Chapter 49
His presence filled the doorway, and for a moment, I considered slamming the door in his face. But that would only make him more suspicious. Besides, he was the king.
“Your Majesty,” I said, my voice sharper than intended. “It’s late.”
He stepped inside without waiting for permission, his gaze locked on mine. “I know. But I still have questions for you.”
I closed the door and turned to face him, folding my arms. “What more do you want from me?”
“The truth.” His voice was low, but it carried the weight of authority. “Why are you marrying Lucian?”
I blinked, caught off guard. “I already told you. He proposed marriage and I accepted.”
Rowan stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t lie to me, Lady Arin. There must be something else. My brother is very cunning. There must be something he is offering you.”
The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine, but I forced myself to hold my ground. “You don’t know anything about what I want. What could your brother possibly offer me?”
“I know enough,” he said, his tone cutting. “You have not even been here for up to a week. You are from Braam. And now, out of nowhere, you agree to marry a prince from a country your kingdom has ignored for decades. Why?”
“Because I’m attracted to him,” I shot back, my voice rising. It was a lie, a cheap lie but I had no choice. Rowan was right, it was all very suspicious, I still couldn’t figure out why Lucian wanted to marry me in the first place. “Is that so hard to believe?”
His eyes darkened, and he took another step toward me. “Yes. It is.”
The air between us seemed to crackle, heavy and charged. I could feel the heat radiating from him, the intensity in his gaze pinning me in place.
“You’re lying,” he said, his voice quieter now but no less firm. “You’ve met my brother maybe once or twice. You don’t know what he is. You don’t know what he is like. How could you possibly be attracted to him?”
I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “You don’t get to decide how I feel.”
“I don’t have to,” he said, his amber eyes boring into mine. “It’s written all over your face.”
I wanted to argue, to deny it, but the words caught in my throat. He was too close now, his scent—earthy and sharp—invading my senses.
No! I told myself. He betrayed you, he left you for dead. He never once tried to look for you.
“What do you want from me, Your Majesty?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I want the truth,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “What are you really after, Arin? Power? Status? Revenge?”
The word hit me like a blow, and I felt my composure slip for just a moment. But it was enough for him to see.
His eyes narrowed further. “Revenge,” he said, as if testing the word. “Is that it?”
I forced myself to laugh, though it sounded hollow even to me. “You’re imagining things. I’m marrying Lucian because I believe we would make a good match.”
“You don’t even flinch when you lie,” he said, his voice laced with something almost like admiration.
“I’m not lying,” I said, lifting my chin. “I care for him, and I’m going to marry him.”
Rowan’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. But then his gaze dropped, flickering to my lips before snapping back up to my eyes.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” he said, his voice softer now, almost a warning.
“And you’re overstepping. You are king but it doesn’t give you any right to act like this,” I shot back, though my voice wavered.
His hand twitched at his side, as if he wanted to reach for me but thought better of it. “Be careful, Arin,” he said, his voice low and rough. “Because if you’re lying, I will find out. And if you hurt my family...”
His words trailed off, but the threat was clear.
I forced myself to hold his gaze, refusing to let him see how much he had shaken me. “I have no intention of hurting anyone. If you remember well you are the one who invited me here. I am here because you want to form a civil and cordial relationship with my country.”
He didn’t look convinced, but after a long moment, he stepped back. “We’ll see.”
Without another word, he turned and left, leaving me alone in the silence of my room. My heart was still pounding, my skin still warm where his gaze had lingered.
As I sat down on the edge of my bed, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d just made a fatal mistake.
..................
The sun was warm on my face as I stood beside Lucian in the bustling marketplace, with laughter and chatter filling the air. Lucian had insisted I join him, his hand resting lightly on my back as we moved through the crowd.
“You’re handling this well,” he said, leaning closer to me with a grin. “I was worried you might not enjoy all the attention.”
I smiled faintly, my focus elsewhere. “It’s... overwhelming, but manageable.”
He laughed, the sound carefree and light. “Stick with me. I’ll protect you from the vultures.”
I nodded absently, scanning the crowd. My mind was still tangled with the memory of Rowan’s late-night visit. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. His questions, his intensity—it all lingered in the back of my mind like a shadow I couldn’t shake. Did he somehow remember me? Why was he so concerned with me?
“Lucian!”
The sharp voice cut through the noise, freezing me in place. I turned to see a woman striding toward us.
Delilah.
My heart stopped as I saw her. Lucian’s ex wife. From mate, to princess and now back to a ordinary werewolf. I felt great pity for her. I heard Lucian had cast her aside and broke the mating bond when he couldn’t handle her anymore and Delilah had never been the same ever since the death of her son. To see her in this state, was jarring. Her face was pale with anger and her hair wild as if she’d been running.
Lucian tensed beside me. “Delilah.”
I stiffened.
Delilah’s eyes locked on me, and her face twisted with fury. There was something in her eye.
Did she somehow recognize me? No, I thought. It was impossible.
“You,” she spat, pointing a shaking finger.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest. “Me?”
“I remember those eyes! I remember them! You’re the witch!” she screamed, her voice rising above the crowd. Heads turned, conversations stopped, and suddenly, all eyes were on us.
“What are you talking about?” I managed, my voice steady despite the rising panic inside me.
Delilah stormed toward me, her movements frantic and unhinged. “You’re the one who killed my son!”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
