C H A P T E R 6

My legs buckled down as soon as Khai stepped out of the room to investigate the sounds outside the window. I couldn't get enough of his warm and gentle touches. My body was still aching for him, and the only way I could cool down was to take a cold shower.

I made sure that the hotel room was locked before I stepped inside the bathroom and stripped my clothes off to take a bath. As soon as I was under the numbing water, I felt myself calming down. I heaved a sigh of relief, but my mind kept wandering back to the disturbance we had heard earlier. Was it Eligor? Did he know what I and Khai was up to? Did he come? I couldn't help but worry.

After what arose the last time, I wouldn't want him to pay me another unwelcome visit. I haven't seen him in a week since our last encounter, and I couldn't be any happier that he's not showing up. For the first time in a long time, I felt at ease.

"Lilith…" Dusk suddenly called.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"I could feel Zion nearby. Eligor is here." She whispered.

My eyes immediately widened in shock. Eligor being here nearly made me tripped over the robe I was about to put on.

"What do you mean Eligor is here, Dusk? I don't feel him, that's impossible!" I denied.

Dusk growled in annoyance. "How could you feel him, Lilith?! You've been so preoccupied with Khai that you've forgotten about your mate link! Eligor is enraged."

I bit my lower lips as I hurriedly got dressed. Knowing Eligor, it wouldn't really take him a long time before he finds me. And I honestly can't risk being with him tonight, especially since I'm missing my masking gas. Willow, Atticus, and even Alpha Declan would easily know that I was with a rogue. Only if Eligor keeps his distance from me, which he never does, should I be able to get to my pack without smelling like him.

"You know damn well that Eligor will devour you again, Lilith. We're fucking doomed." Dusk uttered, reading my mind.

I rolled my eyes. "Why do you seem so annoyed, Dusk? It feels like you're on Eligor and Zion's side."

She scoffed. "I don't feel good betraying the mate bond, Lilith. I could feel Eligor and Zion in pain earlier while you were being pleasured by Khai. I find it hard to believe that you didn't feel them."

Eligor and Zion were in pain?

"That's impossible, Dusk! I should be able to sense what you're experiencing because you're my wolf, but I honestly didn't feel like I was betraying my body earlier. Perhaps you're just hallucinating," I replied.

"The mate bond is not a hallucination, Lilith. I think there's something wrong with you. Eligor feels and experiences the pull and so do I with Zion. You're the only one who doesn't, Lilith." She insisted.

I bit my lower lips in confusion. Can a mate bond be one-sided? I don't understand. "You know that I only feel the bond when he's near, Dusk. Maybe I despise him so badly that the mate bond is unrequited," I paused.

"The Moon Goddess must be doing this to protect my heart. He wasn't supposed to be mated and be my mate in the first place. He just wants to kill me." I continued.

If the bond is truly imbalanced and Eligor could feel it more, then isn't that an advantage for me? I could protect myself from getting hurt when we're finally at war. I can kill him with ease.

"But it's hurting me too, Lilith. I was so uncomfortable with Khai's wolf earlier. I don't like him." She muttered.

Hearing what Dusk said immediately made me feel terrible. I didn't know she was uncomfortable, I was only thinking of myself.

"I'm so sorry, Dusk. I didn't think that far ahead. I just felt so safe and peaceful with Khai, while Eligor had never made me feel that way. When I'm with him, I always feel uneasy... as if kissing him is a sin and appreciating our time together is a betrayal against our pack. He's still an enemy, Dusk." I replied.

Dusk whimpered but just agreed. "I think the bond is getting to me, Lilith. I almost forgot that they wanted to kill us. It's really so messed up that we got mated with a rogue. It feels so unfair." She complained.

"It is, indeed, unjust, Dusk. I hate being mated with him. I hate being mated with a rogue."

Dusk didn't respond any longer so I took my time closing all of the entrances that Eligor might possibly enter. The windows, I shut tight. The curtains, I spread even. And the doors were blocked with wood. I know it's not enough to block Eligor, but at least it'd made him aware of how much I dread seeing him.

I was exhausted by the time I had closed every potential avenue Eligor might take. I was finally confident that Eligor wouldn't be able to track me down... or so I thought.

...

The door swung open as if I hadn't just stopped it with a hefty Narra table, just as I was about to succumb to my body's urge to sleep.

I sprang out of bed, ready to face the maniacal Eligor who was rushing my way. Yet, the sight of his shadowed eyes made my breathing quicken. He seemed ready to murder me right then and there.

"What the fuck did you just do, Asteria?!" My body practically leaped as his voice erupted and resonated around the room.

I couldn't help myself but stand up and back down as soon as I saw him taking a step towards the bed.

His eyes were completely darkened with what seemed to be jealousy, and his fangs and claws were already out. I did not only anger Eligor, it seemed to me that Zion was raging as well.

"I didn't do anything, Eligor," I replied calmly, trying to deny what happened earlier.

Eligor let out a loud growl. He quickly closed the gap between us and trapped me against the wall, strangling me with his right hand. I closed my eyes for a moment, calming myself before meeting with his lobes.

"Don't try to deny it, Asteria! You've put me in so much fucking pain! I could feel everything that you did with that worthless Alpha!" He shouted, almost cutting off my breath.

"Doing this wouldn't give you a fucking answer, Koen! Let go of me for fuck's sake!" I screamed back, trying to remove his hold from my neck.

Eligor was kind enough to stop choking me, but not kind enough to quit putting both of my hands above my head. To say that I am frustrated is an understatement. I glared at Eligor as he looked at me with rage.

"Tell me, Asteria. Did you enjoy being his slut?" He whispered with despise.

My blood immediately boiled at his outrageous remark. "I'd rather be a slut for Khai Palmer than for you, Eligor Wylder Koen. You're nothing but a fucking rogue!" I spitted.

Eligor's hands tightened around my wrist. I could almost feel his claws digging themselves under my bare skin. I wanted to wince, but I didn't want him to think that he could hurt me.

"You're no one but mine, Asteria! You're mine to kiss, mine to fuck and mine to kill. I own you!" He declared.

I scoffed. "I am not yours, Eligor. You didn't even cross my mind when I and Khai were making out, so stop with the claiming and please do yourself a favor and leave." I replied with a firm voice.

Eligor's face immediately came closer to me with the mention of Khai. I could hear his breath becoming heavy with rage. "I'm not allowing you to kiss anyone but me, Asteria. You may push me all you want, but you'll always come racing back to me. Keep that in mind." He retorted.

It was as if Eligor didn't hear anything that I'd said. It made me exhausted.

"Will you please wake the fuck up, Eligor?! It wouldn't do you any good to play with me before killing me! Just please stick to one plan and do it! You can't be planning to end me and claim me at the same fucking time, I'm not your toy!" This time, I was the one that growled.

Eligor confuses me so much that I can't even comprehend if he was being possessive of me because he was jealous or because he wanted to be the one who killed me. I don't understand him at all.

Eligor scoffed at me before throwing me into the bed. I really don't think I can face my pack tomorrow after tonight. Eligor's scent is already rubbing off on me, it's unsettling.

"What the fuck are you doing, Koen?!" I exclaimed instinctively as I felt his hands shredding the lingerie I was wearing.

Eligor took his own clothes off without responding. It was as if he couldn't hear me, though my voice was literally echoing in the four corners of the room. I tried getting up, but to no avail, he was fast to hover over my practically nude body, holding me down by the waist.

I closed my eyes in irritation. "Stop it, Eligor. I'm not in the mood to play with you," I said.

"I'm not here to play with you either, Asteria. I'm merely reminding you who truly owns you." Eligor replied, his eyes feasting over my body.

"Can you please just st—hmph!"

Eligor was quick to shut me out as he cut off my words by devouring my lips. My eyes immediately closed down, and my heart began pounding like crazy. I attempted shoving him with both of my hands but he was swift at catching them and pinning them onto the headboard.

Eligor didn't hold back and kissed me like there was no tomorrow. I could feel his tongue seeking entrance into my mouth which I unconsciously granted access. And just like that, I felt myself slipping once more into desire, with him suckling on my tongue.

Our breathing grew so heavy that it was the only sound in the hotel room. Eligor's fingers moved quickly to pull my brassiere up, revealing my naked bust.

"See this, Asteria? This is all mine." He growled, playing with its crowns. I jerked my head back in response to the sensation, but my hands were also anxious to grasp Eligor's arms. I wanted to remind him that I wasn't his, but the pleasure he was giving me never failed to entice me.

Eligor kissed me from my jaw to my neck while simultaneously fondling my breasts. I could feel myself becoming increasingly moist as he kissed me, which he quickly noticed.

"You're already so wet for me, Asteria…" he whispered.

Eligor's hands quickly inserted themselves under my lower garment and touched my wetness. My lips parted in pleasure. My brain has always refused to accept him, but my body embraces him the moment that he touches me.

It was almost as if I had no control over myself as soon as he held me.

"Eligor… please…" I moaned.

His hickeys were trailing all over my jaw and neck as he touched and masturbated my clit. I could no longer wake back to my senses and all that I could do was moan and wriggle in ecstasy at his devilish strokes.

"Please what, lover?" He whispered.

"Stop giving me hickeys... I can't hide them anymore." I pleaded.

Eligor came to a halt and peered at me with a wicked sneer on his lips.

"No can do, Asteria. I'm merely marking what is truly mine."