The sun began to set, and the white clouds slowly faded into darkness. Regan hissed as pain surged through him once more. It was the pain his own beast inflicted upon him. He clenched his fist and shut his eyes tightly. What was wrong with his beast? He couldn't remember the last time he felt this way. His beast was furious, crawling beneath his skin. He had thought they had finally made peace, but now it was acting up again.
He let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes. He knew he had to do something to stop this nonsense and focus on his hunting for the night. He needed to give his beast what it desired and set himself free. But he couldn't go to Nora. Even her mere presence stirred something inside him. And now, she wouldn't even talk to him.
So, he stood up and made his way to his mistress's chamber.
He watched as she undressed before him. Normally, this would excite him, but not now. The beast he wanted to satisfy was as silent as a grave. Maybe if he saw her completely naked, his body would react.
With that thought in his head, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. His hand loosely gripped her hair as she tilted her head back, and then he hungrily crashed his lips onto hers. She was taken aback for a moment since he had never approached her like this before. But he wasn't here to satisfy himself.
He kissed her roughly and hungrily, yet nothing happened. He pushed her onto the bed and removed the remaining clothing from her. Still, nothing happened. His beast didn't respond. But why? He used to enjoy his women before Nora came into his life, and now he couldn't say the same. Why couldn't any other woman evoke the same fire within him as Nora did? Just a taste of her lips would drive his beast wild.
He covered her body with a sheet and walked out of the room.
What had Nora done to him?
He walked out of the castle and stood in the middle of the garden, surrounded by the cool night breeze. His beast that was quite as dead a moment ago was now active once more. The lamps outside the castle flickered on and off, and he knew it was his beast's doing. His eyes changed color, shifting through different shades.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Just calm down a bit. There will be some bloodshed tonight."
He growled silently as pain surged through him, observing as his claws flicked out and immediately retracted. It seemed like his beast reacted fiercely to his words.
Now, he was puzzled. If his beast didn't need blood, what else did it require? He was certain there was nothing else he could offer except blood. What else could it possibly need if not these two things?
****
I gazed at the breathtaking night sky, free of clouds, through the window. I wondered where Regan had disappeared to. I should have talked to him instead of pushing him away. What if he returned to Ellena and decided never to come back to me?
I let out a sigh and averted my gaze from the window. Since marrying him, I couldn't even recall any cherished moments we had together because they always ended in arguments. I was exhausted from constantly fighting with him due to my jealousy. All I wanted was to find peace and let go of everything. But where was he now?
I threw off the sheet and left the room, aimlessly wandering through the dark hallways until I reached outside of the castle. I couldn't locate him. I descended the stairs and made my way towards the garden, but he wasn't there either. Where could he have gone?
I continued to move forward, carefully exploring the surroundings until I found him standing in the middle of the garden, taking in the fresh air. Here I was, searching for him while he was right here in the garden. I took a step closer to him but changed my mind and turned to leave, frustrated with myself. Why was I the only one searching for him? He was the one who had hurt me, yet here I was, trying to make peace. I needed to stop begging for his attention and learn how to live without him.
"Nora..." his voice stopped me in my tracks. I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether I should respond or keep going. But I shouldn't be so hard on him. After all, he was my husband.
Slowly, I turned around to face him, only to jump in fear as I nearly bumped into him.
"Oh...my... You scared me," I muttered, still clutching my chest.
"I'm sorry... you shouldn't be out at night," he said.
Why was he scolding me? I wouldn't have been out if it weren't for him.
"I was looking for you," I said, looking up at him. Tonight, he seemed different. His light brown eyes had grown darker, and there was a change in his aura. I almost gasped when I noticed the black veins on his neck. What had happened to him? Why had his veins suddenly turned black?
Before I could recover from my shock, he grabbed my hand and began leading me away.
"What happened to you?" I asked the moment he released my hand.
"Sit down," he ordered, his tone completely changed.
"I'm not sitting down," I insisted. "Can you explain what that means?" I inquired, pointing at his neck.
"Sit. Down. Nora," he ordered again, this time sounding like a warning.
I sighed and reluctantly sat down on the bench. "Now tell me!" I demanded.
"Tell you what?" he asked in a tone that sent chills down my spine. At that moment, I decided to stop pressing further.
"No... nothing..." I mumbled. He simply looked at me and scoffed.
"You're really interesting," he said, sitting down near me.
"Nora," he called softly after a long silence.
"Yes..." I muttered, turning to face him, but he wasn't looking at me. He was staring straight ahead, at nothing in particular.
"I don't know where to start explaining things to you, but I'm truly sorry. You don't deserve the way I've treated you, and I'm sorry for hurting your feelings... it's just that..."
"It's okay," I interrupted him. I didn't need an explanation, although a part of me wanted one. I just wanted to make peace with him and forget about everything else.
He looked at me, and our eyes met. I smiled faintly and averted my gaze. "You shouldn't be the only one apologizing. I should also apologize for making things difficult for you. It must have been so hard for you. I'm sorry too." He was stunned for a moment, staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher in his eyes.
"Don't say that, Nora. I made things hard for myself," he whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. I felt a sense of liberation. It was as if all the worries in my mind had vanished as I breathed in his intoxicating scent.
Then he broke the embrace and stood up. "I have to go now," he said, and my heart sank for a moment. I had hoped this beautiful moment would last longer.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Somewhere," he smiled, that beautiful smile. "But..." he added.
"But what?" I asked with a frown. He chuckled and lifted me from the bench as if I weighed nothing, carrying me back to our chamber.
"I can walk, Your Highness. Put me down," I demanded, but my words fell on deaf ears.
"I'm not letting you walk. It's quite far."
Yes, it was a considerable distance. I remembered gasping for air when I finally made it outside the castle. But his voice, his scent, the warmth of his body were overwhelming my senses. I couldn't think straight.
He carried me into our chamber and gently laid me on the bed. He kissed my forehead and whispered before he left, "See you soon, Nora."