His Queen

10

The chilly air wafted against my skin, reveling in the sweet smell of nature. I just stared at the vast area around me, letting the image of freedom sink in. It took me almost half an hour to find the way out, until I did. I almost screamed in happiness as I found the door wasn't locked, and the sweet victory lacing against my senses.

My bare feet touched the grass. It felt warm and nice, and ticklish. I was foolish enough to have stepped into pack territory, much more as I remembered the mark proudly affixed on my neck. I almost growled at the thought, I never wanted this, hated even.

I jerked at the small pain coming from the mark. My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, and inwardly felt the area. The pain had subsided but that didn't leave me to just ignore and move on.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" I jumped back at the sudden voice, only to find an old woman looking at me with an amused expression. I narrowed my eyes, clearly not liking her unexpected appearance.

"What are you talking about?" I asked suspiciously. Her stare was something you do not want to be at the center of, because it felt like she could see through your very soul. I did realized that I was only in a night gown, the length didn't go as high as my knees were.

The old woman smiled at me, as if she knew something that I don't which was not surprising enough. "The mark. It must've triggered something to have you wincing in pain."

Her voice was raspy and chapped, but nevertheless, her explanation was simple and clear. I only stared at her, I didn't know what to say for she was right.

You can't fight the mate pull. Ever.

"And I'm guessing you want to run away?" There was a glint in her eyes that I could not quite put into. I shrugged, trying not to look too excited at the thought. 

"Well I bid you good luck then, your highness." She chuckled and I blinked. What did she just say? I turned to ask her but she was already gone, not a single shadow to be seen. I stared at the empty space, shock appearing on my face. How did she? What. She was an old woman, and old people are slow, how she managed to disappear was beyond me.

But that was not the matter anymore, I was outside, and I don't see anyone lurking. I think it was safe to say that I should run now before it was too late. Having no footwear to use outside made it somewhat impossible to survive in the long list of trees.

I wanted to run back inside and pick some shoes on but that will risk everything and as of now, I had wasted enough time to last me a lifetime. So instead, I started running straight for the woods, like I had been before.

It was mid afternoon, the sun slowly sinking into sleep. I glanced up towards the sky, it was clear and blue. I saw a flock of birds flying towards the south, which then helped me navigate where I was going, instead for the south, I go up north because that was where I was supposed to go in the first place. The cold wind blew past my skin making me shiver but that didn't stop me from running to my heart's content. 

I swore it took me half an hour to realize that someone was watching me, more like following me and I turn my pace down. I did not want anyone to know where I was going. My heart trembled at the exertion I had made and took deep breaths to balance the heavy beating.

I scanned the area in hopes to find the intruder but found none. I took a deep breath, rooting for my senses to not betray me and when I finally did, my heart dropped. 

The sweet masculine scent had me going numb as my body felt very anxious. The pull didn't help when my eyes landed on a large golden wolf who looked really furious to the point of no return. I should've been afraid but knowing who he is to me made it the opposite.

I wanted to run my hands over his fur and have him cultivate me in ways I imagine impossible. I shook my head and stared at him. Our eyes made contact, his golden eyes staring right through mine. It felt like I was floating in a pool of water, numb but gave off a calming feeling. I would wish to dwell on the situation some more if it weren't for my head trying to break me out of the trance.

I knew that the goddess had matched me to him, my fated, to be his and his alone. And that was what scared me, I didn't want to be tied down to someone. That would make me weak and helpless, I would have to depend on him in everything, and worse, I would be caged, metaphorically speaking. The thought alone made me cringe.

Once I thought I was a goner, he shifted, so smooth and filled with power and confidence. He stood tall in all his naked glory, his muscled arms were on his sides, seeming that my eyes had drifted to his torso which was sculpted by the gods themselves. They were a perfectly toned, mouth-watering, panty-ripping, eight-pack. And furthermore, when my curiosity got the best of me, slipped under my eyes going wide at the beauty of his masculinity.

This left a faint blush to cover my face and quickly looked away. The power alone oozing from his body made my stomach do somersaults I did not recognize. He was the King after all.

 "Look at me." He commanded and I quickly obliged, my head turning upward painstakingly slow. I should've known this was coming, I had underestimated the mate bond. It wasn't something you could defy, alter even. He was an Alpha and well, I was just a woman.

His emerald eyes shone brightly under the dimming sun and the thing I could only do was stare and admire. I was getting lost at his eyes once again that I didn't realize my feet had demanded its way towards him, barefooted or not.

I was just a foot away from him, noticing this, he pushed a step, seeming to feel the heat of our body, he leaned in and placed a hand towards my cheek, caressing it.

"Cheeky, amore mio."

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