Eight

Raven's POV

"I wonder who it is," a girl whispers just outside the curtains of the bed. Their shadows cast upon the pale white curtains which I lay peacefully in.

"Everyone has been talking about it since yesterday night," the other girl responded.

"Is she a rogue?" she asked curiously. I was grateful for the curtains in their way.

"Well it doesn't matter she is going to die anyway" my body stiffened, and I almost let out an audible gasp. Their posture unchanging meant they didn't notice I relaxed into the sheets listening on.

"Why don't we just take a sneak peek." The overly curious maid looked at the sleeping figure behind the pale curtain, her hands itched to swing it aside and see the mysterious woman of the night.

"That's dangerous what if the alpha walks in now? We will be caught." The other maid warned she was mostly worried about getting in trouble than who was behind the curtain.

Please don't enter. I closed my eyes lying still if they opened them.

"May I help you ladies" the strong masculine voice which belonged to Alpha Lucan froze the two maids in their steps.

"We just finished cleaning and we're heading out" they both squeaked awkwardly making their way out of the room in a haste.

I sighed quietly hearing his soft footsteps approach me. Should I stand up or sleep back? He was at the foot of the bed.

"Aren't you tired of pretending?" he said over the curtains.

He caught me. I sat up straight pushing away the curtain out of viewpoint. "How did you know?"

"Your breathing was rather irregular for a normal person" he stated. My lips formed an oh at his words. Wait, what did he mean by that?

He gave a gentle smile and for the one night I had gotten to know him I didn't trust his gentle smile in the slightest.

"It has been a rough day for all of us." He gestures to a seat. "After you take a bath you can put this on". There was a jean and a shirt on the seat he showed me.

"T-thank you" I stuttered a little sceptical about his sudden hospitality. Although, thinking about how filthy my body is, I craved to wash my body thoroughly and remove the awful stench of dried blood and sweat.

"What if someone walks in and finds me." With their growing curiosity, they might sneak in while I didn't notice. I hated being the centre of gossip.

His jaws clenched a bit but he stayed calm answering, "no one dares enter when I am around. You don't have to worry '' I felt a little reassured by his words. However, something sounds off about the way he put it. I shrugged while going to take my shower. It is his room after all.

A few minutes later,

Feeling like a brand new person I had completely relaxed into this new world. I still had not left his chamber though. Food was brought to his doorstep and left there. All I had to do was get it when they left.

I lay on the couch relaxing with the midday sun on my face.

"So this is what royalty feels like" I moaned into the soft sofa that faced the largest window in the room.

A click on the doorknob made me sit up abruptly from my relaxed pose on the sofa. In walked Lucan, his long black hair glossed under the sun ray that penetrated the room. He looked fresh. His fitted top was drenched with sweat and you could see his abs begging for air under all the tight pressure.

He cleared his throat, "excuse me"

"You are definitely excused." I blurted out without thinking still in a daze as I watched him in awe. I blinked, snapping back to my senses. Shit, I did not just...

Our eyes met, my cheek felt warm and my mouth slightly open.

"Uhh.." I didn't know where to put my eyes, his face or his chest. Both looked delectable. "I didn't…what I meant to say was" I groaned. I kept my mouth shut saving the little dignity I had left. Someone dig a hole and bury me.

He had the side corner of his lip lifted into a smirk. His face looked away. It quickly disappeared and his face turned serious.

"We need to discuss something important," he said in a firm tone.

"Okay.." I said, waiting for him to sit down. However, he didn't.

"Are we going somewhere?" he nodded, then handed me a cloak. It was back and long. It hid my face just like the cloaked people at the bar.

He cautioned with a strict tone."Stay quiet and keep very close to me. Don't answer anyone no matter what" he ordered before going past the door of his chamber not giving me a chance to respond.

I huffed reluctantly following close behind him. With my voice reaching his in a whispering tone.

"Where are we going? " I asked curiously. The servants that passed didn't bother to glance our way. Either they didn't care or he was too scary for them to look his way. I chose the latter.

He ignored my question, leading me along with him up the stairs. We started to see fewer people here. Until it was only us walking through the hallway.

"Why aren't you answering me? Where are we going" I asked again. It was a bit louder now since we were alone. He still blatantly ignored me. And I stopped. That was when he decided to face me.

"Thought you had gone deaf for a sec," I said in a mocking tone.

"You are to just follow me quietly, no questions asked." He stated. I was taken aback. I raised an eyebrow at him, folding my arms to my chest.

"Not until you tell me where we are going." I stood my ground. Something felt odd. He had a fixed gaze on me. It went on for a few seconds but the tension had already reached its peak. When he sighed. Then it dissolved.

The release of the air in my lungs I didn't even know I was holding.

"To remove the mate bond that connects us," he said flatly. I scoffed, waving him away dismissively.

"That's insane. It isn't possible." I said, he cut me off.

"Yes, I would agree. You are a runt and it is very rare for them to have mates talkless live long." I was still in denial by the fact I was mated. I mean I just got here. Give me a break.

"Doesn't the rejection kinda hurt or so I have heard?" Based on the novels I have read. It is soul-crushing. The thought of it made me want to back out. "Also I didn't consent to this. Why would you make that decision on your own?"

He took a step towards me prompting me to take a step back. Then he stopped.

" I don't want to have to force you there myself." The air suddenly dropped cold when his voice got deep. I held on tight to the black cloak. My eyes fixed on him.

"I don't want to do this." Every feeling in my gut screamed that if I followed him. Something bad was going to happen to me. He titled his head.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." I shook my head, backing away. A swift look was behind me and the hallway was dark. The lights had gone out and only the path where we stood was lit.

My thoughts flashed to the conversation those maids said about me.

"Well she is going to die anyway" I didn't want to die. My heart raced, feeling cornered. If I ran he would catch me straight away.

"Raven.." my name rolled off his tongue slowly sending shivers down my spine and not the good kind. He reached out his hands to me. They looked large and rough. He could strangle me with it. I kept backing away from him. He took a step towards me. It was only one but enough to send me into flight mode.

"Don't come closer," I shouted at him. I was scared of how dark behind it was. However, the supposed mate in front of me scared me the most. I gulped.

I bit my lips trying to hide them, trembling. One minute he was five steps away then the next he was towering my size.

He snaked his arms around my waist while I stood frozen in fear.

"Are you cold? You are shaking badly" he joked, a small smile forming on his lips.

Run run.

It was hard to listen to my head. The pieces finally came together, why I was so entranced by him. Instead of running away from his cold silver eyes that wanted to kill me. I still felt safe in them. It was crazy.

I let out a small squeak but no words came out. He led me into a room. We weren't alone in this place. Out from the corner sat an old man.

He had a strange appearance, almost as if it was contrived. His hair was wizened and straw-like, nearly fossilized. It was so dry. He had sad, way-worn eyes and a distinctive beard. His wrinkled face raised into a smile.

"You are here already," he said, sounding very audible for his age.

"Make it quick," he snapped at the old man. I felt caged in his arm. I couldn't move, my body couldn't move on my command. Lucan turned to face, "you just have to keep calm and all of this will be over." His words were soft and comforting. But the next words shook me. "I will give you a good resting place."

Inside me was in complete meltdown as the man came towards us. I fought for control. It felt like someone had wrapped me in a tightrope and I couldn't get free, however, on the outside, I looked calm and unbothered. The old man came closer mumbling some words under his breath. As he looked at both of us.

I was gonna die here