Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Adina's eyes snapped open with a gasp.

She blinked twice to clear the blur in her eyes. The ceiling above was unfamiliar, and the bed was impossibly comfortable. She turned her head quickly, her breath catching in her throat.

This wasn't her room. She wasn't in the carriage either.

She sat up too fast.

"Argh…" A sharp pain shot into her skull, and she pressed her fingers to her temple with a wince. Did she hit her head against a wall?

"Finally, you're awake." A familiar voice came from her side, and she stiffened, turning to look at the owner of the voice.

Thessara stood a few feet away from her, her back turned to her. "Thessara," Adina mumbled.

The woman turned, her eyes on Adina. "How do you feel? I'm guessing it feels like you were hit by a horse," she said, passing her a cup of water. But at a second look, it didn't look like water. Perhaps it was mixed with something.

"Drink up. It'll help ease that headache you're feeling," Thessara said, her back turned to her again.

Adina quickly gulped it, she wiped her mouth with her hand only to pause when she saw the sleeve she wore. She was no longer wearing the dress Thorne had gotten for her for the festival. No, she was now wearing something that was heavily doused in his sandalwood scent.

She froze at the realization, and the headache that should be dissipating suddenly grew much worse. Her heart beat took a hike, pounding so hard it was impossible for Thessara not to hear. She swallowed hard, hands trembling, and when she looked up, her stomach twisted in knots. She was in his room.

Why was she wearing Thorne's clothes? And why was she in his room? How did she leave the carriage?

"Stop thinking so hard; you'll split your head in two, and then it would be an actual crisis, and then Thorne will force me to stay here and find a solution," Thessara said, but her voice lacked bite.

She turned to look at the girl, taking in her ashen state. She looked terrified. Thessara shook her head. "You have no idea what happened, do you?"

Adina shook her head. "I remember the carriage…." She trailed off, searching every corner in her head, but nothing came forth. "I don't remember anything after that."

Her brows furrowed as she tried to piece it together. "I don't… How did I get here?"

Thessara sighed, rubbing her temple like she was too old for this nonsense. "Your mate happened. That's how," she muttered. "Dragged me out of my peaceful, blessed solitude in the woods just so I could check if you were dying or not." She grumbled. "I swear, the next time I hear from him, it better be because he's dying." She paused, eyeing Adina.

"Mind you…he did this." She grumbled.

Adina blinked. "H-he did?"

"Which are you asking me? Did he drag me out of my home or did he do this?"

Adina averted her gaze, face burning hot when Thessara's words from before rang in her ears. 'Your mate' she'd said.

She then looked up, "His majesty brought me here?" She asked like it was not already clear.

Thessara hummed. "He carried you in his arms and wouldn't allow anyone to touch you." She tsked lightly. "Wouldn't let anyone touch you. Growled at the guards like a beast. Even at Mason."

Adina's face went bright red. He growled at the guards and his gamma? For her?

The memories came rushing back into her mind. The festival. Alpha Radek. The carriage. The woods.

He alpha-ordered her, and now he knows the truth. He knows she lied to him. Oh, how was he going to react to her now? Would he hate her even more? Hasn't she messed things up even more?

Thessara's smile fell off when she saw the way Adina retreated back into her shell. She looked scared all over again. Her gaze flickered toward her neck. Then her wrists. Then her legs. There were light bruises on her skin.

Thessara walked towards her, placing her hand over her shoulder. She looked at her intently. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Adina's heart twisted at this. "No. No, he didn't." She replied. It wasn't him. It was another Alpha.

Thessara visibly relaxed. She'd hoped after her talk with Thorne, he would start to treat her differently, and for a second, seeing Adina look so lost…she forgot how Thorne had sent his guards to bring her. She forgot how he'd looked at Adina while she worked on her herbs. How he insisted she stayed till the girl woke up. In that second, she was determined to find a way to break their bond if Thorne were hurting her.

Thessara held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded and returned to her work. "Good." She replied.

Just as Adina opened her mouth to ask where Thorne was, the door creaked open.

Her heart leaped instantly as their eyes met. Suddenly, she remembered him putting her to sleep. She immediately looked away, guilt and shame clawing up her chest.

Thorne stared at her for a bit longer before shifting to Thessara, who was now packing up her things. "Thessara."

"Your majesty." Thessara replied, glancing at Adina. "She's awake now, and she's doing okay. Just like I said she would be if I had left sooner." She said…mumbling the last part.

Thorne didn't bother to reply to her. Not when his eyes were on her.

Thessara sighed, seeing her presence was no longer being acknowledged. "She's okay now. I take it that I can leave, right?" She asked.

"Yes." He replied.

The woman didn't waste time before walking for the door, only to pause halfway, turning to Thorne. "Don't alpha order her again." She said, glancing at Adina for the last time before rushing out. She didn't like staying in the palace for longer than necessary. She hated the chills that run through her veins whenever she stepped foot into the place. She hated knowing it was only being caused by one being.

Thessara shuddered internally. She had to rid the palace of the darkness hovering in it.

_______

Adina quickly stood up, but the moment her feet hit the ground, she froze. Her legs… her thighs…

Her eyes widened in horror.

She wasn't wearing anything beneath the oversized shirt. No undergarments. Just bare skin beneath fabric that hung far too loosely on her frame. Her hands flew to the hem of the shirt, yanking it down instinctively.

A tiny, mortified squeak escaped her lips.

And that sound….that tiny sound, was enough to make Thorne's gaze flick downward. His eyes barely dropped before darting back up to hers.

Adina's entire face went up in flames. She was only asleep, right? There was no need to undress her.

Thorne moved almost instantly, grabbing a folded blanket from the end of the bed. Wordlessly, he walked over and draped it around her shoulders, letting it fall down to cover her legs. His fingers barely grazed her skin, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

He stepped back, giving her space. "Comfortable?" he asked, his tone unreadable.

Adina didn't answer. She couldn't. She was too busy gaping at him, wide-eyed and red as a beet.

He arched a brow at her reaction. "I didn't undress you, if that's what you're thinking."

Her mouth opened, then closed.

"I wasn't." She muttered, but none of them believed it.

"Thessara undressed you." He replied, and she nodded.

The silence between them stretched for longer, with Adina averting her gaze and Thorne staring at her.

"I'll have someone bring you food. You should rest more." He said, about to turn, but Adina's hands reached out on instinct, grabbing his hand.

She looked down at where she held him, and she instantly panicked. Her eyes widened, and she was about to pull back, but—

Thorne didn't let her.

Instead, his larger hand wrapped around hers, stopping her. The heat from his palm grounded her. She looked up in surprise, lips parting to say something…anything—but the words were stuck in her throat.

Thorne's eyes softened just a little. "Rest, Adina."

"But…" she whispered. "Aren't you angry? I lied to you. I—" she trailed off, unable to say it.

Thorne hadn't mentioned it either, but she was sure he knew the entire truth now, so why was he holding back? Why wasn't he yelling at her?

"You lied to me." He stated, and she flinched, looking downwards. Shame filled her internally. She only lied because of Luna Veronica.

Thorne stared at her for what seemed like eternity then gently let go of her hand. He turned to leave, but her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You're not going to say anything else?" she asked.

Thorne's jaw flexed. "Do you want me to?"

She glanced up at him, "No. Yes. I don't know." Her voice cracked. "I just—I thought you'd hate me….I'm sorry I lied." She said, and he hummed.

"I know."