The King’s Unclaimed Mate(BL)

The river had always been Caelum's sanctuary. A place untouched by prying eyes, where the weight of tradition and duty melted away.

Under the soft glow of the moon, the water shimmered like liquid silver, its gentle ripples whispering secrets to the night. A cool breeze caressed his skin as he sat by the riverbank, his crimson eyes reflecting the sky's endless darkness.

Here, he wasn't a prince.

Here, he wasn't a bride.

Here, he was simply… Caelum.

With a sigh, he reached up and removed his mask, letting the night air kiss his face. His long, black hair cascaded over his bare shoulders, damp from his brief dip in the water. The golden ornaments on his wrists and forehead gleamed faintly under the moonlight.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to breathe.

Until—

Snap.

A sound.

His eyes flew open.

---

A Stranger in the Night

Caelum turned sharply, his entire body tensing.

Someone was there.

For a split second, fear gripped him. But then, he forced himself to calm down. No one knew his face. Without his mask, he was just another beautiful stranger beneath the moon.

He was safe.

Or so he thought.

"You should be more careful."

The voice was deep, smooth, laced with an unsettling authority. It was rich, commanding—dangerous.

Caelum's breath hitched.

Slowly, he turned.

A man stood at the edge of the trees, bathed in moonlight.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. His golden hair glowed like threads of fire under the night sky, sharp features carved with a regality that sent an odd shiver down Caelum's spine. His golden eyes—piercing, unreadable—held a quiet intensity, like a beast studying its prey.

Caelum's heart stuttered.

He had only ever heard of this man.

Whispers of his conquests, of his unshakable power, of his cold, unreadable gaze. The untouchable king.

His husband.

And yet…

He didn't recognize him.

Caelum's lips parted slightly, disbelief flooding his chest. Then—relief. The king had never seen his face before.

A slow smirk tugged at Caelum's lips.

"So that's how it is?"

For the first time in his life, the chains of his title felt light. Here, in the cover of night, he was not a prince, not a bride—just a nameless stranger.

Mischief sparked in his crimson eyes.

And then—

He ran.

---

The Chase Begins

The king's eyes widened as the beauty bolted into the trees, his dark hair whipping behind him.

What the—

Without hesitation, he followed.

His feet pounded against the earth as he pursued the fleeing figure, his pulse quickening with something strange, something primal. His instincts screamed at him to catch him, to grasp that slender wrist and demand to know his name.

The beauty was fast—far too fast for an ordinary Omega.

"Wait!" the king called, voice firm.

Caelum nearly laughed. As if.

He pushed forward, weaving through the trees with practiced ease. He had played in forests like these since childhood—this was his terrain. But the king was relentless, closing the distance between them at an alarming speed.

Damn it, he's too fast!

Caelum's eyes darted around, searching for an escape. Then, an idea struck him.

A slow, knowing smirk curled his lips.

"Let's see how well you handle this, Your Majesty."

Without breaking stride, he summoned his magic.

A thick mist began to rise from the ground, swirling like ghostly tendrils, stretching through the trees in an eerie embrace.

The king faltered.

His vision clouded instantly.

A trick? No—this was magic.

His eyes narrowed. The mist was dense, unnatural, shifting like a living thing. A crafted illusion.

And then—

The beauty was gone.

Vanished into the night.

The king skidded to a stop, his breath heavy, golden eyes scanning the empty space where his mysterious stranger had stood only moments ago.

A sorcerer.

He had magic.

Slowly, a low chuckle escaped his lips.

Amused. Intrigued.

"So… you have magic too," he murmured, the smirk tugging at his lips unmistakable.

This was no ordinary encounter.

This was a game.

And now—

He was determined to win.

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