The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 38: You Are Mine ()

~Crimson Alpha Zariah Torin Moonstone’s recount of the encounter.

Zariah’s gaze was fixed on the floor length mirror which had been positioned in the closet.

She stared blankly at her reflection and her reflection stared right back whilst Kaileen helped her into her robes.

Zariah was particularly intrigued by her eyes, those enchanting Crimson orbs which Zariah had once known to be full of life now stared soullessly back at her, dull and lifeless.

"Ready. You look stunning, Alpha." Kaileen applauded, her gaze awed as she stared at Zariah from behind her.

"Do I?" Zariah asked blankly and Kaileen rolled her eyes.

"Is that a trick question Alpha? When do you never look stunning?" Kaileen asked, falling silent when Dionne passed her a glare.

Zariah shook her head slowly, her reflection following suit.

Zariah had never been interested in admiring her looks or feeling gratiated by it.

What was beauty exactly? What part did it play in a shifter’s short and fleeting life? What changes did it make? Could it save people?

Could it change their fate? Could it protect them from the darkness and evil of the supernatural realm?

Zariah doubted it, if it could truly do all those things, then Zariah and the Crimson Wolves who were naturally blessed with unearthly visage would have not ended up the way they did.

But when it came to it, all men died the same, no one could escape the darkness of their own fate. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Zariah would have rather dedicated her time to something else than attending the charade of a moon banquet, however at the same time, Zariah knew this was exactly what she had to do.

She had put it off long enough, in one way or the other, Zariah knew she would have to confront the Alpha King soon.

There was no need to delay it, it was time Zariah looked her enemy in the eye for the first time across two lifetimes.

Zariah was not certain what she would do when she saw him, she had spent the entire day meditating and willing for calm yet the fire of rage burning through her veins had not dimmed in the slightest.

Zariah could only hope when the time came, reason would overcome her thirst for vengeance and she would handle the encounter with a level head.

It wasnot so already difficult enough for Zariah to know she was within such close proximity of him and yet he was still alive and well.

Zariah had pictured over a thousand ways she could kill him and end it all at once, putting an end to the horror before it started,

Here in her quarters, Zariah had barely kept herself sitting still, just how many times had she caught herself before she could rise to her feet and storm out in search of him, sword in hand?

Zariah had reminded herself countless times, so much so that it had become a mantra, the fact that death was too easy a punishment for what he had done.

The crime he had committed was too great, too despicable, his crime demanded the highest penalty and all who had been involved in it needed to feel the very same pain Zariah and the Crimson Moon had felt.

Zariah needed each and every one of them to feel the exact same pain, the heartache, the loss, the terror... every single horrifying feeling she had experienced, every nightmare that haunted her even till this moment.

Zariah needed them to feel it a hundred times over, till their spirits and souls were broken and they begged for the relief of death... only then would Zariah’s rage be quelled.

"The Alpha King has also arrived at the banquet, the third in command of Royal Lycan Pack is here to escort us." Allen spoke up, drawing Zariah out of her thoughts.

Zariah hummed in response as she took one last look at her reflection and then lead the way out.

"My King has ordered me to escort the Crimson wolves to the banquet." The third in command said the moment Zariah stepped out from her quarters.

"Very well, lead the way." Zariah replied in a blank tone.

The third in command nodded and escorted Zariah and the Crimson wolves through the halls of the Ethereal Palace till they emerged outside and were lead to a courtyard.

Zariah froze in her steps the very moment they arrived at the courtyard as an exhilarating scent barraged into her in abundant waves, her knees growing weak at the heady scent.

Zariah’s felt her heart skip as a cold feeling of panic and terror gripped her form.

’He is here.’ The thought ran through Zariah’s mind as her eyes moved against her will, her heart pounding as she searched out the source of that addicting scent... the same scent she had run from merely a few nights ago.

Zariah’s crimson orbs scanned the crowd and in a moment, they settled on a pair of golden orbs already looking straight at her.

Zariah’s breath caught in her throat, for a moment her heart stopped beating and then resumed at an accelerated pace.

’God’s! He is perfection!’ Zariah exclaimed in her mind as she took in her fill of the dashingly handsome man that was her mate.

Every sound and sight around Zariah dimmed and all she could see was him.

Every sane thought escaped Zariah, for a moment, all her reservations, all the hate and pain bottled up within her, all the anger that consumed her... everything disappeared.

And Zariah just stared, lost in his eyes and the love and adoration she could see clearly reflected in them, lost in his scent that clouded her every sense, lost in his presence that exuded a rare dominance Zariah had never seen before.

As though she was held prisoner by those enchanting eyes, Zariah could not divert her gaze, try as she might.

The array of emotions reflected in those golden orbs, pain, loneliness, longing, adoration, love... Zariah was completely mystified.

And then after a long moment, Zariah watched his gaze move once over her and she could see the awe in his eyes, the intensity of his gaze leaving her incapable of any thoughts.

Zariah finally regained a semblance of control and let her gaze wander from his eyes, and in that moment, as Zariah’s eyes fixed on the Ethereal diadem on his head and the royal robes he donned,

Reality came crashing down on Zariah in a barrage of chilling cold terror.

Zariah shook her head and took a trembling step backwards, her mind going into full blown panic as she recognized the figure with the golden eyes,

The man who by some crazy twist of fate happened to be her mate... this man with whom she held an unpardonable blood feud, this man who was her greatest nemesis... the Alpha King.

’This cannot be happening! No! No! No!’ Zariah thought frantically as she took another trembling step back, diverting her gaze from him.

All her cells and muscles screamed for her to run to him whilst her mind roared for her to flee in the opposite direction and never look back.

But it was too late, he had already seen her, Zariah could see his wolf rise to the surface, he was clearly ready to lunge at any given moment,

If she took another step back, Zariah knew he would give chase, and this time, there was no escape.

Zariah’s heart filled with rage and defiance, the creator had played her dirty once again, Zariah was unwilling to resign to this fate... she took a step back despite knowing she should not have.

A possessive growl shook the courtyard sending all the guests to their knees.

"Mine!!!" He roared like a crazed beast and in the blink of an eye, he stood right before her and declared in a possessive tone.

"You are mine!!!"

_______________

~Alpha King Askel Niolen’s recount of the encounter : His POV picks off from where he left of in the previous Chapter.

Askel watched her, memories of the innumerable times he had seen her and craved for her upon his every waking moment flitted across his mind.

Now here she was before his eyes, there was no more shadows to conceal her from him, there was no barrier of consciousness to pull her far away from him.

She was right before his eyes, staring back at him and taking him in as he was doing to her.

For the first time in Askel’s life, he was overwhelmed with so much emotions that his limbs grew weak and he could not put together a decent thought.

Askel had completely forgotten about the crowd of guests who surrounded him, staring at him in bafflement.

Askel only had eyes for her and after a long moment of delighting in this moment he had awaited for so long, with his eyes fixed on hers,

He watched her glance over him, his heart trembled in pride and elation as her eyes lit up in approval of him and Askel’s lips stretched into a rare smile.

But it had only lasted for a moment, Askel watched as her eyes grew wide, his smile seemed to shake her out of her shock and Askel’s heart dropped as her eyes turned frantic, she shook her head and took a trembling step backwards.

’She’s going to run again.’ The thought ran across Askel’s mind as he watched her movement, she retreated another step back and diverted her gaze from his.

Askel’s felt himself panic just as he had on that night they had first met as he recalled how she had run from him and he was unable to find her.

"Mine!!!" Askel growled possessively, the full extent of his dominance pouring out of his form in waves and sending every guest present to their knees.

Askel’s eyes glowed as his wolf rose to the surface and the moment she took another step back, he leaped for her, landing to his feet right before her.

Her eyes widened in surprise and panic whilst Askel held her gaze and declared to her so she understood it clearly.

"You are mine!!!!"