Chapter Ten__Part:1

Mature Content

Astrid POV

In the quiet darkness of the night, I stirred, feeling a sudden awareness flood through me. My body was warm, too warm, and I blinked my eyes open, the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains. For a moment, I didn't move, unsure of what had pulled me from sleep.

Then I remembered. Kaden. He was still here, his steady breath beside me, his presence grounding but unsettling all at once. My heart pounded as I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him. His large frame was relaxed against the headboard, his features softened by sleep, a stark contrast to the usual intensity that followed him.

I shifted slightly and found him still beside me, his large frame leaning against the headboard, his eyes closed. He looked peaceful, his normally stern features softened in sleep. The intensity that usually radiated from him was replaced by something more vulnerable. I stared for a moment, the warmth between us palpable, but I didn't dare wake him.

Kaden had stayed just like I'd asked.

I smiled to myself, the ache in my chest replaced by a strange sense of comfort. As much as I tried to deny it, something about him made me feel safe like I didn't have to carry the weight of everything alone. And I had to admit—having him beside me like this wasn't so bad.

I let my eyes linger on him, taking in every detail. The sharpness of his jaw, the slight scruff that dusted his chin, the way his dark hair fell just slightly into his eyes. His lips, normally set in a determined line, were relaxed now, and for a moment, I found myself wondering how they would feel against mine.

A flush of warmth spread through me at the thought, my heart quickening in my chest. I hadn't allowed myself to think of him like this, not in this way. But here, with the quiet of the night surrounding us and his body so close to mine, it was hard not to. The tension between us, the unspoken connection, had been building for weeks, and now, lying beside him, it was impossible to ignore.

My thoughts drifted further, images of his hands moving over my skin, tracing the curves of my body, sending sparks of electricity through me with every touch. I imagined the weight of him pressed against me, the heat of his breath on my neck, his lips grazing my collarbone, his voice deep and gravelly, whispering my name in the darkness.

My body responded to the thoughts, a slow burn building low in my stomach. I shifted again, trying to focus on something else, but the heat between us was undeniable. Even in his sleep, Kaden exuded a kind of energy that pulled me in and made it impossible to think of anything but him. The thought of his body against mine, of the strength he held in check, stirred something inside me—a primal desire that I hadn't realized I'd been suppressing.

I bit my lip, trying to steady my breathing, but my mind wandered further. I imagined him awake, his eyes locking with mine, that intense gaze of his piercing through me. He would lean in, his hand cupping my face, his thumb brushing my lower lip before he claimed my mouth with a kiss so deep, so consuming, that it would leave me breathless.

A soft sigh escaped my lips at the thought, my body tingling with a mixture of anticipation and longing. I felt the weight of the amulet against my chest; its warmth was a reminder of the power that had brought us together. But at this moment, the only power I could think of was the pull I felt toward Kaden—the overwhelming need to be closer to him, to feel his hands on my skin, to hear his voice whispering in my ear as he made me his.

I shifted under the covers, my body reacting before I could stop it. A warmth spread between my thighs, a soft, aching need building as I thought about Kaden lying beside me. The way his strong arms could hold me, the heat of his skin against mine. I bit my lip, embarrassed at how turned on I was being near him. I could feel the dampness gathering, my body betraying me, craving for him to be inside.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to calm down, but the desire coursing through me refused to be ignored. It was maddening, this feeling, this pull. I had tried to deny it, to push it away, but here, with him beside me, the temptation was too great. The tension between us crackled in the air, heavy and undeniable.

I opened my eyes again, my gaze settling on him once more. He was still asleep, his face peaceful, but I couldn't help but wonder what he would do if he woke up and found me like this—flushed with desire, my heart racing, my body aching for his touch. Would he pull me closer? Would he kiss me the way I so desperately wanted him to? Or would he hold back, the same way he had been doing for weeks, keeping that distance between us despite the pull we both felt?

The thought sent a fresh wave of heat through me, and I shifted again, the ache between my thighs growing more insistent. My mind raced with images of him—his hands gripping my hips, his mouth on mine, his body pressed against me, claiming me in every way possible. The need for him was overwhelming, almost unbearable, and I found myself wondering how much longer I could resist.

With a soft sigh, I forced myself to look away, to focus on anything but him. But even as I closed my eyes, his image lingered in my mind.

Slowly, I pulled myself from bed, careful not to disturb him, and tiptoed across the room to grab the amulet. It was still warm, the symbols faintly glowing under my touch. I traced them with my fingers, thinking about the events of yesterday. The power, the voice that wasn't mine—it had all been so overwhelming. I needed answers, and I wasn't going to find them here, sitting in silence.

I glanced back at Kaden, who stirred slightly but didn't wake. His brow furrowed as if he carried the weight of his responsibilities even in sleep. I hated to leave him, but I needed to think.

Quietly, I slipped out of the room and made my way down the winding halls of the palace, my feet taking me toward the library. I didn't know what I was hoping to find, but I knew I had to figure out what the amulet wanted from me. There had to be something in the texts, some ancient explanation for all of this.

The library was silent, the morning light casting a golden glow over the rows of ancient tomes and scrolls. I settled at one of the large wooden tables, pulling a stack of books toward me. The scent of parchment and ink filled the air, calming my racing thoughts.

As I flipped through the pages of one particularly worn book, something caught my eye. It was a drawing of an amulet—similar to mine, though not quite the same. Beneath it, a passage in a language I didn't recognize flowed across the page in elegant script. My fingers traced the lines, the symbols tugging at a memory just out of reach.

"What are you?" I whispered to the amulet, feeling its faint pulse respond to my touch.

"Astrid?" a familiar voice broke through the quiet. I looked up to see Kaden standing at the library's entrance, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me.

I smiled softly, setting the book aside. "Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head, walking toward me with a slow, measured pace. "I woke up, and you weren't there. I got worried." His tone was gentle, but there was an edge of concern in his voice.

"I'm sorry," I said, gesturing to the stack of books in front of me. "I needed to clear my head."

Kaden's gaze softened as he sat across from me, glancing at the amulet in my hand. "Still searching for answers?"

I nodded. "I need to understand what this thing is. What it's doing to me."

He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine as he took the amulet into his hands. The warmth between us, that unspoken connection, flickered to life again. "We'll find out, Astrid. Together."

There was something in the way he said "together" that made my heart skip a beat. With him beside me, the weight of everything- this realm, the prophecy, the bond between us- felt a little less heavy.

"I trust you," I said softly, meeting his gaze. "But I need to know the truth, Kaden. About this amulet, about your people... about us."

Kaden's expression turned serious, the playfulness from earlier gone. He took a deep breath as if steeling himself for what he was about to say.

"You already know part of it," he began, his voice steady. "We're Lycans. My people have been the protectors of this realm for centuries. And this amulet—it's part of an ancient prophecy, one that speaks of a traveler who will bridge the realms and bring balance. That traveler... it's you, Astrid."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, the weight of his words settling over me. "And the bond between us?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kaden hesitated for a moment before answering, his eyes never leaving mine. "It's more than just the prophecy. The moment I saw you, I knew you were my mate. It's a bond that goes beyond this realm, beyond anything I've ever felt before. But I didn't want to tell you because... I wanted you to choose me for me, not because of some ancient magic."

The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken words and emotions swirling beneath the surface. My heart pounded as Kaden's confession sank in—his mate. The weight of that word hung in the air, heavier than anything I had expected. I had felt something between us from the moment we met, an undeniable pull, but to hear him say it, to listen to him admit that I was more to him than just a stranger from another world, made my chest tighten with a mix of longing and uncertainty.

"I don't know what to say," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the vast library.

"You don't have to say anything right now," Kaden replied, his gaze soft but intense. "I just wanted you to know the truth. I wanted you to know that I'm not going anywhere. Not until you decide what you want."

The vulnerability in his words disarmed me. Kaden, the strong, unyielding king of this realm, was offering me a choice. He wasn't pushing me into anything, wasn't forcing me to accept the bond that clearly meant so much to him. Instead, he was leaving the decision in my hands.