[Malachi's POV]
My voice echoed in the small confines of the Magi-tech elevator. "You wouldn't leave me, would you?"
I saw a complex emotion flicker in her ice-blue eyes. It wasn't pity or sympathy. It was… connection. She looked down, her lips pressed together, and the distance between us felt nonexistent. I could smell the faint, cool scent of moonlight in her hair.
My own eyes, usually a reflection of a dead, silent sea, now held a flicker of starlight. It was… desire. I desired her.
Ding.
The elevator arrived, the metal doors sliding open with a soft chime. Light flooded the small space, shattering the charged silence. She moved as if released from a cage.
"King Malachi, you should still have the Temple healers check you over. I'll be going now."
Without another look back, she disappeared into the crowd. She was trying to run again. My instincts screamed it. She wanted to get away from me.
I stood motionless, watching until the silver of her hair was completely swallowed by the city. My butler, Alfred, appeared at my side as if from nowhere.
"Your Majesty, the cleanup is complete. The Rogue who orchestrated the attack was working for Lady Vanessa Silvermane."
Vanessa. The she-wolf who clung to me like a suffocating vine. Disgust flashed across my features, but it was quickly replaced by a more pressing matter. I turned to the old man who had been more of a father to me than my own. For the first time in my life, I asked a question that almost made him lose his legendary composure.
"Alfred," I said, my voice quiet. "Tell me. How do I win her?"
I saw a flicker of genuine shock on Alfred's eternally placid face. As my personal steward, he knew better than anyone that I was a being of few wants. Because for me, wanting something was the same as having it. Power, wealth, women… they were all just toys, easily acquired.
But now… I wanted to win Elara. Not take her.
"Your Majesty…" Alfred took a moment to find his voice. "Based on my research, Miss Elara is not a person swayed by material wealth. Though she has left the Blackwood Pack, at her core, she still possesses the pride and honor of a warrior."
He had compiled a complete dossier on her. He knew her character.
"Yes," I murmured. "She is not swayed by wealth." If she were, she wouldn't be nearly as interesting.
My fingers idly traced the deep violet gem on my cufflink. "So, what about a command?" I mused aloud. "Would she obey?"
Alfred's posture stiffened slightly. He knew I was serious. He couldn't be sure if my desire was a blessing for the girl, or a curse.
————
Back at the castle, Alfred presented me with a new intelligence report. "Your Majesty, the latest on Miss Elara's movements."
I scanned the file. It detailed everything that had happened since she returned to the Alpha's House.
"She received a message from her friend, Liana," Alfred added. "Miss Liana informed her that Ethan Northwind, son of the Alpha of the Northwind Alliance, has been frantic because he has been unable to contact her."
Ethan Northwind. The little tyrant of the North.
"According to our intelligence," Alfred continued, "this young Mr. Northwind was once a member of Miss Elara's squad in the Silvermoon Clan. He has been in love with her for years. When she abruptly accepted Kaelen's mark three years ago, he left in a rage and has only recently returned."
Another male. Another who harbored designs on her. My fingers tightened, crinkling the file. A wave of irritation and pure possessiveness coiled around my heart.
"And then?" I asked, my voice cold.
"And then, Kaelen Blackwood returned. He saw the bloodstains on Miss Elara's clothes and showed a rare display of concern. But when Miss Elara coldly rejected his touch, his true motive was revealed. He once again demanded she return to the Pack to solve his current security crisis."
A sneer touched my lips. What a fool. He had no idea what kind of treasure he had cast aside. All he could see was her utility.
Good. His foolishness was my opportunity.
"Alfred."
"Your Majesty."
"Search the ancient Lycan codes," I commanded. "Find me a law—any law—that gives me the right to command her. A command she cannot refuse."
I will have her. One way or another.
A flicker of surprise crossed Alfred's eyes, but he bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He knew that once my mind was made up, nothing could change it. He could only hope that my possessiveness would not end up hurting that remarkable girl.
After all, she was the first person he had ever seen who could make the dead sea in my eyes ripple with something that looked like hope.