The Ancient Lycan's Mute Mate

Killing intent...

Chapter 6

I felt his movements shift to that of climbing a staircase.

The rhythmic lift and descent of each step reverberated through my exhausted body, and I wanted to struggle in his arms, to protest being carried like something fragile and broken.

But I decided against it since he had tried to save me—had succeeded in saving me__ I let my thoughts wander.

‘Maybe it has something to do with that ‘mate’ stuff he called me.

It sounded so intimate leaving his lips that made my body react in ways I never expected.

I felt his grip on me tightened slightly as the stairs grew steeper, and I caught the faint scent of blood, which was very familiar to me, clinging to his clothes.

At the end of the staircase stood a brightly lit hallway.

My fingers curled against his shirt, not resisting, but not entirely yielding either. A strange middle ground born of gratitude and the lingering weight of my own fear.

"Almost there baby girl," he murmured, as he looked down at me while tightening his hold on me. His voice was laced with a bit of reluctance despite the fact his lips were lifted a bit, forming a little smile, while looking at me.

I looked away, trying to avert my thoughts, and was just in time to see the servants below, looking up at us in unison.

A cold shiver immediately went up my spine. I felt like countless eyes were looking at me, which immediately brought back bad memories as I felt as if I had returned to the first day I was kept in that accursed basement by that beast.

I remembered after I had screamed my lungs out, I sat in the corner of the basement, everyday, resisting the terrifying feelings of being watched in that dark basement where I couldn't even see my own fingers.

I could feel my chest tightening as I fought hard to breathe. My mouth was left agape and I couldn't even move my gaze away from those countless eyes below us.

‘Please…. not this again…’

I felt my vision blurring as a familiar feeling of fear slowly overwhelmed me, bit by bit.

“ Avert your eyes, NOW”

A loud thundering voice bellowed.

I felt Cassian's chest vibrate as he shouted towards the people below.

I saw their eyes show a deep look of fear through my eyes blurred by tears.

Then they scurried away almost immediately with their heads lowered.

“Calm down baby girl”

“I'm here, no-one is going to hurt you”

He lowered his head to my level and whispered.

I didn't even know when I had gripped his shoulders tightly. I quickly withdrew my disobedient hands from his shoulders after getting a grip over myself.

I felt my wetness on my fingers and quickly looked at it.

That's right. He's still injured.

But one thing I couldn't get out of my head was how he was still able to move normally, like what had just happened was a normal occurrence.

“ Welcome back Sir Cassian”

I suddenly heard the voice of a middle aged woman beside us. I turned my head towards her. She looked like any other kind middle aged woman you could find on the street scolding kids who secretly left school during school hours.

But there was something about her which I just couldn't place a finger on. She exuded an invigorating energy a woman her age was not supposed to exhibit.

“ Dismiss all of them, they are no longer needed from today onwards”

“ Yes Sir Cassian”

She nodded respectfully.

“ Bring in a good amount of clothes for the lady, I reckon I do not need to tell you her size”

“ Of course not, Sir Cassian. The lady's wear will be delivered right away”

He proceeded deeper into the hallway before stopping in front of a door.

“ Also, bring in a maid to aid the lady in her bath”

“ Of course Sir Cassian”

He pushed the door wide open without much effort and walked inside.

I looked around slowly, taking in the view of the room we had just entered.

The room was enormous—far bigger than anything I had ever been in before. Dark curtains covered the tall windows, blocking out most of the light from outside and leaving the room bathed in a dim, almost eerie glow. Everything looked expensive. The polished wooden floor, the heavy furniture, even the silver decorations placed on the shelves seemed like they cost more money than I could ever imagine.

But none of that mattered to me.

My eyes immediately returned to the man carrying me.

He walked towards the large king-sized bed placed in the middle of the room and gently placed me down, as if he were handling porcelain that could shatter at the slightest touch.

The moment my body touched the soft mattress, I scrambled away from him.

I moved to the other side of the bed, instinctively pulling my knees against my chest and burying my face behind them. My heart hammered violently against my ribs as I tried to make myself as small as possible.

My fingers curled tightly around the fabric of my clothes.

I peered at him through the dirty locks of my hair, afraid to even blink.

He hadn't moved.

He simply stood there, staring at me.

There was no expression on his face.

No anger.

No pity.

No kindness.

Nothing.

But the colour of his emotions spoke a different language. The aura surrounding him was a thick black and was tinged with blood red edges.

I would never mistake the meaning of that colour….

….. killing intent.

It was so strong that it was palpable.

My breathing became shallow as I watched him carefully.

…Was he going to hurt me?

…Was he going to send me back?

…Or was this just another place where I would be trapped?

My mind raced through countless possibilities, each one worse than the last.

The silence between us stretched painfully.

I lowered my gaze, unable to withstand his stare any longer.

My hair fell further across my face, hiding most of my features.

I waited.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Still, he said nothing.

I slowly raised my eyes again.

He was still watching me.

For some reason, I found myself wondering what he was thinking.

His face remained completely unreadable, but his eyes seemed different now. They weren't filled with the disgust I had grown accustomed to seeing in the eyes of others on the streets of Westport.

There was something else there.

Something I couldn't understand.

He took one slow step toward the bed.

I immediately flinched.

He stopped.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then his gaze dropped to my trembling hands.

His expression remained unchanged, but something shifted in his eyes.

“I would never do anything to hurt you baby girl.”

His voice was deep and calm.

Then I heard him slowly turn away from me.

I tried to sneak peek at him beside my mass of thick hair….

…..and that was when I saw it…