ZARAMANNI (BOOK ONE)
PART TWO: CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Zaramanni found herself clutching her chest area as the manly embrace that enveloped her abounded.

“Zoey,” she called the man whose chin was now resting on her shoulders.

“Hmm?”

“Why does my heart pound with excitement each time you are around me?”

It was indeed odd that her heart acted weird each time she was close to Zoey.

It wasn’t like that the first time she met him nor did it happen the second time they met.

But, ever since they came back from their journey to the Heart of the Kingdom, her entire self felt different beside him.

Her heart pounded with excitement, her body always wanted to run to him while she thought about kissing him.

Well, since she already did more than kiss him, her desire for the man grew abundantly.

At that very moment, her heart wouldn’t stop announcing its excitement. Zara’s heart pounded so much that she feared that it would jump out of her chest. Her heart’s loud rhythmic pumping also made her feel like someone else.

Never had she felt something like that.

“Zaramanni…” The Beta used his hands to swirl her until she faced him. With a tender look in his dark eyes, Zoey took one of her hands and placed its palm over his chest.

As though burned by something, Zara gasped loudly, withdrawing her hand immediately. Zoey smiled at her reaction.

“I feel the same way,” was his response.

Failing to forget the feeling of his thumping heart, Zara gave a slow nod. She was certain that her ears would get blasted if she were to directly listen to his heartbeat.

As her hands went back to feel her chest area, Zara looked up at Zoey, an unasked question in the depths of her eyes.

A wider smile made its way to the Beta’s lips and that made Zara notice the little strands of facial hair poking out of his chin. Those little sprouts explained why his facial appearance looked a little different. He had a more mysterious appearance.

“Ever since I laid my eyes on you,” his fingers swept her hair to the side and he took a step closer to the girl whose lips were now tugging with a small smile, “I have felt this way. At first, I thought something was wrong with me, but no. It seems fate has found us and the Red Thread has tied us together.”

Zaramanni frowned slightly. “The red thread?”

“Yes. It ties two souls together.”

“So,” Zara’s lips twitched as she recalled something she read in one of her fictional novels, “are we meant to be mates?”

Zaramanni always thought things like that were just myths.

She constantly felt that the concept of having a mate was just a term fictional erotica played with.

But there she was… standing in front of a gorgeous man whose heart insanely beat for her, just as hers does.

As though she would be able to see the mentioned Red Thread, Zaramanni stared at her hands.

But Zoey gently lifted her head and his lovely touch stayed on her chin.

“Seeing how I can’t stop thinking about you and how I could not help myself around you yesterday, I think we are mates.” Her heart thudded again and a feel-good emotion rushed through her body.

Before he continued, Zoey scoffed. “Ever since I became a person that was able to think on his own, I always found the concept of having a mate ridiculous. There’s so much to life than replaceing one’s mate.

So, whenever I watched the people of this Kingdom go to great lengths to replace their mates, I always found them stupid.”

Zara nodded her hand. She understood his view.

Zoey’s touch was yet to disappear and his gaze was still heart-racing.

Then, he said, “But, if the way I am feeling right now is how so many mated wolves have felt,” the tender look in his eyes grew as his palm moved to caress the side of her face, “I now understand why they make replaceing their mates an important mission.”

His other hand landed on the neglected side of her face and Zaramanni found herself exhaling hard.

His touch felt so good.

Zoey was not done. “I know you unexpectedly came into this realm, but if you are truly my mate, I don’t think I would want you to go back to where you came from.”

Zaramanni blinked slowly as his statement sank into her mind. “What if I want to go back?” she asked, her tone soft.

“Then, I need to make good use of the time you spend in this land. I will satisfy every hunger I feel for you. I will love you in a way no other person can rival. And, I will make sure you don’t regret being tied to me by the red thread.”

“Zoey…” His words made her heart swell. “But how can we be sure that we are mates? What if this is temporary?”

”I highly doubt that,” Beta Zoey quickly replied as his hands travelled to her waist.

He pulled her so close that her nipples hardened when their chests pressed against each other.

His hands gently yet almost possessively pressed into her skin, Beta Zoey moved his head closer and their lips were barely centimeters apart.

His voice now a thick and delightful murmur, he said, “I feel too crazy about you for this to be a temporary thing.”

His hot breath roused her greatly.

Zaramanni could not reply. The insane connection of their eyes coupled with how wanting his breathing made her, and she felt her body shiver with desire.

Her chest rose and fell against his chest while she watched his gaze roam her lips.

“Do you believe this won’t last?” Zoey asked. Then, he teased her by slightly pressing his lips against hers for a second.

“It… It just feels too good to be true. It has…”

Zara’s words were interrupted by muffled giggles which became more distant to her ears when Zoey’s lips delightfully captured hers.

Beta Zoey took her lips with his and Zaramanni felt a rush in her entire body as he turned his head at intervals to kiss her from every angle possible.

Her lower lip, the upper one, her tongue, the fleshy insides of her lips… he left his mark everywhere.

With caution and intensity, with every sense of neediness in his hold that was around her waist, Zoey made Zaramanni feel wanted.

He made her want more.

Zara’s hands which were now wrapped around him randomly squeezed the back of his shirt as her insides fluttered greatly.

It was just so good and she didn’t want any of that moment to end.

She was about to increase the tipping of her toe when a fart-like sound was produced from their kissing.

Zara wished to overlook the comical sound but she ended up shaking with laughter.

She chuckled against the man’s lips and the man did the same as well while he continued to plant short kisses on her lips.

When their chuckles finally took over their intimate moment, Zara and Zoey put a pause on the intense kiss.

They held onto each other while their delightful laughter resonated through the lonely corridors.

“Wh… what was that?” Zara asked while she tried to secure her arms around the man’s waist, her head ducking to hide her face in Zoey’s chest.

The man responded with deep, exquisite chuckles. As those sounds filled Zara’s ears, she became more alert to how crazy her entire being felt about Zoey.

When Zaramanni managed to tuck her laughter in a corner, she stood upright and her focus was fully on Zoey.

Then, she said, “I can’t forget how you made me feel yesterday.”

Zoey hugged her closer, a huge smile on her lips. “I am the first man to make you feel that way, right?”

“Did you read my mind?”

“I didn’t have to.” He planted a small kiss on her forehead. “What happened yesterday was just a preview. I have so much in store for you. Remember,” his eyes smiled, “I am going to love you in a way no one can rival.”

“I am yet to believe I have a mate. I thought that wasn’t a real thing.” Zaramanni went back to the genesis of that moment.

“I am glad we found each other.” Zaramanni released a small gasp when he suddenly cupped her buttocks and caressed them to her delight. It felt a little strange, yet she loved what his hands were doing. “I am going to make your stay in Zenrada an amazing one. Mark my words,” the Beta completed his intoxicating statements.

Zaramanni found herself slowly grinding her lower body against his broader physique.

His words and his touch made her want more of what she felt the previous night.

Zara was about to say something when Zoey darted his sight towards the window. A small frown formed on his face as though he recalled something.

“Zaramanni, I have to go to the palace. A messenger just came for me.”

“Oh. When? How?” Zaramanni also looked out of the window to see if there were strings of words in the sky sending the man a message.

There was nothing. Just the good old sky which was gradually becoming clear.

“Oh,” he swept her to the back and her hold around him tightened without much thought given to it, “it is a wolf thing.” His lips wore a small pout before he further said, “I wish I didn’t have to leave. I always feel terrible each time I am away from you.”

”I am not going anywhere,” Zara replied. She was about to take a step back when she recalled something. “Zoey?”

“Hmm?” The man’s attention was maintained on her.

“Do you remember what happened during the council meeting?”

“No. Why? Did something notable happen?” He looked clueless.

“So, you do not remember someone falling from nowhere and…”

“What are you talking about? Did something really happen?” He looked more curious at this point.

Before he could discover things she still wished to keep from him Zaramanni didn’t push her statements any further.

Besides, the Beta’s reaction was enough response.

So, while giving a dismissive wave of her hand, Zara said, “Never mind. You should get going. I am sure King Darren is waiting for you.”

“I will be back soon, okay? Let’s take a walk together when I get back. That way we can talk more.”

Zaramanni loved the thought of that, so she nodded while taking a step back.

A bright smile on her lips as her heart continued to dance excitedly, she relished the feel of his lips against hers when he leaned in to give her one last kiss.

“I will see you around, my beautiful human mate.”

Till his behind was no longer in sight, she waved at him.

Zaramanni was about to take a walk when a slight, unpleasant smell from her armpits reached her nose.

She needed a bath.

A long one.

While taking the bath, she decided that she would think about Zoey, the idea of being his mate, and the sad reality of her presence in Zenrada.

She would try to figure out what to do about her fickle powers and the fact that the fairies in Amarxona would continue to replace ways to capture her.

Zaramanni had barely walked a few steps when someone bumped into her.

“Clarissa?” Zara noticed how quickly the smile on the she-wolf’s face turned into a blank look. “What are you doing here?”

“I went to check something. Are you done with your lesson?” she asked and linked her arm with Zara’s.

Both of them started to walk.

“Hmm, something like that.” Zara noticed a small, irregular spot around the woman’s neck which was starting to look red. “Did something bite you?”

“Oh this,” she chuckled. “Some deadly insects are flying around these days.”

“Oh really?” Zara couldn’t help but think that the woman was lying.

“Yes.”

“Where have you been? I didn’t see you when I woke up.”

“I went to my room.”

Zara became certain that the woman was lying. “Your room is not on this side of the manor. Have you forgotten that you told me about the room assigned to you in the manor?”

“Oh, did I?” Clarissa laughed some more, her fingers running through her hair, her eyes nervously darted toward the side.

“You are acting weird like you are hiding something.” Zara didn’t give the woman a chance to speak. “I hope you aren’t doing something that would hurt you. You are very dear to me.”

“That’s good to hear, Zaramanni.” The woman wore a pout. “Okay, I promise,” she laid her head on the girl’s shoulder as their steps advanced, “I am not doing something terrible.”

While Zara nodded, she hoped that the woman was speaking the truth.

~

King Darren’s mind was distant.

His ears failed to pay attention to the reading of the weekly report which was being done by one of the guards.

How he was going to get rid of his wolf was the only thing on his mind.

The last hours were spent trying to rack his head. He also read through tons of books that proved not to be useful.

As he sighed deeply, he wondered if his now quiet wolf got to Crown-Blood Pack the day it tore its way out of the palace.

Alpha King Darren knew he would have felt it if the half-fairy had been terribly hurt but he could not help but be curious.

He wanted to know what happened when his wolf went to Zaramanni.

“Your Majesty…” A faint voice dragged him out of his thoughts.

His elbow which rested on the arm of his royal chair relaxed and he sat up, his majestic aura returning.

The Alpha watched Sham as the latter gave a little bow.

“Is something wrong?” he asked when he recalled the gruesome incident that was still being investigated. “Did you replace a lead?”

“No, Your Majesty. It is something else.”

Luna Laura, who had been dutifully listening to the weekly report, walked toward the throne and stood beside her Alpha.

“What is it?” King Darren asked while he paid no attention to his mate.

Sham took a deep breath.

“The Vampire Overlord is here, Your Majesty.”