LORI’S POV
My face must have grown pale because he chuckled at me. “Don’t look so scared now, Lorenza. You managed to keep a bold face in front of all those Alphas. Surely humans don’t scare you.”
He sounded like he was teasing me but I was too flustered to react properly. “No, it’s just that humans are—”
“Monster hunters? Crude people who set witches on fire?” The Lycan King asked, amused. “Those are just stories.”
“So, it’s not true?” I asked, lifting my brows.
“Oh, they are, but that was a different age and time. Now, humans are fascinated by supernatural creatures.” He said, calmly. He grabbed the bottle of water in the cup holder beside him and opened it as he talked. “Simply because they can’t prove that we exist. We live among them, blending so well that you can't tell your own kind apart. It’s our power over them.”
“But are werewolves safe?” I asked just as he took a drink from the bottle.
“Why don’t you find out yourself?”
I looked up in time to see some kind of bright purple light in front of us. It swirled until it was bigger and bigger, big enough to take our car.
I leaned forward in my seat. “It’s a portal…” I said, almost breathlessly.
“Oh, you're not as dumb as I thought.” I glared at him. “Now, can you keep shut until we're back home?”
I was tempted to tell him that my home was Agerna but I kept quiet and looked out the window as we drove through the portal. I’ll return back to Agerna. Even if it means using the Lycan King.
***
Somewhere between Agerna and the human realm, I slept off. When I woke up, we were pulling over in front of the tallest building I had ever seen. It was quite literally in the clouds.
A man wearing a black suit opened the door for me and I thanked him before stepping out.
“Wow…” I said in amazement.
The Lycan King walked past me, heading inside. I quickly followed behind him. The moment we entered the building, I caught the scent of fresh flowers. The lobby was grand, with high ceilings and a glass chandelier. It was so beautiful.
There were humans around. I could tell from their scents. I didn’t know how but I just could. They were milling about, carried away in their own world to notice us. It put me at ease. They couldn't tell us apart.
“Is this where you live?” I asked, keeping up with his long strides. Guards in black suits escorted us, getting a bit of attention.
“No,” he replied, pulling on the collar of his black shirt. In the light, “this is one of my buildings. You’ll be staying here for now.”
Buildings? How powerful was this man that he owned buildings in the human world? My stomach turned. He was powerful in the werewolf world and the human realm.
We walked to the elevators and one of the guards stepped forward before pressing a button. “The Penthouse is ready, Your Majesty.”
The men stepped aside, all of them bowing slightly.
I saw the way they all feared and respected, even here. It was as if his very presence demanded their submission, whether in Agerna or this human city. What city where we even in?
The elevator doors slid shut after the both of us went in. We slowly began to ascend to the floor where the button was P. The silence was defeaning. I wanted to ask him a million questions.
I wanted to know why he brought me here, I wanted to know how long I'd be stuck in this place and I wanted to know what he wanted from me. Even though I was his mate, he could choose to reject me. After all, I was wolfless, basically useless to the Lycan King.
So, why was I here?
Before I could even gather my thoughts together, the elevator stopped and the door opened. I gasped, forgetting how to breathe. The walls were floor- to- ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city. The sun was just beginning to set, bathing the city in golden hues.
There were art pieces on the walls and elegant looking furnitures arranged in what I assumed was the living room.
“This…” I began hesitantly, “is where I’m staying?”
“For now,” he reminded me. He moved past me, walking in. “Your quarters are through that hall.”
He gestured to a corridor on the left. I followed after him. The sound of our footsteps was muted by the carpet. We stopped in front of a door and he pushed it open, stepping aside for me to enter.
The room was just as exquite as the livingtoom and it was almost bigger than my entire packhouse back in Agerna. Maybe I was exaggerating but it was huge.
“Settle in,” he said, leaning against the doorframe and staring at his wrist watch. He sighed, “We’ll talk some more tomorrow.”
He turned to leave and I reached out, grabbing his arm. “Wait,” I blurted in panic.
He looked down at my hand grabbing his arm and I quickly let go.“You can’t just leave me here. What am I supposed to do here? Why did you even bring me?” I asked, quickly.
He raised a brow. He looked amused. “You’re not that slow, Lorenza. You’re my mate. It means that you’re mine.” He answered. “As for why you’re here, let’s just say that it’s safer for you to be in the human realm than it is back in Agerna. Well, for now.”
“And what if I don’t want to be ‘yours’?” I challenged, crossing my arms and pinning him with a look.
His eyes darkened and he took a step closer. I flustered, taking a step back. He kept walking forward and I kept moving back.
“What are you doing?” I squeaked out, my resolve slipping. I felt the back of a pillar press against my back. I couldn't escape. He was in front of me and a pillar, behind me.
The air was so thick with tension that I held my breath as he leaned down. He kept leaning until our faces were mere inches away.
He was going to kiss me?