Lorenzo pov:
"What are you sure about this?" I asked.
"Yes, my lord, the news is true," came the unwavering response. My mind struggled to wrap itself around the revelation, Lucian, had taken the princess as his mate.
But as I grappled with the implications, a sinister thought took root in my mind. A cruel smile played on my lips. "In any case, I see this as a plus point if he has a mate. I'm going to torture her in front of him. This will be more terrible than actually dying." The prospect of inflicting pain, of shattering Lucian's newfound joy, fueled a dark fire within me.
"Oh Lucian, how are you going to keep her safe from me now?" I mused aloud.
Suddenly, the chamber's heavy atmosphere was pierced by the sound of panting and labored breaths. I turned to find John standing there, his eyes wide with shock. "What I am hearing?" he gasped
"Everything you have heard is true," I affirmed, turning around to face him. "But it's not possible, the beasts were cursed that they will not have mates," he argued, his disbelief etched across his face.
"But guess what, Lucian has one, and she is none other than your lovely sweetheart," I replied. John's vow to kill Lucian for stealing his love compelled me to conceal the darker intricacies of my plan. Well, I'll kill him when the work is done.
To further stoke the flames of his rage, I added, "So now that she is his mate, he will surely marry her and make her his."
"WHAT?" John roared. As the realization sunk in, I approached him, relishing the situation. "Well, he will marry her, mark her his, you know what happened on the wedding night, John."
"I want to kill him before it. When will I get the powers? I can't let him make her his, she is mine to love," he declared, his anger twisting into possessiveness.
With a disdainful sneer, I remarked, "We have to wait for it. Well, we will attack when his wedding will be held." But John, unable to contain his fury, demanded, "What, can't we kill him now?"
"No, we can't. On that day, everyone will be focused on the wedding, but the security will be tight for sure. I have my men inside his castle, they will help us," I declared.
John raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "What makes you want to wait so long?
Why don't you want to marry her? It will be the best day to marry her right in front of him."
If you do, I'll kill you, torture her, and turn her into a slave. I'm getting so excited just thinking about this. Lucian, hold on, you're about to suffer.
John, could no longer contain his fury. He stormed out, his face contorted with rage. But the next moment, John's transformation caught me off guard. The air crackled with energy as John morphed into a wolf.
I turned to face my man and said, So our process is successful.'"
"Finally, yes sir. The other humans were not able to take the pain, but I think his anger is making it possible," my man replied.
"That's a good thought. Give the letter to our informer. I want the date for the wedding," I commanded.
John POV:
The revelation struck me like a thunderbolt, each word he uttered echoing in my mind like a sinister hymn. "Lucian is going to marry Bella," he declared, and the world around me shattered into a cacophony of dissonant fragments.
I couldn't comprehend those words until a scream, erupted from my chest. It was the sound of a wounded animal, desperate and untamed.
At that moment, a tempest of conflicting emotions surged within me, colliding like turbulent waves. My hands trembled with rage, a desire to rend flesh and break bones.
My heart, pounded against my ribs as if seeking escape from the anguish that now coursed through my veins.
The mere thought of Lucian possessing Bella, claiming her as his own, ignited a blaze within me. She was meant to be mine. The idea of him defiling her with his touch was an affront to every fiber of my being. I felt an overwhelming compulsion to protect what was rightfully mine.
As the impending wedding night loomed in my imagination, a sinister image materialized, the image of Lucian making her his own.
The thought of it was an intolerable torment. I couldn't allow it. She was not his to claim, she was meant to be mine.
My physical form rebelled against the tempest within. A searing pain clawed at my insides, and I felt an indescribable force surge through me. It was as if something dormant had awakened, a power demanding release. Then, with an abrupt and agonizing transformation, my human essence melded with the untamed spirit within, and I became a wolf, like him.
In the dense thicket of the forest, I detected the scent of humans. A predatory glint filled my eyes as I embraced the savagery within me, ready to unleash violence that mirrored the tempest in my soul. Tonight, the forest would bear witness to the primal symphony of my wrath as I hunted, driven by the intoxicating scent of revenge.
Lucian POV:
The previous sleep had been the best yet, nestled in my castle, sharing the bed with my love. As I felt her stir and begin to rise, I couldn't resist pulling her close, my hand instinctively finding her waist.
Her rosy lips caught my attention, and my inner wolf urged me on, "Kiss her." I fought for control. "Good morning, love. Where are you off to in such a hurry?" I asked, mesmerized by her beauty, even with her tousled hair and sleepy eyes.
"Nowhere I want to be, just the bathroom," she replied. I lifted her effortlessly and guided her there. I wanted to stay, but she insisted I wait outside, her leg still bothering her.
Standing outside, I pondered whether to disobey and stay close.
Alex's voice interrupted my thoughts, urgent and worried. "Come quickly, Lucian. Something's wrong, it might involve Isabella," he mind-linked me.
I rushed off, leaving guards at the door and instructing a maid to assist her. Meeting Alex downstairs, I inquired about the situation, fearing intruders.
"No intruders, let's train," he said with an annoying grin.
"Why the urgency then?" I demanded.
"Because you need to be sharp for her. A king can't afford to be idle," he said, receiving a punch in the face for his trouble.
"Alright, let's train," I relented. It was hard to stay away from her, but Alex was right; I had responsibilities.
Mid-training, my guard informed me that Bella was ready. I raced back to my room, ignoring Alex's presence. Opening the door, I found Bella dressed in a lovely green dress, looking stunning.
"What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Sweat from training, my love. Nothing to worry about," I assured her before heading to the restroom. Her concern warmed me, knowing she cared pleased me immensely.
As I hurried to the closet to change, a sudden blast jolted me. Without a moment's hesitation, I dashed outside to find Bella on the balcony. "Bella, stay inside!" I yelled, racing towards her. Glancing down, I saw billows of black smoke rising from the forest where the explosion had occurred. Who could be behind such an attack?
"Lucian, someone has attacked us," Alex exclaimed, through mind-linked.
"Send our best guards to my room; I'm coming."
I snatched an arrow that had nearly grazed my face, noticing a note attached to it. "Oh my God," Bella gasped, recoiling.
"Go inside and stay there. Don't come out," I instructed her firmly. She nodded, retreating indoors.
"Lucian, you should come inside. It's not safe out there," she worriedly urged. I retrieved the note and followed her in, closing the balcony door behind me to ease her fear.
"You did wrong, Lucian. I will kill you," the note ominously read. My jaw clenched in anger, and I crumpled the paper. "Whoever you are, you're dead," I muttered under my breath.
"Luc... Lucian," Bella's voice quivered from the bed where she sat, eyes wide with fear. "Stay there. Don't move," I ordered, leaving her in the room with two of my best soldiers.
"Lord Alexander has sent us, my lord," they greeted me as I walked out.
"Guard her with your lives. If anything happens to her, you know the consequences," I warned, my tone brooking no disobedience. They nodded solemnly.
As I strode through the castle, my voice echoed through the stone corridors. "George, do you know who is behind this?" I demanded.
"My lord, I'm trying, but there is a barrier. I can't tell who they are. I think they have done something to block the view, but I'm trying," George explained, frustration etched on his face.
"Try harder," I replied sharply, my mind racing with thoughts of the impending threat. With a determined stride, I made my way out of the castle, the heavy wooden doors creaking behind me.
"LUCIAN, they've crossed our front border. Blast in that direction!" Alex said. "We checked there, but there was nothing. Hell, we're not even getting any scent of them."
"How are you not getting the scent?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the perplexing situation.
"There was one of our guards who picked up the scent, but before he could go further, it vanished," Alex explained.
"What? How could that be possible? How could they cross our front borders? Our wolves would have killed them instantly!" I exclaimed, my frustration boiling over.
"I even received a threatening note," I added.
"What? A note? Well, I don't know what's happening, but who would dare cross our borders? They must be intelligent," Alex muttered.
As I pondered, a few guards ran toward us. "My lord, we checked every forest, and there is nothing. No scent, no sign of anything," one of them reported.
"This is strange. Why would someone do this?" I responded, my mind racing to connect the dots.
Alex scowled and suggested, "Unless they want to divert us from something".
George hurried over to us, desperation evident in his voice. "My lord, Queen Isabella is missing."
"How can that be possible? My best men are guarding the door," I uttered in a panic.
"Sir, I was not feeling any sign of danger in the blast area, but in my vision, I saw someone entering your chamber. I ran upstairs to see our guards were unconscious, and she was not in her room," George explained, his eyes wide with worry.
"Everyone move, bring her to me, and bring the person who took her," I commanded.
"Alex, let's go," I said, running and transforming into my wolf alongside him. Determination surged through my veins as we raced to find Isabella.
I tried to catch her scent, but I was not getting anything. "Love, where are you?" I whispered to myself.
"Move to the right, Alex, and I'll move to the left," I instructed.
Closing my eyes, I focused on her scent, telling myself that I couldn't lose her now. When I opened my eyes, a ghostly figure with a hazy face appeared, pointing in the right direction before disappearing.
"Who was that woman?" I wondered aloud, but there was no time for pondering as muffled voices reached my ears. That's where I ran, to the source of the voices, to find my love. And there she was.