Reign of Obsession

As the tiger lunged, a blur of motion shot past Emily. In an instant, Niklaus was there, pulling her away from the tree, his strong arms wrapping around her fragile form just as the tiger's claws swiped dangerously close to where she had stood.

With Emily safely in his arms, Niklaus's gaze snapped to the tiger. His eyes, glowing a fierce red, were filled with fury. Without hesitation, he lifted his hand, and with a mere flick of his fingers, the beast turned into a pile of smoldering ash, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

"You killed it," Emily whispered hoarsely, her voice weak, yet filled with disbelief and disapproval. Even in her pained state, she was unhappy that the animal had died.

But before she could voice more of her displeasure, her body gave in to the overwhelming exhaustion and fever. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed, slipping into unconsciousness.

Niklaus caught her, cradling her limp form in his arms. His brow furrowed with worry as he felt the unnatural heat radiating from her body. She was burning up with fever, and his heart clenched with both anger and concern.

Moments earlier, after finishing his breakfast and settling some royal matters with Maximus, he had set out to find Emily. When the servants mentioned that she had gone to the orchard, Niklaus headed in that direction. But as soon as he saw the open gate that led into the dense forest, he cursed under his breath.

"Always getting into trouble," he muttered, quickening his pace into the forest.

When he finally found her, standing alone in the heart of the wilderness, he immediately sensed that something was wrong. She stood there, swaying, her body language betraying her weakness. And then, just as he was about to call out to her, he saw the tiger emerging from the trees.

His protective instincts kicked in, and without thinking twice, he pulled her away from danger. But in the process, the tiger's claws managed to catch him, leaving deep gashes that ran from his shoulder down his back. He barely flinched, his focus entirely on Emily.

After turning the tiger to ashes, his attention shifted back to her. Her weak glare spoke volumes about her displeasure with the tiger's death, but she could barely hold herself upright.

As she went limp in his arms, Niklaus's heart tightened with fear. He didn't waste a second. In a swift movement, he apparated them both to his room, laying her gently on the bed. Her skin was scorching to the touch, and her breaths came in shallow gasps.

Fury bubbled inside him, directed at her recklessness. Why had she wandered off so carelessly? Why hadn't she told anyone how unwell she was? His jaw clenched as he paced beside the bed, watching over her as she lay there, unconscious and vulnerable.

"Always so stubborn," he whispered, his voice thick with a mixture of frustration and affection. He couldn't stay mad at her, not when she looked so fragile and delicate. But the anger remained, simmering beneath his worry for her well-being.

Niklaus's eyes flickered with the embers of his elemental power, but his heart softened as he looked at her. He vowed to protect her at all costs, even from her own carelessness.

Niklaus's frustration and concern simmered beneath the surface as he placed Emily on the bed, gently covering her with the drapes. The anger that had flared in him when he found her in the forest still hadn't left. He called for the physician immediately, his orders sharp, and he paced the room as he waited for the diagnosis. Once the physician confirmed it was only a mild fever, Niklaus breathed slightly easier, but the tension in his body remained.

After the physician left, Niklaus returned to her side. His face softened slightly as he fetched three wet clothes, placing them on her forehead and arms in an attempt to soothe the fever. He sat beside her, his large frame looming protectively over her pale, delicate form. Her stillness unnerved him; he didn't like seeing her like this—so quiet, so vulnerable. She belonged in her vibrant, fiery form, challenging him, testing his patience with her defiance.

He gently took her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers, the warmth of her skin grounding him. His red eyes scanned her face, noting the flush from her fever and the soft rise and fall of her chest. He stared at her, hours passing as his thoughts circled around her carelessness, his worry for her, and the way she had looked at him with that weak, yet fiery glare just before she'd passed out.

Niklaus's frustration and concern simmered beneath the surface as he placed Emily on the bed, gently covering her with the drapes. The anger that had flared in him when he found her in the forest still hadn't left. He called for the physician immediately, his orders sharp, and he paced the room as he waited for the diagnosis. Once the physician confirmed it was only a mild fever, Niklaus breathed slightly easier, but the tension in his body remained.

Finally, a soft groan broke the silence, and he snapped out of his thoughts. Emily stirred, her eyes fluttering open, and Niklaus immediately sat up straighter. Without a word, he grabbed a glass of water from the nearby table and handed it to her. She drank it slowly, her eyes hazy and unfocused, but when she turned her gaze toward him, she saw the storm brewing in his red eyes.

"Your highness—" she began weakly, but Niklaus cut her off, his tone sharp with authority.

"From now on, you are not going out of the castle without my permission," he commanded, his voice low and dangerous, glaring at her with those intense, burning eyes.

Emily blinked in surprise at the sudden harshness in his voice. "Always attracting trouble," he muttered, his anger bubbling up again. His eyes flared with a deep crimson as his frustration resurfaced.

"I was fine when I was walking," Emily argued, her voice still hoarse. "But suddenly, I don't know what happened. I feel better now," she added, trying to reassure him.

But Niklaus wasn't having it. His gaze narrowed as he snapped, "You said you were in the orchard. Then why were you in the forest, Emily?"

The way he said her name made her freeze. He had never called her by her name before, always addressing her as "princess." The sound of her name from his lips stirred something within her, a mixture of surprise and an unfamiliar emotion she couldn't quite place. She flinched slightly at the sharpness in his tone, but as he turned away from her to grab the juice from the table, her eyes caught something alarming.

Her breath hitched when she noticed his shirt—torn, bloodstained, and barely clinging to his body. The crimson marks of a fresh injury ran from his shoulder down his back, staining the fabric.

"Stop," she said, her voice urgent.

She moved off the bed, her concern momentarily eclipsing her own weakness. "What happened?" she asked, standing in front of him.

"Nothing," he replied, his voice steady as he reached for a glass of juice.

"You need a physician," she insisted.

"I'll attend to my wound later. First, let's focus on you," he said, handing her the juice.

But she was adamant. "Sit on the bed, please," she requested, her tone leaving no room for argument.

He sat, his anger still simmering. Emily exited the room briefly and returned with a small bowl of medicinal paste. Standing before him, she began to unbutton his shirt, her eyes focused on her task.

Niklaus's anger dissipated as he realized what she was doing. As she removed his shirt, she gasped at the sight of the large scar on his shoulder and back, a clear mark of the tiger's claws. Her guilt was palpable; she felt responsible for his injury.

Niklaus sat silently, watching her as she applied the herbal paste to his wound, her soft hands carefully pressing the cloth over his back to secure it. The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken feelings. Emily's face remained focused, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she couldn't ignore the growing warmth between them, especially when Niklaus spread his legs and leaned back, his commanding voice breaking the silence.

"Sit here," he said, his tone softer now, almost inviting. He wasn't used to someone caring about him in this way. It unsettled him, but it also drew him closer to her.

Hesitantly, Emily sat between his legs, still concentrating on his injury but all too aware of how close their bodies were. Her knees brushed against his thighs, the warmth of his skin seeping into hers as she leaned forward to finish cleaning his wound. Her hands moved with care, but her mind was racing. The proximity between them, the intimacy of the moment, stirred something deep within her.

Niklaus remained still, but his eyes never left her. He could feel the tension in her as she worked, her body stiff with nervous energy. His anger from earlier had dissipated, replaced by a quiet intensity. He could feel her warmth, smell the soft scent of her hair as she leaned in closer to him. The way her fingers brushed against his skin—both innocent and delicate—only heightened his awareness of her.

When Emily finished treating his wound, she tilted slightly to place the bowl back on the table. But as she moved, her body pressed against his, and she froze, suddenly all too conscious of the closeness between them. Her breath hitched as she felt his chest rise and fall behind her, his strong presence surrounding her. Niklaus's hands gently found their way to her waist, his touch light yet possessive.

Emily's body tensed as she felt the heat of Niklaus's proximity, and she shifted slightly, only to realize, with a jolt of embarrassment, that she was clad in nothing but a delicate petticoat. Her corset had been discarded earlier, leaving her exposed in a way she hadn't intended. Her cheeks flamed bright red as she saw her bare skin, and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest, her heart racing with a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability.

Niklaus, his smirk widening at her reaction, moved swiftly. Before Emily could react, he pinned her hands gently but firmly against the bed. His eyes, dark with a mixture of mischief and desire, locked onto hers as he loomed above her. The intensity of his gaze sent shivers down her spine, both from the thrill of the moment and the realization of her predicament.

He lowered himself, his breath hot against her skin, and captured her lips in a kiss that was both tender and teasing. His lips brushed against hers with a soft, playful pressure, making her gasp and pull back slightly. But Niklaus wasn't deterred. He deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth with a deliberate, languid dance, exploring her with a fervor that made her heart race.

Niklaus's kiss began with a tenderness that was almost gentle, his lips grazing hers with a teasing, feather-light touch. The pressure was soft and playful, almost as if he was exploring the boundaries of her response, making her gasp and pull back slightly in surprise. The sudden retreat was brief, however, as his resolve only strengthened. Unfazed, he deepened the kiss, his lips parting to allow his tongue to slip into her mouth with a slow, deliberate motion. The touch of his tongue was both exploratory and ardent, swirling and dancing with hers in a rhythm that quickened her pulse and left her breathless.

Every movement of his tongue was deliberate and languid, savoring the taste and texture of her response with an intensity that made her heart race. It was as if he was not just kissing her, but absorbing every nuance of her reaction, feeding off the way she shivered beneath him.

Meanwhile, his hand, cold and commanding, traveled deliberately up her bare knee. The stark contrast between his icy touch and her heated skin sent a jolt of electricity through her body. The sensation was acute and disorienting, leaving her in a state of heightened awareness. Her skin tingled where he touched, and she couldn't help but shiver under the cool, deliberate pressure of his hand. The heat pooling in her core mixed with the sharp sting of embarrassment, creating a cocktail of emotions that was both exhilarating and overwhelming.

As his kiss grew more insistent, his movements became more fervent. His lips pressed harder against hers, and his tongue explored deeper, pulling soft, pleading moans from her. His fingers, still caressing her knee with an almost possessive grip, slid further up her leg, the delicate fabric of her petticoat brushing against his fingertips. The intimate touch made her body react instinctively, arching towards him, seeking more of the sensation that was both electrifying and intensely intimate.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching hers with a smoldering intensity. "This is a thank you from me, princess," he murmured against her lips, his voice a low, seductive growl that made her pulse quicken. His words were both a promise and a tease, leaving her breathless and caught between the conflicting emotions of embarrassment and desire.

The intimacy of the moment was overwhelming, and Emily found herself trapped between wanting to retreat and being drawn into the heat of his passion. Niklaus's touch was both a comfort and a torment, leaving her in a state of heightened awareness of every caress, every kiss.

"Thank you for treating my wound," Niklaus's voice broke the silence again, softer now, almost teasing, but there was still that edge to it—dangerous, seductive. "But you should know... I'm not as fragile as you think."

Emily's cheeks flushed deeply at his words, her body trembling slightly in response to the mixture of fear and desire swirling inside her. She finally turned her head, just enough to meet his gaze, her blue eyes locking with his intense red ones. His stare was penetrating, dark, filled with something raw and untamed, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

"I didn't think you were," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but Niklaus heard her clearly.

A slow, wicked smile curved on his lips, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight. He leaned in closer, pressing a soft kiss to her temple, lingering there for a moment as if savoring the contact, the intimacy of the moment. The sensation of his lips on her skin, so warm and gentle, contrasted with the dangerous energy that radiated from him.

When he pulled back, his eyes stayed fixed on her, studying her reaction with an intensity that made her heart race even faster. "Good," he murmured, his voice low and smooth, dripping with unspoken promises.

The air between them was thick with tension, neither of them willing to break the moment. Emily could feel her body responding to him, heat pooling low in her belly, her breath coming in soft, shallow gasps. She didn't want to move, didn't want to break the spell that had been cast between them.

Niklaus's hands stayed on her, a constant reminder of his power, his control over her in that moment. His fingers gently brushed her skin, sending waves of sensation through her, making her hyper-aware of every inch of her body. She felt trapped—trapped by his presence, by the way he looked at her, by the way her own body seemed to betray her, responding to his touch with a desperate need she hadn't known was there.

"Now," Niklaus said, his voice a low rumble, "you should rest."