CHAPTER 13- LORELEI& BELKAMVSCASTIEN
LORELEI POV
A few hours later....
"I must caution against venturing too deeply into the woods, my dear," he remarked, his gaze directed towards the ominous sky, pregnant with the promise of impending rain.
Fearlessly, I flashed a smirk in response, a glint of mischief dancing in my eyes as I transformed into my lupine form. "Fear not, for illness has never dared to touch me. Besides, hunger gnaws at my insides," I assured him nonchalantly.
Concern etched across his features, he inquired, "Why have you not fed, Lorelei?"
With a flick of my tail, I responded through our telepathic link, "I have a penchant for the taste of fresh, living prey."
"Lorelei, perhaps we should seek out human sustenance. This constant hunt..." Historia's voice trailed off in exasperation. Unperturbed, she dashed towards the depths of the forest, her irritation evident.
Whether it was Historia's sudden assertiveness or his persistent advice that rankled me, I couldn't tell. His words echoed those of Belkam, but why did they sting so? The thrill of the hunt coursed through my veins, reviving my primal instincts, as the desire for warm blood and flesh filled my fangs. We raced aimlessly through the woods for what felt like an eternity, until we found ourselves ensnared in an unfamiliar, disorienting part of the forest. As the sky darkened ominously and thunder reverberated through the air, I struggled to maintain my bearings. In my lupine form, the thunderclaps assaulted my heightened senses, sending shards of pain coursing through my ears. Blinded by the deluge of rain, the wind's relentless howl obscured familiar scents, leaving only the acrid tang of mud and damp wood in its wake. Despite my anguished cries, the storm swallowed my voice whole, leaving me disoriented and lost.
"Alpha Castien, we've located her!" I faintly heard distant voices calling out.
As his melodious voice pierced through the tempest, gently stroking my sodden fur, I felt a surge of relief. "We must return her to her human form. I shall bear her on my back as we make our way back to the castle, Alpha Castien," the venerable Doctor Moritz suggested.
With a touch of silver chain on my paw, I felt a searing sensation course through my body, my form reverting to that of a human. Draped in a coat, I shivered in the embrace of the night, surrendering to the enveloping darkness.
CASTIEN POV
Throughout that challenging week, my nights were plagued by restless sleep, my weariness palpable to those around me. Concerned gazes lingered, silently questioning the toll it was taking on me. But my beloved mate remained in a state of unyielding slumber, her lack of awakening stirring up a torrent of frustration and irritability within me. Even my inner wolf refused to cease its reproachful whispers. I rarely strayed from her bedside, spending endless hours clutching her fragile hand in mine, a feeble attempt to offer some semblance of solace.
Typically, the proximity of a mate serves as a healing balm, yet in her case, it appeared to only exacerbate her deterioration. Each passing day saw her drenched in perspiration, her fever soaring, her complexion paling with alarming rapidity. The few moments of consciousness she mustered were mere murmurs and tremors, a cruel mirage of her former vitality.
"I'm sorry, Castien," her voice, barely above a whisper, drew me back to the present with great tenderness, I pressed my lips to hers, relief flooding through me as I brushed back her matted locks.
"How do you fare, my love? I shall summon the doctor and fetch you some water," I murmured softly, offering her a glass.
"Her fever is breaking, a positive sign," Doctor Moritz announced out of nowhere, his examination thorough and focused.
"I hunger," she murmured weakly.
"Here, your meal awaits," I gestured towards the plate, only for her to weakly push it away.
"No... I crave freshness... raw meat," her request cast a shadow across the doctor's features.
"We shall procure it promptly," Doctor Moritz stated with solemnity, leading me to the corridor for a private conversation away from her earshot.
"Alpha, Luna Lorelei's condition troubles me deeply. Her symptoms defy all lycan logic. I require access to the high elves' library, our pack's physician will tend to the Luna in my absence. Time is of the essence," his words, laced with unease, left me unsettled. Doctor Moritz, a paragon of knowledge and composure, rarely displayed such distress.
"Furthermore, I require one more crucial demand from you, Lord Castien," he turned to face me.
"Name it, and it shall be done," I vowed unwaveringly.
"If my suspicions prove true, she can only consume raw meat, ideally with fresh blood. It is the key to restoring her strength."
LORELEI POV
The other pack's physician rushed to my side as Dr. Moritz departed, his expression a mix of surprise and concern as he assessed my condition. With Castien's assistance, I was gingerly helped to sit on the stretcher.
"Doctor Moritz informed me of her week-long unconsciousness due to illness... perhaps a change in diet is warranted. I'm uncertain of its efficacy," he began, but we promptly interjected with a resolute refusal. It heartened me to witness Castien standing by me at last.
"Will she be well enough for the ritual?" Castien inquired anxiously.
"Indeed, the ceremony is but a formality, no one would demand an alpha's participation during the hunt," assured the doctor as he examined me. As the physician reached for my wrist to assess my pulse, a low growl emanated from Castien, causing the healer to pause and bow his head.
"Leave him be; I must bear the responsibility, he was merely carrying out his duties," I gently touched his cheek, and he grasped my hand, pressing a tender kiss to my palm.
"I must procure some supplies. I shall return shortly," the physician excused himself.
"You've severed our mind link; I sense you're concealing something from me," Castien declared, his behavior since my awakening hinting at an underlying unease. If only he would trust me, I silently yearned, crestfallen at the divide between us.
"Lorelei," he murmured, placing my hand over his heart, his steady rhythm palpable beneath my touch. "It transcends my wolf and the bond between mates; you are my essence, my raison d'être is to safeguard you."
Drawing closer, he sought solace in my embrace. Tracing my hand from his cheek to his neck, a shiver raced down my spine at the contact of his skin, yet it was a welcome sensation. Pulling back slightly to meet my gaze, his eyes locked onto my lips. His warm breath brushed against mine, prompting him to end our shared torment and capture my lips with his own. The kisses started leisurely, almost hesitantly, but swiftly gained intensity, his hands tracing paths across my skin, igniting a fervor within me. Our hearts thudded rapidly, breaths grew ragged, lost in the fervor of our embrace; we were ensnared in a dizzying passion that left us breathless. Reluctant to part, my body ached for him, his mere presence stoking a primal desire within me, pushing me toward my heat. I wrapped my legs around him as he drew nearer, and unable to resist any longer, I whispered in his ear, "Castien... mine," prompting my wolf to acknowledge his significance, "mark me."
My plea unleashed a wild fervor in his wolf, driving him to plant sensual kisses along my neck, his fangs tantalizingly close to my skin...
The sudden intrusion of Dr. Thewlis, my father, and his retinue halted the burgeoning intimacy, attempting to impede Belkam's entrance.
The interruption made both Castien and his wolf very angry, who growled at everyone in the room as he clung closer to me. Magnus smiled as he was fully aware of something obvious to us. The tension in the air only increased when the growl from Magnus son stunned everyone in the room.
"Mate" from the back of Belkam's throat with a gold glimmer in his eyes, it was his wolf.
"Get your dirty paws off my mate! She is mine!" Balderik, now in control, growled. This was impossible, not only Belkam but his wolf were claiming me. Magnus smile faded from his face and his eyes darkened, it was like he suspected what was going on. Why was his wolf recognizing me? Was Belkam condemned to a mateless life? His whim had finally convinced his wolf? But if it was so, why was Historia feeling confused?
The growls of both wolves took me out of my thoughts. If nobody stopped them soon, they would kill each other in the doctor's office. I tried to calm Castien down in the hope that someone else could contain Belkam, but seeing Castien so close to me and my neck, one of the weakest spots of any living being and a place that symbolized total trust, enraged Belkam even more and the threat of him growling violently near his mate overpowered Castien's wolf.
Both beta and first warrior were paralyzed, two alphas were in contention for a female, but how could I stop them? I had to make them forget about themselves. I let go of Castien, who stood in front of me to cover me from danger and I approached the window, the doctor's office, which was on a high floor, and opened it standing dangerously on the edge. I knew that I couldn't jump and my father too, but they didn't. They both immediately stopped and tried to convince me to go with them, but my father put up a barrier that they both rejected, for obvious reasons.
Doctor Thewlis, with his cunning and wisdom, loomed over us like a wise old wolf in the midst of a heated confrontation. As he spoke of My unmarked self and the impending Luna ritual, the tension in the room escalated to a palpable degree. The prospect of two alphas vying for dominance and matehood over the untouched Lorelei set the scene for a dangerous power struggle.
Belkam, his eyes ablaze with a fierce golden light, emitted a low, threatening growl as he staked his claim over me, fueled by an inner fire, countered with a menacing growl of his own, asserting his dominance in the face of the challenging circumstances. The air grew heavy with anticipation and danger, as the clash between the two powerful wolves threatened to erupt into violence.
Caught in the midst of this primal struggle, I found myself grappling with questions and uncertainties. Would one of these alphas be left mateless? Had Belkam's wolf finally yielded to his desires? And why did Historia, her own wolf, feel a sense of bewilderment amidst the chaos unfolding before me?
As the tension mounted and the two alphas stood locked in a dangerous standoff, I knew she had to act. With resolve and daring, I positioned myself on the precipice, a bold move to capture their attention and divert the impending clash. My actions brought a temporary ceasefire to the conflict, as the alphas tried to coax her back to safety. As i braced myself for the challenges ahead, the weight of my circumstances settled in. Two alphas, driven by their primal instincts and desires, were now locked in a fierce battle for my favor, with the stakes higher than ever before. In the face of this dangerous power struggle, i knew that My choices in the upcoming ritual would determine not only my fate but the fate of those around me.
As they departed, leaving me to face the solitude of the consult room, two guards escorted me with a stern grip. Magnus touch was not one of solace; rather, it was a forceful reminder of his authority. I bit back a cry of pain as his fingers dug into my arm, a painful testament to his disappointment.
"You are my downfall! I should have let you perish when you were but a helpless pup. Your mother pleaded for your life, and for her sake alone, you still breathe," he spat, his words dripping with venomous resentment. With a cruel tug, he yanked my hair, sending searing waves of pain through my skull, his grasp on my chin unyielding, the pressure threatening to shatter my jaw.
"You will meet your demise long before you dare lay claim to the crown! His bloodline will see to it," he hissed, releasing me to crumple to the cold, unforgiving ground, the ache of his grip lingering.
The guards led me to my chamber, where the maids adorned me in a regal gown fit for the impending hunt, securing shackles around my ankles with an air of finality. Gazing at my reflection in the mirror, I caught a glimpse of my father's haunted visage behind me.
"You are the spitting image of your mother," his voice, laced with an unfamiliar sorrow, offered a fleeting sense of solace amidst the chaos of my reality, a bittersweet moment that would prove to be my last. Taking his arm, we made our way to the threshold, where a gathering awaited for the ceremonial hunt. With a solemn command, Magnus unveiled my face, revealing me to the contenders gathered before us.
Under the moon's ethereal glow, I stood at the entrance of the labyrinth, my gaze sweeping over the mateless alphas poised to compete for the coveted title of Luna. My heart raced as the realization dawned upon me: a race to claim me as their own. Amidst the tension, the two alphas, Rhylan and Sigurd, growled in unison, their eyes fixed on me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.
"Mate..." their voices echoed, each vying for possession over me. Panic gripped my heart, the weight of their intentions bearing down upon me like a curse, a fate I could not escape.