I crouch outside the room as I listen to the incessant lovemaking of Theo and Princess Kissa. I can hear Kissa's screams of pleasure. And I feel as if I can hear Theo's grunts too. They've been at it after bath and dinner and it's close to midnight now. My only consolation is that Princess Kissa made me leave the room.
My hands over my ears tighten, and I bury my face in my knees. I feel dizzy. I can't take this anymore. It's been a few days. I want to return somewhere far from both Theo and Kissa.
I sense someone approaching but I ignore it. I continue to tremble in this pain as tears continuously flow. Besides, Theo completely occupies my mind. How can he make love with another woman? Is she too pretty in his eyes that he just can't help it? Or maybe, I'm the only one who can't think of making love to anyone because of this blasted mate bond, and he knows it!
I feel someone wrap his arms around me and I jump from the sudden invasion of my personal space. I look up to see Klevon's brown eyes. He cups my face at the same time that he wipes my tears with his thumb.
"That asshole of a King," he says. "Shhhh…" he mutters when he senses the shiver in my body.
"Let me go…" I whisper.
Even when I am hurting, why do I find another man's embrace still unpleasant even when their goal is just to offer me comfort? With Theo, a simple touch, a simple hug, and he will alight my body in fire.
He glances at my feet and sees the rope of glowing blue magic around my ankles. "So this is why you can't go far away from this blasted room, huh? He had you confined close to him." His jaws clench and I can see the distaste on his face. "That fucking asshole."
His grip tightens around the glowing rope magic, and then it snaps into two. The rope shimmers before it slowly disappears.
"Why did you shatter it?" I weep.
"Why won't I?! It's obvious you are in pain! Do all she-wolves subject themselves to this kind of torture?! You can just leave this place!" he screams at me.
No. Only my luck is to blame. I could have mated to anyone, but my luck gave me a human King instead. Seth warned me about this, but I… I thought I can handle this level of pain.
"Oh damn," he curses. He buries my face in his chest and rubs my shivering form. "What do you want Kaiya? Without the influence of this mate bond, what do you want to do?"
I grab his clothes. I want to be free. I want this painful mate bond to break. I want this love to end. I don't want to get attracted to Theo. I don't want to feel indebted to him anymore. I just want everything to end and to restart somewhere. Yet, I don't dare to say it out loud.
Suddenly, the door opens. I look up to see Theo's naked form as he looks down at me and Klevon.
"Did I give you leave to shatter my magic?!" he roars.
I glance at his crotch, and I balk at his erect manhood. I can even see Kissa behind him as she covers herself with a blanket. They are both sweaty from their copulation, both are red on the face, and I can smell their lovemaking in the air. Now, I hate that I am a she-wolf who has these heightened senses.
Theo is about to reach for my arm when Klevon faces him. "Theo," he starts. "I've always known how dark your thoughts are. But if you continue treating Kaiya like this, you will lose the support of your other subjects."
"Like you, huh?" he snorts. "Kaiya is mine so you have no say on how I punish her."
"Punish her for what?! For receiving gifts from a King and his guard? It's not her fault, it is your jealousy!"
Suddenly, ocean magic gathers around Theo's feet. The boat shakes and I sense magic around us. Then, he grabs Klevon's neck.
"Don't test me, Klevon. I know you desire my slave. She is mine and she will only belong to me. Not to you. Not to another King. Not to any faceless man or woman who would take her away from me."
'His slave.' He said before that I am not his slave, back when we are fine together. But now, I've become a slave to him, huh? How low can I get in his eyes?
Klevon smirks. "And what if she breaks the mate bond and mates with another?"
I can see the muscles in Theo's arms bulge. Klevon reaches for his fingers to loosen it, or else, his neck will snap.
"She won't, because she already marked me, right, Kaiya?" I look up at him. He smirks. He can see the begging in my eyes. "Ready to share my bed again?" he asks.
His slave and his whore. When will this suffering end? In a few years? While the marking is still active? I touch his arm that's choking Klevon, and he relaxes.
"My King, I am sorry about the rope magic. You can put it back again."
I sense Klevon jerk. "Kaiya!"
"I was careless," I say, ignoring the admonishing tone from Klevon.
I approach him and wrap my arms around his sweaty body. Princess Kissa's smell on him is so pronounced that I bite my lips to stop the tears from falling. He loosens his grip on Klevon and instead, wraps his arms around my body. I sense Klevon drops to the ground and coughs. All the while, Theo relaxes and places a kiss on top of my head. Then, he wraps his arms around me.
"This is all I ever wanted, Kaiya. You with me, while I take care of my duties."
"Duties, my ass…" Klevon breathes.
Theo tenses again, and my arms around him tighten. "Leave, Klevon!" I look up at Theo's angry face and cup his face. "I'm here now. Make them leave," I say.
He frowns at me. "You will not disobey me again?" he asks.
"I won't."
"You won't leave me for another man?"
"You know I can't do that."
"You won't let other men kiss you again?"
"I was just surprised when it happened with King Seth."
"Then, your punishment is done."
He places a kiss on my lips, and my instinct is to close my mouth. I don't want to taste Kissa on him.
"Captain Klevon. Leave," he orders. His eyes shift to Kissa and say, "Take Princess Kissa with you. Give her a separate room. Find some servants and let them cater to her needs."
"But King Theo I-"
"You are tired, Princess Kissa. Let's continue tomorrow."
I can feel the glaring eyes on my back, but Theo presses my face against his sweaty chest.
"But what are you planning with your personal guard?" she asks, calmly this time.
"It's not in your jurisdiction to question my choice." He holds my hand and then, "The two of you, leave!" he orders.
When I hear the shuffling of feet, Theo lifts me. We enter the room that smells like him and Kissa and then, he places me gently on the couch. I am about to sit up when he starts licking my face and tears.
"I have missed you, Kaiya." He cups my cheeks and I scoot over to the side of the couch. His arms imprison me and he adds, "I miss you so bad, I feel like I will lose my mind."
He leans towards me and is about to kiss me when I gently push at his chest. "You are tired, so let's sleep it off for now," I say.
He sniffs my neck and nibbles on my collarbone. "If it's you, I will never get exhausted."
When he holds my waist, I swallow hard. "Theo, you know, this is not a good time for sex."
Instead of being angry, he beams. Tears appear in the corner of his eyes but he wipes them just as quickly. My frown deepens, what is wrong with him?
"You called me by my name again," he whispers. "You haven't been calling me by that name since we left Orttenburg." He presses the back of my hands on his forehead and whispers, "Kaiya, always stay by my side. I can no longer live without you. For fifteen long years, I have looked and longed for you. So please, don't look away from me now."
I reach out to rub his dark violet hair and force a smile. "Come here, Theo. Let's sleep on the couch together."
He climbs the couch and buries his head on my chest. He takes a sniff before shifting in the couch, just so I will lay on top of him.
"This is better since I am heavier than you."
I lay my ears on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. All the while, he is gently rubbing and playing with my hair. And so, as my desire for him rises, I close my fist and tightly shut my eyes.
"Be kind to me, Kaiya. And I will always be kind to you. You don't have to suffer," he whispers and places a kiss on top of my head.