Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Morning came too quickly.

Adina lay in bed, covered by the soft fur sheets, her hands clasped over her stomach. The clouds outside rumbled as if they were about to rain.

Yet, it wasn't going to deter the events of the day.

Next to her, the bed dipped. She turned to see Thorne trudging towards the window. He glanced outside, his brows still furrowed. He shut the sills, turned around, and continued fixing his clothes.

Adina still hadn't said a word, not after the slight argument they had the previous night. She'd tried to change his mind about Freya's execution. After everything that had happened, Adina felt that taking a life wasn't what they needed—

Thorne, on the other hand, shared a different perspective. How could he let go of Freya, a woman whose father had committed the most heinous crimes known to man? A woman who went out of her way to cause havoc against the kingdom and Adina herself. How could he let go of someone as vile as that? What message would he be sending to the others?

He was firm in his decision, and not even Adina could change it.

Once he was done dressing, he glanced at Adina only to find her eyes already on him, watching silently.

His heart softened instantly. He understood her. Violence wasn't her way, but it was his.

He walked towards her and leaned forward. "Stay indoors all through the day. You shouldn't witness a scene as gory as that," he said.

She nodded. She had witnessed and committed too many gory things, and this—she would willingly sit out.

"I will," she murmured.

Thorne kissed her forehead, lingering just a second longer than usual. "I'll be back soon," he muttered.

Adina nodded quietly as she watched him walk out of the room. The silence engulfed every part of the room, and for a second, she shut her eyes, reeling in the remnants of his scent.

Some would say she was doing too much, perhaps she was. After all, this was the same woman who had almost ruined her life. Freya. Why was she doing this much to make the woman keep her life?

It all came down to one thing: fear.

With everything that had happened, fear was the one constant thing Adina couldn't get rid of. And now they planned to execute Freya, it scared Adina so much. Carter was out of the situation. He could come right back for vengeance.

Carter was Adina's real fear. If he had been captured by Thorne, she would worry so much.

She shook her head, caressing her stomach again. There was no need to worry about things she couldn't control. Things that were out of her hands.

The clouds outside rumbled again, closer this time.

Adina got up from the bed, walked towards the mirror stand, and stared at her reflection. She pulled her shirt upwards, revealing her stomach. It wasn't as flat as it used to be anymore, but it wasn't anywhere near being swollen. She looked like she had a full buffet the night before.

The door grunted slightly, making her flinch, her eyes snapping towards the door to see a maid frozen, a large bowl of water on her hips.

"Forgive me, your majesty. I thought you were prepared to have your bath," she stammered.

The girl looked like she was new. A new batch of offerings had been made a while ago; she must be one of them, Adina thought to herself.

"Come in," Adina replied, giving her permission. Instead of being cooped up in the room and worrying, she could at least get dressed for the day.

In an hour, she was done dressing. She had a blue long dress on, hair rolled and let loose, lips glossy, and cheeks rosy.

Still, her outward appearance didn't match the inside.

The maid had long excused herself while Adina waited in the room until it was time for the execution, which seemed to be the only thing she could think of.

Hours went by, and the clouds still rumbled as if it would rain, yet it didn't. Twenty minutes to go, Adina got up and made her way towards the veranda.

She stood still, watching as the people of Obsidian all gathered for the execution.

From the veranda, everything looked distant and small.

Images of her own execution stand flashed in her mind back when Elara was still alive. Adina still remembered the fear she'd felt in that moment being dragged down to the execution stand.

A ripple ran through her, and she shook her head. There was no need to remember that dark time.

Now, it wasn't her…

The execution square below was filling rapidly, too rapidly. Guards formed tight lines around the platform, guarding each part of it like they expected more. Banners hung limply, floundering about in the cold breeze.

Adina's chest tightened as her gaze fell on Thorne, who was in a heated conversation with Caelum.

"There you are," Thessara's voice pulled her from what she was doing.

She turned around to see the older woman by the doorway. She was wearing a black long dress, her hair covered with another black lace scarf.

"Matching today's gloomy day," Adina muttered.

"It isn't all that gloomy. It's just black," Thessara replied as she stepped in. Behind her was a maid holding a tray of tea.

"Sit, I brought tea," the woman said.

Adina's brows raised. "Tea? Someone is about to be murdered. Is it right to drink tea while watching it?"

Thessara glanced at her and rolled her eyes. "It's just tea, Adina. It's good for the pup."

Thessara guided Adina toward one of the veranda chairs, placing a firm hand on her shoulder before she could protest.

"Sit," she repeated, softer now but no less commanding.

Adina hesitated, then obeyed. She lowered herself onto the chair, eyes never leaving the square below. The maid stepped forward quietly and placed the tray on the small table between them.

Adina didn't touch it.

Her fingers instead curled over the armrest, watching as Freya was dragged into the square.

Even from this distance, Adina could recognize her. The way she walked, unsteady, almost detached. Her hair was loose and tangled, her hands bound behind her back. The crowd reacted instantly.

They began shouting, screaming, cursing.

They took it up a notch and began throwing stones at her.

Adina's breath hitched. They'd done the same to her too…

While she battled internally, Thessara, on the other hand, looked at her calmly. She placed her hand on Adina's, hoping to calm the unrest within her.

"You feel so much for those who don't deserve it. Have you wondered why?" She asked softly.

Adina blinked, startled by the question. "How do you mean?"

The older woman shrugged. "Freya, for example, has tried to kill you, your pup, and take your mate. Yet you feel this much sympathy towards her. Did you feel this way when it was her?"

The answer was short. No, she didn't feel this sympathy when it was Catherine.

"You didn't, right?" Thessara continued. "This isn't just you; your emotions are being heightened and perhaps manipulated by the crystal inside of you. It explains the overwhelming need to sympathize with a woman like that."

Thessara shifted in her seat, holding Adina's hand tight. "This is also part of the reason why you need to get rid of it. It not only endangers you and your pup, it manipulates your emotions too. It brings you no joy as of now."

Adina shook her head, slipping her hand out of the woman's hold. This was not the place or time to have the conversation about this.

"Not now, Thessara."

"Then when? I urge you to tell Thorne about this. About the danger this crystal possesses for the two of you. You and the pup. Adina, why won't—"

She was cut off by the door opening. A maid stepped in, head lowered. "Forgive me, my lady. But I've been told to inform you of Lady

Jocelyn's arrival at the palace."

"What?" Thessara shot out. Jocelyn had been banished to the exile house. She wasn't to be here in any circumstance.

She glanced at Adina and sighed… The conversation would have to wait. "This isn't over, Adina," she stressed as she got up.

Adina didn't bother replying. She looked away as the door shut behind her, her eyes zeroed in on the crowd again.

And like clockwork, the bell began to ring rather loudly, signaling it was time.

Adina couldn't sit still anymore. She got up, clinging onto the railings as she watched the hood being lifted off Freya's face. For the first time, Adina saw something other than pride in her face. It was fear.

Freya was scared. She was trembling, looking into the crowds, desperate for a familiar face, one that wasn't spitting at her.

Her eyes ran endlessly through the crowd, all to no avail. There was no Veronica, no Alma the witch, and certainly no Carter.

She was forced onto the stand, the rope lowered onto her neck, and yet she searched. Adina watched, her heart racing against time.

Suddenly, Freya's gaze paused, and her eyes flickered slightly with recognition, so fast one wouldn't have caught it, but Adina did.

Her gaze moved from Freya's own to the eyes she found in the crowd, and Adina's blood ran cold.

Standing right there, all the way at the back, was no other than Carter.

Adina froze, unable to look away from the man. He was covered in a dark hood, leaving nothing to be seen, nothing but his eyes. Those eyes, Adina would recognize even in the dark.

"I-it's—"Her heart raced relentlessly, throat clogged up so much so she couldn't get any word out. Her hand raised forward, she pointed towards him in the crowd.

"It's—" she started again, but this time, an overwhelming amount of pain twisted inside her stomach.

Adina screeched loudly as she fell to her knees, clutching her stomach.

The door flung open from behind, Thessara and the maids rushed in, looking horrified at her sight.

Thessara rushed towards her, gripping her hand tight as she barked out orders, yet Adina struggled to speak amid the gut-wrenching pain she was feeling.

"It's okay, child. It's okay. You're safe," Thessara muttered softly. In the background, the maids hurried around.

"It's him…." She struggled to say. "He's here…" she gripped Thessara's hand tight, sweat trickling down her face as she struggled to stay conscious.

"Who is? Who is here?" Thessara rushed out.

"Carter…" Adina whispered, and her world went dark.