Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 458

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley 458**
**Chapter 458 Let’s Go Have Some Fun**

“Could you please unlock this for me? I really need to take a shower,” Emma said, her voice laced with urgency.

“I’ve already taken care of you,” Lucien replied, his tone casual as he set aside the cup he had been holding. He then brought over the breakfast he had meticulously prepared for her.

“You didn’t eat anything yesterday. You must be absolutely starving,” he added, his brow furrowing with concern.

Despite the fact that he had fed her two tubes of nutrient fluid while she slept, Lucien was acutely aware of Emma’s preferences. She had always been averse to nutrient fluid, preferring the warmth and comfort of real food.

Emma’s eyes narrowed as she regarded the breakfast laid out before her, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “But you just promised me a walk outside. How can we go if you won’t even unlock these chains? You must be lying to me.”

At her words, Lucien paused, lifting his hand and gazing at her with an expression that mingled reverence and something deeper. He let his fingers glide through her soft hair, as if she were the most precious gem in existence.

“How could I ever lie to you?” he murmured, his voice a gentle whisper, brimming with affection.

“Emma, I’m terrified. I fear that if I set you free, you’ll leave me. You might tell me to go back to Aurelian’s domain,” he confessed, his voice trembling slightly with vulnerability. “Until I can be sure that you’ll never abandon me, I can’t take these chains off just yet.”

Lucien’s expression shifted, a dangerous yet tender smile gracing his lips. “But don’t worry. I’ll make the chain long enough for you to roam freely in these woods. As long as I can see you, that’s all that matters to me.”

Emma found herself at a loss for words. The realization that her suggestion to return to Aurelian had left such a deep impact on him was startling.

As silence enveloped them, Lucien picked up a spoon, offering her a cooled bite of oatmeal. “Come on, eat something. Aren’t you hungry?” he encouraged gently.

With a resigned sigh, Emma opened her mouth and accepted the spoonful, the warmth of the food providing a small comfort amidst the tension.

Once breakfast was over, Lucien took it upon himself to dress her, his attention to detail evident in every movement. He was meticulous, ensuring she was ready both inside and out.

As Emma watched him, he picked up a long metal chain, locking one end around his own wrist. The two ends were now bound together, the chain connecting them in a way that felt both intimate and constricting. It swung gently, the soft clinking sound echoing in the stillness of the room.

Lucien lifted his hand, admiring the sight with a mix of satisfaction and something darker flickering in his black eyes. He turned his gaze towards Emma, the tenderness of his smile sending a chill down her spine.

“Liar,” she pouted, crossing her arms defiantly. “Let me see my lightcore. There are pictures of you on it. You can check. You definitely didn’t look like this before.”

Lucien’s gaze met hers, and he let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I lied to you before,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Emma’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean?” she asked, her heart racing.

With a few swift movements, Lucien pulled up a file on his lightcore, revealing images and data that made Emma’s head spin. “I never told you… when I was young, I was kidnapped by the Chitinids. They experimented on me. I was changed. That’s why I look different now. Even my personality has shifted as a result.”

Emma’s curiosity turned to horror as she opened the file. The first thing she clicked was a video, and her heart sank as she watched Lucien writhing in pain, his face contorted in agony, mirroring the one she recognized all too well.

Then she clicked on the photos, her breath catching as she saw him imprisoned in the Chitinid lab. In those images, he was strapped to an operating table, his brilliant red wings forced open, and countless thin metal probes piercing his body…

The weight of his past settled heavily between them, a silence filled with unspoken fears and shared pain.