The pain was too much for her to take; she immediately ran out of the King's room. "Genevieve?" Edric was still in a daze.
Everything happened so fast he wasn't given the time to grasp whatever was happening.
"Guards, seek the royal healer at once!" He said.
"Yes, king." A guard ran out.
Though it was the first time he was being mated to anyone, he knew that Genevieve was going through the werewolf withdrawal.
She wasn't accepting the bond yet, and he had to make her willingly agree to be his.
Just outside the Montclair Manor, her legs stop moving. She rested against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
She was panting so hard, she felt very exhausted. She started panicking when she realized she couldn't breathe properly.
Something was clogging her throat. Suddenly, she crashed to the floor, wheezing and coughing violently.
A warm fluid ran down her nose, dropping to the floor and staining it a bright red.
Blood.
No, not now.
What was indeed happening?
More blood trickled down her nose; however, this time her head started spinning.
Her vision started to go blurry. "Help..." She slumped to the floor; she could see figures running towards her, and then everything went blank.
A few hours later, she slowly opened her eyes; the warm sunlight streaming through the window made her blink a few times before noticing the faces standing by her side.
Her mother, the family healer, gently dabbed at her nose with a cloth soaked in cold water. "Thank the heavens you're awake, child," her mother whispered, relief etched on her face.
"You've been bleeding profusely from the nose. We were afraid we might lose you."
The girl was still disoriented and tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her head, forcing her back onto the pillow.
Her mother gently restrained her. "Rest, dear one. You need to recover your strength." As she lay there, the girl's memories began to return.
She recalled being with the king, and suddenly, a dizzy spell had struck her, and she must have fallen, hitting her nose on a rock. She couldn't remember everything.
The healer continued to tend to her daughter's nose, applying a poultice made from crushed herbs and vinegar. The girl winced at the sting, but her mother reassured her. "This will help stop the bleeding and reduce the swelling."
"Healer, am I sick? This is the first time this is happening to me." She asked the healer, who walked over to the side table, picked up the cup, and walked back to her. "Here you go. Drink up." She handed the cup over to Genevieve.
"You are not sick, Ms. You're going through a withdrawal. You've been marked, and you still do not want to accept the bound." The healer said, pointing at the tattoo on her neck, and she tried using her cloak to hide the mark. Ashamed.
"What? Genevieve, how come you are marked?" Her mother's question.
"The king, he… he." Words failed her as she lowered her head.
"My lady, I think you should leave her to rest now. You can probably talk to her later when she is strong enough." The healer urged her mother.
The woman did not say anything, and after a while, she found her way out of Genevieve's room, slamming the door behind her.
"Dear, you should calmly explain to the lady because she asked again." Just as the healer was about to step out of Genevieve's room after receiving a reassuring nod from her, a nod forced their heads to the door.
"Come inside." Genevieve mouthed. A maid came in immediately after her response.
"Young lady, the King's guards are here and are asking for you. The lady asked me to see if you could meet them." She nodded and gestured for the girl to leave with her hand.
"Ms., do not tell me your mate is king?" The healer said, and Genevieve sighed.
"You shouldn't reject the bond; you are human and cannot reject the bond; you would only get hurt. He is too strong for you to do that. Dear, this is a sign that everything will be fine; don't reject this."
Reluctantly, Genevieve pushed herself out of the bed and dragged herself out of the room. Reaching the guest room, she could see gifts placed here and there, probably from the king.
Is this really a good thing?
She was conflicted.
Like a dilemma.
"Lady Genevieve Montclair, the king requires your presence at once." One of the guards muttered.
"I'd be there later." She turned around to go back to her room but was stopped.
"He will see you right now." The guard said, and she looked at her mother, who hesitantly nodded.
She walked out of the mansion and into a carriage. The journey wasn't an easy one, as movement only made her feel more pain, but she anticipated seeing him.
Sooner than expected, they arrived at the palace, and she got off the carriage, and with the assistance of her maid, she was led to the King's grand meeting room.
She curtsied respectfully. Before her stood and met the faces of the King's esteemed elders. The girl's maid, Alice, discreetly took her place behind her mistress.
The eldest of the council, Lord Thomas, nodded graciously. "Rise, young one. We appreciate you for coming here despite your... condition." His eyes flickered with concern; she felt a chilling gaze and looked in the direction only to see King Edric eyeing the elder.
Who was he to show concern for his mate?
In a way, he felt disrespected. Genevieve raised an eyebrow; she couldn't help but smile.
To her left stood Lord Edwin, his piercing gaze scrutinizing her every move. Beside him, Lady Victoria's expression softened.
The girl sensed a subtle tension among the elders and immediately walked towards the king. "I am honored to be here, esteemed elders and my king. Without sounding rude, I would like to know the reason I have been summoned." Her voice was weak as she said it, and she was immediately offered a seat.
"I wanted to inform you all that Lady Genevieve Montclair is my mate, and I have already marked her, and our mating ceremony needs to be held." He looked at Genevieve, who mouthed, "What are you doing?" He was doing it again, making a decision for her.
The elders exchanged glances, their faces a mask of curiosity.
Lord Thomas leaned forward, "King, don't you think she is not up to your standards? If you want a woman, we can get you a chosen mate."
The King's eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity as he approached the elders. "Enough of this triviality," he growled. Without warning, he grabbed the nearest guard and, with a swift motion, slit his throat.
The room fell silent, horror etched on every face. The elders cowered as King Edric turned to them. "You dare question my choices?" He snarled, his hand closing around Lord Thomas's wrist.
He snapped the elder's fingers with a brutal twist one by one. Lord Thomas screamed, his eyes wide with agony. King Edric's gaze locked onto Lady Victoria. "You, too, will learn to hold your tongue." He grasped her maid's tongue, and with a swift slash of his claws, severed it.
The room erupted into chaos as the elders scrambled to flee. Genevieve stood frozen, her eyes fixed on King Edric in horror. "What are you doing?" she mouthed, but he just smiled and walked to her; without a warning, he kissed her.
He wanted to remind them that he had not gone soft. "I wanted to inform you all that Lady Genevieve Montclair is my mate," he declared. "And I have already marked her. Our mating ceremony will be held, and none will dare oppose it." "We had agreed, right? Genevieve?" He asked.
"Yes, I accept you." If he could do all these things to the people who had always been with him, then he could discard her and her family at any time.
Plus, he had kissed her in front of the elders. She couldn't get away after that; she'd only be mocked.
The room fell silent once more, the only sound the labored breathing of the maimed elders.
Genevieve's eyes were locked onto King Edric; her heart was filled with dread.
Was she going to finally lose herself to him?
He was not like other Lycans from the books. King Edric's eyes blazed as he gazed at Genevieve. Without warning, he pulled her into a searing kiss, devouring her lips.
This time there was no gentleness, and he did not restrain. It was as if he sought to claim her very soul.
Genevieve's senses reeled, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt like she was born to drown in his passion.
Everyone disappeared, leaving only the two of them, lost in the vortex of their desire.
Just as suddenly, the king released her, her chest heaving with exertion. The room was silent once more, the only sound the labored breathing of the maimed elders.
Sensing the king's mood, the elders quickly left the room, abandoning their posts. The guards leave Genevieve alone with the king.
As the door closed behind the last of the elders, it was pushed open, again and the queen dowager swept into the room, a disgusted glint in her eye. "Well, well, well," she said, "I can't believe my son would once again settle for nobody." Once again? Thought he never had a mate? What had she gotten herself into?