Looking at what I have done, especially at the way I killed the three monsters, I take a deep breath and saunter back to where Klevon is sprawled on the ground.
"You're weaker than before. But your shift is pretty fast. I think you are the fastest shifter that I know," Klevon comments.
Then I see the way his eyes scour my body. I groan. Right, I am completely naked because of my shift, and I parade myself as if I am wearing some thick clothing. I am about to get my clothes when I notice his erection.
I glare at him. "You are such a fuck-up! Why are you getting an erection when you are dying?! Besides, my life is also at risk while fighting it!"
"I can't help it. It's physiological, you are strutting around in your birthday suit. You even spread your legs in front of me."
"That's only because I will be killed if I don't! How could your mind work like that when my life is at risk?!"
"The point is, I've seen everything. So, how about we take care of this erection at a nearby inn?"
I glare at him, and in anger, I step on his crotch. "Take care of this? Yes, I will take care of it and crush it under my bare foot."
"Oh, damn," he moans which makes me freeze. "That pose is great. I can see everything."
Damn it! This f*ucking pervert! Annoyed and frustrated, I take my foot away and go to my clothes instead.
"Where are you going? You are still going to crush my balls, right?"
"F*uck you!" I growl at him.
"That's what I have been suggesting since earlier."
With my back on him, I yell, "Die by yourself, I will return to the castle by myself!"
When I am done wearing my clothes, he calls for me, but I ignore him.
"I will really die here if you don't help me!"
I whirl towards him.
"Don't scowl at me that much, you are hurting my fragile heart," he softly says.
Angry, I kneel before him and I can even see the way his eyes try to look inside my skirt.
"Eyes up here, you deviant," I say.
He did, and he grins at me. "You came back!"
I observe him. He is still in pain despite his mood. Also if he moves, I am not sure how much blood he will lose. "I don't know how to help you," I honestly say.
"Fire can also heal. You can close up my wounds. I'm feeling faint due to blood loss."
I raise my brow but say nothing about it. I am about to activate my fire magic when I hear a commotion a few meters away from us. It's probably the responders or someone else.
"Kaiya?" I was wrong. It was Theo. "What are you doing here?" he asks.
I stand up and whirl towards the voice. I glance at Klevon and then at him. Unconsciously, I place a strand of hair behind my ears and say, "Well, monsters got attracted to the smell of the fireworks so we checked it out."
He strides towards me and yells, "You heard fireworks from your room?!"
I flinch. Right, I was supposed to be in my room, not at the festival. Suddenly, he pulls my skirt up and tries to feel my legs.
"What are you doing?!" I exclaim. Just the start of his touch and I can already feel the desire for him. "Let go!"
I whimper when he touches my crotch. I look at his eyes and see the anger in them. "Why are you not wearing anything while you are alone on a beach with another man?!"
I take in air. It is still his jealousy that matters, not the state I am in, not the wounds I sustained from fighting against these monsters. He just jumped to the conclusion that I am doing something I should not do with Klevon.
And so, I stop my struggle and let my legs be shown to the other generals. "Am I a prisoner, my King? If I am, then punish me for erring against you."
He seems to have calmed down a bit, but he is still angry. "I don't want you going out of the castle with any other man."
I snort. "Klevon offered, and I insisted," I say, leaving the part wherein I want to experience the festival with him but because we are not fine, I can't ask him. There is a huge divide between us, something that I can't forgive him soon.
"From now on, you will be some-"
"I want to become a warrior," I cut him off. The creases on his forehead deepen, and I'm lying if I say that I don't want to smoothen it for him.
"Where the hell did you get that idea?!"
"I defeated the three snake monsters. I think I can be a warrior. I'm not as strong as your generals yet, but I can be one of your foot soldiers."
He winds his arms around my waist, and I take in air at his proximity, at the way our bodies touch each other. Then he forces a kiss on my mouth. Damn this mate bond. I still want him!
"You are my lover! You will not become my warrior!"
"Am I still your slave, my King? If yes, just say so and I will stop harboring these thoughts."
He catches my chin and makes me look into his eyes. Despite the way he talks to me, I can see his pain and his begging. His hands tighten on my face. And I grimace at the pain.
"You will not leave me. You will not break our mate bond!"
"You know I can't do that even if I want to. You made that clear the last time we met."
He reels in pain, and his arms on my waist loosen. "From now on, Harbin will stop educating you. You will stay in your room where I can always find you. And you will be my lover forever."
"Hurling these orders to me, you say I am not your slave, but you are treating me as if you own me."
"That's only because you keep trying to get away from me! I have no choice, Kaiya."
Of course, he has. We can't break the mate bond, but he can still let me go. "Am I your slave or not?" I ask.
"You're not my slave."
"Am I not free to become anyone I want?"
He balks. He gently caresses my cheeks with trembling fingers, as if at any moment, I would disappear. "You are free to become anyone you want."
"Then I want to be your warrior."
He purses his lips. "But-"
"Theo!" I shout.
I sense the other generals bristle and he raises his arms to calm them down. "Fine, you will have your wish. But that will mean you will lose the luxury of being my lover. You will lose Meeghan as your maid in waiting as well, and…" he pauses.
I am certain he is thinking of other things to dissuade me. Uncertainly, he wraps his arms around me, hugs me to his chest, and says, "Please change your mind, Kaiya. I don't want this."
"Your generals are looking, my King. You can't show this weakness in front of them."
"Will I gain your forgiveness if I let you become a warrior?"
"I don't know," I admit.
"I am sorry about our child. And about my harem, you know I can't get away from that."
"It doesn't matter."
He takes an unstable breath and says, "Fine. You will have your wish. You will become my warrior. But I will designate you as my personal guard."
"Personal guard?"
"It means that you will always be with me. At my duties, everywhere I go, even at night, you will be in the same room, or at least, outside my room."
I scowl at him. That will be more painful! His duties include impregnating those women! "Are you f*ucking serious?!"
"You asked for it, and I give it. What more can you ask for?"
"Damn you," I hiss.
"No need to be so angry, Kaiya. You should know by now, that I will do my best to keep you with me. More than that, I'm ready for you to know who I am."