Chapter 4: Fleeting Marriage
'She is so delicate! Is she tough enough to survive the wild world outside?' he wondered.
This girl was truly exquisite and would soon attract a wave of affection due to that mark. But in a matter of days, she'd begin doting on him. He could call it "werewolf bite intoxication." Moreover, he had no intention of touching her or treating this marriage as anything genuine enough to result in offspring. Not with a fragile human female who would wither under his influence. His eyes darkened as he thought about how short her life would be.
The King of Alvonia was truly terrified. It was very rare for the unbeatable conqueror of the Seven Kingdoms to fear those walking corpses. The man who strangely hadn't aged a day in the past nineteen years had never been so mortified to seal an alliance with his enemy's son.
After almost two hours of holding her, he saw her long black eyelashes flutter open. "So, you really fainted. Does your head hurt?"
"Hmm?" Hell, it did. Her head hurt so much but her body ached even more. As the daze in her head wilted, she found herself in his arms.
Oh no, he was so close to her. She flinched away and grabbed her mouth, fear screaming in her wide eyes. She prayed to the gods beyond that this night was just a nightmare, but it wasn't. He was right there, holding her so close that she could feel the heat of his body.
What if he asked for intimacy? She wasn't ready for it.
He narrowed his eyes. It was clear that her reaction enraged him. She was going too far showing this much blatant disgust.
Ren didn't want to be afraid of him, but she couldn't help it. He was too large compared to her, and more significantly, he was cruel enough to watch her fall, using her as a tool for mockery rather than helping her. Ara's laughter and insult still rang fresh in her head. That wicked wench enjoyed seeing her leave forever.
"I'm not going to eat you, so stop shivering. I'm not a monster, Doe-eyes." He averted his gaze and drew the curtain aside, looking out the window. He continued, "The ride to my castle will take two weeks, and the road is dangerous. Try to rest and muster some courage. Don't say I didn't warn you later. If something happens, stay close to me at all times, unless I tell you otherwise."
Danger on the road? What kind of danger?