Enraged, Fara and Magh flitted before Ella in her wolf form. She growled loudly, trying to make them back off, but they didn't flinch. They needed to be in their proper sense, like they were controlled. They got into a bloody battle with Ella, and she tried her best to push them further away from Charlotte, who was curled into a ball, clutching her necklace. Ella seemed to be whispering some incoherent words with each strike.
Joe outside was torn; he was trying to fight the ones out while worried about the fragile maid inside. He would be punished severely should anything happen to her; just as he fought harder, a vast gray wolf emerged from behind, its eyes glowing red like rubies in the clear sunlight. The two werewolves fighting with Omega Joe sensed the enormous wolf's presence and howled loudly, trying to call the attention of the two other wolves inside as they scampered away.
Omega Magh and Fara were too late to escape. Alpha Aurelius ripped their hearts out of their ribcage with both his claws. He was the alpha king for a reason. He always meets his target. He was the most excellent hunter in the land.
Ella tried to shield Catherine once more, but with the raw power emanating from Aurelius, it was only wise of her to back off. Aurelius bent over to pick Charlotte up, but seeing her flinch, he morphed back to his human form. He picked her up and sprinted off.
They reached his room, and he dropped her on his bed. He went into his closet, took out all of the garments made of fur, and wrapped them around her. Soon, Charlotte was a big ball of fur.
She didn't talk at all, making Aurelius a bit worried. He looked closer and saw that she was already sleeping, and he chuckled. He couldn't believe she slept off so quickly after experiencing such a horrifying fight. She was brave in her way, after all. He remembered the little werewolf that protected Charlotte. He will look into her matter later.
Now that he had fought off the angry werewolves and his mate was already safe, he had to battle with himself. It was a night to the full moon, and his mate was lying vulnerable beside him. Just as she was about to leave the room to battle with his devilish inner wolf, he felt her move. He looked back, only to see her little frame shivering. There was no fireplace in his room. He never needed one. More fur would probably not work. He needed clarification as to what to do.
He finally resolved to warm her with his body heat. He knew he was probably not going to survive the night. She's fragile right now; we just have to wait a bit more, he said to his inner wolf. He remembered what his Beta said.
She can't withstand him, at least not now, and he doesn't want to break his celibacy. He can't bow to desire and have the whole country bear the brunt of it. Gently, he removed the fur coats and laid beside her, his chest resting on her back, spooning her. Her body was cold, and he was hot; his insides were even more seductive.
The little omega girl turned and clung to him even more, and he cursed under his breath. He was intoxicated by her scent, taking it in every labored breath. Surprisingly, it started to calm his nerves; even Kiel seemed appeased. It felt fantastic, and he couldn't believe that the scent of his mate could be so pacifying. Soon, he dozed off, holding onto her delicate waist.
Charlotte stirred awake and tried to get up with her eyes still closed, but a strong arm was around her waist, and the bed was so soft. Her eyelids flew open, and her eyes met with his burning red iris; they still looked sleepy. Her eyes widened, and she was about to scream, but Alpha King Aurelius touched her mouth. They both sat up, his rough palm still on her soft lips, his gaze warning her not to shout when he dropped his hand.
"What am I doing here? Why are we on the same bed?" She whispered with an accusatory glare.
"You didn't remember?" He whispered back.
"Why are you whispering like we did something wrong?" Charlotte whispered.
"Why are you also whispering?" He disputed.
"This isn't right, your majesty. You are betraying your mate and offending the moon goddess." She scolded him.
Aurelius looked at her and scoffed; she was indeed clueless.
"Wait till the other maids come; arrange my garments back while you wait for them," as he stepped off the bed.
"I'm not done talking to you," Charlotte whispered angrily.
He stared at the bold omega girl in his bed. She'd be a headache if she had her powers.
"What if I, your alpha king, is done talking to you?" He said, folding his arms as he looked down, standing at the edge of the bed.
She stood up to reach his height and folded her arms, too.
"Don't you need to explain why you keep seducing a frail, powerless omega maid? Because I have no one to come to my aid? You'll be surprised how many friends my sister has!" She snarled even though it was a whisper.
"That was her sister?" Aurelius thought in his mind.
"And her friends are more powerful than I am?"
"Yes, my sister is very charming; she can turn the whole masses against you," she said, crossing her arms defiantly.
Aurelius then leaned forward and tilted his head.
"What about you? What can you do?" He said into her left ear.
She turned silent for a while and then scoffed.
"You just wait and see. It'll become prosperous and powerful soon."
"By marrying a rich and powerful alpha?"
"By working till I become a rich and powerful gamma. My father is a gamma from where I am," she boasted.
"Gammas can fight well. And their pups shouldn't be enslaved. You shouldn't lie to your king."
"You're not my king, young lad."
Alpha King Aurelius burst into a throaty chuckle at her words.
"Young? Lad? Me?" He said with a wide grin that showed off his perfectly set white dentitions.
"I think you should stop seducing me and look for your mate. What a lazy bully!" She said before sitting back on the bed, a blush creeping up her cheeks; why was he doing this to her? She found that grin seductive and downright intentional.
Alpha Aurelius felt the urge to pull out his hair. Is this a punishment from the moon goddess?
"You have to stay here for two more nights."
"No."
"It's a command."
"I won't stay here, not with you."
"I'll leave then." He had the innate urge to keep her safe no matter what it takes.
"Bring food."
"You're not to choose."
"You keep me around you because you need something from me, so I should also benefit from you while you're at it. Or are you a tyrant king who just takes unjustly from the powerless?"
His mouth hung open, not knowing what to say to her.
"No objection? Great. I want steak and hot ox blood soup for dinner. Don't be late."
"You're not getting any steak."
"I'll tell everyone you brought me to your bed."
"Go ahead."
"I bet you won't be able to handle that. You'll be tagged a cheater and a pedophile."
"What's a pedophile?"
"That takes a sexual interest in young werewolves."
"I didn't even touch you," he said in dismay.
"You were clinging to me in my sleep."
"I think you were the one clinging to me all night, shaking like a leaf."
They heard a knock on the door as Charlotte was about to refute. Aurelius scooped her along with the coats and threw her into the walk-in closet before closing the door.
She quickly arranged the coats and picked out his outfit for the day.
"Make a fireplace in my room before tonight." He ordered his guards as he stepped out of his room.
Ella narrated what happened the previous night to her when she arrived at their room.
"Why can't I remember, and why was I asleep, and why didn't I wake up till morning?"
"Maybe you were very shocked."
"I can vividly remember what happened when I ran away from home, and I bet it was even scarier than anything that could have happened yesterday."
"It's fine. It was Magh and Fara. They've been buried by the guard that was outside. There was a guard outside; he was fighting some other two."
"Why was there a guard there?"
"It's the King's guard, so the king sent him."
"He told me to stay at his place for the next two nights; should I be scared?"
"If he wanted to do something bad to you, he would have done it way back. He has the absolute power to do that."
"What if he's fattening me up for a sacrifice or something?"
"I don't think you tick any box as a worthy sacrificial wolf, no matter how small the sacrifice is."
"You're blunt, Ella," Charlotte said with a bitter smile
"I say what I see," Ella replied with a shrug.
Omega Charlotte left to feed Koda.
When she got there, she dropped the meal and turned.
As she was about to reach the entrance, she heard the iron cage crack open.
Koda was walking towards her, baring its teeth as it growled, his stance turning predatory.
She rushed to the metal door and tried to push it open, but it didn't budge, as though it had been locked outside.