Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 110: Commander Ray

Chapter 110: Commander Ray

On the other side of the camp, Mia could barely contain her excitement, it was her first time going to war, and the thrill of it all sent a rush through her veins. She moved from one warrior to the next, chatting animatedly as if she were back at Quinn’s estate, where she had spent countless hours learning from his men. That was, after all, how she had picked up most of her self-defense skills.

"How many days did it take you?" She asked, now interrogating yet another warrior as she lingered among a group of them. Her eyes shamelessly roamed over the man’s bare chest, taking in the sculpted muscles with unabashed admiration. Men with well-built bodies had always been her weakness, whether or not she was attracted to them. In her next life, she was going to come back as a man and train herself into the ultimate temptation for women.

"It took me just two years," the man boasted, flexing ever so slightly, his muscles rippling under his skin.

Mia’s eyes widened in amazement.

"Such a show-off. It’s all because of your wolf," one of his friends teased, earning a round of laughter from the group.

"They are so amazing," Mia murmured, bending forward to get a closer look. She pouted her lips in appreciation, utterly entranced.

"You can touch if you want," the warrior offered, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Really?" She asked, eyes lighting up. But before he could confirm, her hand was already on his chest, her fingers tracing over his abs with careful curiosity.

The man shivered slightly at her touch, while Mia studied his form intently, secretly wishing she had muscles like his. No wonder so many she-wolves cheated on their mates, if their side pieces were built like this, she couldn’t even blame them. She paused for a moment, wondering if the men saw her as a shameless pervert, but quickly dismissed the thought. She didn’t care what they thought. As long as she could enjoy this rare masterpiece, she was content.

She continued trailing her fingers along his torso, giggling whenever she hit a particularly firm spot, then repeating the motion over and over. Eventually, the men began exchanging glances, their laughter fading into awkward silence as they watched her.

Then, without thinking, she blurted out, "Can I have you?"

A beat of silence.

"Commander Ray!" The warrior she had been groping suddenly straightened and composed himself, his voice sharp with alarm.

Mia scowled, annoyed by the interruption. "Don’t move! What commander..." She trailed off, her breath catching as the name finally registered in her mind.

Slowly, she turned around.

Her heart nearly stopped when she met a cold, piercing dark gaze, Ray’s.

She gasped, then without a second thought, bolted in the opposite direction, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

The warriors stared after her in confusion, then exchanged puzzled looks before shifting their attention back to Ray. They assumed she must have been afraid of him, but why would she be, if this was their first meeting? Or... wasn’t it?

Ray’s voice was ice-cold as he addressed the warrior she had been fawning over.

"If you have time to show off for a lady, then you must have time to run a few laps."

The man stiffened and dropped to his feet immediately, bowing his head in apology. "No, Commander! I was only letting the royals feel comfortable. I wouldn’t dare refuse her command." He used Mia’s status as an excuse, but Ray remained unmoved, his expression unreadable.

Ignoring the man entirely, he strode past him, his fists clenching as he scanned the area for Mia. He still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that she was his mate, aside from the undeniable pull he felt toward her. She was nothing like his type—chaotic, shameless, far too friendly with men, acting more like a reckless boy than a woman, and never thinking before she acted. Everything about her was a NO. He couldn’t wait to reject her and be done with it. But how was he supposed to do that when she kept running away from him?

Mia, having successfully evaded him, leaned against a tree, heaving a sigh of relief once she confirmed she wasn’t being followed. "That stalker!" She muttered, shaking her head. Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone? Was he trying to make their bond obvious? Or worse, was he going to bring up the kiss?

"No!" She yelled suddenly, unwilling to relive that moment. It was the bond that had pushed her, not any genuine desire on her part. She would never, under any circumstances, be attracted to a man like him. Nothing about him made her heart race, and he was too ugly—well, maybe not ugly, but in her eyes, he was. Poor man, he probably thought she actually wanted him.

"When will you stop running away?" The deep voice behind her sent her screaming in fright as she whirled around. How had he found her so fast? Ah, that cursed mate scent!

"Stop following me! I don’t know you," she declared, spewing nonsense as she stepped back.

He stared at her blankly, as if questioning whether she was serious.

"I would gladly oblige if I could," he replied, earning a scoff from her.

"I am sorry if this hurts your feelings, but that kiss was a mistake. Don’t get any ideas. I don’t like you, and I never will. So stop following me." She crossed her arms, her tone firm, though her words only made him raise a brow.

Why was she telling him all this as if he had ever implied he wanted her in the first place? Before he could respond, she bolted again, disappearing into the forest.

He sighed, exasperated. He should have refused the duty of being her personal knight when he had the chance. It was his own fault for thinking proximity would help him complete the rejection. She wasn’t just annoying, she was a complete lunatic.

Shaking his head, he turned in the opposite direction, deciding he would no longer chase after her. If she ran into wild beasts or bandits, that was her problem. With her energy and sharp tongue, they would probably be the ones running for their lives instead.

Until she came to her senses, he would neglect his duty. And once he finally got hold of her, he would end this ridiculous bond and move on.

And she had the audacity to say she didn’t like him? As if he wanted her to?

"Fool," he muttered, shaking his head as he walked away.