Chapter 2 Episode 2

• The man had just opened the door and caught a faint whiff of something sweet. It was a mix of cinnamon and vanilla.
• That scent...
• "Go, Axelrod! It's our mate!"
• His wolf stirred within him.
• On the other side, Astrid suddenly caught a whiff of whiskey and oakmoss.
• "What was....."
• "Mate!" Her wolf reacted before she could finish her thought.
• Astrid looked up in shock. She saw the figure she had imagined to be cold and unfeeling, slowly approaching her.
• Could her mate really be someone from the palace?
• She should have felt joy at finding her mate, but instead, she felt anything but. How could she be happy when she had been sold to the Alpha King as his mistress?
• Her heart raced, and she stared at the tall figure in fear.
• Outside the hall, the fire blazed brightly, making it hard to see the man's features clearly.
• All she could make out was that he wore impressive armor and had a menacing presence. The long sword he carried glinted ominously in the firelight.
• There was blood on the blade, and it dripped onto the floor as he walked in!
• As he approached the bed, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla grew stronger. He frowned and let out a low hum.
• His voice held a mix of surprise and confusion, as if he was not happy to the fact that he had found his mate.
• Astrid lifted her gaze, finally able to see the man clearly in the flickering firelight.
• He looked to be in his early thirties, strikingly handsome, but not in the usual way. His features were sharp and defined, giving him an aura of strength and invincibility.
• Even in this moment, Astrid was captivated by his face.
• The man squinted slightly, his eyes drifting away from her face. Astrid glanced down and noticed that the bedspread covering her chest had slipped down, leaving her exposed to the man’s gaze. The fire outside the door flickered brightly, illuminating her pale skin and making it shine.
• On one side, there was a sharp blade; on the other, a tall, handsome man who smelled sweet...
• This situation felt oddly cruel, yet it also held a strange allure.
• The man’s previously indifferent eyes sparkled for a moment.
• Suddenly, the noise outside grew louder, followed by a loud crash at the bedroom door.
• Seeing a monster charging toward the man, Astrid screamed, "Monster!"
• The man frowned as he shifted the sword to his left hand, his right clawed hand already visible. Without even glancing back, he swung his long claw into the monster's chest and ripped out its heart, causing the creature to collapse with a thud.
• Blood splattered everywhere, but the man didn’t flinch at all.
• What a terrifying person.
• Watching this unfold, Astrid trembled. Did her supposed mate really just tear out a monster's heart so easily?
• The man turned his head like nothing happened, his sharp gaze scanning the entire room as if searching for something. Looking into his fierce, eagle-like eyes, Astrid began to understand.
• Alpha king? He must have come here to confront the Alpha king!
• He was armed with a sword, clad in armor, and blood was dripping from him, clearly having fought his way into the palace.
• Who is he?
• As Astrid pondered this, the man finished looking around the room. Satisfied that no one else was present, he turned and walked away without a second glance.
• Anxiety washed over Astrid.
• Part of her wished for the mysterious man to recognize her as his mate, but he didn’t.
• Astrid felt a wave of panic as she noticed the man heading for the door. Her voice came out shaky and quiet, almost like a whisper, as she struggled to speak through her tight throat.
• "Even if you don't recognise me as your mate, can you at least help me not get burned by the fire?"
• When she spoke those words, Astrid felt a chill run down her spine, and her entire body was drenched in cold sweat.
• The man paused at the door, turning slowly to face Astrid.
• "Recognize you as my Mate?" he scoffed.
• Astrid bit her lower lip at his dismissive reaction.
• There was an unsettling glint in his eyes.
• In his mind, he, Prince Thane Kanaq Axelrod, the son of the Alpha king and a powerful figure in the Moonlight pack, who had bravely defended against the Northern Kingdom of the Nightfall pack multiple times, thought it was absurd that he was mated to her—a woman he considered a slut, someone who is eagerly to be in his father's bed.
• Axelrod scoffed again, thinking, "The moon goddess must have been asleep when she paired me with her."
• Just then, a group of people rushed in from outside. They appeared to be Axelrod's subordinates, and upon seeing the fire in the bedroom with the Prince still inside, they began to shout in alarm.
• "Your Highness, there's a fire! Prince Axelrod, please come out quickly!"
• Your Highness? Prince Axelrod?
• Astrid's eyes widened in disbelief. The man before her was a Prince... No, her supposed fated mate was a Prince, the son of her husband?
• Axelrod paid no attention to the shock on Astrid's face and coldly asked, "What’s your name?"
• "Huh?" Astrid snapped back to reality at his question.
• She replied softly, "Umm... Astrid Hernandez..."
• Axelrod frowned slightly, "Your last name is Hernandez?"
• Meanwhile, the people outside were oblivious to the tension inside. As they noticed the beams starting to catch fire, panic set in, and some were ready to rush in to save their Prince.
• But at that moment, Axelrod raised his right hand, positioning his gleaming sword across the doorway.
• Instantly, everyone halted, too afraid to take another step forward.
• Blood continued to drip from the end of the long sword.
• Astrid's heart raced faster and faster. She now understand that her mate was none other than the ruthless and bloodthirsty Prince Axelrod, who was also her husband's son. The icy look in his eyes made her shiver.
• Finally, Axelrod stepped closer.
• He took another step and moved back toward the bed. With a fierce swing of the long sword, a few drops of blood splattered onto Astrid's face.
• At that moment, her wrist suddenly felt loose.
• The cloth binding her wrist had been sliced!
• In a flash, the long sword was sheathed.
• Astrid was filled with surprise and quickly sat up, but as she did, she forgot about the thin bedspread covering her, which slipped down. She let out a startled scream and quickly grabbed the bedspread to cover herself.
• Seeing her in such a panic, Axelrod's expression remained cold. After a brief pause, he reached for the cloak draped over him. With a swift motion, the large cloak unfurled like a mist, enveloping her head before gently falling down to cover her body.
• Astrid looked up in shock, but Axelrod had already turned away and left without a glance back.
• In disbelief, Astrid stared at the blood-stained cloak. Gritting her teeth, she wrapped it around herself and climbed out of bed.
• Outside, chaos erupted. She hurried barefoot across the hot floor, taking quick steps to follow Prince Axelrod.