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THIS IS A LOOONG CHAPTER AND THE FULL CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD UNDER THE "THE HEART OF A KING (MATURE SCENES)" BOOK

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Why do I have to separate? It's because if the mature scenes are here, Wattpad marks the entire book as mature and hides it. I don't want THOAK to be hidden.

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CHAPTER 35 - THE BOND OF BATTLE



Castle Xanthe City of Aphelion, Wolfen Territory The Realm of Xathos



Ailara stepped fully into the sunlight, the warmth washing over her in waves. The sensation was intoxicating, almost surreal. She stretched her arms out, tilting her head back as the sun bathed her in its golden glow. Her skin, so long confined to the shadows, now embraced the light without a trace of pain.

Dimitrios watched her from a few steps behind, his piercing gray eyes never leaving her form. She looked radiant, otherworldly, as if the sun itself had blessed her. But his joy was tempered by the murmurs that arose from the courtyard below.

The Wolfen warriors and citizens who had been training or going about their duties in the courtyard had stopped to gawk. Some whispered in awe; others looked suspicious. Among the Vampyr hidden in the shadows of the castle, a different reaction brewed. Whispers of joy spread quickly.

"She walks in the sun," one Vampyr murmured, eyes wide.

"It's true," another replied. "The old legends... they said this would happen when a Vampyr finds their true mate."

Dimitrios' sharp hearing caught the words, and his chest swelled with pride. His wolf stirred, content and possessive. He stepped toward Ailara, his hand brushing against her arm. She turned to him, her electric blue eyes shimmering like pools of light.

"It's true," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "We are true mates."

Ailara blinked, her lips parting slightly as she absorbed his words. She had resisted the idea for so long, dismissing it as an impossibility. But now, standing in the sun without harm, she felt a truth settle deep within her.

"We're true mates," she whispered, more to herself than him.

Dimitrios nodded, his hand slipping around her waist and pulling her close. "You were made for me, and I for you."

Ailara's breath caught at hearing Dimitrios say those words. How many times has she imagined hearing this? When she was in Heilen's grasp and could only dream about him, how many times has she envisioned this particular scenario?

And now that it's here, it was even better than her best dreams. For a moment, everything felt perfect. But Dimitrios' wolf stirred restlessly, its instincts pricking at the edges of his mind. Something was wrong.

"Get down!" he roared, yanking Ailara to the ground just as an arrow sliced through the air where they had stood.

The shaft buried itself in the stone wall behind them, its black fletching a grim sign of the danger they now faced.

A horn blared, its mournful cry echoing through the castle. Then came the sound of a portal tearing through the fabric of reality. A loud battle cry followed as Cerran warriors began pouring out onto the battlefield.

Dimitrios shot to his feet, his wolf fully taking over. His voice thundered across the courtyard, rallying his people.

"Warriors! Protect the castle!"

Without hesitation, he leaped from the balcony, his massive body shifting midair. By the time his feet hit the ground, he was in his wolf form—a towering beast of black fur and golden eyes, a king in every sense.

The Wolfen nearby followed his lead, transforming into their wolf forms and barreling toward the advancing enemy. Women, the elderly, and children scrambled to safety inside the castle.

Ailara didn't hesitate. She turned to the Vampyr still lurking in the shadows. "Protect the Wolfen inside the castle!" she ordered. "Don't let the Cerran take any of ours—or theirs!"

The Vampyr obeyed immediately, retreating into the castle to guard its interior. Ailara spared them one last glance before she vaulted over the balcony railing, her daggers drawn.

The courtyard was chaos. The Cerran warriors moved with savage ferocity, their grotesque forms tearing through the initial lines of defense. Dimitrios was a blur of black fur and raw power. He charged into a cluster of Cerran, his massive frame slamming into them with enough force to send bodies flying.

One Cerran lunged at him, claws aimed for his throat. Dimitrios ducked and twisted, his jaws snapping shut around its neck. With a vicious shake of his head, he broke its spine and tossed it aside like a rag doll.

Another Cerran approached from his blind spot, but Dimitrios anticipated the move. He spun, his claws raking across its chest, leaving deep, gushing wounds. With a deafening snarl, he pounced, his teeth sinking into its throat.

Not far from him, Ailara was a whirlwind of motion. She traced between enemies, her speed making her almost impossible to track. One moment, she was behind a Cerran; the next, she was driving her daggers into its heart.

Ailara reveled in the fight, her body humming with energy. She traced again, appearing behind another Cerran and slicing through its hamstring before finishing it with a dagger to the throat. Normally, such repeated tracing would have left her drained, but today she felt unstoppable.

Another Cerran lunged at her, its claws outstretched. Ailara traced just as it swiped, reappearing behind it and driving both daggers into its back. She yanked them free and spun to face her next opponent, her electric blue eyes blazing.

Dimitrios caught sight of her in action, his golden eyes narrowing. She was breathtaking—a deadly force moving with precision and grace. He charged toward her, his massive form colliding with a Cerran that had been closing in on her blind side.

The impact sent the creature sprawling, but Dimitrios didn't stop. He leaped onto it, his jaws crushing its skull with a sickening crunch. He turned to Ailara, his chest heaving.

In Ailara's mind, she heard Dimitrios loud and clear as if he was speaking to her.

Watch your flank!

For a moment, Ailara stilled. She knew the Wolfen could communicate with each other telepathically when in their wolf form. This is how they're able to fight as one unit and get commands from their King.

But she wasn't Wolfen.

You can hear me?

She smirked, her daggers dripping with blood. "Yes."

Dimitrios snorted, his wolf's voice rumbling in her mind. Stay close, mate.







The battle raged on, the courtyard slick with blood and littered with bodies. The Cerran showed no signs of retreating, their numbers seemingly endless.

Dimitrios tore through another wave of enemies, his claws and teeth leaving destruction in his wake. But as strong as he was, even he couldn't ignore the growing exhaustion in his muscles. His wolf, however, refused to yield. The beast inside him roared its approval, feeding on the carnage and the proximity of its mate.

Ailara was relentless, her Vampyr agility allowing her to dance through the battlefield. She felt stronger, faster than she ever had before. The sun, which should have been her greatest enemy, now seemed to empower her.

She traced again, appearing beside Dimitrios as he brought down another Cerran. Together, they turned to face the next wave, their breaths heavy but their resolve unshaken.

"They just keep coming," Ailara said, her voice tight.

"They won't get through," Dimitrios growled. His golden eyes met hers, and for a moment, the chaos around them faded.

Then came the sound of another portal opening.

A new wave of Cerran poured forth, their roars shaking the ground. Dimitrios snarled, his wolf surging forward. Beside him, Ailara raised her daggers, her resolve hardening.

"Together," she said.

Dimitrios didn't respond, but the brief glance he gave her said everything.

They charged as one, their movements perfectly synchronized. Ailara traced ahead, striking at the Cerran's weak points and leaving them vulnerable for Dimitrios to finish. His massive form plowed through the enemy lines, his claws and teeth a blur of lethal motion.

She was stealth and speed and he was strength and power.

The Vampyr legend whispered through Ailara's mind: True mates fight as one.

And fight as one they did.







The sun dipped below the horizon, its absence casting the castle and battlefield into darkness. As if on cue, the Vampyr guarding the interior of the castle emerged, their movements swift and purposeful. They moved among the wounded Wolfen, tending to injuries with practiced efficiency, their pale hands gentle yet firm.

The Cerran corpses, twisted and grotesque in the moonlight, were gathered with care but no reverence. Vampyr and Wolfen worked side by side, tossing the bodies into a massive pyre, its flames roaring into the night. The air thickened with the acrid scent of burning flesh, but no one flinched. This was survival, and the castle needed cleansing.

The battle-weary Wolfen retreated into the castle, their massive forms shrinking back into human shape. Their injuries ranged from deep gashes to minor scrapes, but their spirits were intact. The Vampyr, untouched by the sun's former presence, now took over the battlefield entirely. Scouts were dispatched to circle the forest, ensuring no Cerran lingered in the shadows.

Ailara, her body aching yet alive with a strange sense of exhilaration, slipped away from the aftermath. She made her way to the chambers she now shared with Dimitrios, her steps deliberate but unsteady. Her gown, once a masterpiece of black and red, was now tattered and stained with blood—none of it her own.

Inside, she found a moment of solace. She filled a basin with water, her fingers trembling slightly as she soaked a washcloth. Raising it to her face, she scrubbed away the dried blood, the cool water soothing her heated skin.

She felt Dimitrios before she saw him, his presence a powerful hum that resonated deep within her. His arms encircled her waist, the sheer size of him making her feel small and protected.

"You fought well today," he murmured against her neck, his lips brushing her skin like a whisper.

His mouth trailed down, pressing kisses along the curve of her throat, each touch igniting a spark in her blood. His hands moved with purpose, tugging her gown lower until her bare shoulders and the tops of her breasts were exposed.

His voice was a low growl against her ear. "You make a fine warrior, my queen."

Ailara turned in his embrace, her electric blue eyes meeting his piercing gray ones. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. "And you make a formidable king," she replied, her hand resting over his chest. Beneath her fingertips, his heartbeat thundered, strong and rapid, a testament to the battle still coursing through him.

She dipped the washcloth into the basin again, wringing out the water before pressing it to his cheek. Blood smudged across his jawline and forehead, but his beauty remained untamed, primal. She cleaned him with gentle strokes, her touch lingering longer than necessary.

"I felt stronger today," Dimitrios said, his voice rough but honest. "In battle, I was faster, sharper... it was as though your presence made me more."

Ailara's hand paused for a moment before she continued wiping the blood from his brow. "I felt it too," she admitted softly. "It was like we moved as one. I could hear you in my mind even when you were in your wolf form."

Dimitrios captured her wrist, the washcloth slipping from her grasp and landing on the floor with a muted splash. His eyes locked on hers, darkened by desire and something deeper—something primal. With measured intensity, he slid one muscular thigh between her legs, pressing firmly against her core. The pressure ignited a spark that raced through her body, her lips parting as her breath caught in her throat.

His growl was low, vibrating against her skin. "Stop teasing me, Ailara," he murmured, his voice thick and rough. "I've only so much patience, and the battle still sings in my blood."

Ailara felt her heart race, her body betraying her as she pressed herself closer to him. Her confidence, freshly bolstered by their shared battles, sparked a teasing smile. "Does my king need me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible but laced with mischief.

Her hand drifted down his chest, her fingertips brushing over the hard ridges of his muscles. Lower, she traced the line of his torso until her palm cupped him through the fabric of his trousers. He was already hard for her, and the sheer heat of him sent memories of their heat flooding her mind. Her cheeks flushed as she gasped softly, her lips trembling.

**INCOMPLETE**



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FULL CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD UNDER THE "THE HEART OF A KING (MATURE SCENES)" BOOK

Go to my Wattpad profile to find the book. It has the same cover but the title has the words mature scenes. If you can't see it, you must not be following me. Try following me to view all my works.

Why do I have to separate? It's because if the mature scenes are here, Wattpad marks the entire book as mature and hides it. I don't want THOAK to be hidden.

Notes:

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