Jolts of restlessness occurred at my joints.

Moving my orbs, I tried to open my eyes. But the mind was too heavy to do that. The whole body was asleep.

Breathing softly, I hissed at the little bit of pain that occurred on my right palm.

Cold air caressed my cheeks, making me snuggle into the furs more. While I felt the slow wetness on my palm. It was spreading sparks all over my body.

Squirming in pleasure, I turned on my side and let out a breathe, giving in to the deep slumber that I wasn't ready to get out from.

.

.

______

.

.

Opening my eyes, my heart bounced in the sudden realization.

I sat up hurriedly while groaning hard at the slight ache I felt in the head. Touching my forehead, I further winced at the pain in my palm.

Checking my right hand, a white cloth was wrapped around the cut those women had made.

Fresh morning wind entered the room from the window of the room that was open fully.

Suddenly, my eyes took in the soft net silk that blew along the wind. The cloth was tied around the pillars of the bed. My head raised slowly to observed the cloth being spread over the frame like a ceiling.

"A canopy bed," I mumbled in confusion.

Lowering down my eyes to observe the vintage looking wooden pillars covered by spiralled cloth around them, my gaze fell on the foot of the bed.

The fence made of wooden bars was the bridge between the two pillars. While behind them was standing the so-called mate of mine, with one of his elbows resting against the upper grill, wearing a lazy smirk.

"Morning, my mate."

My eyes moved down on my lap immediately. I touched my stomach and legs. Relief filled my senses when I felt and saw the silky red dress.

Except the top's cut sleeves were loose that one strap had fallen over my shoulder, exposing much of my cleavage.

My jaws clenched and nostrils flared while I pulled back the strap. "Fuck you," I mumbled.

His eyebrows raised immediately and he tilted his head. "Really?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, moving my legs to check if I was touched by any senses with my heart beating crazily in fear.

"Where am I?" I asked coldly, while looking in confusion. The two doors and the cupboard were there only.

He hummed and walked around the bed after removing his elbow off the fence. "We had changed the bed during the rituals," he said, smiling slightly while patting the pillar. "I made it myself with the help of brothers."

My eyebrows straightened in disbelief as I observed the curved shapes of the straight pillars and the designs carved on them. The dark brown paint was done with such finishing, I wanted to nod in appreciation.

"The canopy looks royal," he said, scratching his arms wide, letting his thin white shirt rise up to show off the hair line over the lean stomach. His pants were literally hanging low on his hip bones.

"A tribal man wanting a canopy. You aren't some prince!" I said, wanting to be so mean to him because I was irritated by the very smile on his face.

He had pulled back his hair in a tight bun again. The black threads around his waist made them look thicker and muscular.

"But you are a princess. So, it was the right time to replace the old bed with this one." He said, sitting on the chair beside the bed, spreading his legs wide casually and tipping fingers on arms of the chair.

My eyes moved behind him on the table. The crown made of roses, leaves and feathers was placed there, looking like an antique piece. Oh, how Amelia had stuck it on my head with my own braids!

The thought made me bring my left hand to massage my scalp and wince. Yeah, my roots were sore.

Roaming my left palm against my cheeks, I closed my eyes and arched my back. Stretching my arms and legs, I moaned in the left over sleepiness.

Feeling slipperiness in my jaws, I felt disgust crawling my spine.

"Oh God." I mumbled to myself, hopelessly. "I haven't brushed my teeth from last three days."

"There is a pot filled with the ash on the corner of the bathroom." He said, watching me keenly.

I blinked, feeling weird at wearing nothing underneath the red long skirt.  More like scared and uncertain of what worse could happen.

"Do you need to piss or. . ." He cleared his throat before saying, "I heard your insides roaring an hour ago."

Through the window, the sky was still darker. It was dawn before the sunrise.

Rubbing my cheek again, I scratched on the place where they had applied the blood of a poor animal. But nothing was there. My cheek felt clean.

I sighed and roamed my hand on the other cheek.

I jumped in the sudden pain. "Fuck!" I shrieked and let out a long whimper. "Ah!"

I had touched my nose ring.

Tears welled up quickly while my breaths turned shallow.

The sound of staggering chair back reached my ears, followed by the loud footsteps.

More whimpers escaped as I squeezed my eyes shut and kept my hand inches away from the nose I was so afraid to touch.

Tears slid down my cheeks while I felt the bed dipping on my left side. "Show me!" He said hurriedly, while grabbing my wrist.

I removed his fingers off my arm immediately and shifted on the bed away from him. Letting out harsh breaths, I crawled ahead on the now double King-sized bed and got off.

A growl escaped him, making me halt immediately. But then, I was used to it from last two months. Wasn't I?

Walking slowly towards the bath room, I let out a soft sob.

"Ah!" He grunted behind me. "Show it to me, my mate."

Giving no fuck to him, I kept walking on my tired legs and realized that the skirt had loosened on my waist slightly. My hair were down on my back, loose and entangled.

"Why wouldn't you listen!" He asked, raising his voice, depicting desperation and confusion.

Walking inside the cold bathroom, I looked around in the dark. The lantern was not lit. Where had they put the mirror? I couldn't remember.

Looking back around the room, I breathed harshly. The tears slid down my cheeks effortlessly while he halted in his tracks, five steps away from me.

Not looking at him, I thought of walking back towards the cupboard on the other side of the room.

"You are overlooking me," he said in his thick accent, more like accusing me. Standing tall, he breathed angrily and huffed. "Talk to me!" He said loudly.

I flinched and ignored him, clenching my jaws when I felt a little scared by the loud breathing.

When I started passing him to reach the bed, he blocked my way, giving me the confused look. He grabbed my wrist. "What did I do to upset my mate early morning?" He asked, pretending to be innocent which seemed genuine actually.

But I felt so angry at him. I couldn't even stop my tears, they kept coming. "I don't want to talk to you. Okay? I don't talk to men who uses their physical strength against a woman." I said, in my hoarse voice, looking up in his light amber eyes.

His eyebrows furrowed and raised slightly. "When did I—"

"You kissed me forcefully, Karam. I didn't want it." I told him in a tired voice, sadly.

His eyes turned blank and his lips parted. His nostrils flared and he rubbed his thumb against my wrist slowly.

"We sealed the bond. I didn't force my mate. I kissed her." He said, giving me the accusing eyes. "I showed my love for her."

My nostrils flared as I let out a soft sob in extreme pain. It was hurting in the piercing. "You hurt her," I told him, sniffling slowly.

He stiffened and left my hand inmediately. Looking away with clenched jaws, he said, "I am calling Amelia to tend to you."

She must be sleeping. I didn't want to begin my day with her.

"No," I said hurriedly, sobbing softly. "Just give me a mirror. I'll watch it myself."

"No!" He said, turning to face me fully. Leaning down to match my height, he stared in my eyes. From close, his orbs looked like filled with the early rays of the sun. "You are hurt. We need to settle the pain."

"I can watch it myself—"

He growled lightly in disagreement, making me flinch. Grabbing my elbows, he walked me to the bed and left for the bathroom.

I blinked in pain while whimpering slowly. He came back with a wet cloth in his hand. Sitting beside me on the bed, his breathe fanned my cheek as he came closer and forwarded his hand towards my face.

The anxiety spread over my heart. "Your fingers are long and big. You might hurt me more," I whispered fearfully.

"You do not know what to do," he said while looking back at my nose. "Do not move." He said while wrapping his arms around around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. I gasped silently at the sudden actions and grabbed his right arm as with left hand, he touched my nose.

"We just need to wash it and apply the paste. That is what Amelia does to every wound," he mumbled while tipping the cloth against the skin under the ring.

I squeezed my eyes and tightened my hold on his arm. "It hurts," I complained while wincing slightly.

He kept quiet and wiped the tears off. Dipping the tip of the other dried strap in the little earthen bowl of paste that I hadn't seen in his hand earlier, he started applying it on my nose.

I jumped as the sudden pain jolted when he touched the ring again. "I'll pee in my clothes if you do it again," I said while letting out another sob.

"Pee?"

"Piss," I mumbled back.

He hummed.

"Stop crying. It's almost done. See. You look like the Goddess herself. Ah! My heart." He said, his voice deep in contrast to the soft wind that spread around the room. He gave me a lopsided smile. "You had disturbed it. Now, I made it sleep again. Let it rest for more hours and then, there will be on pain. You can touch it, pinch it, squeeze it—"

"I get it." I said, closing my eyes and breathing hard. "Thanks."

He threw the cloth near his feet on the floor. My eyes widened when I saw the red stains on the piece before he pushed it out of my sight by his boot.

"I was bleeding," I said, hyperventilating. "Oh my God! There was blood!"

He twitched his lips and shook his head. Looking in my eyes, he whispered, "There was no blood. You are having visions."

"Don't lie to me," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "I saw it."

"And I saw you snoring. You snore like an old man," he said, smirking slightly.

I gasped, my eyes widening. "No. I don't. What the fuck! I don't snore. You creep! You watched me the whole time while I was sleeping."

"No. I slept beside you too for some hours. After all, I put a lot of hardwork on making the bed." He said, tilted his head and sucking in his cheeks to irritate me more.

My heart started beating faster. He slept beside me? Oh God!

"You like to entangle legs. Huh?" He teased in the lazy morning deep voice, with a straight face, opening his eyes to bare minimum, making me conscious all of a sudden. "You snuggled into me like a little mouse. Those sweet moans when I rubbed your back, were delightful."

My fingers twitched and I immediately removed my hands from his arms. Removing his hands from my waist, I shifted back on the bed.

"You have no shame." I told him.

"Says the one who hugged me to sleep with her bare leg entangled with mine," he said while laying back on the bed, stretching his arms.

He seemed so big on the big bed while I could feel my heart throbbing hard.

"I swear if you touched me anywhere. . ."

"What are you going to do?" He asked, raising his head to give me the straight look. "Not talk to me?"

"In addition, I am going to kick you in the balls." I threatened while gritting my teeth.

He smiled cheekily. "I will be waiting for the tickles."

Blood warmed under my cheeks, I watched him smirking, with my dried eyes.

My nose felt ticklish because of the early morning crying. My nostrils flared and I opened my mouth. My heart started drowning while his smile faded.

He sat up immediately, watching me ready to blow up my life.

I squeezed my hands and was about to sneeze, almost dying from the fear.

"You liked my kiss."

My eyes opened in the sudden anger. "I what?"

He sighed casually while the sneeze postponed thankfully. Or the ring would have been thrown far away to the bathroom and my heart would have been farther than that, inside the other hour by the force of it. Dead.

"You enjoyed it," he said, giving me those orange accusing eyes.

I collected my lips and got up from the bed. "Don't kid me. I am not coming in your words. Fraudster," I taunted angrily, in a cold tone. Turning around, I started walking towards the bathroom. "Keep telling yourself that to make you sleep at night. I have never been more disgusted by a kiss before."

I cringed hard, remembering the last scene. "Not even when Ivan had kissed me. While with Declan, the moments were hot. Unforgettable." I said, smirking to myself, remembering the day. Even though, he turned out to be the douche in the end, I cherished those moments.

All of a sudden, the chair fell on the wall beside the bed, making me scream and stagger away near the bathroom. Its one arm had broke.

He got up from the bed, glaring at me.

My eyes widened as I suddenly realized how I had spoken too much than I needed to.

"Two different men?" He said, walking towards me slowly, his amber eyes turning bloodshot within a blink.

His eyebrows were thick and narrowed. His nose was scrunched up as he spat, "You smell virgin. But your words says otherwise. You just talked like a whore does."

I gasped in fright at the sudden harsh tone.

"Misty. Misty. Misty." He chuckled humorlessly, while nearing and towering me.

I pasted myself to the wall, breathing fearfully. "H-How much did it ta-take to make the bed?" I said, trying to distract him, obviously in my frightened shaky voice.

Chills ran down my spine when he flared his nostrils. "Hundred and eighty two years. To meet you in this life!" He growled angrily, shaking the whole room.

I palmed the wall behind me while gulping hard.

"You do not talk to me, knowingly. You talk about other men in front of me. This is not how it works, my mate." He said, laughing humorlessly.

Madness. Utter madness in those amber eyes.

My stomach churned and eyebrows straightened. "Ka-Karam. . ." I whispered and was cut off.

"I was soft. I tried to be," he said blankly, madness showing up in his furious eyes. "But you couldn't take my respect. You couldn't take my love. You call my kiss, an act of forcefulness!" He growled angrily.

I shuddered hard.

Cold air filled inside the room, engulfed me specifically.

Especially when he stomped around while saying, "I will show you the act of forcefulness!"

I couldn't even call out his name properly in time as he had immediately reached me. Only to grab my forearm and turn me around forcefully. My right cheek pasted against the wall by his sudden weight pushed against my body.

"Karam! What the fuck! What are you doing!" I shrieked in terror.

The real horror chilled my spine when his one hand wrapped around my chest, cupping my right breast.

I gasped in shock.

The other went down on the right side to pull up the long skirt hurriedly.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh my—" I let out a cry. "Karam! No! Please! No!"

His heavy weight was too much against me to even move an inch. My legs were stuck as he pulled up the skirt harshly, making the air slap across my bottom cheeks.

Tears slipped from my eyes in horror as I halted myself in extreme trauma.

He had just squeezed my breast tight.

My mouth parted with trepidation.

"I didn't want to be like others, Misty. But you made me do it," he growled angrily. "The whole night I watched you from that chair. Your innocent face and couldn't cone up to fuck you like the beast in me is dying to!"

The sound of him shuffling with his breeches reached my nose while numbness filled all of my body.

His hot breath fanned against my left ear as he growled, "I have waited years. I could wait more. But who waits for a whore. Who! You talk about other men! And I will make you feel like other men! Not like the mate I thought you deserved!"

The laces of his breeches rubbed against my bare butt and I heard it happening.

He shuffled with the cloths until he pushed more of his weight against me, squeezing my breast tight again roughly.

I let out a painful cry followed by a scared whimper.

A shaky sob escaped my mouth while he breathed aggressively.

My palms started slipping against the walls as I feared for the horror to take place.

He breathed angrily, his hands grabbing my uncovered hip bone roughly.

I squeezed my eyes, letting the tears slide down my cheeks.

"If you call me the caveman, I will take it. If you call me more names, I will take it. Scream at me. Shout at me. I will take it," he whispered in my left ear, his angry pants churning my stomach. "But if you play with my heart, I won't take it."

I breathed harshly when he whispered, "Mates are meant to love each other. And I love you, my mate."

Goosebumps risen across my skin. My heart shivered in terror.

"If you dare take any other man's name in front of me, even think of it, I will not be myself." He sneered into my ear. "Ask me to be your mate, I'll be the best in the world. Ask me to be your love, I will make you fly like an angel. Ask me to be your man, I will be the one from your wildest dreams. But if you stab my heart and spit on my love for you like that, I won't be the man."

He let out an angry growl, making me shriek in fright.

"I will be the monster!"

I shuddered with wide eyes.

"I will rip your heart apart too," he warned while biting and licking my earlobe. Letting out an angry grunt, he squeezed my breast again.

I whimpered in defeat and breathed against the bricked wall. My heart was beating in my mouth.

"But if you behave, you will be my Queen." He promised while leaving a kiss on the crook of my neck, making me closer my wet eyes. Releasing hot breaths, he rubbed his lips against my skin. The facial hair ticked the back of my neck, making me squirm unwillingly and crazily.

Pulling his weight back, he let me breathe and freed back my skirt downwards. Removing his hand off my breast, he stepped back and grunted angrily.

The footsteps echoed while I couldn't even believe what just happened. The door slammed shut, making me jump in fright again.

"Oh my God," I squeaked out, bursting into a round of fresh tears. The situation started sinking in my mind. My heart started bleeding.

My legs shook while mind was throbbing with the memory of what he just did. Feeling traumatized, I slid along the wall to sit and rested my head against it.

Covering my mouth with my shaky hand, I squeezed my eyes shut and cried until my head ached badly.

He had almost. . . I sobbed hard.

The door burst opened, followed by the loud footsteps.

Nysa's worried voice filled the air while I was still crying my heart out in the horror of what he just did to me.

"Misty?" She asked, grabbing my elbow.

I couldn't speak a word.

I just couldn't.

All I could do was cry for my fate.

_______

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