but he simply growled at me and his arm wrapped around my waist tightened, even more, making me feel everything.

My body and wolf were ready for this but I wasn't...yet.

I needed some answers first and now that we were alone and he seemed to be in the mood to talk. I looked up at him to find his eyes completely turned pitch black. The black had swallowed the whites in his eyes. Intense possessiveness and lust simmered in his eyes as he looked down at me with the same feral look that always sent a shiver down my spine.

"Why did you need to see me?" He growled next. I could hear the anger in his voice which made me wonder if he was angry at me for coming to see him in the first place.

"I wanted to know why you didn't reject me if you really didn't want me as your mate?" I asked him while looking deep into his eyes. It was taking me all the patience and strength in me to contain the tears from coming out of my eyes.

The lump building in my throat threatened to waver my voice but I stayed firm. A strange expression climbed on his face due to my question. His eyes softened on me for a while as he searched my face for something.

I did my best to keep my face void of any emotion.

"Because you don't deserve it," His answer loosened my shoulder for a bit as I looked at him in a combination of surprise and bewilderment. "Rejection is not easy and you're too young for it," He told me darkly. It made me swallow hard.

I was even more bewildered by this. If he didn't want to reject me for this reason then what was it exactly that he was planning to do? Wait for me to grow up even more and then reject me? That would be so cynical but I wouldn't be surprised if he had thought out something like this.

He was capable of doing anything and everything. He could go to any extent.

"Then what are you planning to do?" I asked him out loud, searching his face for some hints. The slight fervent look in his eyes remained for only a couple of seconds before it disappeared. The expression on his face hardened and he looked at me very grimly as he spoke, "I will get rid of the mate bond,"

His words deeply hurt my wolf. She instantly howled inside me, expressing her hurt. She was already too attached to him, she had already wasted too much time thinking and dreaming about him that it would be hard for her to go back from this point. If anything, this option was even worse than being rejected.

"That's impossible," I breathed as I looked up at him in surprise but he looked so determined and convinced as if nothing would change his mind.

"Nothing is impossible for me, Celeste," He told me darkly while I felt his fingers digging into my hips. I was still feeling very hot from the kiss and the way we were standing so close to each other.

I again tried to put some space between us by stepping away but he just didn't seem to have been done with me yet. He was still looking down at me so hungrily as if he wanted to devour me completely.

"If you don't want me as your mate and are going to get rid of the bond then why don't you leave me alone?" I questioned him. My hands were resting flat on his chest and I was constantly trying to push him away but he didn't budge slightly.

If anything, his eyes intensified on me even more. The hunger decorating his face rose rapidly as he told me darkly, "You're still my mate for the time being so I will do whatever I want to do with you,"

His words made my heart stop for a moment. I couldn't have expected something like this from him. It shocked me how low he was willing to drop. This instantly pissed me off. Who did he think I was?

"That doesn't mean you own me," I growled at him. I was feeling the rage travelling through my veins at that moment. I was so very pissed at him. I was so pissed that he could think so lowly of me.

In response, he only cocked an eyebrow at me and looked down at me as if I was challenging him. This only fed the rage inside me. It helped me ignore the mating bond for a moment. I was so tempted to slap him at that moment.

I was very tempted to do so but then I kept reminding myself that I was already in too much trouble and slapping the Lycan King would do me no good.

"You're forgetting that you came here illegally. I can do whatever I want with you as a punishment," He gritted so darkly at me, it made my soul quiver and my heart stop for the nth time.

What was he really going to do to me? I wanted to ask him again but I knew it would be useless because he wouldn't give me any legitimate answer anyway. He was messing with me at that moment.

"Would you leave me alone after this?" I asked him breathlessly. He looked at me pensively for a moment as silence fell between us.

"I don't want to promise anything," He told me darkly before finally dropping his arm from around my waist. I took a breath of relief but I was still very anxious to find out what it was he wanted to do with me. My mind was already running wild, trying to come up with something that he might do.

I didn't want to be surprised in situations like this.

"And if I see you trying to escape again, it would get worse," He warned me darkly before wrapping his fingers around my wrist and leading me out of the alley.

"But they are looking for me. They should know that I am with you," I protested but he growled at me in response.

"It's their punishment to bring you here," He gritted at me. I blinked a couple of tears as he pulled down the hood over my face before we stepped out of the alley. His second and third in command were already waiting there for him. Velus growled at me as soon as he saw me.

He looked pissed as stepped beside me and pushed me into their group. I fought back the urge to turn around and punch him square in the face. Why was everyone so rude here?

I stayed with them for most of the time. Although I was still constantly looking out for my wolves. I wasn't going to sit back and let Ezekiel do whatever he wanted to do with me even though I had come here illegally. He thought that he could scare me by threatening but I wasn't so fragile.

I was constantly thinking of some way while I looked around for the wolves but they were nowhere to be seen. It was slowly making me more anxious. Do they really leave without me? I was so nervous. The day was edging towards its end and the town was slowly getting less and less crowded but I was still unable to find the wolves.

A smirk was tugging the tips of Ezekiel's lips as he looked at me when it was time to go back to his castle. I was feeling so anxious at that point.

"Seems like your wolves have left," He commented before his fingers wrapped around my wrist painfully and he tugged me into his carriage. I tried to protest but Ezekiel growled at me. I glared at him and got inside the carriage with him finally. It was only me and him inside the carriage.

After the carriage door was being shut, it started rolling towards the castle that sat on the top of the highest mountain overlooking the town and the woods. I felt Ezekiel's eyes on me but I ignored him completely and kept my eyes glued to the castle.

Maybe, I would rule from there one day. Or maybe, my body would be decomposing in one of the dungeons there. I was anxious to find out.

_

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