Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 105: Hold on to me tightly.

Chapter 105: Hold on to me tightly.

"I refuse to die here," Sorayah muttered under her breath, bracing herself against the pain. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of the blood-slicked sword, even as dizziness tugged at the edges of her vision, threatening to pull her under.

She staggered forward, prepared to face her enemies, when a powerful figure suddenly appeared before her with the speed of a shadow. The familiar scent hit her first....earthy, dark, and unmistakably him.

Dimitri.

"You’re always full of trouble, Sorayah," Dimitri said with a half-smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His voice was deep and steady, slicing through the chaos like a blade. "But we’ll talk about that later."

With practiced ease, he pushed her gently to the side, and before Sorayah could protest, she found herself caught by another figure...Liam who guided her back until she was resting against the sturdy trunk of a tree.

Dimitri had already turned away, his cloak billowing behind him as he charged into the fray, slaying assassins with swift, merciless strikes. His movements were fluid and deadly. But despite his skill, more enemies continued to pour into the clearing, relentless and bloodthirsty.

Meanwhile, Sorayah felt herself growing weaker by the second. Though her healing abilities stirred beneath her skin, they worked too slowly. The poison from the arrow that had cut her upper arm was still coursing through her veins, and she could feel it....thick and cold.

Gritting her teeth, she tore a strip of fabric from the hem of her gown and tied it tightly around the wound. Her fingers trembled as she tried to squeeze out the poisoned blood, watching it drip onto the grass.

Her vision blurred.

Just as her eyes threatened to close, a sudden gust of wind brushed against her cheek. She looked up and there he was again.

Dimitri.

"Your Highness?" she whispered weakly, her gaze locking onto his emerald eyes, eyes that glowed with fierce determination.

He knelt beside her without hesitation.

And to her utter shock, he brought her wounded arm to his lips.

"Wait...Your Highness, what are you doing?" she gasped, trying to pull her arm away. But his grip was firm, unyielding. His lips pressed to her skin, and he began to suck the poison from the wound.

A wave of horror and disbelief surged through her, colliding with something strange and warm that she couldn’t explain. His mouth on her skin...soft, hot, and focused sent a ripple down her spine that was both terrifying and... oddly soothing.

"Stop....please, you’ll get poisoned!" she protested again, but her voice lacked strength. Deep inside, a small part of her didn’t want him to stop.

Dimitri finally pulled away, blood on his lips. He turned his head and spat the venom onto the forest floor with disgust. Then, calmly, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and turned to face her again.

"What do you think I was doing?" he asked dryly, his eyes flickering with faint amusement.

Before she could respond, a shout rang out from across the battlefield.....Liam was losing ground. More assassins were surging forward.

Without another word, Dimitri scooped Sorayah up into his arms, cradling her in a bridal hold. His body was solid and warm against her trembling frame.

"Let’s go, Liam!" he called over his shoulder, not even bothering to look back as his legs left the ground.

But he wasn’t running.

He was flying.

The world became a blur of trees and wind, darkness and speed. Sorayah clung to his chest, the wind screaming past her ears. And then, as suddenly as it began, they stopped.

He set her down gently.

They stood at the edge of a cliff, the sunlight casting glow over them. Running towards them were assassins. Dozens. No.....hundreds.

Her heart pounded as she looked up at him.

"Can’t you just kill them all?" she asked hoarsely, her hand tightening around his cloak. "You did it before... when you destroyed that pack. Remove your mask. You used your power."

"And get both of us killed in the process?" Dimitri arched an eyebrow, that ever-present smirk playing at his lips. "Tempting. But no."

What unnerved Sorayah most wasn’t his refusal....it was how calm he looked.

Without warning, he dropped to one knee beside her and held out his arms.

"Hold on to me tightly."

"What?" she blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

But before she could protest, Dimitri’s arms wrapped around her waist once more and then he pushed off the edge of the cliff.

Together, they begin falling down the cliff.

"Arrrgh!" Sorayah screamed, clutching tightly onto Dimitri as he dragged them both down the cliff wall, his sword buried into the rock, creating friction to slow their fall.

"Why do you want to get us killed, you bastard?!" she shouted, panic-stricken.

"Bastard?" Dimitri said, glancing at her with a smirk despite their precarious descent. "You better repeat that to my face after we survive."

Before she could respond, the blade already strained....slipped with a grating screech.

They continue falling.

"Arrrgh!" Sorayah screamed again, her voice raw from fear and rising terror. The world blurred around her as the wind roared in her ears. Her vision trembled, black spots blooming at the corners of her eyes...until everything vanished into darkness.

****

In a modest room. Asmall wooden bed, rickety side table, a lone candle flickering on the shelf. Morning light filtered in through half-closed shutters, illuminating the figure of a golden-haired woman lying unconscious on the bed. Her skin was pale, lips slightly parted, and her clothes reduced to a thin blouse and trousers clung to her body.

Her eyelids fluttered.

And then...

With a sharp breath, Sorayah’s eyes shot open. She gasped, disoriented, and immediately sat upright only to collapse back with a hiss as pain shot through her arms and back.

"Easy," Dimitri said gently from the stool beside her bed. He looked tired, but a flicker of relief passed over his features. "You’re finally awake."

"Two days..." Dimitri muttered, leaning back. "You’ve been unconscious for two whole days and nights."

"Two days?!" Sorayah exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief as she scanned the room. "Where are we your highness?"

"The cliff led to a riverbank," Dimitri explained, voice calm and steady. "I followed the stream until we reached this forest. I have a cabin here...one I built years ago for times like this. You’re safe. I treated your wounds and removed the poison from your system."

Sorayah blinked at him, her throat tight. "You planned all of this, didn’t you? That’s why you threw us off the cliff because you knew that we’ll be saved."

"You could say that," he replied with a faint smile, his tone laced with seriousness. "Calculated risk."

She paused, then offered a stiff nod. "Thank you, Your Highness. I really appreciate."

"You’re welcome," Dimitri responded smoothly. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he added, "By the way, the Alpha Emperor’s been asking about you. You already know who’s behind the assassination attempt. If you report it, he might help you get the justice you deserve."

"I don’t need his help," Sorayah replied, her voice firm though her body was still weak. She stared directly at him. "I know the Luna Empress is responsible. But I’ll deal with her myself. I might be a lowly maid now but that won’t stop me from defeating her."

Dimitri arched a brow. "You think so?" he said, voice measured. "The Luna Empress is not Mira. She’s not just another spoiled royal. She’s seen as the mother of the nation. She has power and public favor. If you fight her alone as a mere maid, you’ll lose....badly."

Sorayah clenched her fists under the covers, her jaw tight.

"But," Dimitri continued, "if you don’t want the Alpha Emperor’s help, you can have mine. He’ll abdicate soon. And when he does, I intend to take the throne."

Her eyes widened in shock. "So you’re after the throne after all your highness?"

Dimitri’s smirk faded. "I don’t desire power, Sorayah. In fact, I hate what power does to people. But justice...true justice requires authority. The current Alpha Emperor has no crown prince. No surviving brothers. I’m next in line whether I like it or not."

He leaned forward slightly. "I want the throne not for control but to do what must be done. To correct the wrongs people like the Luna Empress have gotten away with."

Sorayah remained silent, but her gaze never left his face. There was something fierce and strangely vulnerable about him in that moment.

"And if I become Alpha Emperor," he said softly, "then I will have the right to decide what happens to the Harem. Including the Luna Empress. I’ll allow her to remain... just long enough for you to handle her however you see fit."

"You want me to kill her myself?" Sorayah asked cautiously, brows furrowed.

"You want revenge, don’t you?" Dimitri countered. "And when I’m Emperor, you won’t be just a maid....you’ll be my concubine. And the Empress won’t be protected by law anymore."

Sorayah’s breath hitched. Her heart pounded.

"And as for the Alpha Emperor himself," Dimitri added, his tone darkening, "you can kill him too like a common man. No one will question it. Not once he steps down. You’ll have the freedom to finish what you started."

Sorayah’s lips parted slightly, confusion and dread flashing through her eyes.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?"

Her voice trembled now, laced with raw curiosity.

"Your actions... they’re confusing. Why do you think I’ll want to become your concubine? And why are you so certain I want to kill the Alpha Emperor?"

"Because I know you want to and like I said before, we should work together to achieve our goals." Dimitri replied with seriousness etched in his tone.