Chapter 5

-HER-

As I continued to fall and fall into the pitch-black hole, I yelled at the top of my lungs. The strange thing was that my scream did not resound. I don't remember how long I fell, but it seemed like an eternity. As gravity seized me, I had my eyes tightly clenched and the wind was rushing past my ears. I had given up shouting because it didn't seem to help.

However, at one point I felt someone restraining me and the wind stopped swooshing past my ears. I understood the fall had been broken, but how?

I quickly sensed the same presence from last night—a very strong presence. I quickly became aware that I was being held by two arms.

I wrenched my eyes open and was met by a pair of brilliant golden-brown eyes. My already pounding heart accelerated as my breath became lodged in my throat. The more I looked into his vivid, dark-hued golden brown eyes, the shinier I became in his arms.

Before they eventually let me down, they gave me a few blinks. As soon as my feet landed, I widened the gap between myself and the person who was looking at me.

I paused to examine the rest of him. His long dreadlocks were slung over his shoulder, and he was wearing a long, velvety black robe that made him look quite lifelike. I had already begun to imagine what it might feel like to run my fingers through them. Although as soon as Dal came to mind, I quickly dismissed the thought.

Then I commanded him, "Where's my leopard?"

He gave me one more moment of thoughtful eye contact before nodding behind me. I became aware of the location for the first time at that point. It appeared to be a tube beneath the ground. The ground was damp, and there were deadly vines growing up the walls. Except for our bright eyes, it was entirely dark here.

As I turned around to see what was behind me, my heart was hammering in my chest. I experienced stomach aches. It might have been because it was the first time I had been alone with him, or it might have been because I was going to see Dal after worrying about him all day. Or perhaps it was due to both.

He lighted up the room as I circled on my heels. The first thing I noticed in the light was the bones of what appeared to be an animal that would resemble a snow leopard, which caused me to tremble and freeze in place. I bit down my urge to scream once more and swallowed instead.

I finally noticed a recognizable coat of spotted fur that only belonged to Dal after looking beyond the skeleton. He was eventually nearby, lying on the ground. I took a quick breath and sprinted in his direction.

"Dal!" I sobbed as I got on my knees and hugged him, but when my leopard didn't respond, I froze all over again. I stared at his motionless head with wide eyes. My chest was suddenly struck in a piercing anguish, and I immediately started crying. I hugged his dead body and sobbed as grief suddenly overcame me.

How did you treat him, exactly? I whirled around and yelled at Lucian, who was standing behind me, resting against the wall, and silently observing me with a thoughtful expression on his face. He continued to look at me for a brief moment before standing up and approaching me on the prowl.

I couldn't help but take in his true height and the air of regalness that emanated from him. His power surged over me like a powerful tide that was threatening to consume anything in its path.

He approached me and lowered his gaze to me as if I were one of his subjects.

He said, "That's for insulting me. My hatred for him was fueled by his statements. I grabbed into my cloak and, enraged, pulled out my sword, swinging it at him.

I'm going to murder you! As I cut through his arm, I snarled at him. I moved really quickly, which caught him off guard. He gave me a resounding growl in answer, then drew his sword and regarded me as though he were about to kill me.

"You're very rude!" At me, he gritted. I barked and swung my blade at him once again. He swung it at me after quickly defending himself. Just a few inches separated me and the razor-sharp edge.

The sound of metal biting metal pierced the strange calm in the area as both of our swords collided. I couldn't handle the force of his strikes.

He was able to see that I was having trouble keeping up with him. The benefits of being a lycan were that he was stronger and faster than I was. Despite the fact that I was simply a she-wolf and he was the Lycan King, I maintained my position.

My father never taught me to retreat or give up when the going got tough. He simply taught me to stand up to the opposition.

I persisted in my battle while gritting my teeth. Every time our swords came into contact, his blows got harder and harder, sending me somewhat reeling back, but I wasn't about to give up that easy. Because he killed my Dal, I wanted him dead. My blood would not stop flowing with hatred until his blood began to drip off of my blade.

He must have used a very strong alchemical alloy to make his weapon, as he broke my blade in half with his last and strongest bow. I was knocked back by the blow, and before I could stand up, he was looming over me. He was holding my hands on either side of me as he pinned me to the tree.

I was absolutely vulnerable as I lay beneath him and was therefore at his mercy. When he stared down at me, his eyes grew darker, and the edge of his mouth slightly curled up. He made the condescending remark, "Weak,"

Before I could say anything to him, his lips struck mine like a meteor on the ground, shattering a piece of me and igniting everything it touched. My chest vibrated with a groan. The powerful sparks that only his touch could give me were prickling my flesh. They caused my inner wolf to stir in a way she had never done before.

I made an effort not to kiss him back, but suddenly I felt my heart being pulled by the mate bond and the sparks. I found myself kissing him back with the same passion and want that raged inside him, feeling as though my body no longer belonged to me and my reason had entirely left me.

My lips began to scream, but it was immediately engulfed by him, exactly as my lips. I was gasping for air when he finally let go of me, and the endless fire of want was consuming every fiber of my being. Completely flushed, I glanced at him and saw that he was staring down at me with his deep-black eyes.

I had never witnessed the gurgling expression on his face before. Before he stood up and assisted me in getting up, he gave me one more moment of his hungry gaze, focusing in particular on my lips. He stepped in front of my dead leopard as I was still feeling the effects of the kiss.

He knelt down and quickly stroked his hand over Dal's fur. Dal raised his head to scan the area. He stood up and jumped towards me as soon as he saw me. I bent down on my knees and gave him a tear-filled hug. He eagerly licked my face as I kissed him all over.

"You're still here. I was very concerned for you "While sniffling, I informed him. I was so relieved to see him alive that I momentarily lost awareness of Lucian's presence. I did, however, quickly straighten up when I sensed his concentrated gaze on me.

As he stalked toward me, I tightly gripped my leopard and scowled at him.

He said to me, "Nobody should know about us. He cautioned, "Otherwise, your leopard will be extinct forever."

I said, "You're rejecting me." He moved even closer to me as a result. He gave me such a rude look when he glanced down at me that I wanted to kick him. I did not enjoy it. Even though I had to stand on my toes, I got up to meet his level of glance.

For a brief time, I thought I saw him smirk, but it quickly disappeared from his lips. Still, he was taller than I was.

"In my court, women have no place, let alone a queen. There would never be a queen during my rule since I don't want one "He informed me before shoving me away. Before I could respond, a gateway behind me cracked open, and I slipped into it. Dal came right after me. Once more, the gateway opened with a crack and was in my wing.

For the second time today, I stumbled. Before the portal closed behind him and made a crackling sound, Dal jumped out of it.