Caius ran through the shadowed forest, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. Every breath burned, every step carried the weight of fear. Behind him, the howls of vengeance still echoed in his mind, Lucian's rise, the curse unleashed, the moon itself turning red in wrath.
He did not look back. He could not.
By dawn, he reached the gates of King Aldred's fortress. His once-proud stride was now a desperate stumble. The guards hesitated at the sight of blood on him, but when he cried out the king's name, they allowed him through.
King Aldred sat upon his cold iron throne when Caius entered the great hall. The torches burned low, casting long shadows across the marble floor.
"Your Majesty," Caius said, falling to one knee. His voice trembled. "Lucian is alive. He has become something else, something cursed. He slaughtered my men, his eyes glowed like the moon itself. He is no longer a wolf. He is death."
The king frowned, his jeweled crown glinting in the firelight. And why are you here fidgeting? "Don't tell me you come to me for shelter, after failing to finish what I commanded?"
Caius lowered his head. "I have served you faithfully. I thought the silver dagger laced with poison will kill him, I betrayed my blood for your cause. I only ask for a night's rest before I vanish from your lands forever."
Aldred studied him, his mind turning behind those cold eyes. Then he spoke, his tone deceptively kind. "Very well. You may stay for the night."
Caius looked up, relief flooding his face. "Thank you, my king."
Aldred nodded slowly, hiding his contempt. As soon as the guards escorted Caius out, the king called for his physician, Serwin, who stood quietly by the pillar.
"Don't you need another werewolf specimen for your experiments?" Aldred asked softly.
Serwin's head lifted. "Yes, my lord, I do....."
"Use him," Aldred interrupted. "He will not be missed."
Serwin's eyes gleamed with curiosity. He bowed deeply. "As you command, Your Majesty."
Later that night, the royal kitchens were dim and quiet. Serwin entered with a small glass vial in his hand, a colorless sleeping draught that shimmered faintly under the light. He handed it to Lady Lara, the head cook.
"The guest in the eastern chamber has requested help with sleep," Serwin said smoothly.
Lara frowned. "Is this a potion or poison, Master Serwin?"
He smiled thinly. "A simple sleeping tonic. The king approved it."
She hesitated, but her loyalty bound her tongue. "Very well," she said, pouring the draught into a cup of wine meant for Caius.
Before she could send a servant, a young kitchen assistant stepped forward. "I'll take it," said Flora, a soft-spoken girl barely nineteen.
Lara raised an eyebrow. "You? Aren't you afraid of that creature? He's a wolf in human skin."
Flora smiled shyly. "I'm not afraid. He once helped me pick up spilled apples in the courtyard. He didn't seem so bad."
Lara sighed. "Child, don't let anyone hear that. The king and Serwin have ears everywhere. Deliver the meal and come back at once."
Flora nodded, took the tray and walked the silent corridor to the eastern guest chamber. She knocked once and entered when she heard Caius's reply.
He sat near the window, his eyes tired and hollow. She bowed and placed the food before him. "Your meal, my lord. May you find rest tonight."
"Thank you," Caius murmured. His voice was low and rough, but not unkind.
Flora left quietly, glancing back once before closing the door.
Caius ate slowly, the warm food easing the ache in his body. But soon, a strange heaviness crept through his limbs. His vision blurred and his breath slowed. Poison? he thought, then shook his head. No. Just exhaustion.
He barely managed to reach the bed before darkness took him.
*************
The night was quiet and still, save for the gentle snores emanating from the guest room where Caius lay sleeping. Little did he know, the young lady named Flora who served him, had her eyes set on him. She had been watching him since his arrival at the palace, drawn to his rugged good looks and air of danger. Tonight, she had finally mustered the courage to act on her desires.
Flora crept down the hall, her bare feet making no sound on the cold stone floor. She had dressed in a sheer negligee that left little to the imagination, her pert breasts and round bottom visible through the thin fabric. Her heart raced with excitement and nerves as she reached for the door handle.
To her surprise, it was unlocked. Caius must have been too tired from his travels to bother securing it. Flora slipped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click. She stood there for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. A sliver of moonlight shone through a gap in the curtains, illuminating the bed where Caius lay.
He was a sight to behold, even in sleep. His chiseled chest rose and fell with each breath, the sheets tangled around his waist. Flora's mouth went dry as she drank in the sight of him. She had never seen a man so handsome, so virile.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Flora approached the bed. She reached out a trembling hand and placed it on Caius' shoulder. He stirred slightly but didn't wake. Emboldened, Flora traced her fingers down his chest, marveling at the hardness of his muscles.
She couldn't resist any longer. Slowly, she slid into bed beside him, pressing her naked body against his warm skin. Caius made a soft sound in his sleep but didn't wake. Flora took this as a sign to proceed.
Her hand drifted lower, over his abdomen, until her fingers encountered something hard and hot. She gasped softly as she wrapped her hand around his erection. It was enormous, the biggest she had ever seen. Her pussy clenched with need as she imagined him inside her.
Flora positioned herself between Caius' legs and took his cock into her mouth. She had never done this before but instinct seemed to guide her. She swirled her tongue around the head, lapping up the bead of moisture she found there. The taste of him was intoxicating, salty and masculine.
Caius shifted restlessly but still didn't wake. Flora took him deeper into her mouth, relishing the weight of him on her tongue. She bobbed her head up and down, taking him as far as she could without gagging. Saliva dripped down her chin as she sucked him with increasing urgency.
Finally, she pulled back, panting. Caius' cock stood at attention, hard and ready. Flora knew what she wanted to do next. She crawled up his body until she was straddling his hips. Then, with one hand guiding him to her entrance, she sank down onto his shaft.
A guttural moan escaped her lips as he filled her completely. She had never felt so full, so stretched. It was almost painful but the pleasure quickly outweighed any discomfort. Slowly, she began to move, rising and falling on his cock with increasing speed.
Caius shifted beneath her, his eyes fluttering open. Flora froze, her heart in her throat. But he didn't push her away. Instead, his hands came up to grip her hips, guiding her movements.
"Young lady" he growled, his voice rough with sleep and desire. "What are you doing?"
"I want you," she breathed, continuing to ride him. "I've wanted you since the moment I saw you."
Caius hesitated for a moment before surrendering to the pleasure. His hips bucked up to meet hers, driving himself deeper inside her tight heat. Flora cried out, throwing her head back in ecstasy.
They moved together in a passionate dance, their bodies slapping together as they chased their release. Flora could feel it building inside her, the coil of tension in her lower belly winding tighter and tighter. Just as she was about to tumble over the edge, she felt Caius swell inside her, his hot seed spurting deep into her womb.
She collapsed on top of him, both of them panting and covered in sweat. In that moment, nothing else mattered - not the king's plotting, not the threat of discovery. All that existed was this perfect connection between two consenting souls.
But as their breathing slowed and their hearts stopped racing, reality began to seep back in. Flora knew they couldn't stay like this forever. Sooner or later, they would have to face the consequences of their actions.
But that was a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, she was content to lie in Caius' arms, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. She knew this moment would be etched in her memory forever - the night she gave herself to the man she desired above all others.
For a moment longer, neither moved. Then, with a quiet sigh, Caius released her wrist and closed his eyes again, too weary to argue. She sat by the bedside, watching over him until his breathing steadied. In that fragile silence, something wordless passed between them, not passion, but recognition, the meeting of two lonely souls bound by the same cruel fate.
When she finally rose to leave, she looked back once more, whispering, "Rest, My Lord. Whatever they do, I'll remember."
Then she slipped out the door, unseen by any guard and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.
***************
Down in the lower halls, Serwin waited, tapping his fingers against the table. "For a human, the draught would take minutes. For a wolf, hours," he muttered. "Three, perhaps."
But fate had other plans.
An hour later, Serwin grew impatient. He sent a servant to prepare his laboratory, while outside the guest room, he gathered two guards. When they arrived at the chamber, they found the door unlocked.
Inside, Caius lay still on the bed, seemingly asleep.
"Carry him," Serwin said. "Quickly, i must finish before dawn.
They lifted Caius, but as they stepped into the courtyard, his eyes snapped open.
In one motion, he broke free, his claws flashing in the moonlight. The guards stumbled back, terror freezing their blood. Caius's snarl filled the air as he shifted halfway, his bones cracking, fur rippling beneath torn skin.
Serwin shouted, "Stop him!" but no one dared.
Caius turned, his gaze burning with fury.
Then he leapt into the darkness, disappearing beyond the palace walls before anyone could move.
Flora, who had followed unseen from the shadows, gasped softly as she saw him vanish. She wanted to run after him, but fear rooted her to the ground.
When Serwin's men began to search, she slipped quietly back to her chamber, heart pounding. Her roommates were asleep. She lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying what she had witnessed.
The king betrayed him.