Obsession: the Lycan king's Human Mate

"You don't have to do this," he reminded her again. "My skin would be fully healed by tomorrow morning or evening at most." 

Adeline shook her head not caring if he could not see her doing this because she was standing behind his back. She huffed lightly. 

It still did not sit well with her that he had to burn his skin to get the mark. 

"You should have rebelled against burning your skin," she argued softly, "this is gruesome and not to mention brutal." 

This was more than a third-degree burn. If Adeline looked closely, she could see the bones but she refused to, which was probably the reason why she had her eyes opened only a little and averted them now and then. 

It was the worst that she had ever seen and it hurt to watch. 

"You are stressing yourself out on nothing," she heard him say. "My immunity will fight it no matter what and what will remain behind is a mark." 

"The mark.." she mumbled as she glanced at the flash that was burnt and pressed into the skin that was now covered in green stuff that she had applied. 

She felt him sigh lovely before he pulled her towards him making her come forward and sit into his lap. 

It was something she hated. It did not matter to her if it was tradition or any kind of ritual required by their kind, what hurt Adaline was said his skin was burned in. He was hurt. 

"What is Adeline?" He whispered to her, who sat in his lap. It was the best feeling in the world. To have her so close to him and the easiest way to protect.

She shook her head, the slight moisture of tears building in her eyes as she constantly smelled the burnt flesh along with the paste that she had applied on it. 

Xavier kissed her head before he caressed her back. "I know it feels barbaric, that I have been branded in someone's name but that is the only way I can have your mark on me forever." 

Rubbing his nose over his cheek, he smelled her scent. "Also it makes me feel powerful, I can take anything for you." 

She chuckled, of course, he would say that. 

"It's not.." she sighed and ended the sentence right there. If he did not want to listen then he did not want to listen and she would be an idiot to continue it. 

Adaline was aware that no one spoke up when he was being branded by the smearing hot poker, that would only point towards one thing and that was it was more common than she assumed. 

Her eyes went to his parents that were also dirtied by the paste that she had applied on his back. Perhaps she was not as diligent as she thought she was because most of it was now sliding down his back. 

"Hold on," she muttered before moving away from his lap and taking the cloth which was kept inside the container of the paste. 

She wrapped two strips of cloth around him so that the paste would stay there and not end up falling on his back. 

"You might have to change," she patted his shoulder, "your pants are now all green." 

He sighed tiredly before nodding his head and getting up. Xavier did not immediately move out rather turned to her and looked at her pointedly, "do not leave the room. Understand?"

She nodded and waved him off. Adeline had no idea what kind of time it was because she had never stepped foot inside. So, she was not going to take any chances by getting lost here on the first visit. 

When he left the room, he closed the door behind him leaving her in the room with candles burning around her.

Her eyes twitched. Adeline gulped. 

There was no one in the small room. Just for walls with two side tables and a single bed. Then why did she feel like someone was watching her?

Something crawled over her skin and that made Adeline place her hands on her arms and drop them for warmth. They were awfully cold. 

What the hell was happening? 

The awful shriek of the door opening made Adaline jump out of the skin and whip her head towards the noise. 

It must be Xavier. Because of the door opening to the inside of the room, it was difficult to tell who was standing at the door and was entering the room. This might be one of those times when Adaline was regretting not being born as a shifter. 

Her bright expression faltered when a person wearing a long cloak over her head entered and closed the door behind her. 

"Excuse me?" Adaline said as politely as she could, "you have entered the wrong room." 

The woman did not reply immediately but just took the hood off her face, letting it fall on her back as she let her eyes wander on Adeline. 

"Oh, my," The woman in front of her visibly sighed in relief as her shoulders sagged. "I am in the right room. For once, I am in the right room!" 

Adeline narrowed her eyes and darted them towards the door. Where was Xavier? He was just supposed to wash his arms and change his pants. 

Adeline gulped, the familiar feeling of fear gripping her veins because she knew that there was something unnatural about this woman. 

"How did you get in?" 

The female in front of her smiled as she was in pain before leaning on the door and clutching her side. "I will be honest with you, I have been trying to find you for so long and then I went into a coma—"

"Are you the one that broke into the palace?" Adeline's eyes widened when the girl nodded. "My aunt told me about you. Who are you?" 

"Amula." The girl breathed out, "Amula, the witch. I am Amula, the witch.." She repeated, sending Adaline into a wind whirl of panic immediately.