Resistance (2)
Alkrevas sat down on one of the long sofas, removing his coat and loosening the cravat around his neck. He leaned back against the sofa, spreading his arms along the backrest. His head tilted backward, and his eyes gazed at the ceiling. “They’re driving me mad.”
“Would you like a cup of tea, Your Majesty?”
“No. Bring me some wine. I need alcohol to calm down.”
“Understood.”
“Sigmund.” Alkrevas suddenly called out.
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“I don’t need a carriage or a horse to return. I’ll run back to the palace in my wolf form.”
“I understand.” With that, Sigmund left to prepare Alkrevas’s drink, returning five minutes later. He promptly opened the bottle of wine and poured the alcoholic drink into a tall glass, then handed it to Alkrevas, who accepted it immediately.
Alkrevas took a sip and sighed in relief. “Your Majesty, if you’re worried, you can contact Beta Savon through the mindlink, or ask Gamma Mathias to check on Miss Luna.”
“Am I that transparent?” Alkrevas asked Sigmund. His aide nodded, causing Alkrevas to smile bitterly. “No, no. Mathias is preparing the expedition to the southern region, and Savon is still carrying out my orders.”
“Regarding the Rogue smuggling?” Alkrevas nodded briefly. His brow furrowed deeply. He could have contacted Damon, but he didn’t want to divert Damon’s focus just to speak with him through the mind link. “Sigmund, leave me. I want to be alone.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After Sigmund left, Alkrevas took a deep breath. His hand rubbed the area over his chest, where his heart was pounding hard, and he took another sip of his drink. His eyes turned to the window that displayed the night sky. There was no moon or stars, only thick clouds indicating imminent rain. Alkrevas placed the glass down and stood up. He was about to walk to the balcony available in the lounge when an excruciating pain suddenly struck his body. Instantly, he collapsed to the floor, clutching his chest where his heart was. His chest felt so tight. His breath came in ragged gasps, and the sensation of a million needles stabbing his body spread throughout him. Alkrevas was bewildered by his body’s reaction, and cold sweat began to pour from his neck and forehead. What is happening?
Hearing the commotion, Sigmund burst back into the room. “Your Majesty!” the man shouted in panic as he rushed over. Alkrevas didn’t care, as he was confused by the pain he was experiencing. He groaned and clutched the area that hurt so badly. A low growl escaped his lips.
Now beside him, Sigmund immediately knelt at his side and began calling for a doctor and healer through the mind-link. Alkrevas squeezed his eyes shut, trying to find a reason for the pain he was feeling, but he couldn’t find anything that could explain it. Was it Luna? Did something happen to Luna? he thought with growing fear. Suddenly, he felt a terrible suspicion, a deep, overwhelming sense of dread.
In an instant, the once quiet room became crowded as the heads of the Emperor’s faction entered the lounge, including Marquis Esthel, who looked worried. They had all rushed over upon hearing that the Emperor was suddenly in pain. Seeing the Emperor writhing in agony, the nobles immediately became anxious about his condition.
Alkrevas groaned louder as the pain in his chest intensified, feeling as if his heart was about to explode. The door to the lounge was shut tightly to prevent any disturbance or attract attention. Some men approached to help the Emperor up from the floor, but they couldn’t manage as Alkrevas’s body thrashed.
His fingernails transformed into terrifying claws, and with those claws, Alkrevas slashed at anything and anyone nearby, even clawing at his own body in agony, hoping that the wounds from his claws would alleviate the internal pain, but it only made things worse. His breathing became labored, and his throat burned from the constant howls of pain. The tightness in his chest grew more robust, and Alkrevas wished he could die right then and there.
Alkrevas had no idea what triggered his body’s reaction, as no poison affected him except silver, and even wolfbane did not affect him. Marquis Esthel had guaranteed the food and drink he had consumed at the party. They had been tasted by a servant beforehand. Even the wine Sigmund served had been tasted by his aide. So why? Even Norris felt what he was feeling, with his wolf spirit whining in agony.
Luna! That was all he could think of. The only reason he could feel such pain was Luna. There was no other explanation. With this thought, Alkrevas tried to stand, wanting to leave immediately and check on Luna. Still, suddenly, his movements halted, and his eyes widened as he felt something snap inside his soul. His body froze as something vital in his life was forcibly taken from him. His face paled, and his hand instinctively reached for his heart, now beating even faster. Something within him, something that connected his soul… had just been severed.
Matebond.
No! What happened? How could this be? Alkrevas’s pain was immediately overshadowed by panic as the matebond suddenly snapped. Norris howled loudly in his mind, repeatedly expressing grief and turmoil over the loss of their soulmate, trying to call her back, which only made Alkrevas’s head throb.
His body felt increasingly out of control, making it difficult to focus. He tried to locate Luna or the matebond, the only thing keeping him sane, but there was nothing. No sign at all. Just moments ago, the mate bond had been strong between him and Luna, but why had it suddenly and so quickly broken? Without any rejection ritual, which is the only way a mate bond can weaken and sever. What is this? Did something happen to his soulmate? Dead? Is his soulmate dead? No! No! No! With that thought, Alkrevas roared furiously, causing everyone in the room to kneel and bow their heads, exposing the left side of their necks as a sign of submission.
Alkrevas was so distraught that he didn’t think to track the bracelet on Luna’s ankle, only checking it when the pain in his body subsided somewhat.
Immediately, Alkrevas used the remaining strength he had to check on Luna’s whereabouts, and his eyes widened again, his lips moving to whisper.
“Luna…” he then tried to stand, but the force of the matebond’s severance left him weak, and he collapsed to the floor again. Alkrevas didn’t care about the many eyes watching him in concern because he focused only on one thing: Luna.
“Luna… little mate…” he could feel Luna moving, a sign that she was still alive, but now she was no longer in her chamber.
“Your Majesty?” Sigmund called out.
“Your Majesty!” the nobles murmured in panic in unison.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?” Marquis Esthel asked with worry.
“Why haven’t the doctor and healer arrived yet?” Sigmund shouted.
The people around him continued to express their concern. Ignoring them, he tried to keep tracking Luna through the bracelet, but the pain from the broken mate bond had left his body too weak. Because of that, Alkrevas roared angrily when he could no longer track Luna due to his depleted strength.
Damon! Alkrevas called out to Damon-Commander of ‘The Shadow’ and the man he had assigned to watch over Luna-through the mind link. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his body trembled with fury this time. He waited, but there was no response, and that was no trivial matter. Damon never ignored his calls; this time, he didn’t answer, which meant something was seriously wrong.
With that conclusion, Alkrevas gathered his strength and called on Norris. His body instantly transformed into the fearsome Lycan that everyone dreaded. Alkrevas howled loudly before sprinting to the balcony and leaping off, eliciting worried screams from the nobles behind him.
“Mate… mate… no mate…” the words kept escaping from his wolf’s mouth. His muscular legs ran so fast that they shook the ground beneath him, causing small animals to seek shelter from his terrifying presence.
“Mate… mate… mate!” The word was repeated like a mantra. As if what he was experiencing now was just a nightmare and not a horrifying reality. He said that he would find Luna peacefully sleeping in their bed.
“Mate! Mate cannot leave! Mate will not… mate!” Gradually, Alkrevas began to step back and let Norris take over, his red eyes growing darker, like blood. It didn’t take long; what would take three hours by carriage and one and a half hours by horse was covered in twenty minutes by running in wolf form. Alkrevas leaped over the palace wall guards who were bowing their heads in submission to him before sprinting into the main palace.
He had set protective magic around the palace. Nothing could harm Luna. He had protected his soulmate from outsiders who would try to exploit her existence, but that hadn’t stopped someone from trying to bring him down. He ran upstairs, followed by Zyne and Savon behind him. Both were on high alert at the palace entrance, and Norris guessed that Sigmund had informed them of the situation.
Upon reaching the Emperor’s residence and entering the chamber, Norris stopped running and sniffed the air around him. ‘Dark magic!’ That was the first thing detected by Norris’s nose. He immediately guessed that this incident was related to the two dark mages collaborating with the Fae-Ghea. Norris’s hands clenched tightly. How had they entered the palace so quickly, which he had guarded rigorously? Even Damon couldn’t be reached until now.
Norris circled the room, following Luna’s scent, but her scent was faint to his senses. It was as if something was blocking it. Finally, Norris reverted to his human form and let Alkrevas take over.
Alkrevas’s hands clenched tightly. He tried to gather mana in his body and focused on the tracking bracelet again. He directed himself to the study-No! Alkrevas realized the mistake he had made.
He added Luna’s blood to his teleportation magic circle some time ago, giving her the authority to use it. This decision was made due to the increasing goblin disturbances at the borders and the rogues trying to terrorize the packs near the neutral zone. Although the chances were slim, Alkrevas couldn’t always predict the situation, not to mention his enemies who would target Luna for assassination. The teleportation magic circle was intended as an alternative escape route for Luna in case he wasn’t there to protect her, and compared to the secret passages in the palace, teleportation was undoubtedly faster. He hadn’t informed Luna about it for various reasons, one of which was his confidence in her, but now he regretted that decision. He didn’t know how she had discovered her blood’s connection to the circle. Still, whatever the case, Luna had used his teleportation magic to escape.
With this realization, Alkrevas admitted that this was a mistake on his part. If he hadn’t shown her the teleportation circle in the first place, Luna wouldn’t have been able to escape so easily. He quickly walked to one of the drawers where Luna kept her belongings, only to find it empty. He turned and glared at Savon with fury. “Prepare the knight forces. We’re heading to the Foryeust region.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Savon.”
“Yes, Alpha?”
“Immediately. I want everyone assembled within ten minutes.”
Savon nodded obediently, bowed, and then stepped out of the room. Alkrevas glanced at the still-disheveled bed before turning and rushing to his study. He took a deep breath and approached the bloodstains scattered on the floor, not far from his teleportation magic circle. The traces indicating that the magic had been used were still visible. “Your Majesty.”
Alkrevas didn’t react. He merely knelt by the magic circle with a cold, vacant stare. A murderous aura radiated ominously from him. Footsteps approached, and he heard the rustle of fabric before a thick cloak was draped over his shoulders. Alkrevas ignored the gesture and instead contacted one of the members of The Shadow to track down their leader. After finishing, Alkrevas smirked grimly. His instincts were sharp, and he had never doubted them; this time, they told him something was off.
How had that Fae managed to enter the palace? From the scent lingering in his study, besides Luna’s, there was a familiar scent-a scent of earth, indicating the presence of an earth Fae. Alkrevas’s hands clenched tightly, and a cold laugh escaped his lips. “It seems we have a little rat scurrying about.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Why are you here, General Thea?”
“I heard what happened. I’m willing to accompany you to Foryeust.”
“How much did Savon tell you, General?”
“Alpha…” General Thea murmured, her voice filled with hurt at Alkrevas’s accusatory tone.
“I was just at the sacred forest, specifically at the temple, so I know a coordinate point close to it.” Slowly, Alkrevas stood and turned. His red eyes glared with deadly intensity at General Thea. “I only want to help.”
“Fine. But if you do anything I don’t like, don’t expect to live.” General Thea nodded obediently and began preparing for the departure. Not long after she left, Zyne entered the study.
Alkrevas glanced at the old man from the corner of his eye before asking, “What now?”
“Your Majesty, I found this near the flower vase.” Zyne responded, extending his hand to reveal a small crystal stone in his palm. Alkrevas turned fully toward Zyne, stepping closer and taking the crystal.
“A recording magic stone?” Zyne nodded briefly. Alkrevas frowned, puzzled, as he had never placed a recording magic stone in his bedroom. These stones were freely sold and could be used by anyone. However, they could still be placed carelessly, especially in the Emperor’s private quarters. It was clear someone had deliberately put it there to reveal something. Alkrevas’s lips thinned as he muttered, “Ostende.”
Instantly, a white light expanded like a projection screen, and a scene appeared before his eyes.
…
Luna was sitting on the floor with her head bowed, clearly deep in thought, before she finally looked up and saw a woman with bright blonde hair and slightly pointed ears-a Fae. “Ghea…”
Ghea’s face was etched with a sorrowful smile as she bent down to help Luna stand. Then she said, “Luna! Thank goodness you’re alright. We should leave here before that monster arrives! You want to return to your world, don’t you?”
Luna nodded. “Yes, I want to go back to my world. To leave that crazy Emperor behind and forget everything that happened,” she answered softly.
“Good. Take my hand. We’ll go,” Ghea said with a smile, extending her hand to Luna. Shortly after, they disappeared from view. However, since the recording magic stone could record even the invisible, Ghea and Luna were still visible in the room.
“They used transparency magic,” Alkrevas murmured, concluding the reason no one had seen anything suspicious before it was too late.
“Luna, where are the things you brought with you?” Ghea asked Luna.
“They’re with me.”
“Take them with you,” Ghea ordered. The woman smiled as Luna nodded and then walked to one of the desk drawers, opened it, and took out three items she had brought to this world. “Now, Luna, who do you choose: me or that Emperor?”
“I choose you, Ghea. You’re my friend. I only used that Emperor to get my things.”
…
Alkrevas didn’t watch the rest as he hurled the recording magic stone against the wall, shattering it to pieces. His body trembled with rage as he asked Zyne, “How are the preparations for departure?”
“Beta Savon just informed me through the mindlink that everything is ready. We’re only waiting for permission from the Foryeust authorities-”
“No. There’s no more time. I don’t need the elders’ permission. Inform General Thea that we’re leaving now.” Alkrevas cut Zyne off with a low growl.
“But, Your Majesty-” Zyne didn’t finish his sentence as he received a warning glare from the Emperor. He immediately bowed and respectfully agreed to the Emperor’s command before exiting the room.
Alkrevas knelt and touched the blood Luna had left behind before standing alone in his private study, his face a mask of suppressed emotion. His tongue darted out to lick the fingers that had touched Luna’s blood, purring in satisfaction.
“What will I do when I get you back in my grasp, little mate?” he whispered obsessively. “You seem to enjoy toying with my trust.” Alkrevas took a deep breath, burying all his emotions, leaving only one thing behind.
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