Eight days.
Eight long, silent, suffocating days.
Eliora jolted awake with a gasp, her fingers clutching the sheets as the echo of his voice lingered in her mind.
Mine.
His fingers brushing her cheek.
His breath warm against her lips.
His body caging hers, wanting to claim her.
Every night the same dream.
Every night ending the same way, just when his lips touched hers, she'd wake up in a shock of heat and pain.
She pressed a trembling hand to her chest.
"Eight times," she whispered. "Why… why do I keep dreaming of him?"
And the pain, sharp, throbbing behind her ribs, felt like something inside her was pulling apart.
She curled into herself, groaning softly.
No one had summoned her.
No one had spoken to her.
Food was simply left at her door and collected later.
Eight days.
Eight days of nothing but her thoughts.
Eight days of hiding, willingly.
She didn't want to see him.
She wasn't ready.
She was terrified of what she felt.
But she was also bored out of her mind, lonely, restless… and now, sick.
Her breath hitched again as another wave of pain hit.
"What is happening to me?"
Before she could struggle upright, a sound ripped through the palace.
A roar.
HIS roar.
Deep. Violent.
The walls shook.
Her window rattled.
A loud crack tore through the courtyard, she rushed to the window just in time to see two mighty frost-oaks fall, their trunks crushed as though clawed apart.
Her heart pounded.
The Beast King was losing control.
Again.
Meanwhile, on the training grounds, there was chaos.
Zarek's beast was raging, his claws were glowing like molten metal, eyes blazing red as he fought the seers' restraints.
Flames crackled across the frost-laden earth.
Three generals, Aldric included, were bracing themselves, holding him back with everything they had.
"Hold him!" someone shouted.
"He's breaking the barrier!"
"Strengthen the runes!"
Zarek roared, the kind of sound that made the sky quiver.
Only after several brutal minutes did his breathing slow.
His claws retracted.
His flames dimmed.
Maelina stepped forward, panting, sweat dampening her temples. "Your Majesty, you cannot keep doing this."
He didn't answer.
He simply glared, chest heaving, the mark under his shirt burning so fiercely every seer could feel the heat.
Maelina pressed, "Why do you still refuse to accept the bond? You are out of time. Both of you are."
Zarek's eyes locked onto hers, molten gold.
He remained quiet.
"Why, Your Majesty?" she pressed softly, desperately.
His jaw ticked. "She isn't ready," he growled. "She doesn't want to see me."
Maelina blinked in disbelief.
"Since when," she asked slowly, "have you ever cared about such trivialities?"
His beast flared violently.
"Since when," he thundered, power erupting from him in a blast of heat, "I became tied to a weak human!!"
Every beast dropped to their knees instantly.
Even Aldric bowed his head as the ground trembled.
Maelina remained standing, though barely, her knees quivered.
"You are tied to her," she whispered, "because fate chose her. Because she was made for you."
Zarek's breathing deepened, agonized, furious.
"You've felt it," Maelina added. "Her pain. Her fear. Her dreams. The pull between you will only get stronger."
Maelina stepped closer. "You need to see her. Now. Before matters worsen."
He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.
"And before you say anything, let me save us the time. At this point, Your Majesty, only her touch will not suffice anymore."
Zarek's eyes widened, gold flashing into blazing red.
A deadly stillness rippled across the courtyard. Because everyone understood exactly what she meant.
The bond was demanding completion.
And if he didn't go to Eliora soon…they would both die.
Zarek inhaled once, like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn't nearly torn down half the courtyard. Like the earth hadn't trembled beneath his rage.
"Aldric," he said coolly, "what's next on my agenda?"
Aldric stared at him.Openly. Blatantly. As if waiting for Zarek to admit something, anything.
But the king's expression was carved from stone.
Maelina let out a deep, tired sigh.
"At this rate, Your Majesty, you will drop dead before admitting defeat."
Zarek did not even move his gaze toward her.
He simply repeated, sharper now, "Aldric."
Aldric's jaw tightened. "Your Majesty… the council has been waiting since morning."
Zarek rose. "Then let us not keep them waiting."
.
.
The Council Chamber
The heavy doors swung open, and every council member jolted to their feet.
Their fear was thick in the air.
They had all heard the roar.
Heard the trees crack.
Heard the earth break.
But they were forbidden from approaching when the king's beast took over. Only seers and generals, soldiers bore that burden.
So they could only wait.
And tremble.
Zarek took his place on the throne, high, icy stone, carved with ancient beast sigils.
The room bowed in unison.
Councilwoman Haleen was the first to speak. Her voice trembled with genuine concern.
"Your Majesty, how do you fare?"
Before Zarek could answer, Aldric stepped forward, hands clasped behind him, his tone was respectful but firm.
"His Majesty is stable."
Haleen nodded, relieved, but the fear in her eyes didn't fade.
Then, because fools existed even at the highest levels, Councilman Eirik opened his big mouth.
"But why is His Majesty still losing control?" he blurted. "He has found his soulmate. Shouldn't his beast be stabilizing by now?"
Haleen shot him a sharp glare.
But Eirik wasn't alone, his question gave others courage.
Councilwoman Lisa cleared her throat timidly. "Indeed, if the bond has manifested, shouldn't His Majesty feel calmer?"
Councilman Rowan added, voice cracking,
"Is the bond unstable? That has never happened before, has it?"
Another asked, "Has the soulmate been identified? What is her lineage?"
And finally, the question everyone was afraid to voice, but desperately wanted answered,
"Your Majesty… is something wrong with the bond?"
Zarek sat perfectly still. Unmoving.
A cold, suffocating pressure rolled off him. Aldric subtly stepped closer, ready to intervene if the questions pushed too far.
Because these people had no idea how close they were to dying.