-HER-

We were busy looking around when the Lycan King's arrival was finally announced with the sound of loud drums and horns that had the ability to shake the ground beneath us. The crowd parted to make way for the King's chariot as it threaded through the town and the crowd before abruptly stopping just a few yards away from the stage.

Just seeing his chariot made my wolf stir inside me. We were standing far from the stage but I was still able to see everything clearly as he climbed out of the chariot, standing taller than the whole crowd.

He stooped briefly before climbing on the stage and scanned the crowd around him. I found myself bending slightly to blend in with the crowd. It was a subconscious act. He wouldn't have spotted me so easily in the crowd anyway because I was standing at the very back but still, I didn't feel like taking any risk.

He was a lycan after all and his senses were stronger than mine. If I remained careless then he could have easily spotted me even in the crowd. It was better for me to be careful than be caught and get everyone into trouble.

Next, he climbed on the stage and with him followed two more lycans, whom I was guessing to be his second and third in command. He climbed on the stage and didn't say anything but took the throne and the other two lycans sat on either side of him. As soon as they were settled, Ezekiel raised his hand and suddenly, someone started to speak in front of the crowd.

They weren't visible from where I was standing but it seemed to be one of Ezekiel's minister's giving a welcoming speech before the ceremony finally started.

There were groups of impressive dancers, singers, and some acrobats. The crowd was really impressed by them but the three Lycans sitting on the stage looked very bored. They looked like they didn't want to be there in the first place. If they were given a choice then they would have gladly left that place- their bored faces screamed this.

It was hard for me to concentrate on the performances as well. My eyes kept drifting towards Ezekiel again and again. I didn't know if it was because of the mate bond or because of the fact that he was looking mouth-watering that day. He was wearing a black cloak with a golden emblem on the chest.

His long dreadlocks rested over his shoulders. His crown made of alchemic metals gleamed even from so much distance. He was leaning on one of the thrones, his hand rested under his chin and his long legs rested on the stage casually.

Now and then he would lean in more on his left side and mutter something to the Lycan who seemed to be his second in command. Although his eyes would never leave the crowd. They oddly remained trained over the crowd in front of him.

The three of the Lycans remained there for some more time until the special performances for them finally got over. They stood up and climbed down the stage before the crowd that had gathered around the stage dispersed but I remained standing in my place, watching them from far.

I thought that they were going to go back but I was wrong. One of his ministers was showing the three of them around the place while all of them seemed to be having some sort of conversation among them. I kept an eye on them all the while I was there. Ezekiel and his lycans met different guests as they walked around the town, talking to them one after the other.

The minister who seemed to be hosting this festival was always by his side, introducing the guests to Ezekiel and the two other Lycans with him. I panicked for a moment as they started to walk in our direction when we were waiting in line to get some drinks. He must have spotted Ares among the crowd because I saw them approaching exactly our way.

I heard Ares tell the triplets to take Avyanna away and Regulus did the same by looping his arm around me and tugging me deeper into the crowd. It happened all of a sudden that I didn't notice it because my eyes were still stuck on Ezekiel. He was fairly close and they were walking faster towards us.

Just before Regulus could tug me away from the approaching Emperor, a crow of people appeared in front of us out of nowhere, blocking us temporarily. I knew it was too late for us to do anything because the air buzzed with tension around me all of a sudden as Ezekiel edged closer to us.

My heart stopped beating in my chest when his cold brown eyes locked with my grey ones through the crowd. His eyes stayed on me for a second longer but his face remained calm, not giving away anything.

Next, his eyes moved behind me and settled on Regulus for a moment before they drifted down to our hands looped together. I thought I saw rage and jealousy simmer in his eyes but Regulus was tugging me away quickly as soon as the crowd cleared.

"That was close," Regulus sighed once we were considerably away from them. Although I was finding it hard to mirror his calmness and relief at that moment because I knew that we'd been caught.

No matter what I disguised as, Ezekiel would always recognize me because of the mate bond. He knew it was me as soon as our eyes had locked with each other. I grew more anxious and my wolf started to pace.

"Can we go to that side?" I asked Regulus, pointing to the other side of the town where we would be away from Ezekiel. There weren't many people in that part as well and I wanted to be there because slowly I was starting to feel claustrophobic in the crowd.

"Sure," Regulus told me before he continued to tug me through the crowd. As time passed, the town got filled with more and more people, making it harder to navigate the place. I was holding Regulus's hand with a crushing force as he tugged me through the crowd.

I didn't want to get lost in the sea of all those unknown faces and that Lycan King who had turned my life upside down. While we were crossing a pub, a lot of people came out of that place all of a sudden, pushing me away from Regulus.

I shrieked as I tried to hold on to his hand tighter but we ended up getting separated in the crowd. There were suddenly hundreds of people around me, making me panic. I looked around frantically but there was no Regulus.

I wanted to yell his name but that would give away that I wasn't a man. While I was looking around, I felt someone push me towards the pub and deeper into the crowd. I panicked even more but I almost got a heart attack when someone stepped very close behind me before covering my whole face with a black cloth and tying it tightly around me.

I could have turned around and kicked the person but I wasn't able to do so because of the crowd pushing me from all directions. I didn't even have the space to lift my hand. I still tried to fight but I was being dragged away and away until I didn't feel the crowd around me anymore.

I felt someone tying my hands and feet before I was being thrown into a bag. I was trying to scream and kick but nothing worked. I was so panicked at that moment that I didn't think of using some spells. I was shocked and mortified for a moment.

I felt them carry me somewhere more silent and darker before I heard them climb some steps. It was followed by the sound of a door being opened before I was being dumped out of the bag as I if was a rag doll.

My eyes locked with Ezekiel's brown eyes as soon as the cover from my face was being removed. He narrowed his eyes at me before someone took off the cap I was wearing, letting my braids fall down over my shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Ezekiel growled at me angrily.

-

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