Chapter 4. His Mate

"LET ME GO! HEEELP!!!"

But the felon's hands violently pulled me to him, and I landed on his shoulders as he gave out a maniacal laugh that made my blood curl in terror. The tray on my hands fell, and the crystal glasses shattered against the grassy ground of the garden. I knew in an instant that I was going to die agonizingly, thinking that an abnormal rogue had captured me.

All I could do was shriek to get somebody’s attention, hoping that Master Ralph would come and save me from its vile hands. It moved and leaped high above the garden, away from the mansion, and I saw myself getting further and further away from the place. All I could do was fight to get out of my captor’s hands. But he was stronger than me, despite my extraordinary strength as a hybrid, which I was never proud of. Only Master Ralph and old Ava know about it.

I kicked and clawed, but the rogue didn’t even stir and instead snarled at me, threatening to pull my legs apart by squeezing my arms, making me scream more in pain.

“HELP ME, PLEASE!!! ANYONE!!! ”

To my surprise, someone with an aberrant speed appeared from the corner of my eye. It was heading toward us. Panic-stricken, I saw under the silver moonlight a figure of a man that leaped higher than the rogue, and with startling precision, it struck the head of the enemy with the heel of its boots, which gave a sickening crack sound on the top of the rogue's head. My abductor made a short grunt out of anguish, and then both of us plummeted down into the middle of the forest, with me shrieking in dread and confusion. My mind was blown away by everything that was happening.

“Oh, Goddess, nooo! ”I cried when the thin branches of the trees caught me, scraping and lacerating my exposed skin as I plunged down the tall trees. Even if I didn’t die at this height, I would surely have broken bones in some parts of my body. Maybe a crack on the skull at least. Just thinking about the pain made me pray for a swift death rather than spending several months crippled and useless. I couldn’t breathe. My heartbeat was so fast that I felt like I was dying already, even before I hit the ground.

I thought for a few seconds, time stopped for me to watch the moon rise above the clear sky full of stars for the last time. I knew for sure that death was certain, and I wasn't ready for it.

Screaming as I shut my eyes tightly, I expected to feel the hard ground underneath me. But instead, I felt strong hands that caught me seconds before my bones shattered against the rocky surface of the forest. Terror, shock, and disbelief emulsified into my chest, swirling just like how my vision sees the surroundings around me. Blurred and spinning, I look at the face of my savior, trying my best to adjust my eyes as the veins on both of my temples pulsate due to my near-death experience.

He had dark hair with golden liquid eyes, the color of molten gold. The skin on his face, which is the only skin that was exposed enough for me to see, was milky white. It was reflecting the silver light of the moon, sparkling like a diamond underneath it. He’s wearing a pitch-black waistcoat and tailcoat, his face stoic but refined enough to know he was an aristocrat.

And I had never seen a beautiful guy like him in my whole life. He was like a god descended from heaven.

But then I realized his scent, and he was a vampire!

“Who are you? ”I could only whisper to the man. The trepidation made me weak as I stared at his handsome face with wonder and distress, giving me the notion that there was something more in this man. Why did he save me?

“Jonas,” he answered shortly in his baritone voice, which sounded euphoric to my ears. "Call me Jonas, my lady."

He put me down on the ground gently as I tested the equilibrium of my body and made sure I wouldn't fall on my knees.

But then my attention got distracted when I heard the rumbling sound of a throat growling behind the trees in front of us. Was it the rogue? Is he still there, waiting for a chance to lunge his way toward me?

Then a shadow appeared above us with incredible speed that went straight towards the hidden figure among the trees. And before I could scream again, Jonas shielded me with his body and covered my mouth. His hands were cold as death itself. His eyes gave me a silent warning to not make any sound as the giant shadow ripped the rogue limb by limb, throwing its torn body and scattering it through the bushes. I heard the sound of the flesh tearing and the bones snapping as it whimpered in agony, while the giant shadow made sure it wouldn't regenerate back to its original form.

That was how we killed an abnormal rogue. Tearing their bodies apart, not giving them a chance to regenerate, and making sure to shatter their ice-cold hearts and burn them to ashes to scatter in the wind. They were one of the most formidable foes in this region, and only the most vile heart gets possessed by those gluttonous spirits.

When the fire was set ablaze, I heard heavy footsteps coming toward me and Jonas. I expected it to be a patrol werewolf around this area, but my heart almost dropped when I saw King Alpha himself, standing in front of me half-naked, wearing only black pants, and barefooted. His face was in fury as he glared at the man behind me.

“K-King Edison—“

“Get away from my mate, you g*dd*mned vampire! ”He growled scornfully at Jonas.

Mate?

Did he just call me his mate?