Zion

The second I open the door to stop the constant knocking, I’m surprised to not see Marisa, but a male with brown hair and gray eyes, tall, broad shoulders, and a smug look upon his face. “The popular Lady Sybil,” he greets, walking straight past me and into my room. “I finally find where he keeps his secret.”

“Can I help you?” I ask, crossing my arms as I begin to feel uncomfortable, not knowing who he is. It’s as if he’s some sort of jester, how he moves about the room with a spring in his step, a smile upon his face, and just an aura that tells me he’s up to no good.

Looking back at me, he curtsies like a lady, winking at me as I raise an eyebrow. “Yes, you can,” he begins, taking a seat upon my lounge chair. “I want to understand how Zion finds you to be fairest of them all.”

“Who are you?” I ask, walking around to the fireplace, grabbing one of the vases, making it seem normal, but ready to strike at any moment.

“Elijah Eversol, the King’s best friend.” I nod, watching as he crossed his legs and stares at me, taking me in. “As for looks, you’re - bit above average-no offense- but I bet you make up for it in brains, attitude, or maybe even sexual skills-

“Excuse me,” I hiss, humiliated by this man as he just chuckles.

“There’s no wonder why Zion and I get along, we are opposites,” he comments as I roll my eyes.

“I wonder how many times you’ve been unsuccessful in keeping your trap shut,” I retort, watching as his eye slight up.

“He must like your feisty attitude, barely any Nobel or Royal has that tongue.” Elijah gets up, walking to my balcony as I follow behind, wondering what kind of trouble he could get me into. “When I heard there was a rogue in the palace, I just had to fly down.”

He heard word of me here? That means the talk is already out, the one of the King for some odd reason keeping a rogue in the palace. Their guesses are as good as mine.

Leaning against the archway, I watch Elijah jump onto the railing, walking upon it like a balance beam as he hops over a pot of tulips, smiling as he acts like a child. “Word spreads fast, you’re lucky it was me who showed up to greet you instead of the whole kingdom.”

“ELIJAH!” A voice roars from behind, causing me to jerk, fear filling my heart.

“Ah, speak of the devil.”

Looking over my shoulder, I see King Zion stalking over to where I stand with Elijah feet from me, the King furious. I’m grabbed as he reaches me, pulling me to the side, only to depart as he heads for his best friend. “Zion, what a wonderful pleasure to see you. Last time we were sending fists at each other in Cancun after I got a good lay by the some noble’s daughter.”

“That was my cousin, you asshole,” Zion snaps, and suddenly, without a single care in the world, he pushes Elijah off the railing and down below into the water.

I scream, running forward, right next to Zion as I watch the massive splash Elijah makes. “What the hell!? You could have injured him.”

“And he could have gotten my cousin pregnant,” King Zion mumbles as I look and see if Elijah will return to the surface. “Don’t worry, he’ll let us know when he resurfaces.” A hand gently cups my cheek, making me turn my head to face him, emotions running through his eyes as I try to just pinpoint one.

“The kingdom knows I’m here.”

“They know a rogue is here, Sybil,” he adds. “Besides, no publicity of your name or face will come until I allow it.”

“Until you allow it!” I scoff, only to hear someone resurface.

“I’ll make sure to bang her twice a hard next time.” Yup, pretty opposites as Elijah said.

I look back to Zion, watching his jaw clench as he takes a step closer, caging me in at the railing. “When I want the world to know who you are, who is by my side, you will not fight back. When I say it’s time for them to know who has a rightful place by my side, they shall know.”

And that means Sebastian will find out. I have no clue what he will do, he practically shoved me out of his life, but I’m scared that his rejection was not the end, but just the beginning.

Hands land on my waist, pulling me forward as I avoid eye contact, hearing Zion mumble about how stubborn I am. “I’m having you measured today. Marisa is coming up in three minutes. After that, I want to take you on a run.”

My wolf howls from the inside, completely happy to finally be let out and free. Smiling, I thank him and we stand in silence until Marisa enters the room, greeting us.

As I’m measured, Zion just sits on my bed, watching from a close distance as Marisa holds the tap measurer to my breasts, causing his eyes to go exactly to that location. Not only that, but she asks me to take off my bra to get a more exact measurement. Rolling my eyes, I slip my bra off under my shirt, gaining a slightly disappointed look from the King as I purse my lips together.

Once the measuring is done, I’m more than happy as Zion gets up, saying to take some shoes to get muddy. Thankfully my closet from home, at least some of it, is here as I grab a pair of sneakers.

The walk to the entrance of the palace is long, Zion taking an unfamiliar route as we pass under a low doorway, Zion telling me to remain quiet. We duck under another doorframe and I raise an eyebrow as we come to a dead end, a single brick wall in front of us.

Just as I open my mouth to ask what is going on, the King shakes his head, telling me to remain silent as he presses his had against one of the bricks. The door slides open, and once it does, my mouth drops. He pulls me forward, pulling me over a puddle of mud.

“We are under the moat, it’s a tunnel to the forest, created about five generations back in my family when the King had a mistress who would meet him in the forest,” King Zion explains as I nod, watching the water drop from the ceiling of the tunnel, some glowing stones lighting the way.

“How often is this used?” I ask, running my hands across the cold and smooth stone, watching the King as his back muscles move with every step. Crossing the thoughts out of my head, I soon find us at the end of the tunnel, a narrow stairway leading up to a building.

“As a child, I used this everyday, less as my responsibility increased. Now I use it as an escape from guards and security.” I nod, following him up the stairs as my wolf gets excited, almost about to be free from my body.

The building the ends the tunnel is small, a single and small window, narrow doors and small leather couch pushed up against a wall. “Ready?” I nod, following Zion out as a smile breaks out across my face.

Rich soil on the floor, beautiful green grass everywhere, thick trees everywhere, the leaves thick as they block out much of the sun, the smell of pine wood flooding my nostrils as I take in a deep breath.

“Ready for the run?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I reply, walking behind a tree as I begin taking off my shirt, hoping he doesn’t look behind the tree. Once the rest of my clothes are saved for later, I shift, my bones freeing as I feel my body stretch, my bones stretching.

Stepping out, I’m not surprised to find him shifted, the dark brown shining under the few rays of sunlight. My brown wolf steps forward, bowing her head as the King stands tall, on four legs twice as big as her as I feel myself cower under his gaze.

She takes off, running through the forest as the breeze feels amazing across her fur coat. I smile, loving the freedom.

I can hear him behind her, running right after her as I can hear his paws hitting the forest floor, crunching fallen branches. My wolf pick up speed, loving the sense that she’s being passed.

I’m passed, my wolf growling as the King passes her, taking a turns me following as I try and follow, my wolf pushing off her paws with more force.

Another forty minutes of a chase and I find myself soon shifting back, pulling my clothes back on as my wolf is content. Rolling my shoulders back, I come out from behind the tree, meeting the King once again clothed, but more toned down, just a pair of navy slacks and a white button up, the sleeves pushed back as I clear my throat.

“Thank you for the run,” I express, watching as the King’s eyes focus on me, a small smile crossing his face. As we make our way back to the small house where the tunnel is, something catches my eye. Something that moves in the line of the trees, but doesn’t come any closer, as if watching its prey from afar.

The eyes watch me, almost not caring I I notice that they are there, as if wanted me to see them. It’s a color I’ve never seen before on a creature, lavender orbs that seem to hold the very essence of magic.

Just as I am about to open my mouth, they vanish, completely gone without a sound. Weird.

“I want to know something, Sybil,” the King begins as we enter the house, dropping onto the couch as I shut the door. I give him a nod, telling him to continue as he leans back. “Why do you find the human world more, well, essential to living your life, than here, the palace, the home of Kings?”

It’s a better question than when he asked about Sebastian. “It’s where I made my home,” I explain, watching as his eyes scan my face, as if searching for something. “I’m used to it and have grown very attached to it. I’ve always dreamt of living in one of these magical fields where the palace is, but the human world is where I made my home.”

The King nods, getting to his feet shortly after, walking towards me as I raise my chin. “Two different world,” he mumbles, caging me in as his forehead rests against mine, my heart racing with a million beats per second. “Have you ever thought of being rogue as a symbol of freedom.”

I thought of it as a symbol of shame, shame that the future Alpha rejected me and made me rogue. Shame that my mate wanted nothing to do with me and threw me to the outside world. If being rogue was my own choice, freedom would be something I would pick as a reason. I’ve heard of many becoming rogue to see the world, to experience cultures, and after they find ones their trip, they would go back to their pack, and their pack would accept them back.

“I’ve thought of it as an experience,” I reply, trying to pick my words carefully as the King lets out a small sigh. “Something that would open my eyes to the human world.”

“Would you ever go back to your pack?” He asks, pulling his head back as his hands move to my face, running circles with his thumbs over my cheeks, his eyes looking deep within mine.

Do I lie?

“No.”

He nods, almost sighs of happiness flashing through his eyes as we remain still...and silent.