Chapter 6 The Night That Call.

The knock came suddenly, making him flinch. He quickly straightened. "C-come in..." The door opened gently. And for the first time since arriving in the castle- Someone smiled. She stepped in with a tray of food, balancing it carefully in her hands. Unlike the others, she didn't look terrified. Just... cautious. But warm. "Good evening!" she said softly, placing the tray down on the table. "You must be Elian." Elian blinked, a little surprised by her tone. "...Yes." She turned to him with a small bow. "My name is Mary.

His Majesty has assigned me as your second personal maid." Elian's eyes widened slightly. "My... maid?" Mary nodded, then leaned in just a little, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Yes-but don't let the title scare you," she whispered with a playful smile. "It just means I'm the only one brave-or foolish-enough to come near you." Elian couldn't help it. A small laugh escaped him. Soft. Barely there. But real. --- Mary's eyes lit up. "Oh! There it is! You can smile!" she said, clearly pleased. "Good. I was worried I'd be stuck with a gloomy master." "I'm not your master," Elian said quickly, his voice gaining a touch of firmness. She tilted her head, her expression curious. "You live here. The king assigned me to you. That makes you important." Elian shook his head slightly. "No... it just means I'm... temporary. A captive, really." Mary didn't respond immediately, her gaze softening as she considered his words. Instead, she walked over and gently pushed the tray closer to him. "Eat first," she said gently. "You'll need your strength, no matter how long you're here." Elian hesitated, glancing at the simple meal of bread, cheese, and stew... then nodded, picking up the spoon. --- As he ate, Mary move lightly around the room, straightening a curtain here, dusting a shelf there, but her eyes kept drifting back to him. Curious. Observant. "You're not what I expected," she finally said, folding a cloth with deliberate care. Elian paused mid-bite. "What did you expect?" She shrugged lightly, a hint of empathy in her voice. "Someone either crying all day... or plotting to run at the first chance." A small silence followed, the weight of her words settling in. "...I thought about it," Elian admitted quietly, setting the spoon down. "Running, I mean. But the blindfold... the guards... it's pointless." Mary didn't look surprised. She sat on the edge of a chair nearby, her posture relaxed but attentive. "But you didn't. That takes guts, you know. Staying put when everything screams to fight or flee." Elian met her gaze, "What choice do I have? This place... it's like a cage made of shadows." Mary studied him for a moment... then smiled again, warmer this time. "Well," she said lightly, standing up, "if you're going to stay, you might as well not be miserable the whole time. Let me help make it bearable." Elian gave a faint smile in return, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. "I'll try. Thank you, Mary." "Good," she said, satisfied, her tone encouraging. "And if you need anything-anything at all, from extra blankets to just someone to talk to-you call me. I'm right down the hall." She moved toward the door, then paused, her hand on the knob. "Oh-and one more thing..." Elian looked up, sensing the shift in her demeanor. Her expression turned just a bit more serious. "Don't wander at night." A pause hung in the air. "Especially when the moon is full. Things... change under its light." The door closing softly behind her. Leaving Elian alone once more- But not quite as alone as before. After she left, the room fell silent again. But it didn't feel as suffocating as before. Elian lay down slowly, staring up at the ceiling through the blindfold's veil. His body was still warm. Still reacting. Still... restless. He placed a hand lightly over his chest, feeling the fast beat of his heart. "...Mate..." The word felt foreign. Dangerous. Impossible. And yet... His eyes slowly closed. Sleep came-but not peacefully. --- Elsewhere... Kael stood near the window of his chamber, the night sky stretched wide before him. The full moon rose high. Bright. Unforgiving. His fingers were clenched tightly at his sides. His control- Slipping. Go to him, the voice echoed in his mind Low and Insistent. "I said no." Aries. Mate, "I know what he is." Ours. Kael exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. "You felt it," he muttered. "That reaction... that scent..." His jaw tightened. "Too strong." Go. The command was louder this time. More forceful. More demanding. Smell him. Confirm him. Claim him. Kael's breathing grew heavier. His control was cracking. Piece by piece. "I won't lose control," he growled, his voice a low rumble. You already are. Silence. Heavy. Dangerous. Then- Kael moved. Elian's Room: The door opened without a sound. No guards noticed. No footsteps echoed. It was as if the darkness itself had allowed him passage. Kael stepped inside. And immediately- He felt it. The scent. Soft. Sweet. Faint-but unmistakable. Even suppressed... It called to him. His eyes, hidden beneath the blindfold, narrowed slightly. His wolf stirred violently. Mate. There, on the bed- Elian lay asleep. Peaceful. Unaware. Completely vulnerable. Kael stood still for a moment. Just watching. Listening. Feeling. "...So this is what you look like... when you're not afraid." His voice was barely above a whisper, laced with a raw hunger. Slowly... He stepped closer. Each step controlled. Measured and dangerous. He stopped beside the bed. Close enough to hear Elian's breathing. Close enough to feel his warmth. His hand lifted slightly. Hovered. Then- Paused. For the first time in a long time- Kael hesitated. "...If I touch you..." His voice dropped. Rough. "...I might not stop." Elian shifted slightly in his sleep. A soft sound leaving his lips. And just that- That small, innocent movement- Snapped something inside him. Kael leaned down. Slowly. Carefully. His face nearing Elian's neck- He inhaled. And everything went still. His grip tightened instantly. A low, dangerous sound rose in his chest. His wolf surged forward. Wild. Possessive. Uncontrollable. "...You're really mine." The words escaped like a vow, dark and fervent. But instead of pulling away, Kael's restraint brakes further. His hand moved, fingers brushing Elian's jaw with a trembling touch-warm, almost tender, yet edged with desperation. Elian's lips parted in his sleep, a soft exhale inviting the inevitable. Kael couldn't stop. He lowered his mouth, capturing Elian's lips in a fierce kiss. It started possessive, his teeth grazing the soft flesh, and when Elian open a little, Kael's tongue pushed in, claiming every inch, licking deep and demanding, tasting the sweetness that had haunted him. Elian's body arched instinctively, but his hands fisted in Kael's shirt, pulling him closer in confused need. Kael growled into the kiss, one hand sliding to the nape of Elian's neck, holding him firm as he s*ck*d on his lower lip, then plunged back in, tongues tangling in a wet, heated battle. His free hand roamed down Elian's side, gripping his hip possessively, fingers digging into flesh as if to mark him. Elian moaned softly, the sound vibrating against Kael's mouth, his own tongue tentatively responding, licking back with growing hunger. The kiss turned sloppy, saliva trailing as Kael devoured him, breaths ragged and hot, bodies pressing together in the dim moonlight filtering through the window. Warmth bloomed in Kael's chest along the storm-a vulnerable ache beneath the dominance, his wolf whining for more even as he fought to hold back. He broke the kiss briefly, lips hovering, panting against Elian's swollen mouth. "Mine," he whispered, voice cracking with intensity. Finally, Kael pulled back. Abruptly. As if burned "No." His voice was sharp. Final. Strained. He stepped away from the bed. Breathing heavier now. His control hanging by a thread. "...Not like this. Not yet." One last glance. One last inhale. One last pull- Then he was gone. Vanishing into the darkness as silently as he came. On the bed- Elian stirred fully now, his lips tingling, body flushed with unexplained heat.