PLEASE READ THE NOTE:

There is supposed to be a mature scene in this chapter. I removed some parts of the scene so that this book would not be rated mature. This chapter is clean.

But I put the chapter on Wattpad under a separate book so you can still read it. Chapters are on private.

How to read mature chapters for The Heart of a King:

1. Must be following me. (Not doing this for followers. I just don't want the book to be rated mature and be hidden. Feel free to unfollow me after you've read or something)

2. Go to my profile to see all my works. There's a book with the same cover as this but it says "The Heart of a King - Mature Scenes"

3. Go to table of contents and you'll see Chapter 20. Read from there.

That's it guys! Happy reading! Make sure to read carefully.

CHAPTER 20 – SEALING THE ALLIANCE

The Vampyr Camp
Location Unknown
The Realm of Xathos

Never has something so wrong felt so damned right.

"You can't leave. Not now," he told her in a much softer tone.

"This changes nothing, Dimitrios."

"This changes everything."

"No."

"You're completely mine now, Ailara. Mine."

Then, he kissed her again. She should have stopped him but she wanted this. It's all she'll ever have of him. She's dreamt of this for so long and now that it's here, all her dreams couldn't compare. If this is what the gods would grant her, then she should live freely and take it.

And then tomorrow, when the sun set, she'll forget everything and move on.

She became pliant in his arms again as desire rose. She didn't understand how a single touch could turn her into this wanton woman. 

"Mira a' zahnin."

Ailara stilled when she recognized the words. Her heart stopped beating and her throat went dry. He spoke in the old language of the gods. It meant 'you are mine.' It was also the words the Wolfen used to claim their mates.

Her eyes filled with tears again and she wrapped her bound arms around him.  His other hand went under her shoulders and lifted her to him.

"Drink," he commanded.

She closed her eyes and refused to obey. He can have her body but she won't bond herself to him by drinking his blood. That was how the Vampyr bonded. Drinking from him would be akin to saying his claiming words back.

But the choice was taken away from her when he used his claw to slice a small wound on his neck. The moment she smelled his blood, it was a done deal. She was tired and she was hungry for she hasn't fed in days. Her wound also needed healing. But more than that, it was because Dimitrios' blood tasted divine. It was a thousand times more delicious than the finest wine.

She struck and sank her fangs into his skin. She held onto his shoulders as his blood flowed on her tongue and down her throat.

"Gods!" Dimtrios exclaimed. 

At this point, she couldn't stop even if he asked her to. He let go of her head for she now supported herself by holding onto his shoulders.

Her entire body arched and the light of the candle illuminated her shoulders. That was the first time he saw his bite again. It was small and the scars already faded. That was the mark he placed on her on their wedding back when they were children.

Ailara noticed his gaze on the mark. She pulled back and licked his wound closed. She looked at him and it was as if he stopped breathing. She wasn't sure what she was feeling for his expression was a mixture of curiosity, lust, and was that reverence?

He kissed his mark and both of them jolted at the heat and electricity that suffused them both.

Dimitrios opened his mouth and his fangs burst from his gums. Then, he sank his fangs on her shoulders; directly above the initial mark.

He claimed her!

☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾

The next day, Dimitrios woke up just as the sun was about to set.

The first thing he looked for was Ailara. She wasn't beside him and she wasn't inside his tent. He reached for the empty spot on the pallet and found it cold. This meant that she was gone a while. She probably left before dawn.

He felt a pang in his chest when he found her gone. Usually, it was he who left the beds of his partners. And he always left after the deed was done. Most days, he felt as if he couldn't leave fast enough.

Whenever he bedded other women, he felt like his skin crawled. Immediately after, he felt disgusted with himself. He blamed the mating that his parents set for it. Maybe, in the eyes of the gods, he was committing adultery. But then he told himself that the alliance was now gone and she was not his mate anymore.

So he carried on with his affairs even though he felt like shit after. But no one ever satisfied him... until Ailara.

Dimitrios heard a commotion outside his tent. He peeked from the flaps and saw the camp coming to life. The sun set fully now and the Vampyr warriors started leaving their tents. The camp bustled with activity as warriors headed towards their stations and prepared for the night ahead.

When the throng of busy vampyrs cleared, he saw Gideon, Ailara, and was that the Queen of the Wiccan? That black hair, tanned skin, and blue eyes could only belong to Helena, the Queen of the spellcasters.

Dimitrios looked at Ailara but she refused to meet his gaze. Her lips were still swollen from his kisses and he also saw the marks he left on her skin. That gave him some level of satisfaction and had to bite back the urge to smirk.

"Dimitrios," she greeted when they were right outside his tent.

"Helena," he answered with an incline of his head. He knew Helena because his people traded frequently with the witches. They sold healing potions and spells to help the sick and the dying. In return, they asked for the Wolfen's protection.

Dimitrios actually liked Helena as a queen. She was ruthless and calculating when it comes to her enemies yet a good and kind-hearted queen to her people.

Gideon stepped between both of them. "You two already know each other? Good."

"Now tell me about the bespelled Wolfen," Helena commanded Gideon.

"They're fast asleep. No potions could wake them up. Our princess says she detected magic in the air when the Cerran attacked. These could be the doing of witches under Heilen's control."

"Heilen will pay for torturing my people!" she shouted. At once, clouds gathered over the Vampyr camp as her magic reacted to her temper.

"Calm yourself, Helena," Dimitrios told her. She rolled her eyes and waved her hand. The clouds disappeared quickly.

"So about your warriors... You want me to wake them up? That's easy. The question is: why should I do that?" Helena asked. She turned around and looked at Dimitrios again.

"I have no quarrel with you or your kingdom, Helena," Dimitrios answered.

"I know. But we aren't allies as well. We trade often. But nothing beyond that. I am allied with Gideon's Vampyr army. And he told me you are enemies. That makes you my enemy, Wolfen King."

Dimitrios bit back a growl. He knew Helena was calculating but he didn't expect this from her.

"If you wake up my warriors, I will return the patch of land that was granted to us by the previous queen as thanks for our aid."

"Hmm. Tempting. Tell me more!"

Dimitrios exited his tent and smiled. The chains that were shackled him afforded him some movement near his tent. He stepped closer to Ailara. She tried to move away but he held her hand. She looked everywhere else but him.

"And Helena? We are not enemies. We are allies."

Ailara jerked her hand away from his grasp.

Gideon threw back his head and laughed. "Allies? Dog, are you out of your fucking mind? The alliance was dissolved several years ago!"

"The alliance is back in place," Dimitrios answered calmly. Ailara shook her head and her eyes implored him not to say anything.

Gideon snorted. "Pray tell how it happened?"

Dimitrios pulled back his tunic and showed everyone the twin marks from Ailara's fangs. The wound already healed a bit but the evidence of the bite was still there. He also pulled her elegant robe to the side and showed them the claiming mark he left on her skin.

A Wolfen's claiming mark never fades.

"Last night I claimed your queen. And she claimed me as her mate as well," he answered with a smug smile.

**************

I know it's short. It's because a lot of things have been removed.

If you want to read the full chapter, go back to the top of this chapter for instructions. And follow them carefully before commenting.

Also, no rude comments. I already explained the reason why the chapters are PRIVATE. It's because they are very MATURE.

So if you have a problem with that when all you need to do is just follow and check out another book and the entire chapter is free there, then just shut up. I don't want rude comments when I'm posting this story here for free when I could just stop and you can read this on Radish (also for free after chapters unlock). 

And poor other nice readers who really want to read this book and have been super nice. I'm doing this for them because I promised I'd continue posting it here. Don't ruin it for them.

AGAIN: NO RUDE / HATER / STUPID COMMENTS, PLEASE. Save my sanity, will you?