"You can now go to the mating cabin and mark each other." Elsie barely hears the priest say as he eyes her curiously.
She clenches her thighs together as a sharp bolt of pain shoots through her stomach, stealing the breath from her lungs and forcing her to hunch forward, hands grabbing Ace's forearm for support.
If she hadn't held onto his hands she might as well have fallen face first onto the ground. She feels her vision blur, legs starting to feel like jelly. How is she supposed to make her way to the mating cabin?
Sweat breaks on her hairline, hands clammy as they hold onto Ace's thick forearm for dear life. Panic rises in her throat when he tries to pry Elsie's fingers off his forearm, though gently. Her eyes widen, tears springing into them as her head snaps up to look at him. But all Ace is in her eyes, right this moment, is a blurry figure.
Before she can grab onto him for purchase again, he's wrapping a hand around her shoulders, bringing her close to him as he helps her stand straight. Her eyes fall shut as she presses the side of her face on his warm chest, the scent of sandalwood travels up her nose, soothing her instantly.
What?
How is that possible?
He's nobody to her, no connection to their soul. They haven't even marked each other yet. Then why does Elsie feel as if the safest place on this planet is in his arms? Why does she feel like she belongs here, in the strong arms of this unknown alpha.
Elsie's hands clench tight on the fabric of the silk robe draped across Ace's back, her knuckles paling with the force of her grip. She buries her face against his chest, as if their closeness might steady the storm inside her.
His breath is steady. Hers is not. And still, she holds on, as though letting go might shatter something she can't name.
"Let me take you to the mating cabin." He whispers in her ear, sending a shiver down Elsie's spine.
She manages to nod her head, knowing that her tongue won't help her in uttering a word, head feeling heavy just like her tongue laying in her mouth.
Elsie lets her now pronounced husband guide her to the mating cabin, heat blooming in her belly intensifying the more she smells the scent of her alpha. Something in her calls for him, to get him as close to her as humanly possible.
Elsie presses her face more into the warmth of his chest, his heart beating study against her cheek unlike her own wildly pounding against her ribs.
When Ace gently leads Elsie into the mating cabin, she can barely process her surroundings. Everything is warm, spinning, thick with scent and emotion. The cabin is dimly lit, the air scented with herbs that are meant to soothe, but nothing can calm the wildfire in her veins that's burning her alive.
He helps her sit on the edge of the bed — respectful, quiet, still holding her as though she might slip away if he lets go. And it doesn't make sense to her. Why does Ace look as if he cares too much? How can a heartless brute be so gentle?
Elsie sits there, trembling, staring at the floor, trying to breathe through the heat rising under her skin.
He says nothing at first — just watches her, probably seeing how pale she's gone, how she clutches her stomach like she's in pain.
"You don't look well," Ace finally says. His voice is calm. Too calm for Elsie's liking. How can this man be so calm and collected when Elsie's dying inside? Oh, maybe because he wanted this and Elsie didn't.
"You'll feel worse before it gets better," he adds, stepping closer. "The pull… it's cruel like that."
"Don't," she whispers, her voice hoarse. "Don't come near me."
His brows knit together, but he stops. Arms by his sides.
"You think I'm going to hurt you."
A bitter laugh bubbles in her throat. "Yes you are. I know all of this is not new to you." Elsie can't bring herself to say that he killed his Queen again because the last time she did he had her throat in his vice grip, choking her. She cannot risk uttering those words again and actually dying this time.
Silence.
Ace doesn't say a word and doesn't deny it. Doesn't rush to defend himself. He just stands there, staring at her like he's carrying ghosts behind his eyes.
"She died during a failed bond," he finally says, voice rough. "I didn't kill her, Elsie. But I'm afraid I failed her." The pained look in Ace's dark brown eyes cuts Elsie deeper. "Why would I ever kill someone I would die for?"
Something in his voice makes her chest ache. She doesn't want it to. She wants to hate him. She wants to fear him.
But his scent is everywhere. And her body doesn't care about rumors or fear. It wants, it needs and yearns for her alpha— For the Alpha King of Lievca, Ace.
Elsie's head is pounding, stomach twisting with ever consuming pain as another wave of heat hits her and she barely manages to get the words out "What's happening to me?" Her voice is a whisper, shaking.
Ace kneels before her, brows furrowed with something that looks like concern… and restraint.
"You're feeling the pull," he says, more familiar with this whole mating thing than her. "The bond's starting to take hold. It's stronger than I expected. Stronger than I thought it would be — for both of us."
The rituals and chanting gave them a sense of belonging to each other before they even marked themselves. Elsie can only imagine how strong their bond will be if this is how they feel being set to mark each other.
Elsie grips the fabric of her robe, struggling to keep her eyes open, her body alive with too much sensation.
"It hurts," she gasps. "It shouldn't hurt like this."
Ace's hands tremble slightly as he brushes a strand of hair out of her face.
"That's because we waited too long. You're fighting it. Your body wants the bond — and so does mine."
Then he leans in, pressing his forehead to hers. Just that — no kiss, no push — but the closeness is unbearable and grounding at once.
Their breaths sync. His scent floods her. Her heart hammers.
And in that moment, fear grips her insides again, beacuse in her mind the mark he receives on her neck will seal her fate. If he let him mark her as his, it will very much grant her a death sentence.
"Then mark me. But I don't want to die like her," she says, voice trembling as tears run down her face.
"You won't," he replies. "I hope you won't."
Hope she won't? Does that mean he wants her? Elsie doesn't know.
The ache in her stomach sharpens. Her body screams for release. But her heart coils tighter with dread.
She turns away, hugging her arms around herself, and sinks onto the edge of the bed.
"I don't trust you."
A pause.
"I wouldn't either. But… we have to seal the bond either way. Even if you and I want this or not."
Elsie looks up, startled.
For a long moment, she just stares at him. This man who's meant to be her enemy. Her king. Her mate.
Not a monster. Not yet.
And against every instinct, she whispers:
"Mark me."
God please don't let her die young.