Chapter 3: Putting his sword away, Emeriel could not even look his sister in the eyes, dangerously close to tears himself. Helping Aekeira into her clothes, he led her out and down the hallway. That age-old guilt crept down Emeriel's spine. Aekeira always protected him, even when it made her the sole target. His sister never hated him, but Emeriel hated himself for it. Aekeira was always bubbly and happy, but in times like this, when her body was violated, she mostly looked tired-wearied by the world. She was worried about the next aristocrat the king would hand her over to. Much later, freshly cleaned up, Aekeira lay on the bed, closing her eyes. "Em? My worst nightmare when I was younger was thinking I would be sold to an aristocrat in Cavar, but now, I almost wish that heartless king had gone ahead with it, instead of changing his mind," Aekeira whispered. "Please, don't say that," Emeriel held her hand. "That kingdom is a nightmare. Anywhere is better than Cavar, sister. Well, except beyond the great mountain, of course." Just the thought made Emeriel shiver. The Urekai dwelled beyond those mountains. "Sometimes I wish I could leave this godforsaken kingdom." A single tear slipped from Aekeira's eyes. "Me too, Keira. Me too." That night, after bathing, Emeriel stood before the mirror, staring at his reflection. His long, silken black hair fell over his shoulders, cascading like a waterfall. With his hair down like this, he looked like what he truly was. A girl. What would it feel like to live freely, like the person the mirror reflected? To not live in fear of the next man who might seek to take advantage of him, like they did his sister? Your story source galnovℯ????????․cøm Emeriel fantasized about marrying the man of his dreams. A protector. Someone powerful enough to keep him safe, shield him from predators, and sweep him off his feet with immense strength and love. All delusion. But a sweet one, nonetheless. Reality was far too ugly. Shaking it off, he crawled into bed and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him. The dream began as it always did. The man filled the doorway, hidden in the shadows. He was big, larger and more masculine than any man Emeriel had ever seen. Tall like a giant, he made Emeriel feel small, like a cornered prey. "Who are you?" Emeriel's drowsy voice came out shaky, filled with fear. "What do you want from me?" "You are mine," he said, his voice deep as rolling thunder. "Meant to be on your knees for me. On your back. To be fucked so hard your legs quake. I'll drill into you until you're open, gaping for me. You were meant to beg for me all the time. Only mine." Emeriel's face burned with shock. So scandalized, he scrambled upright. "Y-you shouldn't say such improper things to me! It's wrong!" But the mysterious man stepped into Emeriel's bedroom, emerging from the shadows. As he did, his body shifted into a… beast. The most terrifying sight Emeriel had ever seen: a Urekai. "Oh gods, oh gods," Emeriel's breath hitched in terror, panic setting in. Of all the shapeshifters in the world, why a UREKAI!? It advanced with purpose. Its glowing yellow eyes bore into Emeriel, filled with hunger. Shaking his head fiercely, Emeriel scrambled backward. "No, no, no! Leave me alone!" he shouted, "Guards! Someone, help!" But no one came. The beast leapt onto the bed, pinned Emeriel beneath it. Its claws tore through his clothing, exposing his vulnerable body to the creature's hungry gaze. With powerful force, it pushed Emeriel's thighs apart, and its monstrous form pressed against him… Emeriel jolted awake with a scream. His body was shaking, drenched in sweat, and he quickly glanced around the dark, empty room. "It was just a dream," he whispered, trembling. "Thank the gods. Just a dream." The same nightmare again. He had been having this dream for months now. He swallowed hard, running a shaky hand through his hair. "Why do I keep having such a terrifying nightmare?" he murmured. The thought of a Urekai… No one in this world wanted to meet one. Certainly not Emeriel. Yet, despite the terror, a lingering warmth from the dream stayed with him. His body felt different, the unsettling sensation not easily shaken. What did this mean? Stepping outside the next morning, two warriors stopped before Emeriel. "The king summons you, my prince," one of them said. "Your presence is needed in the courtroom." Shit. That foolish minister wasted no time ratting on him. Emeriel let out a breath. It's just a whipping; he would be fine. But as he walked down the hall toward the door, it felt eerily quiet. Something was wrong. The court was always noisy from the outside. Mutterings, murmurs, arguments-those were to be expected. His worry deepened when the door opened, and all eyes didn't turn to gaze at him condescendingly. Instead, everyone's eyes were fixed on the center of the king's court. Emeriel's gaze followed theirs. Two men dressed in all-white robes, with long, straight, waist-length black hair, stood appearing harmless. But a longer glance had Emeriel noticing muscles barely concealed under their robes, their slightly tipped ears, and their incredibly handsome faces, which were completely unreadable. These ones looked expensive and aristocratic. Emeriel's throat went dry. No one prayed to meet a Urekai face-to-face. "What do you say, King Orestus?" the Urekai with the long scar running down his cheek spoke. He looked the most intimidating. "No, this cannot happen," King Orestus protested, looking terrified and doing a poor job of hiding it. The frown on the scarred Urekai's face deepened. Clearly, this was a being that did not take no for an answer. "You are mistaken if you think we are giving you a choice, human king," he said, taking a threatening step forward. The ministers of the court gasped, shrinking back into their seats. "Easy, Lord Vladya," the other Urekai spoke, his voice gentler, imploring rather than commanding. The scarred Urekai, Lord Vladya, gave the king a hard look that would make any man tremble. "It is the least you can do, human king. Give us the princess, and we will leave quietly." "We are ready to pay for her," the other Urekai added, reaching into his robe and withdrawing a large bag of coins. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!