Capítulo 14: Chapter XIV
RED
When Erik pulled me in his arms and kissed me fiercely, it felt like fireworks exploded all over my body. Blood rushed wildly in my head, making me dizzy. God, he was such a good kisser! Since I first saw him I wanted to touch his silvery hair, so I quickly reached him and ran my fingers through it. Its softness reminded me of his wolf's thick fur. I tugged on it exhilarated, feeling out of breath. The deep, animalistic rumbles leaving his chest made me clench in desire.
Everything about Erik invited me in, his cinnamon scent, his taste, his chiseled body. Sparks spread on my skin while his large hands traveled down my back and I was unable to hold my voice in. He seemed pleased by the way I responded to him. The small kisses he left on my neck made me shiver from head to toe and I melted in his muscled arms. His touch felt so right it was driving me insane. A needy moan escaped my lips when Erik grabbed my hips and brought me closer to him, kissing me deeper still.
His wolf was surfacing, I could tell by his actions. They were getting rougher and I felt his sharp fangs growing. I should have been afraid and ashamed, but I wasn't. I just wanted more of him. If this is what having a soulmate meant then it was fucking amazing!
We both jumped in surprise when a knock on the door resonated in the room. We quickly broke our embrace and stared at one another blushing and panting.
" My Lady, I came to clean and change your bed sheets", I heard Mary's voice from the other side of the door.
"Shit timing girl! " I thought. Judging by Erik's annoyed expression, he thought the same. Neither of us moved or said anything, our first kiss sinking in.
After a second knock, he raised frowning and opened the door a bit too forcefully. Mary's mouth dropped when she saw Erik's tall figure standing in the way, all flushed and disheveled. Her eyes traveled for a second, finding me in the same state. She immediately apologized for the intrusion, but in truth, it was better she did. I'm not sure if we would have been able to stop with just kissing.
" That's alright" Erik said embarrassed and turned to me " I'm going for a run, flower. I have to clear my head. I'll be back before nightfall ". He didn't wait for my response and stormed out of the chamber. Mary closed the door behind him and giggled. I cleared my throat.
" I know it's improper for an unmarried woman to be alone with a man in her room. I'm sorry if I put you in an awkward situation" I explained myself, feeling guilty now that Erik was out of sight. When he left, my head came back down to Earth and I wanted to smack myself for being so forward with him. Why did I say and act like that? It was like I could not think straight around him.
" That's quite alright, my L... Red! Master König is your mate after all. It's natural to be drawn to each other" Mary laughed heartily, starting to clean around the chamber.
" Is it? I have no idea how this whole "mate" thing works. It's really confusing " I sighed, taking a seat in the armchair. I hugged my knees and pouted. Mary gave me a reassuring smile, pulling the bed covers off. I watched her in silence for some time, while she did her chores. She was young, pretty and thin. Her hair was brown, trimmed short. Something about her made me feel at ease to speak my mind.
" Did you find your soulmate? "I asked out of the blue. When she blushed shyly, I added fast " Sorry, that was blunt of me".
" You can ask me anything, Miss! And yes, I did. He is the blacksmith of the court ". She smiled so brightly at that moment and her eyes glistened with joy. I wondered if I looked the same when I was thinking about Erik and I shook my head quickly in denial.
" I look forward to meeting him! He seems to make you happy" I grinned, raising my eyebrows.
" He does. Brian is a handsome and kind man" she kept on swooning while running around the room.
" Can you tell me more about this... bond?" I batted my eyelashes in a cute, pleading way.
" Of course! What do you want to know?" she giggled with enthusiasm.
" I'm not sure, to be honest. Everything is so new to me. I had no idea Lycans were real until a few days ago" I crossed my arms on my chest.
" Well, a human-werewolf pair is very rare. It's not unheard of, though! You must be very strong if the Moon Goddess chose you to be Lord König's other half!". I blushed overwhelmed by Mary's compliment. It was true I could hold my ground better than most girls I'd met. But was it enough to match Erik's strength? Will they consider me unworthy if I didn't meet the expectations? "Fuck that, don't let anyone decide you're not good enough, Red! " I thought encouraging myself.
" I don't know how a human experiences it, but for us, when we see our mate for the first time, it's like the world slows down and only the two of us exist. When one of you is in pain, you just know that something is wrong, feel it even. Suddenly, you have this new purpose, to be everything they want or need. You would jump in the fire for each other with no second thoughts". She spoke with her eyes lost in thoughts, clearly thinking of her man. I remembered then how it was when I first saw Erik, how I instantly felt drawn to him. Still, this kind of serious commitment overwhelmed me a bit.
Bewitched by Erik's presence I totally forgot about my current situation. I was on, what could prove to be, enemy territory. What if the ruler decided to dispose of me or lock me up? I had to pull my shit and think of a way to escape this place, just in case. Mary saw my conflicted face and sat in front of me, placing a warm hand on mine.
" I know it's a lot to process. But this connection you share is the most powerful thing in the world! You and the young Lord won't be able to resist it or break it, trust me! No one can! " she spoke with a serious face.
" That won't matter if I'm put to death " I pointed out in a grave tone, looking at my hands. They could easily snap my neck if cornered and whatever feelings Erik had for me would count for nothing. The brief thought of not being able to see him again, made me close my eyes in pain. Shit, why was I thinking about him and not my imminent death?
" Don't say that! He will do anything to keep you safe, I'm sure! Also, hurting someone's mate in this land is a serious crime. Everything will be fine! " Mary said reassuringly, squeezing my hands. In a moment of silence, we both heard footsteps outside.
Suddenly, the door burst open and three enormous guards marched in. They looked Lycan from their huge shoulders and glowing eyes. Mary squealed frightened and pinned herself to the wall. I jumped on my feet alarmed, reaching for my daggers out of instinct. But they were tucked away safely near the bed. Fuck!
" What is the meaning of this?" I gritted my teeth angry, taking a defensive stance.
" We have orders to escort you to the Alpha's study for interrogation immediately! Please, do not resist! We are instructed to use force if needed " one of the guards spoke mechanically. So, this was what Erik warned me about.
" Fine! Lead the way " I scowled at him defiantly. I gave Mary a half-smile on my way out.
As they were guiding me through the mansion, my pulse was quickening. Hundreds of thoughts crossed my mind at the same time. I should have thought this through. What will he ask me? I reminded myself I had to lie about the way I was kidnapped as Erik asked. Will he be there? Did he know I was taken? Should I try to flee now? I secretly studied the men. They looked deadly, well trained and even if I managed to put them down somehow, I would probably be caught in town before I could say "Oh, shit!". Running away would make me look guiltier.
I didn't have too much time to think about it, as the guards stopped in front of a massive oak door on the first floor and waited for me to enter. My hands were sweaty and I stood there frozen. One of the guards growled impatiently. I swallowed hard and finally grabbed the doorknob.
A woodsy scent filled my nose as I entered the Alpha's workplace. The whole room was filled with scrolls, books, paintings and maps. But I gave no thought to the interior. My gaze focused on the man who faced the window. I closed the door and nervously waited for him to say something. Eventually, he turned around and regarded me with a cold stare. My lips parted in surprise and my breath caught in my throat. Erik was the mirror image of his father, same body frame, same blue eyes and silvery hair. He almost looked like an older brother. Lying will be much harder than I thought. Erik was not present, which meant he had no idea I was here. A small voice whispered in my ear " Maybe he didn't care enough to come? ". I bit my lip frustrated. No, that could not be the case.
" Please, sit down " the Alpha spoke politely and pointed to the seat in front of his desk. I moved slowly, my body feeling heavy under the pressure. I looked at my clothes briefly. Maybe I should have gone for one of the dresses, to make a better impression? Master König remained on his feet and I knew why. He wanted to intimidate me, to have the upper hand in our discussion. He wore a dark doublet, with golden buttons and embroidery, black leather gloves and boots. His hair was combed back, looking very impressive overall. I had a hard time looking into the leader's eyes. They looked too much like Erik's, those two sparkling sapphires that made my heart stop each time.
" I'm Maxim König, the Alpha of the Silver Claw Pack, the ruler of Wolfhagen and its surrounding territory. I understand your name is... Red. Is this like a code name?" he asked ironically and I immediately felt pissed and flushed.
" No... It's just my name. But, my Lord, if you think my grandma is a spy or something, then maybe " I spoke, trying not to sound impolite.
" You have a sharp tongue for a young lass" he smirked amused, but quickly changed the subject. " I apologize for this abrupt summoning, but this meeting had to happen sooner rather than later" Maxim spoke with a grave tone, puffing his chest.
" Is Erik coming?" I heard myself ask before I even processed his words. What the fuck! The Alpha narrowed his eyes.
" I'm afraid not. My son won't be able to see past his feelings for you and I can't let that get in the way of truth!", his voice echoed around the room. "Feelings, huh! He believes Erik has feelings for me!". My insides warmed up and I tried to hide the smile that tugged on the corner of my mouth.
" You are aware of our kind's existence. This is a serious matter. Not too many humans know about us. Under what circumstances did you find out?" he asked pacing around the study, with both hands behind his back.
" Think, Red, think!" I thought, trying to keep my heartbeats in check. I was certain he could hear it. " I found out when I was kidnapped from my home " I stated with a certain tone.
" From whom?" his strong voice demanded.
" I heard the hunters talking about it while I was captive" I answered carefully. His eyes searched mine and I felt overwhelmed by the need to see Erik.
" And you just believed that some fantasy creatures were actually real?" he raised an eyebrow suspiciously, pressing the matter further.
" No, of course not. But it was hard not to when your son shifted in front of me and saved me afterward " I looked at him with confidence.
" I understand you are from the village of Eder " he moved on with the questioning, flipping through some pages on his desk. I eyed them, wondering how he already knew that. Did he check up on me so fast? He must have eyes everywhere. Before I could say anything, he added " Is that where you plotted to trick my son and hand him to the hunters?". His icy tone made me freeze. His words took me by surprise and I paused for a moment, with my lips parted.
" No! I did no such thing! I didn't even know about Erik at that time... " I tried to prove my point, but he interrupted quickly.
" But you did know about the hunters " he scowled, trying to pull a confession out of me.
" Stop twisting my words, Sir! I would never trick Erik into anything! I was abducted from my village and... ". That's when the Alpha lost his temper and banged his hands on the table, making everything rattle. I jolted and fell silent instantly.
" Stop lying, girl! Tell me everything about Stefan Cernunnos, now! You are part of his League, aren't you? This is all his plan to bring my dynasty to an end! " he gritted his fangs at me. His piercing stare and accusations scared me a bit, but I had to stay calm.
" You are mistaken, Lord König! I know nothing about him, nor his plans! " I spoke through clenched teeth, squeezing on the armchair. He managed to make me feel guilty, even if what I just said was the truth. Damn, he was good at this! When he realized that he lost it, he regained his composure, running a hand through his hair.
" Excuse my sudden burst. It's very hard to control the animal within". The Alpha cleared his throat and continued. " My scouts told me about your fighting abilities. If you are truly not a Hunter, then where did you learn them? Who thought you?"
" I practiced by myself, studied alone from books". I was aware it sounded bleak and by the look on his face, he didn't buy anything I said. Shit, he's gonna lock me up for sure!
" Books, you say. Alright, I see we are going nowhere with this ". The calm, but dangerous tone of his voice made me fidget in the seat. My ever-vigilant instinct was screaming in my head that something bad was about to happen. I looked around the room from the corner of my eyes, but there was no way out. Then, master König took in his hand an amber gemstone, out of a golden socket. I haven't noticed it before, because it looked like an ordinary decoration on his desk. He rotated it three times between his fingers and whispered on top of it " Nyx, could you come to my study, please?".
Not so ordinary after all. Was that some sort of communication device?! The stone vibrated and glowed, then returned to normal. I gulped, wandering who was Nyx. Was he a jailor? A torturer? Was he going to beat the truth out of me?
" I truly know nothing! I promise I won't tell a soul about the Lycans! No one would believe me anyway! " I desperately tried to defend myself. But he just waited, with his gaze fixed on the window. Even if they looked the same, Erik was very different from his father. He was kind and understanding, whereas his dad acted like a cold-hearted asshole. Didn't he care at all about his son's feelings?
Our attention was drawn to the other side of the room when a gust of wind and a blinding light appeared out of nowhere. I covered my eyes and got on my feet startled. When I looked, a third person was standing in the room.
My mouth fell agape in surprise for a second time. The man that just materialized was tall, well-built and dressed in a long, black leather coat, with lots of straps. Around his waist hung a thick belt that held potion vials, scrolls and a golden pocket watch. His hair was an incredible shade of purple, with complicated braids and jewelers all over its length. He didn't strike me as a dangerous man, his face looking rather playful. Was he a magician? Did they exist too? " What fucked up fairytale is this?!" I thought.
When Nyx saw me, his eyes analyzed me from head to toe but said nothing. He turned slightly towards the Alpha.
" You called upon me, my Lord. What can I do for you? " the mage spoke with a bored voice. So, he was his subject too.
" I require your memory charms, Zayne. The present young lady is withholding important pieces of information that may put our kingdom in jeopardy " Max König pointed at me.
" Memory... charms? " I repeated, my eyes widening. The wizard acted as if nothing happened and started searching through his substances, used to this apparently.
" And who is this young miss?" he asked casually like it was just a small detail.
" That doesn't matter..." the Alpha started, but I quickly cut him off.
" I am Erik's mate! " I blurted out, following my gut. I hoped this would mean something to him. The mage stopped his actions mid-air and gazed briefly at me. Was that confliction I saw in his eyes? Still, he remained unfazed when he took out a powder similar to stardust and poured it on his palms.
" What are you doing? " I asked alarmed. Zayne took a step closer. "Stay the fuck away from me! " I raised my voice, backing up. When I hit the wall, I quickly took out my hidden skin knife, my last resource of defense. But the warlock swiftly waved his glowing fingers and the dagger flew right in his hand, disarming me on the spot. Before I could catch my breath, he rotated his hands in a complex movement and I felt my body go stiff, entrapped under his spell. I was like a puppet on strings.
" Sit " Nyx spoke plainly and all I could do was obey his command. My body moved on its own, taking a seat in the chair. I started to panic, but I couldn't even tremble. My eyes were fixed on the mage, as he approached and placed himself behind me. I felt like a pinned insect, with no power, awaiting its faith. The Alpha watched us with an unreadable expression and gave the wizard a small node to proceed. A single tear escaped and rolled down my cheek.
Zayne's fingertips touched my temples and a green glow erupted. I felt them burn my skin as he went deeper. The pain increased, like knives being shoved into my skull. Cold sweats appeared all over my body. I wanted to scream, but my mouth was locked tight. Will Erik feel it? Will he save me?
My eyes rolled in the back of my head, as flashes of memories crossed my mind: my mother singing to me, her body torn to shreds, a black wolf clawing at my skin, Theon and I training with swords in the yard, the cave paintings of the Moon Goddess. Oh, no. If he keeps going he will find out everything!
I tried my best to close my mind up, to not let him in, but the warlock sensed it and sank his threads deeper still into my memory. The images continued to wash over me: Erik's warm lips on me, Grandma's red cloak, the blood of the hunters dripping on the snow, Theon asking me to accompany him. No, no! I can't... let him...
" Just give up. It would only hurt more" I heard his voice inside my head. I felt blood running from my nose, its metallic taste reaching my lips. My whole body started to quiver, finally breaking the mage's bonds. There was no way of winning against his magic, so I just let go. I yelled in pain, as all my thoughts, dreams, hopes and feelings poured out of me into the warlock's hands.
Then, a loud Boom! echoed and Erik's scent and voice filled the chamber.
" Get your fucking hands off her!" he roared angrier than I ever heard him before. The pain in my head suddenly stopped and I gasped for air like I was drowning up until that moment. The room started to spin when I tried to get up and I knew I was going to hit the floor. Only I didn't. A pair of big, warm arms caught me firmly and the sweet cinnamon smell made me melt instantly.
" I got you, flower. I'm here! " Erik whispered softly, whipping the blood from my nose gently.
" You... came " I mumbled. A feeling of utter safety filled me, a weak smile spreading on my face. His voice slowly got muffled, as I blacked out.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Glory_Ralle
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