Chapter 25 - THE KING

"No." Wu's blunt statement made the alluring man in front of him to quirk a brow in response. Yue herself was to some extent bewildered at his quick rejection without giving it even a mindful thought. Perhaps, he didn't surrender himself to the authority of the Royalty. Who was this man christened name precisely? He was devoid of any common signs of fear, he was valiant in all aspects considered.

And speak of a worse timing, just as Yue was studying Shuang's responsive facial expressions to Wu's abrupt denial of his invitation or rather summoning, Wu turned towards her and caught her in the act.

"Let's go?" His tone was patently vexed cognitive to his annoyed facial appearance. She simply nodded her head, anticipating to go back to the warmer shelter. She finally undermines her ego entirely under the unfavorable circumstances. She was entirely inclined in the moment to just get somewhere warm. In the imminent moment, she had no regards for her emotions any longer, as the freezing climate continued to take a toll on her and she knew she couldn't resist it's colder attacks any longer.

Her eyes widen in precipitous incredulity as a large, warm masculine hand wraps around her wrist and she jerks forward with a tug, involuntarily dragging herself along the hauling man. She bit the insides of her cheek to subdue her diffidence and evident blush on face.

Wu glared at Shuang as they passed by him. The atmosphere was almost too intimidating and heated for her to bear. Wu was staunch in his resolve to get them away from the half dressed man and the forest. Yue would be in consensus with his thoughts but she was still apprehensive of what might come next once they reach his place. Would he critize her foolish impulsive actions and humiliate until she's filled to the brim with sheer guilt? Or maybe he would ask her to go back to her own place once they reach a safer environment to converse, that was his place.

He had to go through such inconvenience only to bring her back to where they started, she sighed internally at the thought of it.

But abruptly Wu stopped in his steps.

Not on his own accord, No. And for a second there, Yue's heart beat fastened in its tracks as she thought her dejected sigh and annoyed him but that wasn't the case at all.

It was because Yue herself was pulled back with another anonymous jerk, which led him to fumble in his steps as well.

She turned her head to find the other shirtless man, engulfing her tender petite hand in his larger one, deluging it entirely.

She switches glances between the two men, holding both her hands, as she stood sandwiched between the two. It was almost as though she was a thick rope of the game to initiate, a game of tug of war. A fear wrapped her mind as thought of being pulled on either side by two exceptionally strapping guys. What if her arms were dislocated in the process of tugging at her? She stood steeled to the ground as her eyes enlarged with visible apprehensions.

"Let go of her hand" She gazes up at Wu as he clenches his jaw, she gulps and then turn her head to face Shuang who has a baleful smirk abiding on his face.

"Wouldn't you like to know why you're being summoned to the Palace, though?" Yue furrows her eyebrows at the discreet question raised by the wolf related guy, and turn back loitering to know Wu's response.

"I told you once, I'll tell you twice," He lets go of her hand and stands right in front of Shuang, glaring him in the eye. He then grabs his hand, the one that holds in it's grasp hers. "I am not going back there." And with brute force makes her free Yue's little hand which she quickly retrieves and the brings both her arms to rest by her sides. A sharp chill trailed down Yue's backbone, not because of the frigid atmosphere but merely due to the resilient malign aura that evaporated and condensed around Wu.

She was relieved to have both her hands back by her side, but to no avail, as Wu yet again grabbed her hand and this time intertwining his fingers with hers, and it takes her so much to not bury myself at the continuous fluttering of her heart.

He drags her along with a greater speed, and they cross the shrubbery but Wu ceases in his motion yet again.

This time, entirely voluntarily, as he hears the other guy yell an announcement.

"The King is on the deathbed."

Wu's grasp against her hand goes on being stronger and stronger until she yelps and he lets go. A harrowing pain persists in Yue's hand, but she doesn't wince in the agony it produced.

As when he turns to face the guy behind her, she studies his face. And a sharp pang of undetermined emotion spreads across her chest as she looks at him.. She couldn't make out whether he was overcome with guilt or sorrow, as a shining bead of water escaped his right eye.