Chapter 2
Evie
I arrived at the palace quite late, feeling so exhausted; the night was eerily silent, wrapping the place in stillness. I walked stealthily through the hallway heading to my room when my eyes met the beautifully decorated hallway with the bold words written on it - CORONATION.
I stared down at the large hall from the balcony with glassy eyes. “So it's true, he's back; Kieran is really back,” I mumbled amidst sobs.
“Mate is back,” Cyan retorted with excitement in her voice. “Let's go see mate, Evie; let's go see him.” She urged.
“We'll see him tomorrow during the ceremony,” I replied.
“What if he doesn't know you anymore? Aren't you at least curious about his looks?” she retorted.
She had a point, though; it's been ten whole years since I last saw him, and I'll be turning eighteen tomorrow, which is the perfect time to get a mate. I stood there contemplating between going to bed or satisfying my curiosity.
After much thought, Cyan won. I turned sharply, heading for Kieran's room. Even though it was just a glimpse of him as he slept, that would be okay, I thought.
I climbed through the walls, peeping through the window, but was met with great darkness. I stepped into the room, scrutinizing through the darkness until I found the switch, taking back my full shape, leaving me with ripped and torn clothes. I turned on the lights as my eyes danced through every corner of the room.
I felt my shoulders slump in defeat as nothing had changed; the room remained untouched, as the surfaces were filled with dust. The only thing that changed was the sheets. The beautifully colored sheets I had placed the last time I came here to clean had been changed into a sparkling white one.
I turned around in disappointment about leaving when I felt an intimidating presence behind me.
“Looking for someone?” A husky voice echoed, making me freeze. “You're trespassing, little wolf; care to explain why?” he added in a stern voice. I inhaled sharply, the rich scent of Bourbon filling my lungs. My eyes widened in shock.
I knew that scent; I mumbled underneath my breath as I slowly turned my gaze in the direction of the voice. Right in front of me stood a tall, muscular man with an intimidating presence; his piercing green eyes bore through my soul as if searching for something. Water dripped from his body, his abs firm against the towel which hung loosely around him, his hair styled in a pompadour, with a few strands resting on his face.
I took a huge gulp down my throat as I stared at him. This was Kieran, my mate. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. This was the man fate had chosen for me; he was nothing like the boy I once knew - he was different; he looked different. And suddenly, I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.
The past ten years had really done a great job on him, I thought. I forced myself to meet his gaze, my heart pounding against my chest.
“Kieran?” I called, unsure if I was right.
The sound of his name from my mouth made him stare at me with furrowed brows. “Who are you?!” he snarled. Those words hit me like a jagged lightning bolt; did he really not remember me? I wondered, my eyes already turning moist.
I hesitated for a while as I willed him to remember me, but his face remained stern. “Uhm… I'm sorry, I guess I'm in the wrong room. You're not Kieran,” I said, turning to take my leave, but the sharp yank I felt made me land on a hard surface.
I lifted my gaze only to find myself resting on the abs of this stranger. I locked eyes with him as we just stood there, staring into each other’s eyes.
“Evie?” he called as if testing the name on his tongue. I sucked in a sharp breath, my eyes widening. He remembers?
His grip loosened, his fingers brushing against my arms as if testing if I was real. His brows furrowed, his lips parting slightly. “Evie?” he whispered, softly this time, like a memory stirring to life.
“You… You remember?” I asked with a trembling voice. But before I could say another word, he pulled me against his chest, wrapping me in the warmth I hadn't felt in years.
“It's you; it's really you,” I sobbed, tightening my grip around him.
We stayed like that for a few minutes before finally releasing our grip on each other. His fingers traced my cheeks, brushing away my tears, but they didn't stop there; they lingered, trailing down my jaw, brushing my lips, his touch sending a cold shiver down my spine.
I sucked in a breath, closing my eyes. Every nerve in my body awakened, and then - his lips met mine, soft at first, hesitant.
His hands moved down to my already torn clothes, stripping them off completely. I felt his towel fall off from his waist, leaving us both bare. His lips trailed lower, his breath hot against my neck. My body tensed, knowing what was coming—what I had waited for all these years.
Then, a sharp, piercing sensation as his fangs sank into my skin. Pain flared for a moment before it dissolved into warmth, a deep, unbreakable bond forming between us. A shudder ran through me as our wolves howled in unison, claiming each other in a way no one could ever undo.
“You did it,” his voice echoed in my ears the minute we were done, as our ragged breaths echoed through the room.
“You waited,” he added, his face curling into a smile. But I couldn't lock eyes with him as I looked away shyly.
“I fulfilled my promise, Kieran, and I hope you fulfill yours,” I said softly.
“Of course I will,” he replied, placing a light kiss on my forehead. “You're all mine now, and I'll make it official under the full moon by tomorrow.” He said, placing a light kiss on my lips.
“You should get some sleep; tomorrow is going to be a long day,” he murmured, tucking the duvet around me before brushing a gentle hand over my hair. As sleep pulled me under, I thought of tomorrow, the day I've waited for all my life. After years of waiting, I'll finally be by his side, and no one could take that away from me. The pain, the torture, they'll all be gone, I thought.