Part 40

We both made it back to Forks Land safely. Standing in the garden outside my room, we aimed to slip inside unnoticed by anyone. I glanced around and saw a commotion in the castle. The maids were running around, and the soldiers were getting ready like they were going to war. I gulped.

I signalled for Sophia to follow me, and we quietly made our way towards the entrance.

With each step, my heart sank further, a sinking feeling overtaking me as chaos unravelled within the castle walls. I realized that the news of my disappearance had spread like wildfire. I knew I couldn't escape facing the consequences of my actions.

Among the chaos, I heard the unmistakable sound of familiar footsteps approaching. My mouth went dry, and I swallowed hard as my gaze landed on Stanley, striding towards me. An overwhelming sense of fear washed over me and made me hide in the garden. I couldn't quite comprehend why I felt compelled to hide, but deep down, I knew that Stanley will be angry, and I was not ready to face his wraith.

Just as I was about to hide behind a tree, a sharp voice sliced through the air, calling out my name from behind. "Kristen?" Stanley's voice reverberated, causing me to freeze in my tracks. I gulped, my pulse quickening. Oh god, I muttered under my breath and turned my head slowly to face him.

Meeting his furious gaze sent a chill down her spine. I looked down at my feet when he stopped at a foot's distance. I didn't dare look him in the eyes.

He spoke a moment later, and I didn't miss the dark, unhappy tone in his voice. "Where did you go?" His voice came out as a low, dark growl that didn't hide how dissatisfied he was with me at that moment. I frowned and pressed my hand flat against my stomach, thinking that would help the unpleasantness settle there. He was upset with me.

"I am sorry; I can explain," I said in a barely audible voice. "What made you leave without informing anyone? Do you have any idea how many people are searching for you right now? I couldn't even detect where you were." He said in a high tone while clutching my shoulder tightly.

"I am sorry." My voice was soft and unsure as I blinked up at him, but he kept those beautiful eyes looking away.

"I am really mad at you." He said in a tone that made me feel like he was disappointed in me.

My heart dropped painfully in my chest, and I sucked in a ragged breath. " I saw a vision, my friends were in danger, and there was no time to alert anyone; that's why I decided to go myself. I wanted to make sure my friends were okay." I said.

He grunted before finally bringing those spell-binding eyes back to mine. Our gazes locked again as his body loomed over my smaller one.

"So you did not even feel like telling me before going to human land yourself?" He growled again, and his eyes started to glow.

We stood there quietly for a while, both of us gazing at each other. It felt like years before his eyes softened and his hand slowly reached up to my hair. "Tell me why you had to go alone. Do you not trust me?"

His voice was soft as his fingers played gently with a stand of my hair, his eyes following the action, but I knew he was silently demanding the answer. I wanted to close my eyes when he brushed his hand softly along my jaw, but I couldn't. His eyes wouldn't let me.

"I am sorry, Stanley. I was not thinking straight. When I saw my friends getting hurt, I couldn't think of anything else."

"You knew it was a trap, right?" He asked in a soft tone. I sighed. "Yes. It was, and I learned my lesson." I admitted my mistake.

"What happened?" He asked, taking my hand in his.

"I just wanted to make sure my friends were okay, I thought to just go see them and return within a few minutes. William was there. I tried to protect them from him, but I found out that it was his witches who disguised themselves as my friends to trap me. I fought the witch who helped William abduct me. Sophia helped me, and we managed to escape." I said, looking at her. His gaze followed mine, and he looked at the girl who emerged from behind the tree. She looked scared and trembled a bit, but she never lifted her gaze to look at him.

"How did you find out I was missing?" I asked with a tilt of my head as that hand brushed my hair over my shoulder. I enjoyed those little touches and how his eyes followed the action. I can never get enough.

"Terra came to meet you and found out you were missing a few hours ago."

I frowned up at him, but those blue eyes only narrowed. "Few hours? I thought I was only out for a few minutes." "Terra sure worries about me a lot," I said.

"It's her job to keep you safe, and do you think when you are in danger she wouldn't tell me?"

He clenched his jaw but kept his gaze on mine as his fingers gripped my chin. My breath caught in my throat as he brought his face towards mine.

"You are my everything. If anything happens to you, what am I supposed to do? I just got you back after all these years, and I will not allow you to face harm. So, yes, even if you don't approve, I am going to have people watch you for your safety. You are the future of our people, and you have responsibilities for them. You cannot do such reckless things again." He growled and let go of my chin to clench his fist at his side. I frowned at his action. He sure has mood swings.

I have never seen Stanley get so worked up. He never got angry with me like this.

"I'm sorry." I breathed out into the freezing air. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you, I'm just very protective of you, and when I came to know that you went to human land without any protection, I lost it. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, but as your mate, let me take care of you. You don't have to do things alone."

I gulped as those bright blue eyes stared deeply into my eyes. I couldn't bring myself to look up at him. "I will not do it again," I said innocently, and I looked at my feet like a child caught in the act.

Terra, Jasmine, and Amrin hurried towards me as soon as they spotted me in the garden. Queen Irna followed closely behind, concern etched on her face. In their eyes, I could see a mix of relief and worry. They started bombarding me with questions, their voices overlapping in a chorus of concern. "Where were you?" "What happened?" "Are you alright?" Their genuine worries and care pierced through me, making me feel more guilty. I should have consulted with them before taking matters into my own hands.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, my voice filled with remorse as I apologized to everyone, including the queen.

The queen spoke in a neutral tone. I am disappointed in your actions, Kristen. There is no one powerful enough to break my protection spell around your friends. You must not doubt my powers. You are new to the magic world and have just started to learn how your powers work, so do not make any reckless decisions without consulting anyone. Can you promise me? she asked. Yes. I replied.

The queen's tone softened slightly. "Take rest." She said and took Sophia with her, she wanted to interrogate her and understand her motivations for helping me and going against her own clan. Sophia looked at me with panicked eyes, and I gave her an assuring nod before she followed the queen.

Stanley sighs and takes my hand in his before smiling. His smile always lifts my mood, and I was glad.

"I have something to show you." He said it with a mischievous smile. Excitement and curiosity bubbled inside my stomach. "What is it?" I asked, my heart fluttering with excitement. He took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers. The sudden gesture made me smile, and his touch always makes me crave it more.

He pushed open the door and waited for me to enter. His room was large, with a bed twice as big as mine and a fireplace larger than the one I saw in movies. The rug beneath my feet was pure white, like snow, which complemented the wooden floor. The windows were floor-to-ceiling height and offered a brilliant view of the outside garden. His room was as beautiful as mine, and on the farther side of the bookshelf was an empty wall with a thick thread hanging on the side. When my eyes followed the top end of the thread, there seemed to be a giant scroll stuck to the wall.

"What's that?" I asked him out of curiosity. He looked at the scroll and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh… Nothing." He said and blushed. Looking at Stanley blushing was a sight to behold, and it made me smile brightly.

"Tell me." I chuckled at his reaction.

His cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson, which only heightened my curiosity. "Let me find it out," I said, pulling the thread down, and the scroll opened and stretched to floor length. As my eyes met the image before me, I couldn't help but gasp at the amazing portrait. I stood too close to the frame and instinctively took several steps back, allowing myself a better view. The picture began to zoom out, revealing a breathtaking scene. It captured the exact moment when we met for the first time in my dream. He held me in his arms, lips close to each other. It was the moment before we kissed when he looked at my lips, and so did I. It was a very intimate look. I blushed hard looking at it. My stomach flipped in excitement while I relived the moment in my head. He walked behind me and hugged me from behind, placing his head beside me on my shoulder. A soft smile played on his lips as he observed my stunned expression. My eyes never left the picture.

"Did you paint this?" I asked, looking at the breathtaking details.

"Yes. I wanted to cherish the moment when I first saw you." He said and kissed my shoulder.

"It's amazing," I said as a tear fell from my eye when I realized how much he loved me, and it made me doubt whether I deserved him. Do I deserve his pure heart and love? A tear fell on his hand while I was still looking at the floor-length portrait. Stanley turned my body toward him and lifted my chin.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, wiping away the tears.

"I don't know if I deserve you. I just never had anyone love me this much, and I don't know if I deserve you as my soul mate. I am not worthy." I said and dropped my eyes. His hand cupped my cheeks gently. "Look at me." He said softly.

I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes, yet I did. "I have never met anyone more perfect than you in my life. I was born for you, and you are the reason for my existence. If I hadn't gotten a chance to meet you, I would have died a long time ago. You saved my life; you gave my life a purpose. I love you." He said. My heart raced at his words.

I closed the gap between us, my gaze fixed on him, looking for any sign of hesitation. But all I saw was unwavering love reflected in those seductive eyes. With shaky fingertips, I grazed his cheek, embracing the warmth of his skin beneath my touch.

Longing, affection, and untamed passion collided when our lips met. Time stopped when he took my lips in his and started kissing me hungrily. It was not a tender kiss that we used to share. It was passionate and dominating. It took my breath away.

I poured all my love and desire into that kiss, relishing the taste and texture of his lips. Our breaths became entwined, forming an addictive rhythm that mirrored the pulse of our hearts. A soft moan escaped me, an involuntary response to the sheer intensity of the connection we shared.

I pulled away for a breath and found my gaze shifting to his face. His eyes sparkled with love and desire. My thoughts shifted suddenly, and William's words resonated within my ears. He didn't mark you yet. He must have read something on my face as his expression got serious. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I stalled, avoiding his gaze.

"Kristen." He said and lifted my chin to make me look at him. A tear fell from my eyes.

"You can tell me anything." He reassured.

I swallowed hard. I didn't know the right way to tell him. I might sound like an insecure person. I thought.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I went to meet my friends, William said something.

"What did he say?" He asked with an edge of anger in his tone.

"He was determined to take me back with him and said that I was not claimed by my mate yet and he wanted to mark me after taking me back with him." A growl escaped his lips and his eyes started to glow in pure anger.

"I will kill him." He said clenching his fist.

"Stanley. He can say or think whatever he wants. It doesn't matter. What matters to me is us."

"It was not my intention to ruin the moment. I was just wondering why you didn't mark me yet." His mood changed within a blink of an eye. His eyebrows rose, and he looked askance at me.

A wide grin formed on his beautiful face, which made me look at him in confusion. "Would you like to be marked now?" He asked as his grin grew wider. A mischievous glint played in his eyes.

I slapped his arms gently. "You're teasing me."

"Do you know how the marking works?" He asked with a grin, which brought a smile to my face.

"No, tell me about it," I said, and he laughed. "Then show me," I said sarcastically, which made him shut up and look at me with an intense gaze. There was a look in his eyes that I had never seen before. I would mistake it for lust. When he closed the distance between us and took my lips in his once again, I realized it was not a mistake.

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