It's been a whole week since the marriage ceremony, but…
Azazeal only watched his mate from the shadows.
He hadn't spoken to her nor had he approached her since he had claimed her.
Although she was so close to him, in his castle, in his world. He still couldn't find the courage to speak to her or touch her again.
Not after he saw his terrified she was when his hands held hers. Not when he saw her crystal blue eyes filled with panic when he came closer to her.
Not after the fear he felt when he watched her fall unconscious in his arms.
That day was the first time in his entire existence that he felt such emotion. Fear.
He feared losing the one thing her never dared to hope for.
The pack healer had said she fainted out of shock and stress.
She must've hated the thought of being with a monster like him, her heart couldn't bear the burden.
She was as delicate as porcelain, fragile and gentle. The total opposite of a fierce monster like him.
He didn't know what to do with her, she was too soft. He had never met anyone like her. Soft dewy skin, rosy cheeks flushed with pink each time someone spoke to her.
He would only watch her from the corners as she slowly began to feel at ease in his castle.
He could imagine how scary and daunting this place must have been for her for the first two days of staying in the castle, but slowly with how kind and patient the maids he'd selected for her personally had treated her, his wife was slowly coming out of her shell and talking a bit.
But, he has no choice but to stay away.
He would never in his life want anything that would inconvenience her.
But he didn't dare neglect her, he lingered everywhere around her. Everyone in the castle noticed his presence in the dark except for her.
He was very careful with anything that concerned her,
The guard patrol outside her chamber was more than necessary, but nothing was too much when it came to his wife's safety.
For days, his throne sat empty during meetings because he stood near the large windows of his castle instead, where he could catch a glimpse of his wife in secret. Watching in awe, how her long beautiful hair sparkles in the moonlight.
She would only come out of her room at night, holding a book in her arms and smiling politely to the royal maids caring for her.
She was kind and soft and very quiet.
He wished to see her.
Talk to her.
Hold her in his arms.
He hated that he had ignored the arrangement for the marriage ceremony and everything about her from the beginning.
She was perfect.
She was his home.
His miracle Mate.
The rain poured from the skies in sheets, and thunder rumbled like loud drums.
Elora stood near her chamber windows, hiding behind the curtains as she peered down at the royal carriage waiting below. The royal guards stood steadily, cloaks flailing in the heavy storm.
Then she saw him
Azazeal walked towards the carriage, his tall lithe form unbothered by the heavy rain. He was dressed in a dark cloak and leather gloves and boots, looking more like a bloody warrior and not just a king.
The mask still covered half of his face, so she couldn't see him fully but she knew he could tell his lips were definitely in a grim line.
Judging from how the guards immediately looked down in fear and respect at his arrival
This morning, the king's messenger had knocked on her door and announced that the king was going on a trip to a faraway pack and would be gone for months.
The same husband of hers that she hasn't seen ever since she was thrown into this kingdom.
A soft scoff escaped her lips and she rolled her eyes in annoyance "Who does he think he is? , I hope he doesn't even come back, it's not like his presence is useful anyway."
She rolled her eyes again but midway, she noticed him pausing before he could fully step into the carriage
And suddenly, he turned his head and looked up directly at her.
Elora froze in shock.
Their eyes met.
And hers widened in shock at what she saw.
His eyes were a beautiful shade of lightened grey, but as they stared at her longer, they slowly turned crimson red.
The same red eyes she saw during their marriage ceremony.
The crimson ringlets in his eyes flared like sunfire and blood.
The way he stared at her didn't feel casual, it was like a dangerous pull.
She felt a string tie her to him, and Elora's heart raced in her chest, and the intense feeling coursed through her veins.
She yanked the curtains and pulled them shut on instinct.
Her hands rested in her chest, feeling how hard it throbbed against her ribcage.
What is this feeling? Why does my heart beat so fast at the sight of him? Am I that scared of him? That's all it is right? All I feel is fear, these emotions cannot mean anything else but the fact that I'm scared of him and he terrifies me.
She nodded to herself in reassurance, even though there was a whisper at the back of her mind saying what she felt wasn't anything relating to fear. But she ignored it and walked away from the windows
She missed the way Azazeal's shoulders tensed.
Missed the way the fire dimmed in his eyes when she walked away, and his lips pressed into a tight, unreadable line behind the red mask.
What was I expecting? She couldn't even bear to look at me, the eye color changing probably freaked her out.
His wolf whimpered, and a pang hit his chest but his blank facade remained.
With one last glance at her window, Azazeal stepped into the carriage, and thunder crackled as if expressing the frustration on his behalf
The royal guards rode their horses behind him—and his absence left the castle somehow emptier.
But Azazel's mind was still restless and stuck.
I'll let her have her space. When I return, I'll make sure to show her the real me, not the king. Just me.