Chapter 704 - DECISION

"What the reason you want to do this? I don't see the mating ceremony has anything to do with the war," Lilac said, she waited for Jedrek to respond, but the king determined to shut his lips tightly. "Or, it has anything to do with Serefina?"

There was an emotion, which flashed in Jedrek's eyes with the mention of the witch's name and this confirmed Lilac's statement.

"You want to hear the truth?" Jedrek asked with expression that devoid from any emotion.

Lilac gave him a look. "I have enough with lies."

"Yes," Jedrek replied curtly. "It has something to do with her."

Lilac could feel her hear beat faster. She had expected this answer, but she was still surprised when Jedrek admitted it readily.

"Your reason?" Lilac gritted her teeth. The feelings of disappointment began to rise within her and grew sharper.

"As you know, we cannot escape from this mate bond, and no matter how hard we try to oppose it, this bond is just getting stronger to uniting us." Jedrek stood up and got very close to her. "So, I just want to be done with it."

Lilac was aware about it as well.

Even though, the mate bond didn't work the way it worked on Jedrek and despite her hatred to him, Lilac found it difficult to go all out to despise the lycan before her eyes.

"How about Serefina?" Lilac felt bitter when she remembered Jedrek's ex lover. "Will you run to her the moment you see her?"

Jedrek slightly furrowed his eyebrows. "No." Therefore, he needed this mating ceremony, to claim her as his and enclosed his feeling to Serefina.

It was ironic, when it came to physical strength, Jedrek could overpower any other creatures in this realm without much of difficulties, but when it came to feeling, he needed to think carefully, to decide what should be done.

"So, in the end, you will choose your destined mate over your ex lover?" there was a hint of sarcasm and bitterness in the way Lilac asked him.

"I choose what is right," Jedrek replied.

Lilac nodded. "I hope you keep your words. We have a war ahead of us, so I don't want to fight for your affection too. If you want to be with me, that means there are no other women." She emphasized this.

"I want you to stay away from Tordoff too," Jedrek said. His eyes were slightly darker when he mentioned his general's name.

Wasn't he the one who asked Tordoff to look after her? Yet, Lilac didn't voice out what she thought. Their conversation currently went smoothly than she expected, thus she didn't want to ruin it. "Done."

And then, there was a moment of silent between them. Later, Jedrek grabbed her hand as he said, "walk with me."

They walked out of the throne room with Jedrek was holding her hand to the small garden near this wing.

Lilac watched her small hand that was enveloped by his big one. Everything about him was exceptionally big, even Jedrek was a head taller than his other generals.

But, what Lilac liked the most was the fact, despite his cold demeanor, the Alpha King's hand felt warm.

"I have said it before, I will not live forever. How will you deal with that?" Lilac walked slightly behind him, staring at his broad shoulder.

"I will not let you die," Jedrek said without hesitation.

In the other hand, Lilac could feel her heart thumping rapidly against her chest, she bit her lips and lowered her head when she spoke. "If there is no mate bond between us, will you be like this?"

"No," Jedrek answered in the same tone. "If there is no mate bond between us, we will not know each other."

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"Why are you so quiet? Is there something that you are thinking now?" Hope asked Raine. Since they entered this cave until the time when they buried those children and went back to the cave to retrieve the priestess's body, Raine had been very quiet.

Only if Hope knew Raine a year ago, when she was still not able to talk, she wouldn't say that she was quiet now.

"Nothing," Raine raised her head and gave her a reassuring look, which was not very convincing.

"Don't lie. Tell me." Hope narrowed her eyes, as she glanced at their mate behind them. Torak and Kace walked side to side, but no one from them strike a conversation. They seem like strangers to each other.

If it was not because of Hope and Raine, who insisted to come inside the cave to find where the dead body of the priestess, or one could say what remained from the priestess, absolutely Torak and Kace wouldn't be here too.

Followed behind Kace and Torak, there was Delta and another five more hunters.

"Don't you feel something?" Raine spoke in low voice, but of course the two lycan behind them could hear it too, though they didn't show it on their expression.

"Feel what?" Hope crept closer as she looked around her in alert. There was nothing change from this place since the last time she was here.

"Strange feeling," Raine mumbled.

"What do you mean with strange feeling?" Hope scrunched her eyebrows. "I don't feel anything. Maybe you are afraid because of the scene that you had seen with those poor children."

"No," Raine replied. "This is different feeling." However, she was not able to explain it to Hope in detail.

They walked to a place where the sound of the river flowing was clearer. The sound came from the underground river.

"Don't tell me, you are afraid of ghost…" Hope said teasingly as she wrapped her arms around Raine's shoulder.

And then, they heard it. An ear- piercing scream that made Hope and Raine stopped walking.

"What is that?" Hope looked at around her to see if she could find the person who was screaming.

Meanwhile, Raine's first reaction was to turn around to look for Torak instinctively, as she knew she would be safe with him.

However, there was no one there…