Fifty one
She was unbelievably beautiful. The way her eyes lit up with innocent excitement as I showed her the oasis was perfection. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her mesmerizing eyes as she giggled, her laughter like a symphony to my ears. The way the moonlight bounced off her skin, enhancing her beauty even more; I was lost in her enchanting aura. My heart ached to remain by her side, to watch her play with the fairies forever, but duty called. The thought of leaving her even for an hour pained me, but I had no choice.
As if sensing my thoughts, Freya turned her head, our eyes locking. The connection between us sizzled with electricity, undeniable, untamed. It was as if our very souls called out to one another, yearning for the other’s touch. She rose from her spot and walked towards me, every step a slow, sensual seduction. I held my breath, unable to look away.
“Thank you for bringing me to this place Rafe. It is such an extraordinary feeling. I appreciate you,” She rose on her toes and brought her lips to mine with little effort. leaned in, capturing her soft, moist lips with mine. Her soft lips molded to mine perfectly, as if they were created just for this moment. Our tongues danced in a heated motion, our hands roaming over each other’s bodies, desperate to memorize every curve, every angle. Our kiss was hungry, desperate, as if it were our last.
The world around us vanished, the sound of the waterfall drowned out by the furious pounding of our hearts. I felt her fingers in my hair, pulling me closer, our bodies pressed together as if magnets. The intensity of our kiss heightened, our breaths mingling, our very beings entwining. My watch beeped, reminding me that I needed to be at the war meeting to plan our defense against the sunshades. I sighed deeply.
Reluctantly, I broke the kiss, setting my forehead upon hers. “We have to leave for now, Freya,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “But we will be back here tomorrow, and every other day you want” I promised, taking her hand and dropping a soft kiss on it. She nodded with a smile. We silently got dressed and I led her back to her room.
“Thank you once again, my king,” Freya whispered as we got to the entrance to her room. It was still quite early and quite so I didn’t hesitate to pull her in for a brief kiss. She sighed happily before walking into her room and pushing her door close slowly. I stood for a moment, breathing in her lingering scent. Then I turned away and made my way to the court room for the meeting that was probably already going on.
As I strode into the court room, my generals and advisors fell to one knee, heads bowed in respect.
“Rise,” I commanded, my voice resonating through the hall. They stood at attention, eyes fixed on me. I took my place on the throne, gripping the arm rests.
Rafael stepped forward, jaw tight. “Your Majesty, there’s been an attack. A bombing, in the eastern territory near the border.”
A chill shot down my spine. “When?”
“At dusk. Over fifty wolves dead.”
Fury ignited in my core. I would hunt down these cowards and tear out their throats myself. “Who is responsible for this atrocity?”
“The assasins wore all black, faces concealed. But their masks bore the crest of the Sunshade Kingdom.” Connor said as he came forward, his steely eyes meeting mine.
I clenched my fists until the knuckles blanched white. Of course. Thos mongrels had been looking for an opportunity to strike at the heart of my kingdom. Tension had brewed for generations, but I’d hoped my reign would usher in an era of peace. How foolish of me. There would be no peace now – only vengeance and blood until my dying breath. I would see their kingdom razed to ash for this.
My thoughts turned to Freya. those Sunshade dogs had kidnapped her. The memory of her battered body, chained and beaten, still haunted my nightmares. They had almost killed her.
Ice flooded my veins as realization struck. This bombing was no random attack – it was a message. A declaration. Zephyr would want revenge for how I had killed almost half of his people. He knew the only way to truly destroy me was to try to hurt Freya.
I whirled to face my generals, eyes flashing. “Double the guard around the palace. No one gets in or out without my express permission. And assign a dedicated detail to every ladie’s protection at all times. The Sunshades must not infiltrate my palace.”
My voice dropped to a lethal growl. “I want those responsible for this attack found. Bring them to me alive. I will personally rip out their necks and feed them to the crows.”
Rafael stepped forward, his face grim. “Your Majesty, there is… more. The bombs. They were laced with woodbane.”
I realized what that meant with a sinking feeling. Woodbane. It was extremely toxic and deadly to our kind. The poison that ravaged the body and ensured an agonizing death. Those taken by the attack would have suffered immensely. Innocent lives snuffed out in a blink because of a coward’s tactics. Pups left orphaned. Families shattered. The pain of my people became my own, settling deep in the marrow of my bones.
I squeezed my eyes shut against the sting of tears. Later. I would grieve later, in private. A king could not afford to show weakness.
Drawing in a shuddering breath, I reopened my eyes, fixing each general with a scorching glare. “See to the dead. Prepare a royal funeral with full honors. The crown will provide for the families of the dead. This is an act of war, and the Crimson Kingdom does not cower. We will have justice. We will have vengeance, this I swear.”
Without waiting for anyone’s response, I stormed out of the war room, a wave of rage and sorrow roiling in my gut. My boots pounded against the stone floors as I made my way through the corridors of the palace, servants were moving around like frightened mice at the sight of my thunderous expression.
Only one thought consumed me – Freya. I needed to see her, to hold her in my arms and reassure myself that she was safe. That bomb had been the first step of getting to Freya. If anything happened to her because of my actions…
“Alpha Rafe, wait!”
I whirled at the sound of Jessica’s voice. She hurried towards me, skirts swishing, an unreadable look on her delicate features.
“Not now, Jessica,” I growled, in no mood for whatever games she wished to play.
She grabbed my arm, halting my determined strides. “Please, it’s important. Just a moment of your time.”
I ground my teeth, every instinct screaming to shove her aside and continue on my way. But as much as it grated, it wouldn’t be right for me to dismiss her just like that. With a sigh, I allowed her to guide me into an empty receiving room.
The moment the door shut behind us, unease prickled along my spine. Jessica wrung her hands, not quite meeting my gaze. “Rafe, there’s something you need to know”
I glared at her, growing increasingly impatient as she remained silent. Suddenly, before I could even react, she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine, taking me completely by surprise.
****