Chapter 15

Lightning flashed illuminating the room for one quick second and as a result brightened her too. He cupped her head slipping his fingers through her coiffure that was now loose at the end of the day, he moved his thumb across her cheek in slow deliberate strokes savouring the feel of her soft skin. He slowly moved his hand behind her neck and his fingers worked to massage the tense muscles there, the small sigh she let out stirred dangerous things in his depths. The only sounds in the room now being the sounds of the heavy raindrops on the roof and the music of their frantic heart beats.
Her eyes were now closed, her lips slightly parted, he couldn't resist, he leaned in and felt the unmistakable sharp edge of her blade against his biceps.
“Leave.”
She sounded -to his dismay- betrayed. He stepped a few paces away from her gave a pained mock salute not even bothering to hide his hurt and left the room and with an uncomfortable throb between his legs.
His walk turned into a run in the heavy downpour as he shifted from two legs to four heavy paws and he went into the direction of his pack. He saw lightning and waited a few seconds for the thunder that would follow and roared with it, knowing the thunder would mask him.
She felt rather than heard his cry through the cover of the thunder.
“Alexander.”
She whispered holding her hand over the twisting and pulling in her chest. Up in her chamber as she sat on her king sized bed asking herself if her pain was that she let him get that far or she didn't let him finish. But she reminded herself all these emotions and confusion was the ring. It was the ring. She thought as she looked at it with hatred.
She dreamt of Brenda teaching her to make scones. It was a peaceful dream and the scones didn't become balls if fire as she held them, just a nice memory. And when she woke he was gone, just like she asked him to. Good riddance.
She peeled off her garments and slid in to a tub a maid had filled with water to bathe. The bathe water was always there at precisely 6am per her instructions. She slipped deeper into the water and exhaled, reflecting on the events of the previous day. They had started out with the previous alpha's diary and had once again had no progress trying to discern his murderer from his barely there writings.
So they had moved to another issue. A few letters came from the dismissed council members -4 - to be precise, praising her efforts and how they're offering their help and support with no strings attached. Odd seeing how they were from the same group as the man whom she had more or less publicly executed.
But Damein insisted it was good to have them on her side because whether or not no one was publicly opposing her ruling, it was guts they did not have, the spite was there, and it was only a matter of time before they got over the fear of death and acted upon their hateful feelings. She wrote back asking to meet them today at 11 am. It was almost as soon as she had sent a footman off with the letter did an unwanted footman come running in.
She normally prided herself on having a good head on her shoulders but within a few days he had her chastising Damein and . . . canoodling with him.
What's worse? She didn't hate it.
She sank deeper in to the water, and engulfed herself completely. She heard the quick footsteps of her maids who opened the door to her dressing room and then one them proceeded to tap her knuckles in rapid motion on the thick white screen that provided her with privacy.
"Come." She says after removing her head from the water.
They entered and before they could pick up the towel and soap Athena motioned to the brown skin one and the thin girl paled. "Leave the bathing to her, find Damein Buchanan and tell him to be here in an hour."
The girl could have done much better hiding her relief as she curtsied and scurried away.
"Where is the other girl you usually come with." She preferred the brunette, she didn't look at Athena like she was expecting to be devoured. She her fingers stopped forming the lather and she looked surprised.
"She was dismissed your majesty."
“Why?”
"She got pregnant out of wedlock."
“The man won't accept her?”
"She don't know who it is. They raped her."
“They?”
“Yes Your majesty.”
“Tell the house keeper I'd like to have a word with whenever it suits her. No need to fret, your identity won't be revealed.”
“Thank you your majesty. Thank you.”
And got to washing Athena's hair first then moved on to the rest of her body and when she had rinsed her off and helped her out of the bathtub, Athena sat on the chair in front of the vanity and let the maid dry and style her hair. When the maid was done grooming her she proceeded to leave and Athena stopped her.
She couldn't pretend to ignore the nagging curiosity at the back of her mind.
“Do you know if the Alpha of Blue moon's pack representative is around.”
“I shall ask-”
“No don't ask.”
The maid looked uncomfortably confused. “I'm telling you to gossip, just not about me but to me.”
“Your majesty I would never gossip about you it's strictly against the Palace rules.” Now she just looked uncomfortable.
"Yet you do it, but I'm going to look the other way if you tell me about. . .Alexander."
The maid looked uncertain for a moment but then completely brightened. “He was seen running last night, into the raging storm no less, and he was seen after that by one of the patrol guards in his wolf form going towards the east coast.”
So he had truly left. She shouldn't have been affected but she was and it was vexing.
"Your majesty, I was wondering if it was true what I heard that-"
“I said I wouldn't quench your fire not help you fuel it. You may leave.”
“But your majesty-”
Athena cut her with a sharp look.
“Yes, your majesty.”
She rinsed off herself and sat in front of the mirror. Her hand went to the ring she dreaded so much. It was a good thing he was gone, though she suspected he would come back, she had a few days to collect herself. How she hated bring laid low by her emotions. And she hated even more, that it wasn't as as she thought. He wasn't as bad as she thought.