Episode 2: The King’s Territory
867 Words
The King’s Territory
Aria woke up screaming.
Then immediately regretted it.
Because screaming didn’t change the fact that she was no longer in an alley.
Or a city.
Or anything she recognized.
She was inside a moving vehicle.
Black leather seats.
Tinted windows.
No door handle from the inside.
And across from her—
Ronan Blackthorne sat perfectly still.
Watching her.
Like he had been waiting for her to wake up.
⸻
Aria sat up quickly.
“What did you do to me?”
Ronan didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced at her wrist.
Where his hand had touched her earlier.
“Nothing permanent.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
Silence.
The car moved smoothly through darkness outside.
No streetlights.
No traffic.
Just endless forest road.
Aria frowned.
“…Where are we going?”
Ronan finally looked at her.
“To my territory.”
Aria blinked.
“That sounds illegal.”
“It isn’t.”
“That sounds worse.”
⸻
The car stopped.
Not in a city.
Not in civilization.
But in front of something massive.
A gate.
Tall iron walls covered in ancient carvings.
Lions. Wolves. Symbols she didn’t understand.
The gates opened without anyone touching them.
As if the place was alive.
Aria leaned forward slightly.
“…What is this place?”
Ronan stepped out.
Then answered calmly:
“Home.”
⸻
BLACKTHORNE TERRITORY
Aria stepped out of the car and froze.
Because in front of her was not a house.
Not a mansion.
Not even a palace.
It was an entire estate carved into a hidden valley.
Black stone architecture.
Massive towers.
Armored guards standing perfectly still.
And wolves.
Not chained.
Not trained.
Just walking freely like they owned the land.
Aria whispered:
“…Okay. This is officially not normal.”
Ronan walked ahead.
“Stay close.”
“Or what?”
He didn’t look back.
“You’ll get lost.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“It isn’t.”
That was the problem.
He didn’t need to threaten her.
Everything here already did.
⸻
As they walked, people stopped.
Guards lowered their heads instantly.
Not respectfully.
Fearfully.
Aria noticed.
“…Why is everyone acting like you’re royalty?”
Ronan paused slightly.
Then answered:
“Because I am.”
She stared at him.
“Like… metaphorically?”
“No.”
A beat.
“…That’s insane.”
Ronan finally looked at her again.
“You’re in my world now. ‘Insane’ is normal here.”
⸻
They entered the main hall.
Massive chandeliers.
Ancient stone floors.
Gold and black decorations everywhere.
And at the center—
A throne.
Aria stopped walking.
“Nope.”
Ronan turned.
“What?”
“I’m not sitting in a horror-movie castle palace thing.”
“It’s not a horror movie.”
“Debatable.”
He studied her for a second.
Then said:
“You’re not a guest.”
Aria crossed her arms.
“Then what am I?”
A pause.
The air shifted slightly.
Ronan’s voice lowered.
“Mine.”
⸻
The room went silent.
Even the guards stopped breathing properly.
Aria blinked.
“…Excuse me?”
Ronan stepped closer.
Not aggressive.
Just certain.
“You were sold into my protection.”
“That was one dollar.”
“Yes.”
“That’s insulting.”
“It was intentional.”
⸻
Before Aria could respond—
A deep voice echoed from the hallway.
“Well, well…”
A man entered.
Tall.
Scar across his face.
Golden eyes like Ronan—but colder.
Behind him stood armed wolves.
He smiled.
“You finally brought her home.”
Aria frowned.
“Who is this?”
Ronan didn’t look away.
“Someone who should not be here.”
The man laughed.
“Oh Ronan… always so possessive.”
He tilted his head toward Aria.
“I’m Cassian Thorn.”
Aria frowned deeper.
“And I don’t care?”
Cassian smiled wider.
“You will.”
⸻
The air changed instantly.
Ronan’s wolves inside the estate began to grow restless.
Aria felt it too.
Pressure.
Danger.
Cassian stepped closer.
“She’s weaker than I expected.”
Ronan’s voice dropped.
“Leave.”
Cassian ignored him.
“She doesn’t even know what she is yet.”
Aria’s eyes narrowed.
“What did you just say?”
Cassian looked at her.
And smiled like he knew a secret.
“Oh… he hasn’t told you.”
Ronan moved instantly—
But Cassian raised a hand.
“I’ll go. For now.”
He turned slightly.
But before leaving, he added:
“This territory won’t stay yours for long, Alpha.”
Then his eyes flicked to Aria.
“And she won’t stay yours at all.”
He left.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Aria turned slowly to Ronan.
“…Start explaining.”
Ronan didn’t answer immediately.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then he said:
“You are not safe anywhere outside my territory.”
“That’s not an explanation.”
“It’s the truth.”
Aria stepped closer.
“Then tell me what I am.”
Ronan looked at her.
And for the first time—
He hesitated.
Because telling her the truth…
Would change everything.
⸻
END OF EPISODE 2
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD