RED EYES

Chapter 5

Lucian POV:

Emerging stealthily from the dense foliage, I made my demand. "I will leave them if you give me what I want," I declared, locking eyes with her.

Mate.

I was unable to stop my beast from growling and pounding to come out and claim her. The savage within me surged, the urge to claim her overwhelming my senses. Yet, I fought to contain it, unwilling to terrify her with the beast lurking just beneath my surface.

The thrill of instilling fear in others had always been a perverse pleasure of mine, relishing the terror that danced across their faces upon realizing the truth of who I was. But with her, it was different. She stirred something unfamiliar within me.

Her silence grated against my patience, prompting me to repeat myself. "You didn't answer me, princess," I growled.

Before she could reply, the tranquility of the moment shattered as a cadre of guards descended upon us, launching into a skirmish with my soldiers. Irritation flared within me at their interference, their efforts futile in the face of my determination to claim what was rightfully mine.

Lost in the chaos of battle, I failed to notice her subtle attempt to flee until it was nearly too late. Moving with speed, I seized her, my grip firm as I pulled her back against my chest.

Her skin is soft beneath my touch, her scent intoxicating like a summer breeze laden with the fragrance of roses. A soft chuckle escaped me as she struggled against my hold, her defiance only serving to endear her further to me.

Drawing near, I whispered into her ear, my voice a low, dangerous murmur. "Going somewhere, love?" I taunted, relishing the shiver that coursed through her.

Observing the surrender in her eyes, a smirk tugged at my lips. She was mine now, and nothing would stand in the way of claiming what was rightfully mine.

"Leave her, you monster." My gaze, cold, met the horrified eyes of one of her soldiers as he dared to approach. Before I could utter, one of my own men moved with swift brutality, driving a blade into the soldier's side.

His body crumpled to the ground. Her piercing scream pierced through the chaos. Tears streamed down her face.

"Please," she begged, her voice choked with sorrow, "spare them. They mean no harm."

I scoffed at her plea, my contemptuous gaze locking onto hers. "They deserve nothing less than death," I declared, my tone icy and unyielding. But as her tear-filled eyes met mine, a flicker of doubt crept into my mind.

"They were only trying to protect me," she whispered.

A voice, small yet defiant, interrupted our exchange. "Leave her be," it pleaded, drawing our attention to a young boy who stood defiantly before us, His bravery grated on my nerves.

Yet, despite the boy's interruption, it was her face that held me captive. Worry etched lines of distress across her delicate features, a sight that stirred something within me. The thought of her finding solace in another's arms ignited a blaze of jealousy within me.

Before I could comprehend her next move, she sank her teeth into my arm with surprising ferocity. Pain blossomed where her teeth broke the skin, causing my grip to falter momentarily. In that fleeting moment of weakness, she slipped from my grasp and darted towards the boy.

Fury surged within me. I lunged forward, seizing her arm in a vice-like grip, refusing to let her slip away. My mind raced with thoughts of punishment, of retribution for daring to defy me.

She would learn that she belonged to me and me alone, her freedom nothing more than an illusion in my grasp. As I pulled her closer, her struggles only fueled the flames of my fury.