His Witchy Mate

Mira’s imagined vision of me as a palace maid made me chuckle softly, a brief relief from the heaviness in my heart. But those chuckles soon transformed into tears that flowed freely down my cheeks, like the bitter release of emotions I had tried to suppress.

Why did they have to come back now, after I had fought so hard to erase them from my life? Lucian, with his coldness and cruelty, and my mother, with her heartless manipulation – they were both responsible for my past misery, and now they were here to torment me again.

I had finally begun to build a new life, one where their shadows didn’t loom over me. But their return shattered that fragile peace, bringing back memories and the pain I had hoped to leave behind.

It was ironic how their actions mirrored each other – Lucian, the one who once denied our connection, and my mother, the one who betrayed me to the witches. Both incidents had led me to this wretched place, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of bitterness and irony in their connection.

As I lay on the cold floor, my mind struggled with the mixed emotions that consumed me. Hatred for Lucian combined with the pain of betrayal by my own mother. Anger at myself for allowing their return to affect me clashed with the satisfaction I felt for standing up to Lucian, for refusing to be the naive girl he once knew.

“Why can’t I stop thinking about him?” I murmured to myself, my voice barely audible in the oppressive silence of the dungeon. “I hate him,” I shouted, the words echoing back at me, a failed attempt to convince myself.

A yawn escaped me, a stark reminder of my exhaustion. The cold, hard ground beneath me seemed to offer a strange kind of comfort, and as my eyelids grew heavy, I surrendered to sleep’s embrace. In my dreams, I hoped to find comfort that the waking world had denied me – a world where the chains of my past were momentarily loosened, and where I could escape the torment that awaited me with each new day.

I was trapped in the same place I had been three years ago. The memories haunted me like ghosts that refused to rest. My eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of him. The worry on my face was a reflection of the chaos within me.

“Looking for me?” His voice, deep and familiar, broke through the air. My heart raced as I turned, my eyes locking onto his form. A smile erupted on my lips, uncontrollable and genuine, as I rushed towards Lucian.

“You made it,” I exclaimed. My excitement was palpable as I leapt into his waiting arms. The rush of being close to him was overwhelming, a feeling I had missed more than I cared to admit. “We need to go now. The guards will start their search soon,” I urged, my fingers tugging at his hand urgently.

Lucian’s smile was like a balm to my soul, a confirmation that we were in this together. He grabbed the bag, and we moved forward, our fingers entwined, leaving the past behind without a second glance. We moved with purpose, cautiously navigating the area as flashes of light illuminated the surroundings. We huddled down.

“It’s safe now,” he whispered, and winked playfully, the gesture stirring a warmth in my chest. We moved silently, hand in hand.

But that dream faded as hunger pains tugged at my stomach, jolting me back to the harsh reality of my situation. I hissed at the dream’s interference, frustrated that it had come back with Lucian’s return. It had been a while since that dream had haunted my sleep, and now it had returned with a vengeance.

I made up my mind at that moment. I would avoid Lucian at all costs once I got out of this dungeon. I would show him that he was nothing to me, that I had moved on and was stronger now. I scoffed inwardly, the day of my release couldn’t come soon enough. That would be the day things would change, for good.

I resolved to hold onto my determination, pushing aside the haunting dreams and the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. This time, I wouldn’t let him disrupt my life again.

~ Lucian ~

“Why do you speak to me in such a manner, Lucian?” Ena’s voice held a flustered edge. Her brows furrowed in confusion. “I am your mate, remember?”

I turned away from her, my jaw clenched, the inner rage churning within me. “I would love to be left alone,” I replied, the words escaping my lips with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. The stress of the situation we were in, the complications, it was all starting to wear me down.

Her hands were folded across her chest as she shot me a glare, her eyes narrowing. “Is there something you are not telling me, Lucian?” Her voice was demanding, piercing through the tension-filled air.

I felt my patience thinning to its breaking point. With a swift, controlled movement, I stood up from where I was sitting. “Enough, Ena!” The growl in my voice was impossible to conceal, my irritation reaching a boiling point. I could see the fear in her eyes, the way she whimped and hid in my presence.

I watched her turn and run from the room, her teary eyes revealing the hurt and confusion that had taken over her. The sound of the door closing behind her was a relief, even though the heaviness of the situation still lingered.

I exhaled heavily as I paced around the room, raking my fingers through my hair in frustration. My thoughts were a tangled mess, emotions I was struggling to come to terms with. I sank onto the edge of the bed, letting out another sigh as I tried to compose myself.

Abruptly, I stood up again, a surge of determination coursing through me. I needed answers, and I needed them now. I bumped into Rein in the hallway, my eyes meeting his as I spoke with a steady voice. “Bring her to me! The prisoner.” My expression remained neutral, trying to hide my thoughts. Rein nodded in acknowledgment and moved away to carry out my order. Alone in the hallway now, I turned back to my room.