"Stay focused."

The footsteps on the muddy path were fast as I glanced above to observe the evening sky turning darker.

"Love your mate. But love your ambitions more."

I gulped, covering my head with the hood, feeling gazes over me.

"They can hear you. They can sense the emotions in you. Manage to fool them, Misty."

I breathed hard, trying to calm my beating heart as I crossed the intersection of the streets.

"The Alpha family is good as long as you obey them. The worst of them is Anton. Beware of his eyes and ears. The hidden ears of their family is Kenny. Beware of her presence. Robin isn't as friendly as he shows up to be."

Walking hurriedly, I kept observing as how the Lycans were all closing their doors to rest and have dinner inside. The evening was turning darker.

"Do not fight with your mate. No matter what. He loves you when he still hasn't forced on you. It clearly means that he cares about your pain. He doesn't want you to suffer. Good going, Misty. Make your pain, his. Wrap him around your pinky finger."

I took the left turn, my eyes going straight downwards to the big black bricked houses. They had peaked terraces for snow. From far, their section of houses looked like a mini-castle.

I gulped.

"Obey them. But not blindly. I am mated to a common man. My mate and his mother get heavy on me. Majority wins. But you have more than two members in your family. Win your votes. Prepare your majority."

The chilling wind caressed my wet hair from under the hood. I kept walking to save my life.

"I sent clues. But you can send yourself out, Misty. That would be the biggest defeat of their history."

I blinked, walking carefully, realizing how the candle man had gone too.

"But they have been nice to me. The hospitality. Amelia cares. So does Karam. Others have been polite too, Chelsea."

She had laughed while slapping her hands against the water.

I shuddered as the cold wind hit my feet from under the hem of my skirt and cloak.

"Why won't they be nice to you? You are giving them the heir. This bubble of theirs will burst the day when the strong Lycan in your womb will snatch all your immunity to grow himself and kill you in the process."

My heart started beating faster as I neared the broad Street we lived in. Turning to right, I walked hurriedly. Kenny was playing outside with Costina and Larc.

I gulped when she stopped moving and looked at me.

Ignoring her narrowed gaze, I looked at the big door I had to open to hide from this Lycan world.

"Don't have sex for even by mistake, Misty. Your virginity is your biggest weapon here. For you can be closer to the red cloaks that way. No one among them has visited the temple. But you will. That's big. Stay virgin and learn about the so-called Goddess these Lycan deep inside them, hate."

I pushed open the door, entering inside and bolting it after me. Resting against the wood, I breathed hard while closing my eyes.

But slowly the sound of candle flames being lit reached my ears. I looked around the room.

Oh God! Amelia came and lit the candles.

She would scold me at the dinner.

Slowly pulling the thick ribbon from around my waist, I pulled down the hood and removed the cloak slowly. Walking around the large bed, I picked up the candle and opened the cupboard.

The pair of red clothes from the first day was there inside, neatly folded beside Karam's breeches.

I sighed heavily and rubbed my forearm. The room was turning colder or maybe, it was because of my wet hair.

Taking the fresh clothes, I walked towards the bed only to jump in fright.

There he was standing, on the other side of the bed, our visions being blurred by the white curtain falling from the canopy.

The heart in me started beating hard in nervousness.

He was standing with his arms crossed, flexing those muscles under that cream shirt.

"Where were you?"

I blinked and gulped hard. "To meet my friend," I said, quietly, not being able to meet his eyes.

"To dip in the freezing cold water that your body cannot afford?" He asked while stepping ahead towards his right as if he was coming closer to me. Though, he stopped near the wooden fence of the bed. "What was so important to talk?"

His deep voice was sounding deadly calm. While mine was lost inside my throat.

"I won't repeat my questions." He said while stepping ahead, making me flinch and step back. He noticed it and narrowed his eyes.

Blinking, I tried to think of Chelsea's words. I had keep myself calm and avoid being scared. I had to fool these Lycans.

"Do you ever tell me your whereabouts?" I asked, stepping ahead leftwards to face him. Our hands rested on the fence of the bed while he observed the candle in my left hand. "You never tell me where you go. Neither I ask you. Nor I want to know. I give you space. Privacy."

"I was born here. Grew up here," he said, giving me the dead eye. He had made half bun today. Some flicks were also falling on his forehead and face. He must have done some labour work, I thought. "I know each and every corner of this land. But you don't. You could get lost."

I blinked while lowering my eyes. "I would have asked my way to here."

"Quiet!" He said loudly, making me flinch. Stepping ahead, he snatched the candle from my hand and threw it away. Taking my left hand with his right one, he removed the warm wax from my knuckles. "Too cold to not feel the burning wax."

I blinked while his hand reached for my chin, raising my head so our eyes could meet.

He had a blank face on. "You cried," he said, calmly.

"I got emotional, seeing my friend."

He raised his eyebrows and leaned closer. "You cried for longer."

I clenched my jaws in frustration. "I have been crying often these days," I said, taunting the hell out of him. "So many reasons."

And he was the biggest one.

His jaw ticked and he blinked. Leaning closer, he cupped my cheek against my comfort.

My eyes squeezed shut when his breath fanned my mouth and he whispered, "If my human mate ever gets lost in this enchanted land of Lycans, all she has to do is call me by name out to the surroundings."

My eyes opened and I observed his amber ones in the faint candle light in the room.

"My mate not need to be afraid of being lost. Of being alone."

"She isn't afraid of anything," I said, grabbing his wrist and removing it slowly. He straightened up slowly and started giving me fake amazed looks. "She is just cold. Now, leave her way so she can bathe."

He looked at me up and down. "You bathed in the lake," he exclaimed and sighed heavily. "There is hot bath ready."

Stepping aside, he let me walk ahead. My eyebrows furrowed as I entered the bathroom and observed the two lanterns on two corners of the walls. Touching the water in the tub, I relaxed at the warmth.

"You brought the hot water?" I asked while remembering Chelsea's words.

He hummed from the room.

My heart fluttered hard.

"Do you promise not to peek?" I asked while realizing how I hadn't taken bathe with him present in the room before.

"No."

He sang the word, making me look at the bath tub in confliction.

"I am bringing a chair inside for an important conversation. You decide if you want to enter the tub before I come there or in front of me."

I gasped and hurriedly glanced at the door. "You better be kidding, right now?" I asked tauntingly through clenched jaws.

The sound of chair screeching against the floor reached my ears.

Hanging the clothes on the wooden pillar that he had in the bathroom with so many nails, I stomped out of the bathroom only to scream out in embarrassment.

Turning around, I shrieked, "What the fuck? Why you are getting naked?"

He must have pulled those breeches up hurriedly.

Thanks to all the Gods of Universe, his shirt was long until his thighs. And I couldn't see his ass.

He laughed lightly. "Why you are not naked yet? I was going to join you."

My stomach churned and my bloody mind started imagining things so quickly.

J squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. Opening them, I gasped in frustration. "Not even in your wildest dreams," I said, sucking in a long breathe.

I heard him shuffling with the clothes and then heard a drop on the floor. My eyes widened.

"Look, you should go out and send Nysa here. I need to have my bath. I am really cold. Okay? Or maybe, leave it. I am going to just change and cover myself with the furs." I said while looking at the lantern in the corner of the bathroom.

Footsteps occurred and I stiffened.

Hot breathe fanned against my right ear. His strong aura of a Lycan was embracing me in a stance. "There's a bonfire tonight. We will have dinner there only. While you bathe and get ready, I will sit at the porch and wait for you," he whispered.

I blinked, shuddering slightly as he pushed my hair away from my cheek.

I clutched my skirt in fists.

"This time, you will be wearing that crown. I will take out your new cloak I brought today only." He said while leaving a kiss against my cheek, roaring thunders inside my heart. "Don't take much time."

"Can't you put a curtain on this doorframe?" I asked looking at him. "A door? In my city, we have doors at toilets and bathrooms."

"Man and wife don't need doors," he whispered, making me roll my eyes in defeat.

I started walking towards the bathroom and stopped to ask him again. "So, you will be sitting out of the door. Right? You promise you won't peek?"

He smiled while looking at the little finger I had raised. "Promise I won't let you know if I did."

My smile faded while he laughed in satisfaction, walking away to the cupboard.

I somehow collected the courage to trust him and bathed myself.

.

.

.

___

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.

.

The flame was rising and rising.

It wasn't just a bonfire. It was the mother of the bonfire with such a big tent of wooden sticks being burnt.

The music was loud and aggressive. They had bagpipes and pots to beat. Drums and tambourine kind of instruments were being played. The plates of meat were being served as the guests formed lines and took them one by one.

Seating on the same big ground at the middle of the street where Lucine had met us, people were enjoying.

My eyes kept wandering around while chewing on my bread.

The weight of the flowery crown was not much yet I still felt suffocated.

The heat of the flame was protecting me from the cold of the night. But too much fire risen up when the men made noise.

Kingston and Amelia were seated at the wooden chairs with Kenny and Costina sitting on their laps.

The men were dancing along with women which was entertaining for all of the population.

"Karam!" Lysar shouted while jumping and tapping his boots against the dry muddy path.

Sitting beside me, Karam was having most of his time by continuously tickling my waist here and there, making me almost ready to punch him in front of everyone.

"Stop it," I muttered through the gritted teeth.

Robin grunted like a big brother waving at him.

Karam sighed and got up, dusting his breeches lazily. His tall frame moved through the way, making the crowd of dancers part while he snatched a big Horn full of wine from Oskar.

Half of his hair were left undone were waving against his thick and broad shoulders. Each step felt like mild earthquake for my heart as I watched him curiously.

The drums were beaten faster as he raised his chin and drank the wine, letting the trails slide down his thick beard.

The females who were dancing with those dangling earrings, shiny bandanas and chains, giggled when he cheered loudly. Wiping his mouth, he threw the horn away and raised his hand.

My jaw dropped as his hips moved along with the rhythm of the drums.

Tapping his boots, he entangled his arm with Oskar's and took two rounds of laughter and dance. With another arm, he took rounds and bumped his chest with his cousin. Lysar came in front, showing his teeth in celebration. Karam mimicked him.

Both bent their legs and used one of the legs to step ahead slowly and take a circle while facing each other.

I blinked in surprise.

Kingston laughed while pointing at them.

Karam's eyes fell on me for the tiniest of seconds and he smirked.

Broadening his chest, he spread his arms. The females caught his hands and swayed along him to the drum beats, giggling when he lifted them with one hand each at a time and twirled them around.

My mouth closed and jaws clenched.

How dare he!

Natasha got up from two steps away from me as we were seated on the stairs of a shop.

She walked towards Amelia, taking the pups back to the houses.

Nysa was dancing with Salome and Robin on one side of the dancers, lost in their own steps.

Alvena had taken asleep little Annie already to her home while Anton was still here, drinking with a guy who looked like of the age same as of Lysar. But he was thicker than him and more serious looking. Both were chatting and watching the show.

Lysar hooted when one of the females climbed her leg on Karam's bent knee and swayed along the tune of sharp bagpipe tune.

My eyes squinted and a sudden shame started filling up my spine.

I felt ignored and attacked.

He called me his mate. Didn't he? He claimed to love me. Then, how could he dance with other women like this. Regardless of my hatred for his existence.

I collected my lips and watched how his hand reached for her waist.

The woman turned around and pasted herself back to his chest, making me straighten up slowly. She swayed along while fisting her frilly skirt and rolling it up to her knees, creating a show for the men.

The para in me rose when Karam's large hand grabbed her thigh and squeezed it.

Ah! My. . . My. . . He didn't just do that? Did he?

Flaring my nostrils, I put the plate of bread and curry beside me and got up.

The cheers turned louder while I turned to my left.

Ignoring the amused looks that Kingston and Amelia were giving me, I passed them and kept walking until the street beside Karam's room arrived.

I took the left turn and jogged on the empty street to reach the place where I had brushed my teeth.

Breathing hard, I realized the music was lighter from here. Glancing in the front at the dense trees, I blinked slowly.

Mist was covering the floor of the forest and the ground in between me and those trees.

My lips quivered at the sudden ignorance I had started to feel.

I was overwhelmed today. Tonight.

I missed the pack.

I missed Gran.

My eyes filled up with burning tears while I heard the sudden footsteps.

Hurriedly taking a long breathe, I glanced at the left only to see Karam panting hard at the edge of the street.

In the moonlight, his face held nothing but confusion. And then, seeing my face, slowly, all of that confusion went away. He looked sorted all of a sudden.

Stomping towards me, he bent himself down and grabbed my cheeks.

My eyes widened and mouth opened to stop him. But he had already caught them in an aggressive and possessive hold.

I moaned painfully when his warm full lips moved against mine energetically.

My hands reached for his broad chest to push him away. He was unstoppable.

Pushing me against the wall, he tilted his head to steal this deep passionate kiss from me that had my eyes rolling in ecstasy.

Pushing his tongue inside my mouth, he wrapped his arm around my waist as my knees had weakened literally.

A whimper escaped me when he started exploring the places he wasn't supposed to.

He slowed down and stopped for a moment, keeping his mouth open against mine with our eyes closed.

I panted hard, our breaths mingling instantly.

Before I could come back to my senses and tell him to stop, he again turned into this mad kisser, making my heart bouncing hard in my chest, trying to forcefully fly to the cloud nine.

He moaned when I pushed my knuckles against his chest. His focused turned on nibbling on to my lower lip while I tried to let out a loud whimper.

My hand reached for his face, trying to push him away.

He stopped slowly but did not move back. Our mouths were very well cupping each other, to my extreme shocks.

Holding his ears with my both hands, I pushed his face back to pant hard.

"You are an asshole," I said while pushing hard on his chest and walking straight towards the forest.

"You are a coward," he said loudly, walking behind me, making me touch my swollen lips only to wince slightly. "You still deny it. You were jealous and now, wet!"

My eyes widened while I flared my nostrils immediately. "Keep dreaming, monster! I don't give a shit to what you think! As if I will get jealous for a caveman like you. You can go fuck all those women who were throwing themselves at you while I will only be pleased and free."

He chuckled tauntingly, reaching beside me. "Fuck them? You just couldn't see me dancing with them."

I gritted my teeth hard. "Your dance was pathetic and unattractive. I was nauseated and wanted to vomit. But guess what! You disgusted me more with those wicked dirty lips!" I said while wiping my mouth. "With the same mouth you must have kissed those bitches."

"I didn't kiss anyone," he said, surprised while coming in front of me and blocking my way.

I blinked angrily and gulped hard.

He looked so amused. I just wanted to punch that knowing smirk off his face.

"I did kiss my mate."

I stepped aside and shook my head. "Buzz off, Karam. Just go to hell." I said while continuing walking towards the forest.

He walked behind me and asked, "Buzz. . . What? And why will I go to hell? I just kissed my mate and visited heaven."

"Fuck you." I said, blinking through the unwanted tears. "Fuck you!"

My speed fastened while he blocked my way again.

A naughty smile curved his lips. "All I want to do is fuck you endlessly, my mate."

One second passed. Three passed. Ten seconds passed.

My lips trembled and I let out a faint sob.

His expressions turned blank.

"As if you hadn't been fucking my life, already." I choked out, sniffling hard. "Can you just slice up my throat and end it all?"

His eyes straightened and mouth parted.

I looked far at the tree and gulped hard. "I can't do this anymore. I am breaking. . . I miss home. I miss everyone. You. . . Your people are different. This world is different. If you can't let me cross the border, just kill me." I sobbed softly.

He stepped closer to observe me keenly. His face showed concern. "Did I hurt my mate?"

I blinked and flared my nostrils. "I cannot do this anymore," I whispered in exhaustion.

Looking up at him, he was watching me blankly.

"All this time, you claim to love me. To be my mate. And then, you dance with those women, that way." I said shakily, feeling the tears sliding down. "You almost raped me against that wall when I took the names of two men."

"That's not fair," I said, bursting into a fresh round of tears. Covering my face, I lowered my head. "You are a selfish moron. I hate you."

Soft sobs escaped me while I stood there in the middle of the ground, ranting hurtfully in front of the monster.

"I feel so stupid and forced. And yes, you have hurt me!" I said, pushing him away when he tried to step closer. Wiping my cheek, I looked at him sadly. "You said that you don't get jealous. Right. I don't get jealous. I get apart."

He blinked in blankness. A sudden shock reflected in his eyes when I glared at him through the tears.

"All men are same! Dogs!" I cried angrily. "So full of yourself and not an ounce of guilt in your eyes. It's not even eight days or what! And you have ruined my mind! Ruined whole of my life! I can't recognize myself anymore."

He stood stunned.

Angrily opening my braids, I struggled for ten seconds and threw away the flower crown.

He watched it rolling and bumping against a tree. He looked back at me.

"You are the worst thing that happened to me! Okay?" I said, looking at him. "I thought that my mother's mate was the villain of my life. But it's actually you. Never have someone made me feel like this. Frustrated and scared! I am done with your shit!" I told him. "Just be done with it. Just kill me. And then, you can do anything with my dead body. Rape me, hit me, anything!" I sobbed hard.

He stepped closer, making me suck in a breath in alert.

Grabbing my forearms, he clenched his jaws while looking down at me coldly.

"Is that what they do to dead bodies in your world?" He asked in his rough voice.

I flinched when he let out a faint angry growl.

"I asked for your forgiveness for that morning," he said coldly, grabbing my hair with one hand to raise my head aggressively. "You feel shame to admit that you love me. To hide one word 'love', you give me that speech."

My nostrils flared when he rubbed his thumb against my lips. "If you don't like me with other women, you show it openly like a proud woman. Not a coward who keep asking for death. A bride is not allowed to roam freely. But for my mate, I asked Amelia to keep silent. I let my mate be free! And I get this hateful speech in return!" 

Bringing his mouth closer, he rubbed his nose against my forehead. "We don't get jealous. We get apart," he whispered and chuckled humorlessly.

"I try to give you home. But you still think of the one you cannot reach anymore," he said, looking in my eyes. "And it is not my fault. It is yours. I could have roamed this territory for years, in search for you. I could never cross the border. But you came. You crossed the border no matter how. You came in my life."

A tear leaked down my eye while he gave me a disturbing look.

"Slicing your throat will be the easiest way for you to go," he said, getting lost in his thick accent. "I will not let you have it this easy, my mate. I will fill your heart with so much love, all of your senses will scream my name all moments of your days and nights. I will ruin your belief that you wouldn't fall for me. Your mind will be full of memories of our pups, of our fucks, of our laughters. . ."

I closed my eyes, letting another tear fall.

"The process has started. To think that I would stop touching you after these little speeches, you are wrong, my mate." He scoffed slowly, wrapping his arm around my waist, pushing me against him.

I breathed shakily while gulping hard.

"I live for these touches. For these kisses. I won't stop," he said, leaving my hair and tipping my chin. Our eyes met and he smiled knowingly. "I will stop dancing with the females if that is what my mate wishes. I will only dance with her."

"I'd rather die," I whispered, while feeling angry and hurt.

He pushed the flicks away from face and caressed my cheek. "I will follow you to the hells and heavens. To the moon," he whispered back. "If you think that the death could do us apart."

"No one can," he whispered while snaking his fingers in my hair, churning my stomach. "You are all for myself."

I gulped when he whispered, "And I am all for you."

"I am not jealous," I choked out in defence. "You are free to enjoy your life. But let me go."

"I cannot. I don't want to," he whispered, giving me a small smile. "And you were jealous."

My jaws clenched. "It's must be the fucking mate bond," I whispered.

His one eyebrow raised. "Mate bond? You know nothing about it, my mate. It is the pull your soul feel to meet mine. It is natural and magical. But not mythical. It is not a lie. It happens when your soul is ready to bear the bond. Your soul is ready to be mine, my mate."

"Keep telling yourself that," I whispered coldly.

He chuckled and slowly the smile faded. His face turned serious and he tightened the hold in my hair.

"I will have to keep telling yourself too." He said tauntingly.

Tilting his head, he pressed his lips against  mine.

The kiss was slow and sweet.

The beard was rough. The tears were salty.

The night was cold. I felt warm in his embrace.

Mind was getting lost. Heart was beating like the drums behind the street. Loud and echoing.

He moaned in his deep voice. I was still sniffling in between the slow and active movements of his lips.

An unknown pleasure was crawling up my insides.

At last, I felt tired of crying.

So, I didn't stop him. I couldn't. I didn't want to.

As if my soul was enjoying it.

The so-called mate bond.

______

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