Forced to marry the powerful Lycan

Chapter Nine....Jealousy

The transition back through the shadow-meld tore through the space between the capital and the Keeping Castle, bringing Drava and me directly to the outer courtyard perimeter.

I was back to the keeping Castle....where my bride waited for me.

I had barely stepped out of the shadows when my heightened Lycan senses picked it up a sharp spike of fear, followed by the soft, rushing sound of air and fabric tearing far above.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Before I could even process the impulse, my eyes snapped upward toward the third story tower. Hanging off the ledge by a pathetic rope made of knotted bedsheets and pillowcases was Ariella. Her knuckles were white, her long brown hair wild in the wind, and her slender frame dangled helplessly over a deadly drop.

What in the hell is she doing?

Before I could leap forward, the top knot snapped. She plunged into a freefall and my wolf surged violently beneath my skin, clawing to burst free and break her fall.

But Linkin was already there.

With the effortless grace of an Elite Guard, Linkin intercepted her mid-air from a lower stone archway, catching her bridal-style against his chest before landing smoothly on the courtyard floor. He set her down gently, keeping his hand on her elbow to steady her.

I froze where I stood, my jaw clenching so tight my teeth aching.

From behind me, Drava let out a low, whistle that made my blood boil.

"Well, well, well," Drava taunted softly, leaning his shoulder against a stone pillar with a wide, wicked smirk. "Nine days locked away, and your little treaty bride is already jumping off towers to get your guard's attention. Look at them, Kael... Linkin's holding her awfully close, isn't he? They look like quite the charming pair."

"Shut up, Drava," I growled, my voice dropping an octave as my shadow magic flared out from my boots, darkening the sunlight around us.

"I'm just saying," Drava purred, his red hair glinting in the pale sun as his golden eyes danced with absolute amusement. "You leave a fragile human princess alone in a distant castle with a handsome Elite Guard, and suddenly she's falling from the sky into his arms. If I didn't know better, I'd say she prefers his company over yours."

I didn't answer him. The raw, possessive flare of my wolf snapped inside my chest, drowning out Drava's mocking laughter.

I stepped into the courtyard, the temperature plunging instantly as my aura washed over the stone floor. Shadows stretched long and dark before me, swallowing the warmth of the afternoon sun. Linkin instantly sensed the pressure he snapped straight, his posture going rigid as he slammed his fist over his chest and bowed his head low, while Ariella spun around to face me.

Her long brown hair was messy, her dress disheveled, and her cheeks flushed pink from the sheer adrenaline of her jump. But it was her scent that hit me first.

Crisp pine, sweet honey, and fresh rain.

It slammed into my lungs like a tidal wave, making my vision edge with gold.

"Leave us, Linkin," I commanded, my Alpha authority vibrating through the stone beneath our feet.

Linkin didn't hesitate. "Yes, Your Highness." He cast one brief, concerned glance in Ariella's direction before turning on his heel and vanishing down the corridor, while Drava melted back into the shadows behind the archway, still chuckling to himself.

Left completely alone with her in the quiet courtyard, I took three slow, deliberate strides forward.

I swept my gaze over her...from her disheveled brown hair down to her dusty slippers, before finally locking onto those fierce green eyes that refused to back down. Nine days I had stayed away, fighting the insane pull her memory had on my wolf, only for her to pull a stunt like this just to drag me here.

"Nine days," I purred low, my voice like velvet over iron as I stopped just a few paces from her. "And you're already throwing yourself off balconies just to drag me away from the capital, little princess?"

[Switching back to Ariella's POV]

The weight of his voice hit me like a physical force.

I swallowed hard, forcing my trembling legs to hold firm as Prince Kael took another slow step toward me. Up close, he was terrifying. His silver hair gleamed under the dimmed sunlight, and his dark golden eyes tracked my every breath with a dark, suffocating intensity.

"I wouldn't have to throw myself off balconies if my husband hadn't locked me away like a prisoner and forgotten I existed," I retorted, throwing my head back and staring right into his golden gaze.

A slow, dangerous smirk touched the corner of Kael's lips. "Forgotten you? Is that what you think I did?"

He moved so fast I couldn't even blink.

In a fraction of a second, the distance between us closed. Kael was standing right in front of me, his massive frame towering over mine, blocking out the sun completely. The crisp, winter-frost scent of his magic wrapped around me, making my heart hammer against my ribs.

He leaned down, his face mere inches from mine, his dark golden eyes searching my expression.

"You think I dumped you here out of cruelty, Ariella?" Kael murmured, his voice dropping to a low, rough whisper that sent a shiver straight down my spine. "You have no idea how much trouble you've caused me since the moment you set foot in Eldoria."

"Then tell me!" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound bold. "Give me an answer! Why am I being kept in this castle? Why am I being taught history lessons I already know by tutors who look at me with disgust? If this marriage was just a political trick, then look me in the eye and say it!"

Kael didn't answer right away. He reached out, his long fingers hesitating for a fraction of a second before gently catching a stray lock of brown hair that had fallen across my face, tucking it behind my ear. The light brush of his skin against mine sent a sudden, searing spark of heat straight through my blood, making my breath hitch.

Kael's eyes darkened, a flash of silver rippling through the gold.

"It wasn't a trick, little princess," Kael said softly, his thumb lightly grazing my jawline, sending another shockwave through my pulse. "You are here because the royal court is a nest of vipers, and until I understand what you are... this castle is the only place keeping you alive."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Until you understand what I am? I am just a human."

"Are you?" Kael whispered, his hand sliding down to rest against the side of my neck, right over my wildly pounding pulse. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing my ear. "Because a normal human isn't supposed to ruin my mind... or break a mark that was sealed at my birth."