Chapter 380: Can't Stay Away

She pretended to be calm and just continued drinking her beer. With the current security around, the person watching her would never dare to do something.

Just like what King Agostos told her, there is an upcoming competition. And it looked like it's between schools? From what she knew, there are only three academies inside and outside this kingdom. The Royal Academy was, of course, the strongest among them.

However, she is having a terrible feeling about this.

"Have you heard? The Royal Academy is going to send five students. Even the First Prince was selected."

"Oh? The first prince. I don't even know what he looked like… ah! Blond!"

"The second prince is Blond too, you moron."

"Oh… right… hahaha!"

"I've heard some interesting rumors. The Academy is going to send someone really strong… they said he just… got out of the hospital, though. If he was still injured. Why send him? Was he that strong?"

"Who knows?"

Anna stiffened when she heard those words. Mo Li?

They are going to send Mo Li?

That's impossible. His mother would never allow that to happen!

She quickly finished her beer and started walking towards the house where she would stay. It was still the same house where Melody was staying. Until now, the woman was still working in the brothel hoping that someone would buy her.

However, Melody might also know things about the current things happening inside the capital.

"Hm?" She walked towards an Alley and just as she expected, whoever was watching her earlier was following her.

She calmly walked over and let the man followed.

"Hey…"

A hand gripped her wrist.

"W — who are you?" Anna sounded nervous. "Let me go!"

Instead of letting her go, the man dragged her towards the darker corner of the Alley. Because the man was wearing a hoody, she had no way of knowing what he looked like. However, that does not matter.

She… was going to kill him, anyway.

"Let me go!" Of course, she still kept acting. "If you won't let me go… I — I will scream!"

The man turned around and backed her towards a wall. He leaned closer. The smell of lemon and musk rolled between them.

"You are good at acting."

This voice.

Anna stiffened. There's no way.

"You — I think you got the wrong person."

To her surprise, the man suddenly removed his hoody, revealing hair as black as the night. "Did you think you are the only one who knew how to hide?"

"You— "

"Why did you leave me alone, Anna?"

It was indeed Mo Li. And he looked pissed.

"What did you want me to do?" she could feel his hot breath against her cheek. Her body was shorter than Anna, so in front of him, she looked like a midget. "Stay and… let them capture me?"

The man pursed his lips. He was still glaring at her.

"You are alive. That's— "

"That's the point! I was supposed to die!"

"What?"

"You did something to me."

"What are you talking about?" Was it the consequence that the system spoke of? Just… what happened to him?

"I was supposed to die. I know it. There's no way… even healers wouldn't be able to heal me. What did you do?"

"I healed you. And you should be thanking me."

"That— "

"How the hell did you get here?" she snapped. "I left you because it's not safe. You almost got yourself killed the last time you were with me." She wanted him to understand that she was literally a walking bomb. "You can't be here."

"You don't have the right to tell me that."

She glared. "Then stay away from me." She tried to push him away. She still has things to attend to.

"That's it! I can't!"

"What— "

"I can't stay away." His voice lowered. "I don't think I can."

"What are you talking about? My father killed yours. You hate me. It's easy to stay away."

"You don't understand." For some reason, he sounded defeated and… aggrieved. "I don't want to stay either, but… I don't think I can stop myself."

"What are you— "

A kiss halted her words. His lips into hers.

Her eyes widened as she let out a gasp. It was wrong.

Her brain was telling her this was wrong.

But instead of pushing him away, she folded her arm around his neck.

His lips were warm and soft and silken against her own. Weirdly, it reminded her of something she had forgotten a long time ago. What was it? The kiss was familiar, so familiar she felt like she had done it with him more than once. But she knew she hadn't.

What was happening?

Their bodies pressed against each other as he held her waist and pushed her up against the wall. In response, her legs wrapped around his hips. She could taste his need, his desperation.

A part of her immediately wanted this to stop.

The other part wanted her to caress him, to feel every inch of his body.

A weird warmth blossomed on her chest. It was followed by tingling sensations. The sparks were there. It was something that she had never felt before.

She thought she heard him utter one word; mate.

But she knew it was impossible.

She wasn't human, to begin with.

There is no way that she is his mate.

Or is there?

The kiss continued until both were out of breath.

It felt dizzying and confusing. Yet she didn't hate it.

They said nothing. Rather, both of them knew that there was no word enough to describe their current state.

One wanted answers, the other wanted domination.

And both of them know that there was a possibility that they were not going to get the answer that they need. At least… not tonight.

"Mine…" Mo Li whispered as he kissed her temple.

"Impossible."

"I'm not wrong. I knew you felt it too."

"Mates… don't exist."

"They do…" he gulped. "I just found mine."