AVERY

When I near him, the man turns his head slightly. I halt, trying to see his features through the hood covering his head but it is impossible.

Shaking the drowsiness from my mind, I approach and slump on the seat opposite him. He picks up his head and casts me a curious look.

My breath hitches. A pair of deep grey eyes peer back at me, as his lips morph into a quirky smirk.

Unconsciously, I hold my breath and stare at him without moving a single muscle. I have seen my fair share of handsome men in my life, but something about this gruff and muscle-packed man screams a certain kind of sex appeal.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat and focus on his grey eyes. I narrow my gaze on him.

“ Are you from the South? ” I huff, my voice coming out slurry.

Grey eyes are the symbol of people from the South, the enemy Kingdom—the same place where I am supposed to be shipped to, a week later.

The people from there reside behind a magical wall that they raised in their defence, and they are not seen in any other Kingdoms. So what is this man doing here of all places? And why do I feel this electrifying pull to him?

His gaze lowers to my lips, my neck, my heaving chest hidden beneath the clothes before sharply meeting my eyes. Heat spreads in my belly as I stiffen in front of him.

“ Does it matter to you, Princess? ” His voice has a deep baritone and holds a hint of indifference.

My body shudders under his penetrating eyes that are sizing me up. “ do you know me? ”

I feel my heartbeat quickening at the thought. My vision blurs again momentarily before I shake my head and regain it.

“ Isn’t that why you are here? ” He leans in and whispers huskily, “ you want me to get to know you. ”

I gulp the uneasiness in my throat and feel my stomach tightening in knots. Alarms are sounding in my head but my eyes are drawn to the rest of him.

Dressed in all black, and wearing a hooded cloak over his clothes, he looks like a grim reaper. I would have distanced myself from him immediately after just seeing his size and his eyes if I had not been so out of my mind tonight.

Yes, that’s right. I must be mad to be here.

He is an enemy. They are not allowed in the territory of the North, but well, who cares?

“ Why do you think that I… that I want you to get to know me? ” I swallow my saliva and lean back in the chair.

That thick lips of his stretch wider. My heart misses an odd beat. Why does he look so tempting? Like a devil?

He rises to his height like a scary statue carved out of rare stones. My mouth dries as my eyes roam his strongly built body. My gaze traces the veins protruding in his arms before lowering to his fingers. How will it feel to have him—

My cheeks flush as I stop my train of thought. I shake my head instantly, trying to regain my rational thinking.

As a Princess, my purity means everything to me and the world. I must not have these thoughts. I have to be pure for the man who is chosen for me.

The stranger strides to my side and rests his hand on the table. His face closes in on me, sending chills down my spine. I hold my breath and turn my head to the right to stare at him.

Closer and closer and closer—

Instinctively, I reach out and place my hand over his chest to keep him at some distance. His lips are already so close to mine that I can feel his minty breaths scorching my face. And it’s making me squirm with a strange mixture of excitement and anticipation.

His other hand reaches for my cheek and he pushes a strand of hair away with the tip of his forefinger. The slight brush makes me gasp. A ripple of pleasure shoots down from my neck to my toes.

What is this?

“ You are here, are you not? Out of so many men in this bar, you have chosen to come to me, Princess. What does it mean to you? ” His finger trails a path down my cheek and caresses my jaw. The feathery touch blinds me to the people and sounds around me.

“ I didn’t— ”

His finger moves to my ear, tracing a teasing path around the shell. I clench my hands into fists, losing my will to fight this.

“ To me, it means you want me to make you feel good tonight. ” His deep voice is a compelling sound that injects liquid heat into my veins.

“ More. ” I whisper, surprised at my request.

What’s wrong with me?

This is wrong. So very wrong.

“ More what, Princess? ” His sultry voice eradicates the guilt.

“ What—Whatever you want. ” I lean into his palm, finally feeling the warmth seeping into my freezing body.

“ You want more of me? ” He chuckles above my lips, drawing my attention to his mysterious eyes.

“ Yes. ” I utter without registering it in my head.

For a night, I can be free. I can just be Ava.

********

After a while, my blood is rushing faster to my head and that’s why I am dizzy, I tell myself. It is not because we are entering a room and the man is right behind me.

His gaze sears my skin which is tightly wrapped in layers of clothes. I gasp every time little electric jolts run up the length of my arm, rendering me unable to process why it feels so good.

His aura is cold and indifferent. In contrast, his skin is warm. It’s enough to make me shudder.

Oh Goddess, what am I doing?

“ You look like someone from a noble family. Are you sure you should be here, Princess? ” He says smugly and tugs me back.

Like a lifeless doll, I stumble into his arm. My head tilts back as my eyes meet the pair of grey eyes again. The alarms blare louder in my head, but the next moment, my eyes are finding his thick lips.

Will it feel good to do it with him?

My hands fall on his chest while I try to fight this line of thinking. There is something about him that pulls me in and the desperation is growing stronger as time passes by.

“ Yes. We should get on— ”

Suddenly, he leans in. I close my mouth as my eyes widen in fear. This is not the kind of fear that paralyzes me. It’s the kind of fear that makes my body buzz with energy. It’s the fear of liking this too much.

“ Tell me something. ” His warm breath ghosts my lips. “ can you even handle me? ”

My cheeks flare in both, embarrassment and thrill. Judging by his build, it won’t be…that easy, right?

Electricity cackles in the air, raising my temperature and speeding my breaths. He waits for an answer, his dark gaze pinning me on my spot and making me restless.

And his lips. I can’t get my eyes off them.

“ I wonder, will you cry when I am deep inside you, Princess? ”

I raise myself on my toes and smash my lips against his mouth. My judgment goes out of the window as the sparks rush to the forefront.

Surprised, I pull away and drop on my heels. What was this sensation just now?

“ I won’t cry. Never. ” I struggle to breathe.

His grey eyes seem to darken under the shadows of the dimly lit room. Like a hungry beast, he drops the act and grips the back of my head harshly.

“ You asked for it. Remember this later. ” He utters, in a voice that is soft but equally dangerous.

I am not thinking rationally. I know. But the moment he pulls me into his body and kisses me like a starved man, my mind shuts down completely.

His lips are not gentle and he has no regard for my pace. I gasp against his smooth lips that devour me and turn my body into liquid heat.

I am no stranger to what happens in interactions like these, but this is the first time a man is touching me so intimately and…roughly.

One of his hands tightens into my hair, pulling at my scalp cruelly while the other roams down my side to loosen the strings keeping my cloak in place.

My nipples harden under the dress I am wearing as the cloak slides down my body and pools on the floor. Momentarily, he detaches our lips. I suck in a few desperate breaths while trying to fight off the lightheadedness.

His kiss has turned my mind into mush and my heart into a horse that is running a blind race with no finish line in sight. His hand drops to my waist as he looks into my wide, surprised eyes. My body is so sensitive to touch that his warm palm on my clothed skin makes me tremble.

“ I don’t do soft. ” His gruff, wild voice whispers above my lips.

I close my gaping mouth, tasting his mint breath over my lips. Our eyes remain locked, making me hyperaware of the height difference between us.

“ I am not…looking for anything like that. ” I utter weakly.

This is happening.

Oh, this is such a bad idea.

But…it feels…

He drags his hand up and cups my left breast from above my dress. The rough squeeze of his big palm causes my head to drop back. An unconscious sound slips from my lips, leaving me an embarrassing mess.

It feels so good.

“ Do you know me, Princess? ” His lips touch mine, just slightly and my thighs clench together as wetness pools between them.

AVERY

“ N—No. ” My back arcs.

“ Ask my name. ” He demands in an amused tone.

I can’t focus on whatever he wants. I can only feel his hand in my hair and on my breast. Calloused fingers kneading my skin, and making me breathless.

“ Ask me. ” His lips press onto mine again, just enough to make me yearn for more.

If I know his name, will I…seek him again?

I…can’t.

“ I don’t want to know. ” I shudder helplessly.

“ What do you want, Princess? ” His breath hits my cheek before sliding to my exposed neck.

He pulls at my hair, making me arc more for him. His lips press into the crook of my neck, sending chills down my spine.

“ I just want you to, Ah…make me feel good. ” I blurt hesitantly.

He chuckles against my skin. My fingers dig into his muscles, feeling the hardness and imagining his body over mine.

The tingling sensation between my thighs is driving me crazy. I open my mouth to demand him to hurry up but his hands behind my back stop me.

With a tug, he rips the back of my dress. Buttons fly in the dark, as the dress helplessly falls to the floor.

Now, I stand in front of him, naked and flushed. His hands claim my skin possessively and drag down my sides.

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to fight the moans threatening to spill out of my mouth. He runs his fingers under the breasts, tracing the exposed lining.

His lips meet mine again. The bruising force behind the kiss makes me stumble but he catches me and tugs me back in. My naked body presses into his clothed one as he parts my lips and dives in.

All thoughts drop out of my head and the sensations take charge. One kiss leads to another, then his lips are on my neck—Kissing, sucking, nibbling, and leaving marks on my skin.

I can’t stop the moans anymore. The hot sounds echo in the room, and my hands grip his shirt tightly.

Abruptly, I am pushed into the bed and he is hovering above me. My eyes blink open to find his heated gaze fixed on me. My heart jumps into my throat.

Under the dim lights, he looks like the definition of masculine beauty. The darkness he radiates is unique and tempting.

My thighs clench harder as his gaze drops to my hardened nipples. He places his hands on my thighs and spreads my legs. My back curves and my nipples brush his shirt.

Instantly, I moan and then close my mouth. His dark gaze sweeps over my body and meets my eyes again.

A warm hand slides between my panties and another moan escapes my lips. My toes curl as the pad of his middle finger presses into my core.

This is happening.

Oh, Goddess.

Without a care, he slides the finger inside me. The uncomfortable feeling spreads in my lower half, but it goes away the moment he pulls it out and then plunges it back in. I don’t have the time to be surprised by the ease with which his fingers slide into me.

He pulls them out and leans away. Instinctively, I squeeze my eyes shut. My core is throbbing and aching with the need to get something inside me.

It’s like my body is betraying me completely. The alcohol has made me blind and the strange sparks only aid whatever this man is doing.

He slides my panties down my legs which have a mind of their own. His muscular frame settles between my legs again before he leans in and kisses me roughly.

The movement of his lips is aggressive and demanding. It’s different from the previous kisses. It’s more intense, and deeper. His tongue explores my mouth, as his fingers slide between my folds once more.

Like a brainless fool, I moan into his mouth and spread my legs wider for him.

We part for a moment and he removes his shirt hastily. I pant as I reach for his neck and tug him back in. Our lips meet with the same intensity that knocks the breath out of my lungs.

His hands fumble between our bodies. I hear the noise of the zipper, then feel something hot and hard sliding between my wet folds.

Pleasure courses through my veins, making me unable to register anything else.

His teeth tug my lower lip harshly before he pulls away and sits on his knees.

“ Look at me. ” He commands in a powerful tone. Warmth pools in my belly at the way he speaks.

My eyes snap open and meet his gaze. The corner of his mouth quirks up but I find myself staring into his eyes that hold a hint of fury.

Why is he angry? Is he mad at me? Does he not like it?

“ Keep your eyes on me. ” He orders, and breathlessly, I obey.

I have never—

My train of thought comes to a halt. He pushes inside me roughly. I hiss and clench my teeth. My lower abdomen throbs with pain as if something has split me in half. Unconsciously, my eyes roll back into my head as I struggle in agony.

“ Eyes, Princess. ” He says hoarsely.

Immediately, my gaze finds his face again. A wave of electricity goes down my spine and makes me squirm to adjust him.

I want this, I want him. I need this desperately.

He is watching me, writhing in pain and the subtle pleasure. I clench the sheets while trying to not make it so obvious.

“ First time? ” He lowers his hand to my stomach, feeling the tensed muscles.

I bite my lower lip but refuse to answer him. His eyes flash a threatening black, making my eyes widen in horror. Slowly, strange dark red veins pop under his eyes and in his cheeks.

This can’t be. Only the eyes of Lycans ever flash black. And what are those veins? I have never seen this before.

Roughly, he pushes his length inside me. I wince, as my head rolls back into the pillow. This hurts like hell.

“ Princess. ” He pushes further in.

I try to squirm away but his hands close around my waist and pull me to him.

“ You will take all of me tonight. ” He groans, pushing all of it in.

My insides cling to him while pain makes me shake my head repeatedly. I should ask him to stop.

I should ask him to stop—I repeat to myself, but the pleasure that his throbbing cock inside me brings surpasses the pain. The sparks that surround my body and make it tingle make me numb to the world.

“ P—Please, move. ” I grumble through my gritted teeth as he stays still.

“ So tight. ” He pulls out.

“ And wet. ” Thrusts back in. I grip the pillow and moan recklessly.

“ And eager to get fucked. ” Another thrust and the gravity of his voice makes me forget about the pain.

His hands move to my breasts, squeezing and pinching my nipples. I turn my head to the side and bite the pillow but it’s not enough to keep me quiet…or sane.

The slow thrusts become hard, and fast, and then quicker. His groans become an aphrodisiac, giving me a satisfaction I never felt before.

Every sensation heightens the moment his lips find the skin of my neck, my shoulders, my breasts. His lips are everywhere, and his hands are holding me down as he takes me mercilessly.

The moment I forget the pain, it becomes all about the hot pleasure that buzzes in every inch of my skin. Something builds deep inside me—Something that threatens to leave me shattered underneath him.

And then, I come undone with a shallow scream in his neck but he keeps going. My mind tells me to stop this. I am done.

But the thought of his pleasure, the pleasure he will take from my body…is intoxicating. I want him to feel the same. I want him to shatter and lose his mind.

Every desperate thrust and every desperate sound of pleasure brings me closer to another orgasm. He flips me to my stomach and slides back in before he takes me in the familiar quick strokes.

The stretch burns, and he goes deeper. But it feels so good.

Somewhere during it, I forget my name, and my identity and only remember the man who is inside me like he owns me.

I only come to my senses when I feel his teeth over my neck. He bites a little harder than necessary, and a force sweeps inside my head. I scream due to the pressure before I feel the warm liquid inside me.

What did he do?

I struggle to grasp the reigns of sanity but it’s impossible when the pressure in my head grows.

The thrusts come to a halt as he pants close to my ear, his heavy breaths making me dizzier.

“ What…did…you— ”

My tongue loosens in my mouth. I press my forehead into the pillow while trying to understand what just happened.

He sinks his teeth in the lobe of my ear, sending a sharp pain in my flesh. I try to grab the pillow but it slips from my hold. I feel so weak.

“ You… ” His deep, angry voice whispers something into my ear. “ Mine. ”

I gasp a final time and desperately try to hold onto my consciousness but I am already slipping. I am so sleepy and tired and—

“ Princess. ”

I think he is laughing to mock me. I try to blink my eyes open but it’s impossible.

“ Remember. My name is… ” I hear him say and then feel him pull out of me.

I try to make out what he said, but everything goes black.

AVERY

Everything hurts.

I groan, shifting to my back only to get the bright sunlight to burn my face. For a few moments, I keep my eyes closed and try to understand why it hurts.

But then the events of the night flash before my eyes and I sit up in the bed. The stench of alcohol and sex still lingers in the air but the atmosphere is cold now.

The warmth is gone.

I open my eyes and look around to find the room vacant. The man is gone. And I—

I look down at my body only to find myself still naked and bearing the marks from last night.

My breath hitches in my throat. Did I just give up my virginity to a stranger when I was supposed to keep myself pure for my future mate?

No. This can’t be.

Dustin will kill me when he gets to know and if he doesn’t and I end up in the South, Aleister Anasazi will know. If he finds out, he will consider this treachery.

Fear grips my heart and twists it painfully. What do I do?

Why did I do this?

Why did I lose my mind when I saw this man? Why did I feel like I was on fire when he was so close?

Who was he?

Another memory swarms my mind. Last night, I saw his eyes turning black and some strange veins appeared in his cheeks. Could it be that…he is a Lycan?

But, that’s impossible, right? Only the Royal Bloodline are Lycans. Aleister Anasazi and his family are the only Lycans in the South.

Does this mean…this man…is Aleister’s relative?

Oh, my Goddess. What did I do?

I am startled out of my thoughts when a loud knock sounds on the door. It is followed by several heavy thuds. I don’t need to open the door to know who is there. It’s Renee, her sweet scent is filling the space already.

Scent. My eyes widen in realization. I had sex. She will be able to tell instantly.

“ Princess! ” She shrieks on the other side of the door when I don’t answer.

I jump to my aching feet and gather my clothes. Panic surges in my veins as I dress up in a hurry. The urgency in Renee’s tone tells me that the worst has happened.

And as expected, when I open the door, her fear-filled eyes meet my gaze. She grabs my wrist and pulls me out.

“ His Highness— ”

She freezes, her gaze lowering to my neck which is still exposed. The temperature drops around us, and at that moment, I realize something else. Last night, he did something to me. His teeth sank into my neck and then everything became heightened before I lost consciousness.

“ Tell me you see nothing there. ” My chin wobbles.

“ Is that a… ” Her lips tremble as she meets my gaze again. “ Princess. What did you do? ”

My numb, cold fingers finally land on my neck and there is a bump there. I stumble on my feet, my back hitting the wall behind me.

No.

I dig my nails in my neck.

No, he didn’t do it.

“ It’s a… ” Renee can’t bring herself to say it.

“ Mate Mark. ” I utter and the world slows down for a while.

“ Who was it? Did you find your mate? ” She steps away from me cautiously.

Deep grey eyes keep revolving in my mind. The indifference, the amusement, and the strange glint.

My heartbeat escalates until I can’t breathe anymore.

No way.

A Princess marked by a man she doesn’t even know…That sounds just…Impossible.

This man is from the South, an enemy and he is a Lycan which means he is closely related to the man I am promised to. That’s just oil to the fire.

“ They are here to take you back, Princess. They found us. ” Renee whispers scaredly.

“ He is going to kill me. When he finds out, I did something like this, Dustin will kill me. ” I gasp, covering my neck.

Dustin, my brother, and the King. He will die before accepting this. He will kill me.

And what about the man I am promised to? He will hold this against Dustin. He sought a pure, virgin Princess who had never been touched by a man before, and when he realizes that not only did I sleep with a man but also had his mark, he will consider this a betrayal from our Kingdom and he will…wage a war.

I hyperventilate as my whole body trembles and my breath gets stuck in my throat.

Oh, Goddess.

What the hell, Avery?

What now?

My stomach tightens in knots, sending me to the edge. I might as well strangle myself now and pretend I didn’t do anything.

Heavy footsteps cover the distance to us, and my heartbeat speeds up to new limits.

“ The Royal Guards. They are coming. ” Renee lunges towards me and covers my head with the cape. “ we must not let them see this. Do you understand, Princess? ”

She is right.

“ Here. ” Hurriedly, she opens the small vial bottle which I failed to notice before, and forces the liquid down my throat. “ this is a scent-hiding potion. They won’t smell anything on you. ”

My first reaction is to agree with her. Until I come up with a solution which I doubt will be possible, I must not let my brother figure out what I did in here.

“ My Princess. ” The head Royal Guard, Austin is the first to get to me.

Respectfully, he bows his head when he approaches us and gestures at the other guards behind him to stay in the back.

There is no change in his usual respectful stance towards me which means the potion is working. He won’t be able to pick the stench on me.

I try to gather myself and act to be nonchalant but the lessons of a lifetime fail me. I can’t wipe off the look of horror, shock, and anger from my face. He notices this from the corner of his eyes and sighs.

“ His Highness is waiting for you outside, Princess. ” He informs politely.

But my world tilts off its axis. “ My brother…he is here? ”

He came personally? I gulp nervously. The potion might hide the scents but fooling my brother is no easy feat. He will know when he looks at me.

“ Yes, My Princess. ” Austin nods and steals another glance at the sweat trickling down the side of my forehead.

My brother is waiting for me. My cold hands shiver by my side. How am I supposed to face him?

I take a step back in fear. I don’t want to see him. I want to hide and—

“ If you don’t walk now, Princess, His Highness will have to come inside. ” He adds, releasing a soft sigh.

My heart jumps in my throat. If he comes inside, this whole place will burn down to ashes. He is my brother but he is a cruel man who leaves no witnesses behind in any scenario.

I break out of the dreadful trance and steel myself. “ Let’s go. ”

My soul trembles in fear of my brother, my family and the future as Austin leads me down. The club that was bustling with people is empty and the eerie silence only weighs on my senses.

Where did all the people…go?

Renee follows closely behind, the rigidity of her body increasing my nervousness. I hold my head high as we exit the premises.

And there he stands, the man who can manage to make the strongest people scared with a simple look. His calm demeanor is the same as usual. There are no cracks in the facade he puts up in front of people when his eyes move to rest on my face.

But I know better than to think he is composed. The calm Dustin is the most dangerous man to exist.

I drag my heavy feet towards him. My heart races in my chest, as fear spreads throughout my body.

It’s embarrassing.

He will know what I did. I can’t play him. My brother…He is too smart.

“ Dustin, I didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t even think about it. I just wanted to be free for a day… ” I didn’t dare mention night. “ I drank too much and passed out. ”

Lies spill out of my mouth one after another. I am digging my grave deeper. Eventually, Dustin will know and he won’t spare me.

“ Take the Princess back. ” Dustin cuts in and commands Austin without taking his eyes off me.

“ It’s not what you think. It’s… ”

It’s exactly what he thinks. I shouldn’t feel guilty but the disappointment, that only I can sense in his eyes makes me tear up.

‘ Royals don’t cry. ’ My mother’s cold voice rings in my head, accompanied by the sounds of sharp lashes and screams.

I clasp my hands together to stop the tremors. Dustin’s fleeting gaze falls on my hands but his eyes don’t soften. He has nothing to offer to me anymore.

My chest tightens in pain but I don’t utter another word. I am doomed—I know and I must suffer and pay for what I did last night.

I tighten the ribbon of my cape to hide my neck and storm away, leaving my brother behind.

He let me go without asking anything in front of so many people, but what awaited me at home won’t be this lenient.