Pretty Red Eyes (previously "KING, AGAIN")

06| blood on gold

06; blood on gold

The smell of fresh blood filled the cell, and the stench of faeces and urine was replaced with the stench of rusted metal. The combination of both Chelsea and Alpha Valius's blood stained the floor and walls of the very cell.

The King got off Chelsea and shifted back into his human. The dungeon keepers instantly shook off their shock and wordlessly pulled open the gate again. Their king made his way towards the gate, picking up his blood-stained crown on his way.

He inspected the crown in his hand. Blood on gold. Red and golden. Two colours that do not belong, two substances that should never be mixed. Oddly enough, the more he thought about it and looked at it, the more he started to think otherwise. In a strange light, they seemed to fit.

Blood was desired by the ones who were hungry for vengeance and power. Gold was desired for the glory that it brings to the ones who could own it. They both brought glory for different reasons. While blood was for the dark and cruel, gold corrupts the pure.

They could both bring out the worst in humanity, thus together they were simply dark aesthetics at their finest.

A corner of alpha Valius's lips lifted slightly, a ghost of a smirk teased. He was looking down at his bloodied crown.

He turned around to take a look at the mate he had just fought with. She had shifted into her human form too; her pale skin contrasted with the dried blood and bruises on her. Her long dark black hair was drenched with sweat. In their wetness, they held a little natural wave in them. Her hair was a mess on her head, some sticking to the side of her face which was also stained with blood. A fresh cut was presented on her temple, close to her hairline and blood was dripping from it.

She was naked, just like Alpha Valius but nobody batted a lash about it. She slowly inched closer to the wall where she was chained close to in search of support. Her side had a huge bite mark on it, it was a gushing wound that would eventually heal with their supernatural healing abilities.

For the first time since they had met, Alpha Valius took in the sight of her in her human form. It was the second time he had seen her as a human but the first that he had the time to properly look at her. Even in her state, he was certain that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. He might not have wanted a mate, but he could not stop his heart from skipping a beat at the sight of her.

In his numb and seemingly unbeating heart, a small part squeezed at the sight of his mate battered and bruised. He had caused it, but his heart ached for her still.

Chelsea's head was slanted to a side as the pain on the other side of her neck was restricting her from moving properly.

Slowly and steadily, she leaned against the wall and relaxed against it.

The pain will go; the pain will be gone soon. She told herself.

"I had come solely to talk," a deep voice travelled across the cell. Chelsea's eyes merely flickered up to look at who was speaking. Of course, it was her beast of a mate. "but you were testing my patience."

Chelsea was on the ground, and he was standing up. There was a great distance between them, and they still had an audience, watching their naked presence and exchange. Chelsea was embarrassed, but she was more in pain than anything. Surprisingly, she could not be bothered at the moment.

With the bloodied crown in hand, still naked, Alpha Valius confidently walked closer to Chelsea. Chelsea's eyes fought to stay on his face and solely on his face. There were movements around his lower half, but she knew she should not look. Her wolf would have gone crazy.

For the past few days since she had been locked in, she refrained from shifting into her wolf to force her animal to sleep. Only in its deep slumber will it not attempt to seize control and accept its mate.

"I had come to offer you a bargain for your freedom," he continued, only stopping an arm's length away. "but it seemed, you weren't interested, were you?"

He cocked his head to the side slightly while looking at her, a cruel joke playing before his eyes. He inspected his injured arm in front of her, his arm was proof that she had started the fight. A proof that this female was reckless and a born fighter. His eyes were still shining golden, bright in the darkness that surrounded them in the dark cell. Chelsea had no idea where he was going with this.

Did he mention her freedom? He was going to return her freedom?

Chelsea's eyes were no longer blood red by now. Her wolf had returned to the back of her head where an imaginary barricade separated her animal thoughts and her human ones.
Her eyes were back to their normal dark brown.

He was going to give her freedom without her asking?

At the thought, Chelsea's brown eyes met his gold ones. While not much could be read from her stern expression, she could not hide the hint of hope in her eyes. Her eyes landed on his injured arm, her teeth marks were still visible on it.

Somewhere in her guarded heart, she howled in pain for her mate. The injury she had caused, the pain he must have been in. She did that. A little regret surfaced from within her.

However, she reminded herself again that she did not want him. She only needed her pride, a rogue had no mate. In the harsh society where rogues lived amongst packs, surviving was key, not love and procreation.

He placed the bloodied crown on Chelsea's head instead. His fingers glided down the side of her face and stopped when they reached her small chin. His long and slender fingers tightened around her chin as he tilted her head back, so she was totally looking at him.

Chelsea whined at the harshness of his actions, the open wound on her neck flexed and released at her head movement. The crown sat loosely on her head, it was slightly too big. The front part of the crown fell forward slightly, coming in contact with the cut on her temple as it did. Chelsea flinched.

Alpha Valius would be lying if he did not admit, that he secretly loved the way his crown fits on his female. While he has not fully accepted or wanted her, the wolf in him would never deny a soulmate blessed by the moon goddess.

When her eyes finally met him again, they were flickering. Switching between red and brown. Her wolf knew the King's crown had been placed on her head, she viewed it as acceptance, and she was ready to jump him.

The crown promised power and authority. Since Chelsea was mates with the King who was born of royal blood, she and her wolf were rightfully Queen. Genetically suited for the very role.

"Since you didn't want a bargain, I will be deciding for you as the King you have attempted to disrespect today." Alpha Valius began.

"you will remain in the Palace as a maid. The rank of filth on the ground - as an omega. Until you have proven yourself worthy, Queen," he tapped the side of the gold crown on her head. His eyes glowed as gold as the crown before him.

"And until then," he continued. The corner of his lips lifted into a sinister smirk.

"This bloodied crown on your head will remain nothing but a souvenir from your King."

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