Fated to the Alpha Prince [MxM]

CHAPTER FIVE: CLASH II

Lourence POV

The mark on my thigh was a reminder of something I had no control over, something that had been placed on me before I even knew what it meant. I had never wanted to think of it, or even percieve it - until now. The pain was undeniable, though, and now it felt like my body was screaming at me to find him. To be near him. To fix whatever this was.

It was late.

Way past the time when most people had gone already retired for the night. I could tell by the stillness outside that it was too late for Thymian to be at the Institute. He was likely home, tucked away in his pack's territory. But even as that thought crossed my mind, a strange instinct pulled me forward. The pain was unbearable, but it was not just physical anymore. Something in me was hungry for him. It was like a need I could not deny.

Lunaris Territory was not far from where I lived. The neutral part of Vargrest - where I resided - was a perfect middle ground, neither fully IronClaw nor Lunaris. I had always told myself it was because it was closer to school and other public places, but if I was being honest with myself now, I knew the truth. The real reason I chose to live here was because it was the one place that did not feel like it was under anyone else’s thumb. It was the one place where I could pretend I was not bound by anyone's expectations or histories. Most people in this area were rogue wolves after all. Not that there was anything wrong with the IronClaw pack, but at times I just felt being rogue would be better.

But tonight, it felt like I was being pulled into something much bigger than myself.

I grabbed my coat and stepped outside, the cold air biting at my face as I made my way toward Lunaris Territory - the rightmost end of town, surrounded by beaches and all sorst of riches. It was the perfect residence that was denied to rogues and 'rebels'.

The pain in my thigh was almost crippling, each step reminding me of how much I wanted to avoid this, how much I did not want to face Thymian. But the pull was undeniable.

It wasn’t long before I found myself walking through unfamiliar streets, the lights of Lunaris’ territory twinkling ahead. I never dared stepped into this side of the big city, everything felt different. The night air, crisp and sharp, seemed to carry with it an eerie sense of anticipation, and I could not shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen - I always got it when these snob wolves were involved.

As I neared the border of Lunaris Territory, I stopped. The pain was almost unbearable now. I placed a hand against my thigh, gripping the fabric of my pants, feeling the mark burning through my skin. I now knew what it meant, and I hated it. I hated how my body was betraying me, how it was pulling me toward him. I had spent so long running away from Thymian, from everything that came with him, that I did not know how to handle the sudden need to be near him.

I stepped forward, knowing I could not delay this any longer. The further I walked, the worse the pain seemed to get. It was as if the mark was alive, resonating with an energy that was drawing me closer to him.

And then, as if the universe had conspired to make this moment inevitable, I saw him.

He was standing near the entrance to bright city's border, a dark silhouette against the bright lights of the streetlamps. I could see the faint outline of his figure, tall and imposing, even from a distance. Thymian. My heart skipped a beat. I knew we were about to cross paths, and the moment felt heavy with the weight of everything that had happened between us.

I couldn’t move.

It was as if time had slowed down, the world fading away until all I could focus on was him. Thymian’s emerald eyes met mine from across the street. The green of his eyes gleamed in the low light, sharp and piercing, and for a moment, I was frozen. I hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected to see him here, but as our gazes locked, everything else faded into nothing.

It was as if the universe had conspired to make this moment happen. I could see it in his face, the same surprise in his expression, the same pull that I felt. His shoulders tensed, his posture shifting slightly, but he did not move.

Neither of us did.

I could not help but wonder if he was out of this time looking for me too...

It was not until I saw the subtle flicker of something in his eyes, a recognition, a realization, that I could finally breathe again. The pain in my thigh did not matter anymore. Nothing mattered except the way he was looking at me. And something in me seemed to switch in that moment. Almost like a light bulb igniting for the first time..

The two of us just stood there, staring at each other, neither of us willing to make the first move. And for the briefest moment, I thought I saw something vulnerable in Thymian’s eyes, something that made my chest tighten. He was not just the arrogant, untouchable prince I had always seen. There was something else there now, something raw, something almost... human.

I opened my mouth to say something - anything - but the words would not come. The only sound in the air was the distant hum of the city, the rustling of leaves in the breeze, and the pounding of my own heart.

Thymian took a step toward me. The space between us closed by mere inches, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him, as if he was just as affected by this moment as I was. His green eyes never left mine, and I could not tear myself away from them, no matter how much I wanted to.

The distance between us was no longer measured in steps or feet. It was measured in something much more intangible. I could feel the weight of the moment, the way our worlds seemed to collide, and it was both terrifying and intoxicating.

"Why are you here?" Thymian’s voice broke through the silence, low and steady, but there was an edge to it that I could not place. It wasn’t necessarily anger. It was not frustration. It was something more complicated.

I wanted to answer him, but I was not quite sure how to. My mind was racing, trying to understand what this moment meant. Why was I standing here, facing him, knowing that the bond between us was undeniable, but also knowing that I did not know how to deal with it?

"I..." I trailed off, unable to find the words. The pain in my thigh flared again, sharp and blinding. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself as I felt him near me.

Thymian was still watching me. I could feel the tension building in the air between us, the unsaid words hanging like a thick fog. Neither of us moved. Neither of us dared to.