The Crown's Entrapment

This was awkward… Bella felt so weird at the moment that she started regretting the fact that she even pondered on what Osman was thinking about her.

[You're getting affected by his words,] Poona pointed out. [How much more would you be affected if he actually does what he just said? You'll turn into helpless putty in his hands. Knowing this, we can no longer ignore the fact that we want him just as much as he wants us.]

[It's still too early to assume something like that, Poona. As of now, Osman has simply told me that he desires me,] Bella rebutted her wolf. [It can't be interpreted as love. It's more of a purely physical attraction than love.  Like I said, I want a man who will love me wholly, not just for my body, but for myself as well.]

This was non-negotiable. She didn't want to make the mistake she did with Calypso, so she intended to know more about Osman before getting further into their relationship. She had already learned her lesson with Calypso. She wouldn't assume too much from someone anymore.

She gave Osman a smirk as she confidently declared, "If you want to make it happen, then you have to love me wholly. You have to make me fall in love with you deeply too, Os." She then gave him a pointed stare as she added, "But I'm warning you again, in case you might forget: I still have two years left to possibly experience the Mate Pull and meet my Mate if I'm blessed enough to have one…"

"I understood my little vixen. Like I've been always saying before, it doesn't matter," Osman nodded, his tone lacking the usual conviction he had deep inside of him. "I'm responsible for my own feelings and actions, and I will honor and respect whatever decision you might take if the time comes."

Osman inwardly shivered at his own words. He had always been a man who never broke his own word, so why did it feel like he would soon regret what he just said?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he went back to reality and quickly diverted the topic back to his original concern. "So tell me, Bella. Is it possible for a Lycan to feel the Mate Pull?"

"No… According to the books, it's not possible," Bella pensively answered.

"Also, I'm sure that it isn't the Mate Pull that you're feeling for me since I don't feel it too. I mean… if that's the Mate Pull, then I should be feeling the same way since I'm a healthy werewolf with no disabilities. There's no way that I shouldn't be feeling the Mate Pull right now if you're feeling it for me. Based on that, I believe that what you're feeling right now is-"

*Thud*

The carriage shook, and Osman was quick to hold and protect Bella with his arms as the entire interior cabin seemed to shudder. The whole thing also moved sideways, making him wrap his arms around her tightly as he let his body take the impact.

"What was that?" Bella murmured as she raised her head up to Osman. She was currently on top of him, and she couldn't help but worriedly ask, "Are you alright?"

Osman smiled. "I'm more than fine," he cheekily replied.

Noting his reply, Bella blushed hard as soon as she realized their current position. Osman's arms were currently holding onto her tightly, and she was right on top of him…

'What the hell?' she alarmingly mused. She could feel his bulge on her legs, and it was making her feel something for weird reasons that she couldn't explain.

Before she could try and decipher her own emotions, the door had suddenly swung open.

"Milord, milady, are you both alright?" the coachman anxiously asked.

With them being exposed, Bella quickly got up to compose herself. Likewise, Osman did the same as the coachman helped the two of them out of the carriage.

"My apologies," the coachman profusely apologized. "I didn't know that there was a huge hole on the road. The snow had covered it up, preventing me from seeing it…"

"Tsk! They should've put a warning on the road then," Bella fumed with a frown.

"I will quickly relay a message to the officer in charge of this area, milady," the coachman quickly replied. "Again, I apologize for the delay. Let me just get some help and request for food and a new carriage."

"That's alright," Osman reassured his coachman. "Go ahead and report this incident. Bella and I will take the horse instead and have a stopover for lunch. I'll get a new carriage in the nearest town."

Bella kept her silence as she simply watched the coachman prepare the horse for Osman and her to ride on. She flinched when she felt him put something over her shoulder. It was her cloak that she had taken off as soon as she got inside the carriage.

"We can travel in my wolf form though," Bella absently suggested. "That will be faster,"

"Hmm, I found it weird riding you though…" Osman commented. "Still, that would be our last resort. Maybe if there's really no other option available."

Bella chuckled. "You're so weird. I mean, so what if you'll ride on top of me?"

Osman chuckled and shamelessly replied, "It's not weird, milady, but I don't want to inconvenience you whenever you're around me. So let's just ride this horse together, shall we?" He shrugged, "Besides, riding a horse is the perfect alibi for me to spend more private time with you."

Bella flinched at Osman's words as she tried her best to control the frantic beating of her heart. His candid nature always somehow gave her butterflies in her stomach. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling though. In fact, it was honestly a feeling that made her anticipate what else was there to come. It was making her feel good and excited, and she didn't know why.

Agreeing to their new arrangement, she climbed onto the horse first, with Osman following her as he sat behind her.

She couldn't help but blush. This was the first time she had felt this close to a man… The first time that she had let a man get this close to her like this. His warmth radiated all over her back when he wrapped himself around her to grab the reigns. The weather was supposed to be cold, but Bella felt so warm and secure in his embrace that she even unknowingly leaned against Osman's sturdy chest.

Just as she felt her head impact his chest, she felt Osman's body stiffen. Quickly, she murmured and explained, "I'm sorry. It's just that it's warm like this..."

She was about to move away when she felt Osman's one arm tighten around her waist. Leaning into her ear, he whispered, "That's alright. Feel free to lean on me whenever you like, my little vixen. You're safe in my arms."

"Am I?" Bella naughtily replied.

"Well, yes, you are in terms of being in danger from other things and creatures," Osman chuckled. "I will definitely protect you against them with all of my life…" He then let out a deep breath as he added, "But as for myself, I'm no exemption from being dangerous… I'm quite dangerous, but you currently hold the power to restrain me. So don't worry. I won't do or force you to do something against your will…"