Chapter 5: His Offer
1138 Words
Cold hands, along with the freezing night air woke me up. The Lycan King's body temperature was still a mystery. Werewolves and Lycans were known for their warmth.
It took me a while to come back to my bearings and let my eyes adjust to the darkness, but when I did, I scrambled away from him, almost toppling over in the process.
He seemed bewildered.
I was too because I was already mated to Ryker. Wasn't I? What was this mean trick that fate was playing?
"Are you okay?" He asked, seeming genuinely concerned.
"I'm fine," I snapped and felt sorry immediately. None of it was his fault. It was just a preposterous occurrence really.
"Should we-"
I cut in, trying to sound as civil as possible. "We can't be mates."
"What?"
"You're not my mate," I stated, even more clearly.
"Come on, Red," he said, frustration etched in his features.
"It is Selenae."
"Selenae. I'm Lukas."
He started to approach me again but I shrunk away, putting some distance between us. I decided to change the topic, very sure my face was still red from the midnight revelation. Two mates. I had never heard of it. "Why were you trying to kill yourself?"
I could sense his body language get defensive. "It's really none of your business. Can we talk about-"
"No. Let's not." I contemplated telling him about my already being fated to someone else but dismissed it. He was a Lycan King. I was a lost and wandering soul who had just lost everything but narrowly managed to get her life back. He could help me.
"Why are you being in denial?" He asked, with probing eyes.
I looked away from them because I knew if I let myself get lost there, he would be able to feel my thoughts. Maybe even read them.
"Red?"
"Selenae," I groaned and raised my hand to brush a strand of hair away from my eyes. "My name is Selenae."
His eyes were weirdly fixed on my neck. Collarbone, to be precise. I knew instantly what had caught his attention and I used my other hand to cover the scar that was imprinted in the crook of my collarbone, above my breasts.
He took slow steps towards me and gently pulled my hand down. Gathering my hair away from my shoulders and letting his own hand rest on my naked upper back where he still held my hair, he traced the scar with his finger tip. I shivered from his cold touch but ignored the flutter in my belly. Goosebumps rose up my arms.
"What is this?" He whishpered, as softly as his deep voice could go.
He was doing something to me that hadn't been done before. And that scared me. I wanted to turn away, to wander away from his touch but found that I was stuck. And entranced. We were so close to each other that our chests were almost touching again.
"Selenae."
My name, sounding heavenly coming from him, drew me out of my reverie. "It's my Alpha mark," I confided in a mumble, more concerned about what he was doing to me with his fingers and his eyes.
"Alpha?" He took a step back, his hand dropping.
I found myself craving his touch back on my skin. Shaking myself out of the lecherous thoughts, I acquiesced. "Yes. Alpha."
His gaze scruitinised me. My rough hair, tattered clothes, and the stains of mud on my skin. One night in the forest could do that to you. "You're Alpha of Tenebrous? Ewan's offspring?"
I nodded numbly. "I should be and yes, Ewan was my father."
"You should be?"
I sighed. "My throne was taken away from me."
His brows creased as he tried to process this new information.
"Ryker Valyrian," I supplied.
I watched understanding creep into his features. "Valyrian. The family of rogue weres that destroyed the Lunar Pack "
"Yes," I conceded. "I…" I swallowed. It was still a raw spot. It still hurt. I still had memories of Ryker being the selfless and loving man I used to think he was. It was so hard to reconcile him with the monster who had stabbed me to death. "I was betrayed. By people I thought I could trust. I sacrificed my seat and..." A bitter sob tore out from my throat.
"Hey." His arms were around me again in the flash of a second. His big body enveloped me while I sniffed into his chest, embarrassed by my vulnerability.
It felt comfortable and safe secure in his embrace. Like no outside threat could penetrate the shield he had built around me. But I couldn't let myself get used to this. I couldn't let myself accept the possibility that I was mated to two men.
I untangled myself from him and tried to wipe at the mess of snot I had left on his chest. I did it to distract myself but then gave up. "You can't kill yourself, Lukas. You just can't. Can't you see it'll be a waste?"
He looked away, his jaw hardening. "I don't want to discuss this with you."
"But listen," I practically cried out. "Do you know why I look like this? A shadow of my former self?! A few hours ago, I was begging for my life from a man I thought loved me. And then I begged for a second chance at life from a woman who now has a hold over me! So many people were there, Lukas. So many people that didn't want to be dead. I made it out by a hair's breath. That is how precious a life is!"
Heavy silence followed my pent up discharge. Suddenly, I couldn't read him at all. I didn't know what he was thinking. It shouldn't have, but it scared me.
Ryker had shown me love and care when he didn't even feel an iota of those feelings. He had shown me attention that I thought was sincere. He was a master manipulator, I knew that now.
And now, this man before me, who is supposed to be my second mate had a cryptic look. He had secrets, obviously. He had been trying to kill himself. The whole situation was triggering yet I didn't see any other way out.
"You had a rebirth?"
I rushed to defend the one thing I hadn't meant to spill. I wondered if he thought I sounded crazed. "Some people thinks it is a myth but-"
"No," he interjected. "I know it's real." He was regarding me in a new light now.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
His next words shocked me. "I'll help you."
Heart beating rapidly, I raised a brow in a questioning glance.
"I'll help you, Red," he repeated. "Even if it is the last thing I do."
- Writer
