Torn between mates

57. Bright golden eyes

Richard

He will be with her soon, in a few minutes. There is nothing I could do about it. I knew what I want to do, I knew what my wolf is urging me to do. But I also know I couldn’t. 

I couldn’t hurt my Luna. 

Thus, I’ve asked Sarah to put me down for some hours. She would give me some sleep pills and Luke and her would watch me and restrict me in case it didn’t work. Astoria also offered to help; but my wolf isn’t familiar with her, and under a lot of stress, like we are today, he could lose control and attack her; so, Luke and I told her not to come. 

I know that if my wolf and I were awake, Titan would force shift and kill Alexus. I also wanted that, more than anything, but I couldn't.  

I was pacing around like a mad man, mimicking the unsettled striding of my wolf in my mind, when Sarah gave me five pills; apparently one needs a lot to put a big werewolf down. 

“Are you sure it is enough? Maybe one more?” I asked Sarah, my voice was pure restlessness. 

“I’m sure Richard, I’ve already calculated it well. Don’t worry, I have everything under control.” She said trying to sound calm, but I know she was also dreading it, letting Lea be with that monster. We were all holding our breaths tonight.

She gave me the glass of water and I’ve swallowed the pills. 

“Now, chain me down,” I said gazing at the silver ropes I’ve asked Luke to bring. This is a reinforced kind of silver, the only type that can restrict very strong Alpha wolves. 

“Richard, it’s not necessary. The pills will work.” Luke chimed in. 

“I won’t take any risks.” 

“My dear, please! It’s quite… extreme to chain you, it can be painful… the silver against your skin, it can burn it.” Sarah said as she placed a hand on my shoulder, her face contorted in worry. 

“We will watch you; we won’t let Titan do anything you will regret. He knows us, we are family, Richard! He won’t hurt us.” Luke said, placing his hand on my other shoulder. They are great friends and I really appreciate their support, but nothing could convince me. 

“No, it's settled. Luke, chain me down.” 

Luke exhaled sharply and did what I said, he is a loyal friend and Beta. Sarah had a pained look on her face, her brown eyes were squinted. 

“It’s okay Sarah. It isn’t hurting.”  I lied to her, to calm her down. 

It was stinging, burning my skin. But it was nothing in comparison with the pain of knowing that Alexus was about to have my mate did to me. This lesser pain actually helped me to take my mind a bit from the bigger, immense agony. 

To my relief, Luke hugged Sarah and cooed her. I couldn’t have my friend suffering. 

“You should leave Sarah, Luke will stay. I’m chained anyway. It’s enough.”

“No, I won’t leave you Richard!” she argued. She and Luke are the only wolves who argue with me in the entire Realm, and it doesn’t anger me, it makes me a tad amused. Of course, I, and especially Titan wouldn’t take well if they did so in front of the whole Pack regarding official matters, but they wouldn’t. They are good friends and wolves. 

“It’s okay, Sarah. Go to see Cassy. I’ll be here with him; our big brooding Alpha is in good hands.” He grinned. 

Sarah sighed deeply, “Fine.” She said, even though she looked frustrated. She glanced at me one last timeand left the room.

A few minutes later I dozed off. 

~ * ~

Alexus

As soon as I arrived in my Realm, I went to my atelier, I had to paint. I felt this urge crawling inside me, my hands were itching to make scratches, the ink come to life. I sat down and let my hand work on its own accord while I painted. Painting was always a moment in which I was free, the only one maybe. I was totally absent-minded, free from the maddening desire and hunger that consumed me. 

My mind felt as blank as the canvas that I was colouring, and I let the paintbrush guide my hand as if the painting was drawing itself and I was not even consciously there. 

I let the colours and shadows guide me, overtake me for hours. When I got tired, I wiped my sweating forehead with the back on my arm and looked around. What hollow figures have I painted today? To my utmost amazement, the object of my paints was the same object that was overcrowding over my thoughts lately. 

Her. Lea. 

Her long dark hair, her soft curves, her milky skin, and… her bright golden eyes.

That was a first. 

I couldn’t recall another time that my figures had eyes instead of 2 almond-shaped black holes. 

I looked at her golden eyes, four times retracted, once in each of the paints I produced today. One was a portrait, she was looking straight at me, her eyes were soft and hold a glimpse of surprise, as they actually did when I hug her after taking her last night. 

In the second one, she was walking in a garden, wearing a loose dress as her hair flew with the wind, she was smiling. In the other two, she was on the bed. Sitting on the edgy of it, wearing the light pink robe she wore the night we completed the bond and looking distracted, as she sometimes does as if her thoughts are reaching unknown heights. In the last one, she was laid on the bed, the swell of her breast was exposed, and her legs were almost bare, as her eyes were darker with pleasure. A pleasure that I gave her. 

She is mine. 

I want her.

I want her with more urgency than I want blood, which is insane. 

The last time I wanted something, someone like this was… Elisa. 

I have to find a way to have her back. To pursue and woo her, win her favour.

I must be patient, after everything that happened, she won’t be easily swayed.

Before that, I have something else to do. I called my main guards and head warrior. 

~ * ~

Lea 

I waited awake until the first rays of the sun entered my window. The blood oath was finally fulfilled, I could leave without it causing any dread to my Valentin. I immediately stood up from the bed and left the bedroom. King Alexus was still sleeping, he had a calm smile on his face. Something I’ve never seen before. 

I went to my room and showered; I was still struck by shock. Last night wasn’t anything I expected. It was even worse! 

Now besides, pain, anger, I was overwhelmed with confusion. 

When I left the bathroom, I saw that Valentin was waiting for me in my bedroom. I ran to his embrace and he wrapped my slightly trembling body in his strong arms. 

“Sunflower, did he hurt you?” Valentin’s voice husked pure pain and worry. 

“He didn’t…” I muttered as I felt tears of crashing confusion rolling down my cheeks. 

“It’s over now, my angel. You don’t have to see him ever again.” he soothed me before he pressed a kiss on the top of my head. 

He was right, it was all over now. 

But at the same time, he wasn’t. Now my mate bond and pull towards that male was stronger than ever. It was so confusing! 

Valentin took my hand and guided me to the bed. I laid my head on his chest, surrounded by his delicious scent and his warmness. 

I was finally able to get some sleep, now that I was safe, in the arms of my sweet and loving Sun. 

*

After a few hours, I woke up to a low growl. Richard. I stood up immediately and run to hug him. My poor love looked so unsettled and battered, dark bags were under his beautiful green eyes. All his muscles were tensed, stiff like stones. 

He put some distance between us and took a good look at me from head to toe, checking for any sign of harm. 

“Luna Mine.” It was something between a murmur of relief and a growl of pain. 

“I’m okay my love. It’s over. I’m with you now.” I soothed him. He fell down to his knees and wrapped his arms around my waist, as he pressed his face against my stomach. 

I ran my fingers through his dishevelled dark brown curls and opened our bond slightly, for the very first time, sending him my love. 

He looked up at me, his eyes opened wide in surprise. 

“How can you feel at peace, my love? How can you feel that pure and whole after everything?”

He felt my soul through our bond. 

My mind was confused. Full of pain and even guilt. 

But in my soul, I felt complete and I little sense of wonder shined in my insides because I was finally one with Richard. I was finally one with Valentin. I won’t let any shadow, nor any pain ‘overshadow’ the light of my love for my two males. 

“Because I have you and Valentin. We are finally one, my love. You Titan and me.” I beamed a little smile. 

Besides all of that, I have myself. No monstrosity, no confusion, no sadness will ever take that from me.

Richard buried his face in my belly once again.

“We will be fine, my love.” I soothed him.

~ * ~

Alexus

I went inside the dungeon and walked towards the last cell, where Broadrick had his neck, wrists, and ankles chained. He was yelling at the guards to let him go, saying that it must be a mistake or a coup attempt, they all went silent when I was getting closer, they surely could sense my powerful and icy aura. The guards went away immediately, giving me privacy. 

“Alexus… you finally came! Those bloodless idiots dared to arrest me, your second in command, lying that it was your order.” He uttered, looking relieved. 

His feeling of relief wouldn’t last long. 

I chose carefully one of the whips hanging by the entrance of the cell and stalked closer to him. 

“What are you doing?... it’s true…wait! Why did you make the guards bring me to the dungeon, chain me using silver, and whip me? What in the 6th Pit of Hell?! I don’t….” Broadrick started, he looked very confused and shocked. 

I cut him off whipping his chatting mouth with a silver whip. There was a long time that I didn’t feel such a rage. In fact, the last time I felt so was when Richard took Elisa from me. That blasted mutt! Thinking about it, only fed my wrath and I kept whipping Broadrick using silver. It had a double effect, make him shut up and avenge my mate. 

Silver in its pure and undiluted state can hurt vampires, as much as it can hurt wolves. It makes the healing process painful and very slow. It’s used as a mean of torture, especially when one wants to torture for a long time, but not kill their enemies. However, in the present case, I didn’t only want to hurt him. I must kill him, only it will be enough to make him pay for what he did to my Lea, only it would make her safe from him. I knew that he still wanted her.  

“Why?” He managed to say.

I let out a cold humourless chuckle, making him shiver. That was the right reaction, “You kidnapped my mate. You hurt her!” I gritted out, I couldn’t recognize my voice, it was filled with fury. While it normally was emotionless, cold, and calm. Unless when I was pretending, what happened very rarely, I’m not an actor like Laius. 

“What the hell, Alexus? You kidnapped her too.” He muttered. 

Don’t I know that? I wish I could punish myself as well but being without Lea hurt more than any lashing or beating.

I whipped him again and again. 

“We are friends. Why are you doing it?” he couldn’t shut it. 

“You kidnapped my mate, your f*cking vermin!” 

“You too!” His words only got that scum another whipping, before I got my knife made of moon-silver. 

It was a very special weapon, I only knew about one of those in the 6 Realms, it was a present from my self-obsessed mother for my 7th birthday. If a vampire gets cut with such a knife, the wound wouldn’t EVER heal. Nothing could ever heal such a wound, no magic. It is the fastest and most efficient way to kill a vampire, regardless of how powerful they are. However, I didn’t want to kill him that fast. 

“You are insane Alexus? Let me go! You were the one who asked for my help to abduct that wh*re. Is that a prank? Are you even into pran…” 

I cut him off as I literally cut his face from above his eyebrow to his chin with my knife, he screamed and tried to wriggle in agony. It was a nasty and deep cut. How dare he speak about my mate like this!

“If you ever mention her again, or even think about talking about her with an insulting term, you won't like the consequences!” I gritted out. 

He nodded, he looked at me in utter shock. He seemed terrified, desperate. He was bleeding more than I’ve ever seen a vampire bleed from a single cut. This knife was the ultimate weapon. 

I used the whip once again, “That’s for daring to drink from my mate,” I said. I whipped him one last time and went towards the door, “That’s all for now, but I’ll be back soon.” I stated coldly. 

He let out a piercing but strangled scream of desperation before I left.