Eleanor woke in the early hours of the morning in Drakken's bed. The embers of the fire still glowed in the hearth. Next to her, his breathing was heavy and slow.He laid sprawled on his back, one arm flung over his head, the sheets pushed to his waist. He looked like a sleeping God, his muscled shoulders and arms dark against the white sheets.She was still ogling him in admiration when Drakken stirred awake at the heavy banging on his door, and he had not had the time to come fully awake as Duncan and George burst in without welcome.Eleanor held the sheets tighter to her body at the same time their jaws fell open.Her face flushed with embarrassment."We're..." George lost his tongue. "We are truly sorry about the inconvenience...""Sod off," Drakken growled as they both turned around and hurriedly closed the door behind them.Eleanor intended to slip out of his bed as quickly as possible but he tugged at her arm, and she fell across him, her breast crushed to the heat of his chest
Eleanor could not get herself to focus on work that day. She had made a ghastly mistake last night. Having an affair with Drakken meant accepting her role as a mistress, did it not?She felt dirty and a whore.His gamma and beta had made everything worse by walking in at the most inappropriate time. They knew now how desperate she was for another woman's betrothed.Eleanor snapped back to reality when a patient yelped in pain. She assisted another student in surgery as she was not fully qualified to perform one yet. She rummaged through the surgical tray for suture scissors as the student outstretched her hands for them.Then the unthinkable happened. It fell from her hands and stabbed into the student's toe. Eleanor's mouth dropped open in sheer horror."I'm... I am truly sorry...""I do not get why Emma keeps you here," the student barked out. "You are a fucking psychopath!""It was a mistake..."But the girl was not having any of her excuses. "Get out, you stupid weakling!"Eleanor
After breakfast, Drakken spent the rest of the morning in his study, not only because he wanted to finish drafting a new fortification plan, but also because he feared that if the guests lingered much longer around him, they might take notice of his agitation. And besides, he was certain his father was in the vampire king and princess' company. He would be smart to stay well away from them.It was afternoon before he saw Duncan walk into his study."Are you busy?"Drakken gestured to his scattered desk of various ledgers. "As you can see.""I am here to remind you about leading the guests on a tour of the kingdom. It is due time."He waved a hand in dismissal. "I do not want to be a part of it. I can no longer bear their aura around me."He had put up with them long enough. Going out of his way to please them sounded obnoxious."I have better things to do than entertain a bunch of guests who have overstayed their welcome," Drakken said, frowning outside his window at a few guests who
Eleanor's head pounded in pain the minute she peeled her eyes open. Everywhere ached apart from her head. Her muscles had almost gone numb with the pain, and when she fully regained consciousness, she realized her hands were tied to the back.Panic shot through her as she sat up on the floor, whipping her head around to see where she was. It was an empty warehouse, filled with nothing but an eerie silence and her frantic breathing. The ropes bound her wrists tighter when she tried to struggle out of them. It was no use. She was trapped.Eleanor pushed herself off the floor and staggered to her feet as she looked around for a way out. All corners were sealed. It was not like whoever put her in that situation would make it easy to escape, Eleanor thought to herself.A single ray of sunlight peeked in through a tiny hole, and she ran to it for a view outside. She was greeted with the sight of nothing. Just bushes and wavering leaves that swayed along with the wind.Was she in the middle
She could sense Drakken was mad before he climbed off the horse. It was all getting too repetitive. Him seeing her with his brother and wanting to separate them as soon as possible.Drakken moved swiftly to drag Eleanor away from Benjamin, but she was not having any of his complaints this time."I thought I told you to leave her alone," he growled."Relax. He saved me back in the woods. There is no need to be mean," Eleanor said. "You are overreacting."Her words felt like a slap to the face because Drakken never expected she would defend his brother. His fury knew no bounds. "Why are you so adamant about defying me? Have I not made myself clear enough?" His voice got louder, but not loud enough to gather attention."You may be king, but you cannot decide who I choose to acquaint myself with," Eleanor stated. His reasons for frequently acting this way were unknown to her. He barely told her anything and just expected her to dance to the tune of his music."The girl is right," Benjamin
Drakken was troubled throughout the forest scout and was hardly focused. George did him the privilege of engaging in conversation with Gwendolyn to divert her attention from pissing him off, while Duncan rode far ahead, keeping to himself as usual.Drakken knew he hurt Eleanor. She was probably crying somewhere in her room and wallowing in anguish. That had to be the reason why his heart ached. He called it the mate's curse, and he found it worse in this instance because had no idea how to handle a human's emotion. It was such an intense and raw one, or maybe hers just felt that way.He desperately wanted to make things right, but all he had done was more damage.Gwendolyn's laughter subdued as George's horse galloped faster to catch up with him."Are you done having fun?" Drakken did not spare him a glance as he spoke. "You are enjoying yourself way too much.""I figured you were not in the mood for a chat, so I did you the honor. You are welcome." He looked behind him and saw Gwendo
Eleanor dried the last of her tears when evening came. The library was shockingly a good hideout spot to cry without interruption. Eleanor did not know how long she sat there, nor how long she had been crying. She rose to her feet, walked out of the library, and thankfully for her, Evie was nowhere in sight worrying about where she had been.She headed straight for her room to rest as Emma had advised, following a secret passageway that would guarantee not running into anyone. Her eyes were too puffy for someone not to realize she had been crying.In the quiet passageway, Eleanor heard small footsteps that could be a child's. Gregory? Her suspicions were made right as he peeked out from behind a pillar he was hiding, smiling sheepishly at her."I knew it was you," Eleanor smiled back. "What are you doing?""I thought you were my nanny. She has been looking everywhere for me. We are in a game of hide and seek."She laughed. "I know that is not true. You are making the job harder for th
Drakken awoke late the next morning, and that was why he was the last to join breakfast. All heads turned as he pushed the dining door open, strolling in. They were all seated at the dining table, and thankfully, Benjamin was not present.Drakken's father frowned disapprovingly at his tardiness, raising a glass of water to his upturned lips. They held eye contact until Drakken settled on the armchair across him."Your beta here was just telling me how rogues infiltrated the pack." His father's gaze flitted from Duncan back to his. "I despise feeling like the pack is being threatened.""It is not. It would all come to blow out when the festivities are over and the guests are gone.""That is it? You are not doing anything to resolve it?""Alfred," his mother said, soothingly so as not to vex him for interrupting. "Let the boy eat."But the man went on. "He is distracted these days. Could not even take the guests on a kingdom tour yesterday. Everyone anticipated it because they thought y