Chapter 5 Wasn't it, Mate?

I have no idea how long he had been here. I quickly pulled away from Aiden and bowed to the Alpha King. “Your Majesty.”

Beside me, Aiden straightened, stamped his chest, and bowed his head as well.

Cole’s dark eyes flickered between us before he stepped closer. A shiver ran through me, and for a moment, I felt like prey cornered by a dangerous predator.

“Did you not hear my question?” he asked, his deep voice colder than before.

I kept my head lowered and conjured an answer. “I accidentally tripped and nearly fell over. Sir Moran helped steady me before I could collapse.”

He studied me before he spoke. “Where is Mr. Barrett? Didn’t I instruct him to escort you to my chamber?”

“Mr. Barrett had an emergency to handle, Your Majesty. I told him I could manage on my own. It isn’t his fault.”

Cole snorted and rolled his eyes. “It seems you weren’t, in fact, able to manage yourself.”

Without another word, he took my arm and pulled me toward him, then led me toward his chamber.

I struggled to keep up.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report.” Aiden called out behind us.

The Alpha King didn’t even turn around. “We will speak later.”

He pulled me into his chamber and slammed the door so hard that I was nearly startled.

The sudden noise and the force of the motion made me tremble against my will.

Before I could utter a word, I felt the cold, hard texture of the wooden door against my back. He cornered me with his hands on either side of me.

Mere inches separated us. We were so close that I instinctively held my breath.

If I inhaled, my lungs would be filled with his scent. We hadn’t shared that intimacy for nearly a month, and it would drive me crazy.

Cole cupped my chin. His fingers were hot on my face. The heat radiating from his body sent shivers down my spine.

“You’ve become bolder, haven’t you, Evelyn?” He stared into my eyes. “Do you think I’m easy to fool?”

I swallowed as my heart raced. “I don’t understand what you meant, Your Majesty.”

Had he heard what Aiden said?

“You don’t understand?” Cole snorted as he stared down at my lips, sarcasm dripping from his words. “It appeared as if he was going to kiss you, had I not arrived just in time.”

I was half relieved at the thought that he hadn’t overheard us, but then I frowned slightly. What was he talking about?

“This is going to happen, Your Majesty. Sir Moran is only offering help.”

The Alpha King’s thumb brushed over my lips as he lowered his voice into a dangerous whisper. “Hasn’t your ‘Sir Moran’ always had an obsession with you?”

It was hard to breathe while he teased my lips with his thumb.

“You must be mistaken, Your Majesty,” I felt saliva grow excessively as he gently parted my lips, pressing my teeth as if he was texting the hardness of them. I whispered, quivering from his intimate touch. “Sir Moran is kind to everyone.”

He hummed, and I couldn’t decipher the meaning behind this sound.

“Then what about you? Do you like him?” he asked boldly, his nostrils flaring slightly. “Would you have kissed him if you hadn’t been interrupted?”

My eyebrows furrowed even deeper.

“No,” I answered.

He raised an eyebrow. “No?”

“No, Your Majesty,” I repeated. “I only have respect for Sir Moran.

Silence hung in the air as he studied me with an unreadable expression.

The Alpha King eventually rolled his eyes and released me. He strode over to the enormous four-postered bed against the back wall of the room.

“Come here.” His hands propped up on the bed, he looked at lazily. “Take off my clothes.”

I gulped and complied.

As I unbuttoned Cole’s ivory shirt, I could feel his warm breath on my face. My cheeks grew hot. I could feel a familiar sensation in my belly.

The eagerness and the heat.

Despite all the hatred and fear I felt about him, my body ached for him.

I turned my head slightly in an attempt to not look at his skin, but then Cole suddenly hissed.

When I turned back, he wore a frown, and my hand froze.

Fresh scarlet blood oozed from a dirty cloth roughly wrapped around his left shoulder. My breath quickened as I stared down at the ruby-colored blood traveling down his arm.

His skin, normally a deep gold, was paler than usual.

Why had he been injured? His journey should be a friendly and peaceful visit on the land of Crawford, not suppressing a riot. 

“Do I need to call Mr. Barrett, Your Majesty?” I asked, “You need a royal healer.”

“There is no need,” Cole cut me off with a wince, then inclined his head forward. “There are clean clothes in the closet. You will bandage me. Remove the old wrap first.”

I pursed my lips and complied.

I hadn’t done this before. My hands trembled as my fingers hovered over the dirty cloth. It was a daunting task. I had to hold my breath to stay calm. My mind wandered to the reason for his injury.

After the war ended, there had been quite a few riots around the country. Those who supported Jack believed Cole was a usurper and refused submitting to him. But Cole silenced them all in three months.

He participated every battle, fighting alongside the soldiers, and emerged victorious in each one with minimal casualties. The soldiers respected him and admired him. Once he got gained military recognition, no one could deny that he was the rightful King. Despite being hated by many, he was a capable and powerful Alpha wolf.

But when I carefully removed the cloth, I was stunned by what I saw.

Five long scratches, clearly from another wolf’s claws, had been made on his upper arm and chest. They were very deep, far deeper than expected, and gruesome to look at.

Who would be able to inflict wound like this on him?

Was it the “Jack’s remaining accomplices” he had referred to?

I thought it was just an intimidation tactic – a warning to anyone who still hoped that Jack’s power might be alive and fighting back. 

“Why are you making that face?” he noticed my uneasiness and asked.

 “N-no,” I blinked away my thoughts and regained my composure. “I didn’t – ”

But he cut me off.

“You’ve seen worse, haven't you, Evelyn? Or should I remind you? The night when you and Jack were engaged, I was waiting for you in the small lane…”

My eyes widened. Why had he suddenly brought this up?

Horrible memories that I didn’t want to remember flooded my mind.

I wanted to back away, but he took my hand and tightened his grip, forcing it to rest on chest, where an ugly, twisted scar remained, close to where his heart beat.

“You always forget it, don’t you? You betrayed me. And the deepest wound inflicted on me was given by you. Wasn’t it, Mate?”

I felt truly paralyzed.

I couldn’t speak or move… I could hardly register a thought as my hand remained frozen, trapped in the Alpha King’s grip like a caged animal.

Mate.

How long had it been since Cole last spoke that word? And how long had it been since I allowed myself to think about it too?

Yes, we had been Fated Mates. We had shared a sweet bond blessed by the moon goddess, which I’d be dreamed about for my entire life. We had spent happy, carefree days together, planning for our future.

All those lovely memories had turned into a horrible nightmare the moment my father decided to marry me to Cole’s brother two years ago, after King Theodore’s sudden death.