"Nemia wait!" Dorian called out but it was too late, she was gone before he had even finished saying her name. He sighed, and ran his long fingers through his hair. Spinning around slowly he looked around the holding room. Kicking a piece of Donovan across the floor. Shit!
He needed to go find Nemia, had to go find her. He knew she'd be safe from others but... What of herself? Everything that Donovan has said, how he had sent for Malcolm. How it was all to get her in his grasp.
Dorian shuddered with another wave of anger coursing through his veins. He lost it when Donovan said he wanted to bleed Nemia dry, the she was in his grasp and he was close. He'll never get a chance to touch her, Dorian had made sure of that.
He kicked another piece of Donovan. "Fucking sick bastard." He muttered in a low growl. Then, he turned and strolled out of the room. Finding Nik and Julia not far down the hall from the room they'd been in.
"Did Nemia say where she was going by chance?" Dorian asked the two, though he felt like she hadn't even stopped to let them know she was going. Which was confirmed as Julia's brows knitted together with confusion.
"Isn't she in there?" She asked, alarm starting to raise in her eyes.
Dorian sighed, they didn't even notice she had ran out. "No, she ran out right after I..." He let his sentence trail, feeling it best not to describe to Julia what he had done.
The alarm in Julia's eyes turned to wailing sirens. "What? No... She has to be." Julia attempt to walk past Dorian towards the room in which he stuck out his arm to stop her.
"She's not in there Julia, and she may kill me if I let you see what is in there." He let out a small, hollow laugh. Trying to lighten Julia's mood just a bit.
"Dorian, find her. She's... She's not..." Julia started to hyperventilate.
"Shh, shh. Just breath. I'll find her. Her scents strong, I'll get her. Bring her back." Hopefully. He added silently in his head. "Nik, take Julia to her room or anywhere else she may want to go. And get Samuel to-"
Pop. At the mention of his name, Samuel popped into the hallway. "You called for me, My King?" He immediately bowed his head.
Dorian shifted. "Discard the..." He glanced at Julia and lowered his voice. "Pieces of Donovan in the holding room .. and make the repairs necessary." With a nod, Samuel was gone again.
"Dorian, I... Thank you." Julia spoke softly, her eyes tucked down and gazing at the floor. He could see the slight tremble in her chin as she tried to hold it together. Nemia was right, Julia wasn't meant for this side of the world.
He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you want right now, Nik will provide a way for you to achieve that want." He spoke in a careful tone, not wanting to add any extra stress she may feel.
She shook her head though, reaching her gaze up to stare at him with her doe-like eyes, blurring with the tears that threatened to shed. "The only thing I want right now is for Nemia to be here. She.. she shouldn't be alone."
He gave a single, firm nod as he passed her along to Nik who wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulder in a comforting attempt. "Don't worry, I don't plan for her to be alone for long. I'll find her, bring her back. Her scents is easy enough for me to track. It's.. permanently engraved into my existence now."
A smile dusted across Julia's face, soft and sweet. "Dorian, I'm very happy that you have finally found your mate. She's tedious, damaged. But she's strong too. Yes, physically but also mentally." The frown returned again. "But right now, her guard is down and with Malcolm and Kyth. Plus whoever else may be in league with them..." She winced.
Dorian shook his head. "I'll find her, don't worry." He consoled then, without another word, he started running down the hall, up the stairs. Over and over as he followed the sweet scent she left lingering behind.
A few minutes later, he was running out of the front door of the castle. As he ran skipped down the few stairs, he saw Nemia's clothes laying on them. He swooped down, picking them up and breathing in deeply. His nostrils filling with her fresh scent.
God's I could happily drown myself in her, Dorian thought. Her scent so strong now, it's almost as if he could see the trail she has left. He knew though that she had made some ground on him, but with her being in werewolf form he's be able to catch up... Hopefully.
He shifted again, reverting back to his beast to propel himself in the direction she'd gone and keeping her clothes clutched in his left claws. Faster and faster he went, the forest blurring past him. The only thing on his mind was finding Nemia and hoping like hell she was okay, well as okay as she could be in the current moment.
Dorian ran for hours it seemed and considering the semi-low hanging moon that he could glimpse between small gaps in the trees, it must be around nine pm now.
He kept pushing on, feeling as if he was close. Her scent has been getting stronger. But, there was also the scent of fresh blood starting to mix in with her scent, coming from what seemed to be the same direction she was. This pushing him back into hyperdrive as he barreled down hard on his feet, picking up speed once again.
She's close, I can feel it.
Roughly thirty minutes later, give or take a few, he slowed down tremendously. He'd heard her, well... Rather her wolf. Whimpering off in the distance, maybe 600 feet ahead. The smell of blood left a metallic scent in its wake, more so now than earlier.
His panic was quenched as he broke through some tree lines and came out into a small clearing. A large bear layed motionless on the ground and a few feet from it, sat Nemia. Well, technically Adira but they were one in the same.
She was whimpering, licking her paws. He was so focused on her, he didn't notice as he stepped across some twigs that crunches under his beastly feet.
The wolf froze, left paw brought to her mouth and those big, bright emerald green eyes snapped to him and a deep growls emitted from her. Snarling and showing her teeth, she rose to all fours. Most definitely rivalling his lycanthropic height on his two current legs.
Her foot pawed, dragging across the ground as she stared him down. It was evident she didn't recognize him at the moment, but he extended his arm. Still several feet away, he held out her clothes while reverting back to human form so he could speak properly.
"Nemia. It's just me."
She lunged towards him, but stopped just before him. Seeing her in his human form and this close now, he has to tilt his head way back. "I brought you your clothes. If.. you wanted to shift back and talk. Its okay if you don't though. But Julia is worried and I can't come back without you."
There was silence for his reply, just staring at one another. Slowly, she brought her head down and connected it to his forehead for a moment as she whimpered once more. Then, she was getting smaller and after a moment she was back in human form, naked and pressed against him. Her arms wrapping tightly around him as she sobbed into his bare chest.
His heart shattered at the sound and his arms enveloped her, as if trying to shield her from the pain she felt but knew there was nothing he could do. Dropping her clothes to the ground as his hand that has held them, lifted and placed itself into the depths of her unruly red hair, pulling her deeper into his chest.
They stood in the middle of the forest for a long while as she sobbed and he couldn't bring himself to peel her off and get her to talk to him. Not to mention, he was hyper aware of her naked skin that was pressed against him. He felt sick at the thought of wanting to take her in that moment but he would be lying if he said the thought hasn't crossed his mind. But he wouldn't do that to her, instead, he just held on for dear life and prayed that her pain would ebb away.
Several more minutes later, her head finally rose and she tilted it up to look him in the eyes with her tear stained cheeks. Her eyes, red and puffy. He pulled his fingers from her her and that same hands thumb brushes away the last of her tears and she nuzzled into his hand as she done so.
His heart melted and filled with joyous pride all in the same moment. In this moment, she was looking at him as her mate. He could see it, feel it. She was opening herself to him and he all but wanted to howl out with joy. Though, he chose a gentle smile instead, knowing the sensitivity of the subject.
"Nemia, I can't express how sorry I am for all that has happened. I never should have employed Don-"
She shook her head violently and squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't.. don't say his name ... Don't bring... It up..."
Dorian nodded softly. "Okay, we won't talk about it. Just.... Tell me what you need." He heard his own voice break then, not knowing what he could do for her in the moment.
She opened her eyes then, staring up at him. God's I wish I knew what was going on inside her mind.
"Dorian..." Her breath hitched, her eyes changing from a look of pain and sorrow to nervousness and... Something else.. he hasn't seen this emotion from her and could quite pin the right one because it surely couldn't be...
"Mark me, claim me. Make me forget everything else about tonight." As she spoke in a trembling tone, her hands unhooked from around him. One of her hands reached up and wrapped itself gently around the back of his neck while the other hand displayed itself across his bare chest. Right over his heart before slowly sliding it across one side and to the other before starting to dip lower. Down across his abdomen and the the edge of his jeans. Her eyes hooded and filled with nothing but desire, need.
His skin prickled at the touch and his head became foggy with need. He'd just been given the okay to claim her and his body surged with desire at the mere mention.
He growled low and in one fluid motion, he picked her up and walked her against one of the many trees nearby. Her legs wrapping around his waist and her arms around his neck. Her lips parting and inviting him in. Which he took the notion instantly and swiftly took her lips into his. Plunging his tongue into her mouth, revelling in her exquisite taste.
One hand was wrapped in her hair again as the other trailed across her skin slowly. Not needing to support her as she supported herself along with the tree helping to brace.
Wanting to feel every inch of her as possible. Each stoke left a trail of goosebumps along her skin, he trailed lightly. Slowly. She gasped softly against his lips as his fingertips brush across one of her nipples. Her body arching into his at the touch, instantly. He was already rock hard, but her gasp made him throb with his need to claim. And he wanted to, so bad. But..
Dorian pulled away, sighing in remorse and groaned as her legs tightened and pushes his member more firmly against her heated core. She whimpered as he pulled away.
"Dorian? W-what..." Nemia started, still dazed.
"Not now, beautiful. I won't take you here, or tonight." He sighed, pressing his forehead against hers. "I want you in your right mind to come to me. I don't want you to wake up tomorrow... Regretting what we done."
The fog for her seemed to be clearing now and she pulled her head away slightly, frowning at him. "But... Isn't this what you wanted? You... Don't wa-"
"I do want you Nemia. I do want this. I need this. But I can't take it from you out here on the forest floor when your heart is filled with so much sorrow you just want something to happen to make you forget everything. But tomorrow, you'll remember anyways and what then? Be mated to someone who you hate because I took advantage of your vulnerability? I... I can't do that to you Nemia."
Nemia's eyes widened ever so slightly and she opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again before a word could escape. When she opened her mouth again, she seemed to have derailed herself from the state of mind she has been in. "Okay, let me down then. I need to put clothes on. I really shouldn't be this exposed." She mumbled softly, starting to wiggle out of his grasp before he even has a chance to let her go himself. He stepped back though and his member throbbed again as he could actually see all of her body, every curve.
He swallowed down the urge to just grab her then and take her like she had asked. But remained stoic, barely, hoping he didn't just mess up his one chance by being the nice guy. But his morals told him not to do this now and he couldn't argue, though the beast inside him was pissed as Dorian watched her dress in her clothes and set off walking back towards the castle that was miles and miles away, without him.
This was definitely going to be a long walk back.