The Princess's Guard ✔️
The silence of the night was ripped apart by a piercing scream, followed by the violent crash of glass. My eyes shot open, heart hammering against my ribs, as a deep thud echoed through the manor, vibrating through the very foundations of my room.
Another scream, this one cut short, chilled my blood. It came from downstairs. My personal guard, Andri, usually a constant presence outside my door, was eerily silent.
"Andri?" I called out, my voice barely a whisper. No answer.
Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat. My father's words, always echoing in my ears, commanded me to stay hidden, to wait. But the silence from Andri, and the approaching footsteps, urged me otherwise.
Pushing the door open, a faint, metallic scent hit me. The darkness was absolute, but my bare foot found a chilling wetness on the carpet. Blood. Andri's blood.
Before I could process the horror, a shadow detached itself from the gloom. A gloved hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream, as an arm wound around my stomach, yanking me back into the room. I clawed, kicked, and thrashed, but the grip was unyielding. I was thrown onto my bed, pinned.
He was going to kill me. Just like Andri. But then, as my skin brushed his, a shockwave jolted through me, searing through every nerve ending. He was my mate.
