My Long Lost Mate

"What's wrong?" asked Luke, his worried tone didn't go unnoticed by me. "Are you okay?" another question came from the man as he squatted down. 

"M-my feet hurt," I replied. I felt bad lying about my pain after looking at his worry, but I was left with no choice. I didn't want him to go.

"Where does it hurt?" he questioned, and I needed a second to come back with another lie. 

"My soles?" I answered, receiving a confused look from him because of my uncertainty. "I-I think I've walked for too long."

My sudden involvement in their conversation granted me the attention of the woman who finally noticed my presence. The woman coughed, raising one of her eyebrows when she asked, "Who is she?" 

"Is that so?" Luke's attention was still on me despite the woman's query. He ignored the question meant for him and untied my boots, taking them off my feet while at the same time pushing my shoulders back so that I sit on the ground. 

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He didn't answer my question with words but instead answered it with his actions. He started massaging my feet, gently doing it without using too much of his strength. His actions surprised not only me but also the woman called Kiera. 

"What are you doing?" I asked again, this time, pulling my feet away only to be pulled back by his grip. When I lied, I was only expecting him to escort me back to my room, and definitely not this. 

"I'm trying to ease your pain," he said, his hands gently massaging me with his soft touch. His massage did nothing sort of what he said but only tickles me. My mouth was so close to letting out a laugh from being ticklish but I tried my best to look pained, furrowing my brows together to look the part.

"Ow, haha," a laugh unknowingly escaped my lips despite my attempts to hold it back, "It—hurts," I coughed a ton, trying to pretend the laugh from before was too, a cough. I bit back my lips as I glance at Luke, his face showed nothing of an expression. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice.

"I suppose she is a guest of my brother," Kiera told, her lips curved into a beautiful smile but her eyes shot daggers at me. "I can call for the servants to help her so you don't need to waste your energy on her. Come, let us be on our way," she pulled on Luke's arm, again asking him to leave with her. 

At first, he stayed still, like he was thinking. But then I felt Luke released his hold, the warmness of his touch slowly leaving me. Was he really leaving? As he stood up, I hurriedly took hold of his hand, stopping him from going.

"Don't go," I begged. The words unconsciously escaped my lips, and a smile soon appeared on his face upon hearing them. A smile so big and charming, a smile that pleased the eyes. He hunched down, one of his hands hovered behind my knees and the other on my back, lifting me off the ground.

"I think we should save the piano for another day," he turned to Kiera, smiling widely at her despite refusing her invitation, "My woman said to not go, and I'm the kind of man who listens."

"Your woman?" she repeated, not believing what she had just heard. Her eyes went big, so big that I was afraid they would jump out of their sockets. "She is... your mate?"

"Undoubtedly," he nodded, his smile never leaving his face. A tingling sensation appeared on my ċhėst when he so proudly admitted me as his mate, his voice stern and confident. 

"So you found her," she smiled, her lips twitching ever so slightly. "Good for you. I know just how long you have been waiting for her," her eyes slowly went over to me, scrutinizing me. For some reason, I felt intimidated by her so I avoided her gaze, not wanting to make any contact. 

"It is the best," he chuckled. He turned around, going in the direction of our room while still carrying me in his arms, "Well then, we'll be going on our way."

Turning around, Luke tried to voice my inner voice, which was refusing the invitation, "No, we—"

"Don't you think it is a bit rude to refuse my invitation not once, but twice in a row?" she cut off. "I'm sure your mate wouldn't mind joining me for lunch, will she? It's just a simple lunch, after all." She said all that while staring at me, sending me a smile that was a bit uncomfortable to receive.

Her gaze didn't leave me, as if she was waiting for my answer. There was no other choice but to accept her invitation when she had made public her distaste of another refusal.

"We will see you there," I faked a smile, sighing inwardly at the upcoming event that was practically forced on both me and Luke.

"Good," she nodded, "I will see you at the dining room."

With that, she turned in another direction before walking away to leave us both. Luke sighed, but nothing came from his mouth. He proceeded to walk, still carrying me in his arms.

Upon our way, a fountain was seen. The water was frozen due to the harsh weather, leaving only a block of ice. Luke sat me by the edge of the fountain, both of his hands rested on the side of my thɨġhs. He leaned forward, a mischievous smirk appeared on his smooth, chiseled face. 

"What was that?" he asked, his red eyes brooding over my own. I gulped down the water on my throat, my ċhėst pounding harder with each passing second. 

"What was what?" I returned his question with another, trying to act nonchalant. Did he notice?

I lowered my head, fiddling with my fingers on my thɨġhs. "I didn't lie," I replied, adding up my sins with another lie, "It really hurts."

"Really?" he quizzed, "Does that mean I will have to carry you around, like last time?" his lips grew into a wide grin, a hint of amusement evident on his face.

"It hurts, it did," I jerked my head, smiling at the man, "But I think it got a lot better now. I heal quite fast, right? Do you think I might have a healing ability too?" I laughed, placing my hands on his shoulders as a support for me to get off the fountain.

"Wait," he ordered, stopping me from moving. I had almost forgotten I was only wearing socks on my feet with no shoes. He knelt down, putting on the boots he previously took off my feet. "Were you being jealous?" he asked while tying my bootstraps. 

"I was... not," I denied. Was I jealous? It was a question for me as well. Was I, really? It was no question that I didn't like the fact that they were going to leave but was it jealousy that I feel? 

"Don't go," he mimicked, repeating my words from before. "I noticed you were lying when I was massaging you," he laughed, "I wanted to know your reaction if I did leave you. I'm glad you had the exact reaction that I wish to see."

I sighed, thinking that there was no use continuing my lie when he had realized the truth.

"You were the one who offered to show me around so it is only right for you to escort me back to my room instead of leaving." 

"I know," he stood up, ruffling my hair when he had finished helping me with my boots, "Rest ȧssured, I'm not going to leave you for any other woman," he offered his hand to help me get off the fountain, "You are the only woman for me."

When my feet touched the ground, I immediately sprinted off, leaving the man laughing behind me. He shouted for me to wait for him, but I didn't heed his request. But only after a few seconds of him shouting for me to wait, he caught up to me with his long strides. This man couldn't even leave me alone for a second to ease the redness of my cheeks.

"Why are you running?" he stopped me from the front, his hand holding mine. It was not like he didn't know the answer to his question, but he just wanted to hear me say the answer for him. 

"Because you made me shy," I replied, turning my head away from him. 

"Why, isn't that a wonderful thing?" he said, smiling from ear to ear, "You shouldn't run from me, rabbit. Because I will chase you to the end of the world and still make you mine."