It was pain that struck her hard enough to have her dizzy for but a second as she sat before the queen in the drawing room of the castle. Amoura had been surprised when she was told by Melanie that the queen wished her to join her for tea. She hadn't known whether to be suspicious or...well, there was nothing else she could feel toward the queen.
The queen had after all been the one to suggest that she be mated to the crown prince, she still wondered why the woman had come up with such an idea, and figured she might as well find out while at it. And indeed she had, the queen viewed her as an asset, she understood, that the female now thought them invincible with her as part of their family simply because of her splendid abilities.
She would soon become their executioner to those that dared oppose the king, and Amoura knew then that she didn't like the woman with fake smiles and sharp teeth, for she only seemed to see her as a weapon like those that had snatched her from her home.
As she had sat on the plush green couch with petals and flowers for designs, the cup she had held untouched still, simply because she didn't like tea at all, soiled the carpet as it fell from her hands. As pain seized her like no other, she couldn't explain it at first, why she felt like her insides were ripped open, or why the flesh on her back felt tethered, why her right leg felt broken and her body couldn't move.
She could only groan from her seated position, her spine still straight with perfect posture, it was wonder how she hadn't toppled to the ground as her cup had. Tears flooded her clenched shut eyes as few rogue tears escaped, her heart beat erratically only to almost stop beating when she could finally pinpoint just where the pain was coming from.
It seized a minute later and she heaved as she could finally properly breath. Maximus, that was all that rang in her mind and the name her heart wailed, she knew it was him and he was hurt, badly hurt, and with that revelation, she couldn't have shot up faster as she cared little for the shocked confused royalty that remained seated glancing at one of her handmaidens in silent question.
Amoura ran, she ran like her life depended on it and she weaved through turns and more turns. She knew she wanted out of the castle and on the road, however, it seemed she would have an obstacle before her, aiming to keep her in the castle a little longer.
She almost bumped into the king on her way and she could see the startled man stare at her as she came to an abrupt halt before him.
"Well don't you look to be in a hurry" the king mused as he drank in the girl before him. The man that felt entitled to a world that wasn't his to own, entitled to answers he didn't deserve, driven by greed and fooled by power lust, she stared deep into those cold eyes and felt herself come ablaze.
It was his fault that Maximus was hurt, his fault that he would probably die along with Mama Rivers and Papa, all because he felt himself entitled to everything. She knew that fighting him, going in for the lunge or the punch would only derail her plan to get to Maximus, would also be futile because even though a sense of power brewed within her, it wasn't enough just yet. Forcing herself to reign in the storm of anger she felt, hold her tornado of wrath at bay. She let out a calculated sigh and said.
"I'm sorry but, if you'll excuse me" Amoura said and made to sidestep him, only for the king to step before her just the same.
"Ah-ah, not until I know what's going on, what had you running as if there's a fire somewhere" Amoura looked at the king, and really took in the man before her, the man that felt entitled to everything.
"I just realised that today is my best friend Lucy's birthday and I forgot to wish her happy birthday. So if you don't kindly move out of my way, she'll truly have my ass for it" she said with fake panic that seemed too real as she hid all else too perfectly. She truly did deserve an Oscar as the king was fooled and he let out a chuckle with a shake of his head.
"Girls. Alright, be on your way then" he said. She didn't wait for him to change his mind and she ran full force toward her room only to rid of the dress she wore, for it simply restricted her movement too much for her liking.
Once she was in her old clothes that she had kept from the night of her arrival here, with her coat on, she made for the doors, only to be met with Levi outside her door.
"Seeing that you're dressed like that and apparently in a hurry, you've heard what happened" she only nodded although she hadn't exactly heard but more so felt what happened to her true mate
"You don't plan to stop me, do you?" she questioned
"I don't have a death wish. Considering your love for bikes." the Beta said handing her a set of keys which she didn't hesitate in taking nor bother asking where he got a motorbike from since last time she checked, they had all driven here.
"Thanks" was all she said as she tore down the hallway.
"Do because careful at least" he said to a vanishing Amoura who had managed to hear him and she thought, caring about her wellbeing at the moment was the last thing in her mind.
Amoura was surprised to find the bike parked right in front of the castle and she wasted no time mounting it and tearing for the gates. When one of the guards attempted to stop her, claiming that he had to notify the king first, something overcame her and she ordered the man in a voice she never knew she had, and watched as he involuntarily did her bidding without question or resistance.
It was like history was repeating itself again as she rode down the endless asphalt following nothing but instinct, hoping it led her to her mate. The day turned to night and when night faded she could feel herself nearing her destination.
She honed in on Maximus' thread as she tried to pin point where he was, she felt fear at how frail the thread felt as she walked through the pack grounds. Having knocked out the ones that dared to stop her from reaching him, and some reserved to merely follow her, when they realised she meant them no harm when she merely knocked the others out, when she could have killed them.
She didn't care for the three pack warriors that trailed behind her as she walked through the pack's hospital doors, nor did she approach the reception desk for directions as she simply walked passed everyone that looked on her with shock, confusion, wondering who and why the human was there. However when the doctor saw just who's room she entered, he figured that perhaps, due the red of her hair and eyes that were exposed minute she threw off her hood, that she must have been the 'little red' Maximus had kept on murmuring in his sleep.
Amoura let out a gasp as she watched Maximus sleeping, and if it weren't for his heartbeat, she would have thought him dead. His upper body was exposed and she saw the bandages that wrapped around him as if he were part mummy. She couldn't keep her tears at bay as she laid her palm on the exposed skin of his chest, letting out a small pained
"Maxy?" she waited for him to open his eyes, only that didn't happen.
"We had to have him sedated when he tried to get out of bed earlier, talking about how he had to return to you, I'm afraid I couldn't let him hurt himself any further" the doctor explained from the door, and he found himself wondering how a human could have eyes so red as they sadly looked at him for but a second before they returned to the immobile body on the bed.
"So I reckon he won't be up for a few hours" he informed. She heard him leave and she pulled a chair closer to his bed only to clutch onto his hand as she silently wept.
"I swear, when you wake up Maximus, I'll show you just what true pain is, for not looking out for yourself" she angrily spat under her breath
"And here I thought you being here would mean that I would have a personal nurse to nurse me back to health" he said, sounding strained and Amoura's eyes shot to his
"Maxy? " she asked through a blurred vision as she went to palm his face hovering over him
"Hey, don't cry, I'm good can't you see? You know I hate it when you cry" he pleaded as he moved his hand to wipe away her tears
"Well good, hate away cause it's your fault. Where do you get off thinking you can scare me like this, huh!?" she spat squeezing at his hand only for Maximus to let out a hiss
"Careful love, I think I have enough broken bones as is" to which she was quick to let go only to cradle it softly mumbling
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to"
"Hey" he whispered as he coaxed her to look at him
"It's okay" he tried to reassure even though he knew the extent of his injuries.
"But it's not Maximus, I mean, aren't you some supernatural species that can heal itself freakishly fast or something?"
"Sadly, I think my supernatural abilities might be experiencing a glitch at the moment"
"Then what's the use of being supernatural if you can't heal these stupid wounds?" she questioned exasperated
"Beats me love" he couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked, pouting as her fingers glided over his in a calming motion
"You aren't gonna die on me Maximus, I won't let you" she said after a shot silence, facing him, her face serious despite knowing that she couldn't keep death from taking him no matter how much she would want to
"I'm not going anywhere" he tried again, he knew his words were mere empty reassurance
"Don't, I can feel it" she confessed and he could see it in her eyes
"You know I love you right? with all that I am and if I were to die here, I'll die a happy man little red" he said with a sad look as he watched her eyes fill up, shaking her head in refusal of accepting the notion of his oncoming permanent departure "And you are gonna be a good girl and be strong. Then you're gonna get as far away from here as you possibly can, okay?" he hated how he sounded like he was saying goodbye, but that exactly what it was and he couldn't sugarcoat the intention of it
"I'm not leaving you here Maximus, if you die then I die" she refused to leave him behind should he die and that agitated Maximus for he wanted her to live, that's all he had ever wanted even if that meant doing so without him
"Don't be ridiculous" he spat. She looked at him for a long time before she mumbled
"Mark me then"
"W-what?" he questioned, eyes wide wondering if whether his ears were deceiving him, for he could have sworn that he heard the human before him, ask him to mark her,
"Mark me, if you're gonna die, then at least give me that, give me what was meant to be mine in the first place. It won't matter that doing it might kill both you and Clair, you're gonna die anyways, and quite frankly, I couldn't care less about her" she tried to convince him, for to her logic was without fault
"But, Amoura, then you too would die" he said, he couldn't deny that a part of him found itself elated at the notion of finally marking his true mate, it was enticing, truly
"And I don't care Maximus, I'll be dead anyway can't you see, as much as you say that I'm your life, you're mine too" when he saw the utter need in her eyes, his heart couldn't stand letting her down again, refusing to give her the one thing she had ever asked for" Please Maximus, please" he felt his heart give then, for who was he to think he could say no when his true mate asked, more so begged to bear his mark.
Perhaps it was the pride and ego and the possessiveness in him that gave in, or perhaps the unconditional love he felt toward the red eyed woman, that had snatched his heart from the minute she had laid her silver doe eyes on him in this woods years ago.
"Okay" and he found that not a single bone broken or not regretted the word, when he saw her eyes light up despite the dim that remained around them. For he was going to die and neither could deny that fact or do anything about it.
Amoura stood up only to lock the doors before she turned around only to look like a predator stalking it's pretty as she padded her way towards Maximus. She took off her coat and boots and climbed the bed only to straddle him at the waist, careful not to put too much weight on him so as to not hurt him.
The image of her on top of him did things to Maximus, he wondered how he still felt himself stir despite his severed spine. The rabid had bit on Aurelius' back, it's jaw had clamped onto his skin only for its sharp teeth to bite through deep enough to bite at his spine, leaving it broken.
Amoura leaned down until her nose teased that of Maximus', her hot breath tickled the skin of his lips and he felt them twitch with anticipation. For he was yet to kiss the woman on top of him, Scileria was one thing and reality a different ball game as he could have sworn he felt mate sparks when her lips brushed against his.
He was tempted to question just who had been teaching her all this, for she built up the tension like an experienced nymph. However, even he knew that she was led by mere instinct and he couldn't help his own as he lifted his head up enough to crash his lips against her own, and they were in a languid dance that dripped pure seduction.
He thought she tasted like all things pure and all he wanted was to taint them, because if she was an angel then he was the devil himself as his hands squeezed at her tiny waist. His head was against the pillow and he found that he had no qualms against having her be in charge just this one time, after all it wasn't like he could help it.
When Amoura came up for air, her lips tingled and felt aflame, and she wondered why in the world she had waited so long to discover such a paradise. For kissing him was freedom to her chained up soul and she wished to stay forever lip locked with him, for he was the air she breathed and needed him as such.
She was like an angel possessed a she lowered her head again for her tongue to lick at where Clair's mark was, only to painfully bite at it and Maximus knew she wished she could rip the skin off only to grow another anew. He looked into her eyes as she did him and she could see his question and she could only nod and lean down lower, her hands bracing herself on either side of his head.
He lifted his head, and Aurelius, eager as he was couldn't have come through any quicker than he did, only for his canines to pierce though her delicate gold that tasted sweet as honey, he couldn't resist lodging them even deeper only to elicit a moan that had him stirred into a frenzy.
She felt nothing but pleasure as it followed the pinch she felt when he first bit into her. She found herself afloat in absolute bliss, pleasure so enticing as a drug and she was sure she was addicted. Hence the moan she let out without inhibitions, however, what she didn't expect was to feel an itch in her gums that ached silently as her own canines extended.
She cared not on how it was possible, for one thing stirred her into possessive madness that, when Maximus retracted his teeth only to lick her skin sealing it, and her eyes snapped to the mark that was so wrong, she ferociously bit into him like a predator starved and greedily drank his blood in, only to quench her long patched throat. He tasted both of citrus and apples and had she not heard him groan, she wouldn't have stopped.
She thought him in pain, except that wasn't the case and she missed the hardness she sat on as she had unconsciously gyrated on when she had been lost in all the taste of his blood was. That wasn't the only thing she had missed, she hadn't felt it like Maximus had.
That even though he himself felt lost in a sense of paradise, it was impossible for him to miss it, miss the feel of his skin as it attached itself back together beneath the bandages, and the snapping of his spine and he found he couldn't care for the pain as he bathed in absolute astonishment.
Amoura couldn't help it then and neither could her body, because she had ridden for two days without sleep, as she hovered over him and her eyes blinked drowsily so, her head plopped itself between his head and shoulder, and Maximus couldn't keep his chuckle at her being knocked out. Only his little red was prone to such, from forgetting her own birthday to forgetting a basic thing as eating and to falling asleep in the absolute heat of the moment, yet he found he wouldn't have her any other way.