I'm so exhausted.
Despite my promises of not taking too long, I got distracted when I heard Bubu calling out my name playfully.
I tried to be understanding and patient of her neediness for more attention but even I have my limits of being a saint.
So in order to avoid her, I tried to run away from her, making things worse as she thought it is some kind of a game that she became extremely enthusiastic in chasing me.
After quite sometime of running all over the palace, I got a bit of rest after hiding behind an open door of a random room.
I can't run anymore.
My legs are trembling while I panted way too fast.
I'm getting all sweaty.
My hair, which was beautifully styled earlier, is now a tangled mess.
Good thing that I have an excellent quality makeup on or I would definitely looked like as if my soul was being sucked off.
I sat on the floor as I tried my best to keep calm, closing my eyes while trying to remember the way back to my room.
Imagine my fright when Bubu suddenly whispered in my ear, telling me that she found me at last.
It's a wonder that nobody in the palace heard my scream.
....
I can feel myself being carried by Bubu on her back, much to my surprise as I didn't expect her to be that strong although the pack kept nagging me to eat more as they told me that I'm too light.
At first, she kept talking about all sorts of silly things when suddenly, she stopped walking and stood still.
I soon felt goosebumps on my skin without any reason at all which I soon found out.
Bubu started to talk in a serious voice which is unusual and weird as it sounded as if she is a different person.
I took a long, deep breath then asked her who she is.
She stopped walking again in which she chuckled, praising me for being quick to catch up.
With a grin, she asked me the direction to my room in which I admitted to her that I have no idea as despite spending quite sometime living here in the palace, I still get lost from time to time.
She began to laugh as she told me that I'm lucky that she isn't in her silly self or she would definitely take advantage of me.
What...
I must be hearing things.
Despite my curiosity, I gave a loud yawn and fell asleep.
....
When I woke up, I can feel myself lying down on someone's bed.
Where am I?
I sat up and noticed that I'm clean like someone bathe me while I'm asleep and currently wearing a clean dress.
I don't know if I should be happy that someone made sure that I'm clean or terrified that someone touched me while I'm unconscious.
There's a sound in the bathroom in which I assumed must be the creature who cleaned me up.
I don't want to know who.
As silently as possible, I tried to get out of the room when suddenly, something coiled around my waist, giving me a fright that I began to cry.
It turns out that it's Orm.
He immediately apologized to me, telling me that he didn't mean to frighten me as he gave me small kisses around my face while embracing me.
I gave a huge sigh of relief as I embraced him back, making him smile as he tenderly carried me towards the bed.
Yes, it's his room and he's the one who washed me but with Bubu's help.
He told me that Bubu left after helping him dress me up in one of Bubu's clothes.
Bowing his head, he apologized to me for touching me without permission as he doesn't have any right, especially the fact that we are not mates yet as we are still on the process of bonding.
He looks like he is too ashamed of himself that I tried my best not to chuckle.
With a smile towards him, I gave him a soft kiss in which he reciprocated by kissing me passionately.
I can feel his arms tightened around me as his tail coiled around us, keeping me closer to him as I felt his yearning and desire towards me.
Then he whispered in my ear hesitantly, asking me if we can perform the secondary mating ritual now as he can't wait any longer.
He caressed my hair gently, telling me how he's trying to hide his longing towards me for so long, admitting that it's getting too hard for him not showing much affection and claim towards me, that seeing me and Sly in harmony with the dance earlier gave a pang in his heart as he wished that he could also show to everyone that he's a part of me while I'm the center of his existence.
With tears falling down his face, he admitted that he's trying his best to keep himself under control as he felt that sometimes, his emotions burst out of control.
He's terrified of scaring me away but at the same time, want to keep distance away from me as he felt that he might hurt me or he couldn't give everything what I deserve.
Why is he so afraid?
I told him to lie down on the bed in which he obeyed while I sat down beside him and positioned his head on my lap as I caressed his hair.
Softly, I told him that he shouldn't hide his feelings towards me and that I accepted every part of himself. That I can be his comfort and he shouldn't be carrying his burden by himself since I'm here, not going anywhere.
He snuggled towards me for sometime then sat up and cradled me towards him. He rested his face on my neck as I felt his tears falling down but this time, he's crying of joy not sadness.
I straddled on him while he held me with one of his arms as one of his fingernails on his other hand made a deep cut on his neck in which blood began to flow.
He didn't need to explain as I know what to do in which I began sucking slowly on his neck while he breathlessly tried to speak all sorts of promises with difficulty.
It's not my fault that he made a cut on his neck!
But he seems to be in difficulty for a different reason.
I need to get revenge of all the teasing that he gave me, especially way back at the fire dragon territory.
With a grin, I started to lick the cut on his neck, making him pant in the middle of his assurances to me that soon he began to groan while asking for more.
....
We kept on kissing despite Orm's efforts on to trying to say something. He laughed as he kept on getting distracted but continued on with the kissing whenever I tried to stop.
After a bit of time, I persuaded him to tell me what he is about to say.
The discussion with Leon took long at the banquet that they sent Orm to find me as they were all worried that I didn't return despite my assurances on not taking a long time to take a break.
Orm admitted that he was getting alarmed as it took quite sometime for him to find me that he used a spell that led him to Bubu. He was surprised at Bubu's change in attitude though she was quite helpful as he was at loss of what to do.
I grinned at him as he looked apologetic towards me, which I understood as he grew up without proper care and also he was used to following Lion or from the others in the pack's instructions on taking care of me.
A memory suddenly reminded me of the time back then when we were searching for the shards. It was the time when the pack began fighting against each other because of Rahab's influence. Sly, who was supposed to be carrying me, handed me to Orm as Sly began fighting with Ghost. I remembered Alpha trying to teach Orm on how to properly carry me. It was so adorable.
I snuggled towards him as I told him that we can take one step at a time and learning along the way, reassuring him that I'm patient and no, I won't be leaving.
He needs constant reassurances that I'm staying which I don't mind as I already have a long history of disappearing unexpectedly.
With his tail coiling around us, he told me that he would always try to find me wherever I go, even if I ended up in the Netherworld in which he would do everything just to keep me by his side.
That took a sudden turn.
While he nuzzled my neck, he told me that he doesn't mind sharing me with the rest of the pack if that meant seeing and being with me always. He admitted that he was tempted to bring me to a place where he could be alone with me always, letting me stay there while he would keep me safe and that he would make sure that I have everything I needed and wanted that I won't find a reason on leaving the place. Or him.
I don't know if I should be scared or intrigued.
He sighed as he embraced me tightly, telling me that those are his thoughts always, that he is afraid of my reaction in which I just tenderly kissed him, whispering as I reassured him that I already accepted everything about him and that there's no need for him to be afraid anymore.
With joy, he nuzzled my face while still embracing me, whispering that he cherished me very much and promised me to keep me safe, just as he promised Lion during the blood bond ritual.
Lion!
I almost forgot about him!
Orm laughed seeing the look on my face in which he told me that Lion won't mind waiting for me as they should still be in a meeting until now.
I glanced at him incredulously as I exclaimed that he should be at the meeting as well.
Orm laughed even harder as he held me, telling me that he doesn't care if Leon will punish him as everything that happened now was worth it that he's willing to be punished several times just to experience this moment again and again and aga....
He grinned when I glared at him. With a beam on his face, he took my arm and licked my mating mark with him while looking at me with devotion and desire in his eyes.
With a whisper, he said that he's mine and that I hold his entire being with my hands.
....
True to his word, the rest of the pack is still in a discussion with Leon and Deus though they continued their discussion in one of the palace's meeting rooms instead of the throne room.
Orm kept grinning brightly as he carried me in his arms, humming some sort of a cheerful song in which the discussion instantly stopped as everyone turned to look at us.
I can feel my face turn red in which Orm gave a tender kiss on my forehead as he gently handed me to Lion, who looked at Orm suspiciously. Lion held me tightly, nuzzling me all over my face and neck until he saw my mating mark with Orm on my arm.
He was about to say something to Orm in which Orm simply closed his eyes and shook his head in which Lion gave a huge sigh of relief.
Lion cheered up instantly and gave me several kisses on my shoulder, asking me about the dress I am currently wearing as it looked too big on me.
Orm told him on how he found me in which the rest of the pack including Deus gave a huge sigh of annoyance upon hearing Bubu's name.
....
Leon told Lion that he is excused as Orm is back in which Orm doesn't seem to mind as he kept on smiling while touching his arm with the mating mark on it every now and then.
Soon, we were inside Lion's room in which as soon as we got inside, he removed the door in an instant using his magic, fiercely kissing me while his hand tore off Bubu's dress, much to my dismay.
He chuckled as he licked on my neck, telling me that he's been yearning for me for so long that he can't wait any longer as his pants fell on the floor.
He faced me towards him while carrying me in which I wrapped my arms and legs around him as he slowly thrust inside me.
We hungrily kissed each other as we spoke how much we longed and craved each other's presence, making Lion cry though he still kept on thrusting me with increasing speed.
Though he knows of his place inside my heart, he still need reassurances from time to time in which I suddenly have an idea on how to pacify him.
I slowly removed his shirt in which I marked him all over his neck, shoulders and chest while he kept on moaning for more as he held me tightly against him.
Softly, I told him that if he's not busy, I will mark him all over his body right now.
He chuckled as he licked my neck, telling me that he definitely is NOT busy at all even though I already knew the truth.
Oh well. He deserves taking a break.
....
What I didn't expect is that the break would last that long until the next day.
Despite groaning with exhaustion, I kept on soothing Lion's yearnings until I finally put a stop to it as my body felt like it is about to break.
It took him quite a while to stop laughing when I asked him for an energy potion as he never had a request like that from me before.
With a mischievous grin, he told me he has plenty of it and will give everything to me right now, much to my horror.
After I drank a bottle of energy potion, he began kissing me on the neck in which I hurriedly reminded him on our date that we kept putting off as the last time we were about to go on a date, numerous creatures kept going inside his office with all sorts of demands that we ended up not going.
He suddenly looked enthusiastic in which he carried me inside the bathroom and there we bathe together though I have to soothe him again.
Finally, after quite sometime of getting ready and another round of tender soothing, we held hands as we went outside the palace.
....
We rode on a small canoe that Lion made out of his magic. The river that our canoe is drifting on was the river that I saw during the first time I came into this world. It still looked the same, much to my delight in which I told Lion about my experience in seeing the river for the first time.
I pointed to Lion the small cave where I hid and slept, making him chuckle as he commented that I really like hiding in small, dark places and will definitely take note of that the next time I will try to hide again.
I was reminded of the time I lost my mind temporarily because of the pain on my neck in which I hid inside a small hole that gave the pack difficulty on trying to find me.
Lion took some flowers from the shore, humming a cheerful song while braiding my hair and decorating it with the flowers.
He embraced me as our canoe floated along the river, both of us enjoying the sounds of nature and the comfortable silence between us.