Moonlit Waltz

Chapter 5 - Deep Affection

Nicholas’ injuries were far more serious than Ria could have imagined. He had fallen unconscious as soon as he reached his safe house. Ria peeled the bloody jacket off him, only to gasp as she revealed dozens of horrifying cuts underneath it. Old scars crisscrossed with the new, forming a dense maze of lines. At the same time, the familiar and unique smell that emanated from his body left her flustered. She could not help but think back to those lust-filled days when she was in his possession. She wiped down Nicholas's body with a clean towel and dressed his wounds carefully before carrying him over to the bed.

Ria smiled in satisfaction, feeling smug at her achievement. After all, Nicholas had never allowed Ria to touch him no matter how severe his injuries had been before her rebirth. There was no love between them, only one-sided lust and dominance on Nicholas's part.

Things were different now. Ria was able to see a different side to the Dark King. She loved the feeling of being in his warm embrace, the way he looked at her, and even his willingness to fight for her sake, to become her warrior and protector. Thanks to her memories of her past life, Ria knew that Nicholas would surely make it through this period of adversity and come out of it a stronger man, so she was not the one who saved Nicholas. Instead, Nicholas was, in fact, the one who saved her.

Ria curled up in Nicholas's arms, enjoying the warmth of his body and his intoxicating fragrance. Rather than being fearful of him, being in his arms filled her with a sense of safety that she had never felt in her life, and she gradually fell asleep in this position.

It was not until Ria felt a light touch on her cheek that she woke from dreamland, where she saw a bare-bodied Nicholas sitting at the edge of the bed, watching her with a tender gaze. It was hard to believe that those eyes belonged to the Dark King. They were not cold like in her memories, but instead, they burned like two bright flames, warm enough to melt a person.

"Thank you, my luna, for saving me." Nicholas thanked her with a warm smile.

"You've already thanked me for that," Ria said.

"No… This isn't for before. I don't think you quite understand when I say you saved my life, Ria. I mean it. I've lost all there is to lose; my family, my wife, everything… Being betrayed by those I loved nearly consumed me with hatred. I was on the brink of losing it completely. I swore that I wasn't going to be nice to anyone anymore. I had steeled my heart and resolved to shut it off, but despite losing everything, I found you. I've had a long time to think things through, and I've decided. It's not worth it for me to fall into the path of darkness because of a hypocrite. Instead, I'd like to thank the Moon Goddess for presenting me with the greatest gift of this life… You."

Ria was stunned. Despite her calm demeanor, her mind was running wild. By the Goddess… Had the trajectory of the Dark King's fate truly been changed by her?

"Are you willing to become my wife, my lifelong companion, my luna? I trust that this is the perfect arrangement that the Moon Goddess prepared for the two of us.”

Ria’s heart rate sped up again. Nicholas’s sudden confession caught her unprepared. She really wanted to accept it, but still, she stopped herself. After all, she was unfortunately the fated mate of two other Wolf Kings beside him. She feared that the three long years of bloodshed would begin again, like tipping over a line of dominos. She did not want to carry that sin on her shoulders again. Yet she found it difficult to refuse him. After a deep breath, she answered, “I’m afraid I can’t give you an answer now. I’d like to get to know you better before I make my decision.”

“I wish to kiss you… May I? Only you can soothe my pain now, whether in body or soul.” Seeing as Ria did not reject him outright, Nicholas grew daring.

Ria could not believe her ears. Was this man… actually asking for her consent? She found it extremely difficult to adapt to the sudden leap in character between the gentleman before her and the tyrant in her memories.

Shyly, she nodded. Ria was also eager to kiss him, and she could not find any reason to refuse him.

Nicholas held her cheeks like a precious treasure and gently pressed his lips against hers.

Nicholas' kiss was both familiar and unfamiliar to her.

Ria responded meekly to his kiss. His taste was disorienting, and the further they went, the deeper the kiss grew. Gradually, a light peck blossomed into a passionate French kiss.

His rough breath brushed against her cheek. Both of them could sense their growing need for each other.

Ria had never enjoyed such a kiss with Nicholas before. Some of the dominance she knew remained, but now it was accompanied by a permeating warmth. His intoxicating smell intensified to the point that it made her light-headed as if she were being submerged by all of him.

As they kissed, Ria could feel his manhood standing at attention below. Memories of their lovemaking in their past life poured into her mind like a tidal wave. She knew this man's body like the back of her hand.

The flames of lust were lit in Ria’s heart, and a yearning whimper escaped her lips. She could feel herself getting wet. Ria was still in her bathrobe and was completely naked underneath.

Nicholas’s consciousness was also clouded by lust. When he lifted Ria’s bathrobe, she cooperated by wrapping her legs around his waist. Without further ado, Nicholas’s swollen member plunged into Ria’s body.

Their bodies twisted together, drunk in pleasure. Pride and dignity no longer mattered in the face of their carnal desires. The intense exercise they were engaged in had even ripped open a few of Nicholas’s scabbed wounds, yet he did not stop even when his bandages were soaked through with blood. Again and again, he pushed himself deeper and deeper into Ria’s body.

Ria grabbed his hair by instinct. The smell of their blood and s*x mixing only aroused her more, like an aphrodisiac. Even though she had done it with Nicholas countless times in their past life, this was the first time that she felt as if she fully possessed him.

At the end of their lovemaking, Nicholas happily held Ria in his embrace, giggling like a child as he stroked her cheek with his fingers, moving down her neck and sliding down her breast as if he were admiring a precious work of art.

"That was wonderful, my luna. I've never experienced s*x quite like it. Thank you for entrusting your first with me." Nicholas smiled.

"Yeah…" That was the best s*x Ria had ever had with Nicholas. It was perfect. Closing her eyes, she snuggled into his arms, enjoying his soft caresses.

"I'm planning to establish my own nation, and I will become its wolf king. When that happens, you will be my queen," Nicholas asserted confidently.

At that, Ria shuddered. She had a bad premonition. Once again, it seemed like invisible hands were moving Nicholas's fate back to its original trajectory…