Alaska woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing. She'd stayed up the entire night, calling Arian to apologise but he declined most of her calls, the others just being ignored. Without opening her eyes to look at the called ID, she answered. "Hello?

"Morning, Virginia."

Her eyes shot open when she heard his voice and she immediately straightened up as if he could see through the phone. His voice was empty; without a hint of anger. "Ice," she whispered to herself, unable to believe that he had actually returned her call.

"Is Teresa at home? I want to speak to her," Arian replied calmly.

"Y-Yeah, just a minute," she replied. She decided to apologise after he was done talking to her mother. Teresa Ivanov generally spent the entire day at home, either watching some tv series or gossiping with her friends over the phone. And once a week, she would visit the parlour.

Alaska checked the entire house but didn't find her mother anywhere. Using her father's office phone, she called some of her mother's friends but none of them had a clue on the whereabouts of her mother. Dread filled her.

"You took her, didn't you?" She whispered.

She had humiliated him in front of the most important people of Blackwater. She'd disrespected the King in front of his own subjects. She was bound to get punished but she didn't expect him to punish her by hurting her family.

"Tell another soul and you'll find a gift at your doorstep by midnight," he promised.

Before she could beg him to release her mother, he cut the call. She slid down the wall, sitting on the cold marble floor, staring into space. Teresa hadn't been there when Alaska spoke her first word, she didn't drop her off to her first day at school and neither was she there for Alaska's first stage performance. But she had shielded her in her womb for nine months and that was enough for her to be grateful.

The doorbell rang. Alaska rushed over to the door and pulled it open, expecting Arian to be standing there with a smug look. A man stood with flowers in his hand. "Delivery for Alaska Ivanov," he said blankly and handed her the flowers and stormed out before she could thank him. It was a beautiful bouquet of a dozen white roses with a white bow wrapped around it. A note was attached.

She laughed at her fate. The one guy that she actually thought was worth her time, attempted to kill her mother. She'd start to develop feelings for Arian, joining the clan of the fangirls of the handsome prince. Arianators, to be exact. She rushed to her room and pulled on a pair of comfortable pair of jeans with a loose shirt and converse.

Ironically, it happened to be a bright and beautiful day. The townsfolk were all in a jolly mood, doing their daily chores. The women made small talk with the baker as little children ran around the fountain and squealed happily. Belle, like always, chose to spend the afternoon in the library. And then there was Alaska, going to meet a serial killer.

It ends where it all started.

A month ago she walked into the Blackwater forest, unknown of the danger that would enter her life. Meeting Arian darkened her life, surrounding her with death and doom. Yet, a part of her, was ready to overlook all of it if it meant getting the affection of Arian. He dragged her into his darkness and she was too deep in to be pulled out. She knew that she was prone to danger but she had to save her mother. Maybe he took Noah too.

That's nice, the man I was starting to like kidnapped my best friend and attempted to murder my mother.

How can't I resist him?

The forest was welcoming, as always. The temperature seemingly dropped once she stepped foot into the forest. The sky appeared to be darker as the sun was blocked by the ginormous trees that acted as a canopy. Alaska knew what she was walking into and for once in her life, she wasn't afraid. She heard a howl from afar. It wasn't one that echoed danger. It was more like a proclamation.

She felt him before she saw him. A shiver ran down her spine making her pull the sleeves of her t-shirt. He smelt like the forest right after a heavy shower. A white shirt hugged his body tightly and he wore his signature black ripped jeans and a navy blue coat. He smelt her sweet vanilla and raspberry scent and smirked. He had her where he wanted her to be.

"Chelsea," he murmured, his lips twisting into a mischievous smile.

"I want my mother." She almost laughed at how child-like she sounded. Arian gave her an amused look before nodding at something behind him. She found her mother unconscious and tied up. She looked at Arian with disgust and ran towards her mother. Arian tsked. One sound from him was enough to stop her.

"They call me the Blackwater Butcher," he said, out of the blue. The forest was dead silent. Alaska was sure that Arian could hear her erratic heartbeats. Those two words were enough to instil fear into any sane person. Humans fear death, they fear being turned into nothing and being forgotten. What's worse is to be remembered as a murder victim. Just another victim.

"Savage," he whispered, moving her hair from her shoulder blade, exposing her neck.

"Vicious." He placed his wintry lips on the skin of her neck. She sucked in a breath and shut her eyes tightly. Her hand found his, not stoping him but not letting him continue either.

"Sadistic." He bit down softly. She bit back a moan and instead pushed herself away from him and his sweet torture. He was basically romancing her in front of her unconscious mother. Unlike him, she had shame.

"Give me one good reason for why I shouldn't kill your mother," he murmured. His voice held confidence. Like always, he spoke few words yet each word of his held a lot of weight. She looked at her mother's body lying on the cold forest ground, wet from the previous shower of rain.

"I'll do anything, just leave my mother out of it, Ice. Your vengeance is with me. Punish me," she whispered, ashamed of having to offer herself to him. He did have quite a history with women.

"Very well," he smirked.

She looked at him from under her eyelashes, trying to make sure she heard him right. Did I just make a deal with the devil? As appealing as the idea of having her writhing in pleasure under him was to Arian, he refused to do so.

"You will beg me to fuck you very soon and only then shall I oblige. Until then, you do as I say," he said, loud and clear. She frowned at him. Am I not appealing to him? Arian, reading her thoughts, frowned.

"I'm not saying that I won't sleep with you, darling. I want you to want me as much as I want you. See ya later," he said, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

: I had a major writer's block so this chapter literally took my twenty days to write

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Yeah, I suck at writing author's notes.

⭐️⭐️

TheNameIsHoran👩🏻‍💻