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CHAPTER 9 – WARRIOR

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

Ailara moved away from the windows and placed back the furs that covered it. She went back to her bed and moved towards the farthest corner. And then for a long time, she just sat there and stared at nothing as she tried to calm herself.

Good thing Andreas was already deeply asleep. He would have taken one look at her and knew that something was wrong. And he will be correct. Indeed, there was something troubling Ailara. It was none other than Dimitrios.

After Ailara married Dimitrios, his mother sent a Wolfen tutor for her. This tutor told her all about the Wolfen so she could fit in once she lives with Dimitrios and the rest of his people.

This tutor made it known to Ailara how much she disliked her. She thought that because of her, Dimitrios will never get the chance to find his true mate. He will never experience the joy of being with that one person in this world who was created to suit you.

That was how Ailara learned how deep and intense the Wolfen bonding was and how Dimitrios' people revered it. This was also how it was made clear to Ailara that she was an outsider. She wasn't Dimitrios' true mate.

But for a long, long time... she found herself daydreaming that she was his.

But that would never happen again.

The tutor was correct: she was truly an outsider. She was a fool for believing she could stand beside him and they would rule together. She wasn't Dimitrios' mate. And perhaps that woman who danced shamelessly in front of him was his true mate and she was in the way.

Ailara felt a twinge in her chest. She recognized the emotion but it was something she never felt before—jealousy.

Right. Because she totally had the right to be jealous.

Ailara shook her head and tried to clear it of her wayward thoughts. Then, she got back into bed and closed her eyes.

Maybe her dreams would be better than this reality she lives in.

☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾

Dimitrios stood up from his throne with the intention of going back to the castle and demanding to know what curse or filth Ailara inflicted upon him. Nayah stopped him in his tracks when she walked in front of him and grabbed his arm.

"I thought you weren't going to dance, my king?" she whispered in his ear.

He was about to tell her he was heading back but then his people cheered when they saw him with Nayah. They were probably very excited for him for he rarely joined in the festivities.

And now it was too late to say no for she was already guiding him towards the middle of the clearing.

They found an empty spot and immediately, she pressed her body against his. "Dance, my king. Enjoy the festivities," she whispered against his ear. Her breath was warm and against his skin and it sent shivers down his spine.

Dimitrios caught Argos' eye and the latter winked.

Nayah started to dance again and all thought and rationality fled Dimitrios' mind. She moved so gracefully that he felt as though he was being hypnotized with one mere look. Every time her hands lightly touched his body, it was like he was being given a taste of what's to come.

"Nayah..." he whispered. It was supposed to be a warning because her hands drifted lower down his chest. But the tone came out more as a desperate plea.

"Yes, my king?"

"We shouldn't."

She pressed a finger against his lips, silencing him. "Why not?"

He was unable to answer for she turned and that part of him which was slowly hardening rubbed against her backside. He barely suppressed his groan.

"You deserve to enjoy yourself with your people, Dimitrios," she told him. When she said his name, it was in a seductive whisper. Dimitrios was taken aback because she hadn't called him that in a long, long time.

When they were young, they were playmates. But then his father died and he assumed the role of king. Their society dictated that she show him respect by using his title. Apart from that, Dimitri also became buried under tons of responsibilities. He simply didn't have time to undergo a normal childhood. He was forced to grow up quickly for the sake of his kingdom.

And then Dimitrios and Nayah further grew apart when he bonded with Ailara.

Throughout the years, he saw her grow from an awkward child and into the tempting siren she is now. He noticed it through the years but paid no heed for her was already a mated male.

Nayah lifted her hands and placed them over his shoulders. Then, she moved her hips from side to side. It was very graceful and seductive that a few of the unmated males looked at her and they just couldn't seem to look away.

If in this life he didn't find his mate and she didn't find hers, they would have settled for each other. They might have eventually gotten mated and maybe lived a comfortable life.

"You're here but it seems like you're so far away," Nayah told him.

"Nothing," he lied. He could see her eyes and they were half-lidded. She grinded her rear against his throbbing member and he sighed.

Half of his brain screamed at him to go and take her back to his castle—or maybe somewhere in the forest.

Another part of him saw Ailara's blue eyes.

"I know you want me, my king. I can feel it," Nayah whispered confidently.

"You are a very beautiful woman, Nayah," he replied.

And to make it seem that he was putting an effort, he placed his hands on her hips. He lifted her from the ground and twirled her. She balanced herself by placing her hands on his shoulders. Then, she gave him a smile that would make any other unmated male fight for the chance to spend this full moon with her.

Dimitrios slowly placed her back down and she used the opportunity to slide every inch of her body against his. And then she embraced him.

"What if?"

Dimitrios frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What if you hadn't bonded with Ailara? Could there have been a chance that I am the one for you, Dimitrios?"

She didn't give him a chance to reply for she immediately pressed her lips against him. For a moment, he stilled in surprise. Then, he felt the softness of her lips and smelled her sweet scent.

His body reacted further and he wrapped his arms against her.

"Nayah," he groaned when her hands travelled south again. And when he was anticipating her touch, she pulled away and began dancing once more.

Nayah threw her head back when the beat increased in tempo. Her hair fell over his shoulders and caressed his chest. He smelled the faint hint of lavender in her hair. His body tightened in response because the last time he smelled lavender, Ailara's fangs were deep in his neck and every inch of her was pressed against him.

Dimitrios tried harder to shake these thoughts away.

He and his whole kingdom didn't consider Ailara to be his mate anymore. She broke the alliance and therefore everything that came with it became undone.

"Come with me to the forest tonight?" Nayah asked after she took his hand. He could see the expectation and excitement in her eyes.

Should he?

Maybe he should. Maybe then he needed this to forget how a certain vampyr drove him crazy with one single bite.

Suddenly, it was as if a bucket of cold water was thrown at him.

"My king! The castle is being attacked!" came a telepathic message from one of his warriors.

Everyone else stilled at the same time and the sound of the drums died down. The others looked confused but when they saw the change of expression in the warriors' faces, they started to back away.

The warriors went from a celebratory mood and to emanating an aura of strength and danger. Some even started to shift.

Dimitrios was already fully shifted. He jumped and ran as fast as he could. During the night of a full moon, the children and older Wolfen were left in the castle so they can be protected.

"Faster!" he urged through the pack link.

With the power of the moon behind them, Dimitrios and his warriors ran through the forest as fast as they could. When they neared the castle, he could already smell the unmistakeable stench of the Cerran... and along with it blood.

Dimitrios roared and put on another burst of speed. They encountered the first Cerran warriors at the gates of the castle. His men immediately disposed of them. Dimitrios ran ahead. He wanted to get inside the castle and defend the children and the elderly.

If he didn't arrive in time, they would all be slaughtered.

Several Cerran warriors tried to block his path. With a snarl, he lunged. They were wrong to come here on the night of the full moon. This was the time the Wolfen were at their strongest and fastest. Heilen wasn't this stupid.

At this trail of thought, Dimitrios realized this could be a trap.

He moved more carefully this time and dispatched the Cerran who blocked his way. Whenever they tried to attack with their weapons, he sidestepped them and then used his claws to either slice of their limbs or their heads. When they tried to fly, he leapt and pulled them back to the ground. Then he sliced their heads off.

He couldn't afford to waste time. He needed to make sure his people were safe.

And Ailara too. He hoped she had the time to hide. She was still weak and she could easily be taken by the attackers for she could not defend herself. If Heilen was here for her, then he was sorely mistaken. He could never get her back until he learns the full truth about his mother and his people's deaths.

He could hear the sound of fighting inside the palace. With his warriors on his heels, they ran as fast as they could. They ran past the main gates and the courtyard. The door was left open and they immediately went inside.

Dimitrios stopped in his tracks when he saw his people. They cowered on the far corner of the great hall. The children hid under the tables or behind the pillars. The elderly tried to fight using the weapons that were stacked on the wall. But they were already weak and they already lost the ability to shift because of their age.

Dimitrios' heart stopped when he saw Ailara.

She was in the middle of the great hall and she was covered in blood. She clutched a sword in one hand and it dripped blood on the floor. Her usual calm and serene face was now twisted into a mask of fury.

He growled when he saw her and the he felt his warriors' fury echo in their pack link. One of the warriors jumped and ran towards Ailara.

Protect! His instinct screamed at him.

Before he could think, he was already running. Dimitrios jumped and blocked his way.

Stay back, he said telepathically.

More of his warrios moved forward. But they all stopped at the same time.

Ailara disappeared in a blur and reappeared before one of the Cerran. She plunged her sword into his heart and then yanked and swung her sword at another oncoming attacker.

She disappeared once more and reappeared before the Wolfen she was trying to protect.

"Stay back! Stick together and keep everyone safe!" she shouted.

Then, she resumed fighting.

Dimitrios realized they wrong with what they assumed. She wasn't killing the Wolfen.

She was defending them.

And she looked so glorious and fearsome in battle.

With another roar, he and his warriors joined the battle.

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