chapter five

Marco's pov

I followed her.

From the moment she stepped out of that cursed human café, I stayed close, my eyes never leaving her small, delicate form.

She walked fast nervous, uncertain. Good. She should be. Her instincts were screaming at her, warning her that she was being watched. That she was being hunted.

And she was right.i knew she saw us. Maybe not clearly, but she felt us. Felt me.

But I didn't care.She is mine.And tonight, she comes home with me.My warriors moved ahead of me, silent as shadows, blending into the darkness of the city streets. When she reached her apartment, I let them handle the lock. It took them mere seconds pathetic human security.The door clicked open.

I stepped inside, the scent of her surrounding me instantly. Warm. Soft. Sweet. Something I never knew I could crave.And there she was.

Curled up on the small couch, wrapped in a blanket, her breathing soft and even. Asleep. So unaware.A slow smirk tugged at my lips.She has no idea that her life is about to change forever.

I took a step closer, my eyes drinking her in. She looked so small, so fragile, nothing like the fierce predator that ruled inside me. Yet, she was mine.

My fated mate.My woman.And she had no idea.The dim light from the street filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across her delicate features. Her long hair spilled over the pillow, her breathing steady and peaceful. My sharp gaze landed on the empty bowl on the floor, a spoon resting beside it. Ice cream.A human indulgence.

Something about that made my chest tighten. She had no idea that tonight, everything would change.

A low breath behind me reminded me I wasn't alone. My Beta, Darius, stepped closer, holding out a small vial."A few drops," he murmured. "She won't feel a thing."i narrowed my eyes at him. Drug her?I let out a low growl, barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make Darius lower his head in submission.

"I will not harm her," I snapped under my breath. "She is mine. She comes with me as my queen, not as a prisoner."

I could take her now lift her into my arms, disappear into the night. She would never know what happened until she woke up where she belongs.But we had to be quiet.

One sound, one wrong move, and she could wake up screaming. And I didn't want her afraid of me. Not yet.

I crouched beside her, reaching out, my fingers hovering just above her cheek. Soft. Warm. Mine.A deep satisfaction settled in my chest.

Just as I reached for her, a soft clink echoed through the quiet room.

The sound of metal knocking against wood.

One of my warriors had misstepped, their boot nudging a chair. A small mistake. But a costly one.

Her breath hitched. Her eyes fluttered open.

For a split second, she stared at me confusion, then terror.Then, she screamed.Loud.Defiant.

I lunged, pinning her down before she could scramble away. My hands gripped her wrists, holding her still beneath me as she struggled, her small body twisting, fighting so wild, so untamed.

I should have been furious.Instead, I was thrilled.But my satisfaction was short-lived.

She twisted in my grip, one hand suddenly free, and before I could react, she grabbed something from the table—a small canister and sprayed it directly into my eyes.Burning.

A sharp, stinging pain exploded across my vision as I let out a snarl, my grip loosening just enough.And she ran.

I wiped at my eyes, fury surging through me.Even through the burning sting in my eyes, I heard the scuffle her frantic footsteps, the rustling of my warriors shifting to block her escape.A low, panicked gasp left her lips. Trapped. Cornered.

But before they could so much as reach for her, a deep, guttural growl tore from my throat.

"No one touches my mate!"

The room fell into instant silence.

My warriors froze, their hands dropping to their sides. Obedient. Submissive. They knew better than to disobey me. She is mine.

Through blurred vision, I saw her hesitate her breath ragged, her chest rising and falling in quick bursts. Afraid. Confused. Fighting.

Good.

But she was not meant for their hands. Only mine.

She took the chance I had given her and darted inside the bathroom, slamming the door shut with a force that rattled the walls.

A foolish move.A locked door would not keep me from her.Nothing

I stepped toward the bathroom door, my breath still uneven from the sting in my eyes. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my patience wearing thin but I forced myself to breathe.She was scared. I could smell it through the door, the sharp scent of fear mixing with her natural, intoxicating sweetness.

I placed a hand flat against the wood, keeping my voice calm. Gentle.

"Matilda," I murmured, her name rolling off my tongue like a prayer. "Come out, little one. I swear to you, I will not hurt you."

Silence.

But she was in there. I could hear the faint tremble of her breathing, the unsteady shuffling of her feet as she pressed herself into a corner.She didn't trust me.

That should have frustrated me,but instead, I felt something deeper. Something I didn't quite understand.

I exhaled, trying again.

"I know you're scared," I admitted. "But you don't have to be. I would never harm my mate. You belong with me."

Still, nothing.

My jaw tightened. Patience. She will learn.

Then, I heard it.

The faintest sound of something scraping against the floor. She was looking for a weapon.A growl built in my chest.

I pressed my palm harder against the door, my patience snapping. Enough.

"Matilda." My voice was no longer soft. No longer pleading. It was an order. "If you don't come out right now, I will break this door down."A sharp intake of breath from the other side.She knew I meant it.Still, she refused.

My vision darkened. My muscles tensed. I would not beg. I do not beg.

With a low snarl, I stepped back and drove my foot straight into the door.

Wood cracked. Splintered. Snapped.

One more powerful kick and it burst open, the force shaking the entire apartment.

I stood in the doorway, my breath heavy, my golden eyes locked onto the frightened woman huddled against wall,

The moment I stepped into the bathroom, she screamed a sharp, heart-wrenching sound that made my chest tighten.She pressed herself into the farthest corner, on her knees, her arms wrapped around herself as if she could make herself disappear. Her body shook violently, her blue eyes wide with terror.

Then, in a broken whisper, she begged.

"Please… don't hurt me."

Something inside me snapped.The warlord. The beast. The ruthless King. All of it meant nothing in that moment.I had seen warriors tremble at my feet. I had heard men beg for their lives, had watched enemies cower before my strength. But nothing nothing had ever made me feel the way her voice did.It was like claws tearing into my chest.

I took a step forward, hands raised, my voice deep but soft. "I won't hurt you, Matilda. I swear it."But she didn't believe me.

Her fear was too strong, too overwhelming. She flinched when I moved, like a wounded animal, and then she fought.

She pushed against me with all her might, scratching, twisting, kicking desperate.

Foolish little mate.

I caught her wrists, trying not to grip too hard, trying to hold back my strength. But she was wild, reckless, and I feared she'd hurt herself if this continued.

I ground my teeth. She left me no choice.

"Darius," I growled, my voice tight with restraint.

My Beta was already waiting, the syringe in his hand.

I hated this. I hated this.

But if I didn't do something, she would fight until she collapsed or worse, harmed herself.

I shifted my grip, pinning her against me as gently as I could.

"Forgive me, little one," I murmured into her hair. "You leave me no choice."

She screamed, struggling harder, but Darius was fast. The sharp prick of the needle barely lasted a second.

Her body jerked, her breathing ragged, and then slowly her fight began to fade.

In my arms, Matilda stirred, her body twitching as she fought the drug.Stubborn little thing.

I felt her fingers weakly press against my chest, her breathing growing uneven as she tried to resist the pull of unconsciousness.

"N-No…" she slurred, her head lolling slightly as she tried to lift it. "Let… me go…"

My jaw tightened. Even now, even as her body succumbed, she was still trying to fight me.

I held her closer, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, "Sleep, little one. Save your strength."

She let out a soft whimper, her fingers curling into my shirt, desperate, but her body was betraying her.Her breathing slowed. Her grip loosened.

I exhaled, running a hand through her hair, feeling the tension in my chest finally ease.

Her muscles slackened. Her eyelids fluttered.

She sagged against my chest, her breath coming in soft, uneven pants

I lifted her effortlessly, holding her against me as I turned to Darius. "Prepare to leave. Now."

He nodded, stepping aside as I carried my mate out of her human life out of the world that had never deserved her.

With Matilda limp in my arms, her soft breaths warming my chest, I turned to my warriors, my voice firm and commanding.

"Repair the doors. Make it look untouched."

They nodded without question, moving swiftly to fix the damage we had caused. I would not have my mate returning to this place,even if she tried, there would be nothing for her to come back to.

"Darius."

My Beta straightened. "Yes, my King?"

"Contact her employer. Tell them she has left the city on personal matters. Make it believable."

Darius smirked. "Consider it done."

The humans would suspect nothing. By the time she woke, she would be far from here,far from her old life.

I glanced down at her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.She was mine now.

With Matilda finally still in my arms, I turned to my warriors.

"We leave. Now."

Darius gave a sharp nod, already issuing silent commands to the others. Within seconds, we slipped into the night, moving through the shadows like ghosts. The human world had no place for me no place for us.

We reached the portal at the edge of the city, hidden in the thick forest where no human dared to go. The air crackled with ancient magic as my warriors stepped through first, disappearing into the swirling darkness.

I held Matilda closer, inhaling her sweet scent one last time before stepping forward.

The human world faded.

And we emerged into mine.

The skies were dark,The towering spires of my castle stood in the distance, their obsidian walls reflecting the soft glow of enchanted torches. The land stretched vast and untamed, deep forests and roaring rivers marking the kingdom of the Lycans.

My home.

Our home now.

As I carried Matilda through the castle gates, my people bowed, their golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. They knew. They could smell what she was to me.

My fated mate. Their future Queen.

She was still unconscious, her body resting against mine, but soon, she would wake.

Soon, she would realize she was no longer in the world she knew

As I stepped through the grand entrance of my castle, Matilda still limp in my arms, the air in the hall shifted. Curiosity. Shock. Whispers.

My packmates turned, their golden eyes widening as they took in the sight before them.

Their King. Carrying a human.

Some exchanged glances, confusion evident in their expressions. Others inhaled deeply, catching her scent, and understanding dawned in their eyes.

My mate.

I ignored their silent questions. I owed them no explanation not yet.

I ascended the stairs, my steps swift and determined, until I reached my chambers the safest place in this castle. Pushing open the heavy doors, I entered the dimly lit room, the scent of burning embers and cedar filling the air.

She would stay here. With me. Where no one could reach her.

Gently, I laid her down on the massive bed, my gaze lingering on her face. Even in sleep, she looked troubled, as if her body still fought against the fate that had already been sealed.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Mine.

Turning, I faced the warriors who had followed me inside.

"Two guards at the door. No one enters but me." My voice was low, commanding. "She is not to be harmed."

They bowed their heads. "Yes, my King."

Satisfied, I took one last glance at Matilda before striding out of the room.

The council was waiting. The war was far from over.

But now.I had something worth fighting for.