03 Tension Or Hate  

Jasmine

"What is your itinerary for today?" Aeron asked. A question he had never asked me before.

"What do you want to know?" I said, sipping the orange juice and savouring the taste.

"Well, I heard there will be a party in town. You better not be there, Princess," he said with a cold voice, and I felt shivers down my spine. 

The guy was scary. How can our father trust such an unhinged guy? Yeah, his wolf was special and all, and he was very strong, so fucking what? It isn't worth him scaring the shit out of me all the time. I hate him.

"Or else what?" I asked him, looking straight into his eyes. Instead of an answer, he gave me a sick-looking half-smile that appalled me.

"You are sick," I said, and the smile disappeared as if it weren't there. 

"Maybe I need your medicine," He said with a husky voice while looking into my eyes with his dark orbs.

I clenched my thighs together. Sometimes, my body betrayed me around this guy, and this was one of those times. A slow smirk showed on his face. He knew.

"You know I will start seeing someone soon. You need to back off," I told him. I knew my father would not have an issue with me attending that party. This was all Aeron. 

Aeron, being overzealous, never lets me talk to anyone, especially the guys.

He did not give me an answer; instead, he was silent. He did not speak to me, which was even more infuriating than his overprotective overzealous behaviour.

 I left the dining room and decided I would take a stroll. He did not follow, but I knew he would be watching me. I rarely see him when he is on his watch duty. He only makes himself available when he wants us to know he is there. Sneaking off to Trevor's party will be difficult tonight. I have to be certain Aeron has retired before we leave. Since there was only one way out of the palace to go to town, it was important that Aeron was asleep, or we would get caught because his house was in the inner compound of the palace. A small dark house that always had its lights off.

 After the stroll, Aeron drove us to town to perform our duties. Ivory and I spent time doing most of our mother's work. We visited the hospitals and the orphanages and briefly met with the women as they discussed their issues and what they would need from the Queen to solve certain problems. 

We met with the farmers, too, and we were tired by the time we were done. It was already evening, and we had yet to eat anything. On our way back to the palace, Aeron branched into a restaurant.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked him.

"The two of you haven't eaten since morning. You need to eat. By the time we get to the palace, it will take a bit before they prepare dinner for you two," He said, and I laughed even though my tummy was growling.

"I can't believe the frozen monster is concerned," I said, and he remained silent. Aeron alighted the car and opened the door for me and Ivory to exit.

 I was hungry, so I had no choice, and I knew Ivory was hungry too; there was no need to fight foolishly. 

We entered the restaurant, and he followed us in. The Maitre d offered us a private spot, but Aeron declined. I knew why. He liked having his eyes on everyone around. Mathias was like that, too. Something about being security conscious.

I noticed most young women staring at Aeron and drooling over him. I believe they are willing to overlook his sick nature and lust over him because of his looks, strength, breed and position.

Hello, have they not heard of how he is in the bedroom? Some women have lost their minds because of his kinky shit. 

The guy was heartless, which only made me disgusted by the women lusting after him. I was angry.

"Why do you let everything that has to do with Aeron affect you so much?" Ivory linked me while we sat at the table, and I glared at my sister.

"It is obvious. You pretend to hate everything about him. I think you are not over your crush, and his rejection still hurts. You do not like that he does not see you," She linked me. 

"Keep talking like that, and you know what I will do," I threatened her aloud, and she smiled at me.

"Too bad I will be going to school. It would have been nice seeing how all this plays out," She said aloud, and I glared at her.

Aeron did not say a word. He did not behave like he was even interested in our discussion. He concentrated on the patrons, studying them and ensuring he had a full view and understanding of what was going on in our surroundings.

"Beta Aeron," A brunette said and approached our table, her eyes on him, ignoring the rest of us. 

He looked at her with a smile, and I could not believe this dude. It seemed I was the only one he showed his I-don't-give-a-fuck face.

She touched his hand and handed him a piece of paper with obviously her address in it and the time she would be home. He looked at the paper and smiled at her. Looking all sexy and shit, Ivory was chuckling.

"Have you no manners?" I snapped at the brunette, and she flinched.

"Oh, Princess Jasmine. I am sorry. I did not mean to disturb you," She said apologetically.

"Then leave," I said angrily, and Aeron laughed and looked at me while the girl walked away quickly.

"I don't get to talk to guys because of you, so I won't let you talk to girls," I declared, grabbing the paper she had handed him and tearing it into shreds.

Aeron laughed heartily, and then he winked at me. The guy was indeed unhinged. First, he won't speak, talk, or smile. Now he is laughing and winking. Goddess, help me. My father tied us to a madman.

"Who said I do not have that address committed to memory?" he said, and Ivory laughed. I had nothing to say, but then a good comeback came to me.

"If you visit her, then I go to the party," I said, and he smirked at me.

"I want to see you try, Jasmine. Oh, I would love to see you try," he said with a cold, calm voice. 

The eerie part was he still had that flirtatious smile on his face.

The waitress took our orders, and we ate. The meal was great, and I was glad that Aeron did not go as far as ordering for us. 

I believed he would be controlling enough to do that, but he did not care what we ate. However, he tasted our food and asked us to wait fifteen minutes before eating them. I didn't know if it was relevant because I doubt anyone would try to poison my sister and me, but you have to give it to the overzealous bodyguard to always go the extra mile. 

All the while we ate, I noticed the brunette staring at him, and he winked at her a few times. It was out of character, so I knew he was doing it to fuck with me, and it was working. I was mad. I wanted to hurt him. I remembered him telling me I was a little girl. I wasn't a little girl anymore. Still, he treated me as such but treated other girls as women. I was mad and hurt, and I moved to hurt him.

"You realise you're stuck in Beta status, right?" I sneered, and he glanced at me, probably trying to figure out where this hostility was coming from.

"I mean, you've already got the position, so I don't get why you're so overzealous about this whole bodyguard nonsense. I know you're eager to go on missions and all. I can practically see the boredom in your eyes. But there are certain matters we can't drag outsiders into. Your family is basically a charity case, so it would be wise for you to stay in your lane and be grateful for what's been handed to you. Honestly, I wish my father would assign you errands instead of burdening Ivory and me with you. You're nothing but a nuisance," I spat, and he remained silent. His eyes turned cold.

Aeron stood up and told us it was time to leave. I guess I struck a nerve there. Suddenly, it seemed Aeron might have emotions after all, just not the good ones. Even though it was a victory, I didn't feel like celebrating it.

Ivory wasn't happy with me and did not speak to me throughout our drive back home. I did not plan to apologise to Aeron. He deserved it. 

We arrived at the palace, and he walked us in. As usual, he decided to walk us to our door. He was silent, and Ivory moved ahead while I sauntered behind.

"We will be retiring early. I think you should go see your girl. Seeing you right now, I think you need to ease some tension," I said with a smirk, and Aeron trapped me against the wall, between his arms. His eyes were completely dark. And I was terrified and turned on at the same time, but he will never know. Ivory walked away really fast. I can't believe my sister will betray me like this.

"You may be a princess, but you better watch what you say, Jasmine. Your parent's kindness towards my family is why I do this. I do not give two fucks about you and whoever you choose to fuck, but I care about your folks, your sister and your brother, and I will watch over you because of them. You better not go to that party, Princess, or pretty boy Trevor will have a lot of explaining to do," He said. I heard his wolf growling as he inhaled and exhaled. My wolf Xia had completely hidden at the back of my head. She was scared shitless of Razor.

 Aeron stared at me for a bit and then moved away to release me from the cage he had created with his arms. I hoped he didn't figure out I was aroused. His fucking scent was intoxicating most times.

"After you, Princess," he said. 

I was still trembling but moved away from the wall and started walking toward my room. 

My legs were shaking. I was really afraid and turned on at the same time. 

I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but he was very angry. I could feel it. I knew I had gone too far with him at the restaurant, and he deserved my apology. Those things I said were lies. My father trusted him and his family and appreciated them. I shouldn't have.

I stopped in my tracks and turned towards him. I could see him preparing for whatever shit I had to say to him.

"I am sorry, Aeron. I did not mean to say those things to you at the restaurant. I was out of line. My parents trust you, and you are part of us," I said, and he nodded slightly. Somehow, I figured that was the only response I would get. I felt ashamed of myself. I did not know what about Aeron infuriated me or attracted me, and I doubted I would ever figure it out. Ivory was right. I wasn't over him, and I wasn't over his rejection.

He walked me to the door of my room, and I opened the door to enter.

"Will you be retiring now?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

"I will do so when I feel it is necessary," he said, and somehow, I figured he would visit that brunette- if anything, to blow off steam, steam that I had created, and somehow, I was jealous. I nodded and entered the room.

 Ivory was in the shower when I entered the room, and I sat on my bed.

"It is not a given that he should like us, Jasmine. Please let it rest. He doesn't have to reciprocate our feelings. He has told us his stance on the matter. It is best we move on because what we are doing is toxic. You always lose your cool around him," My wolf Xia said, and I wondered why she was speaking now. When he had us pinned against the wall, she recoiled.

"Who said I want him to like us?" I asked my wolf.

"I am not an outside entity, Jasmine. I am part of you. We used to crush on him before until we realised we weren't his type. Just don't push him any more than you already have. He is sacrificing a lot to watch us. You know," She said, and I remained silent. She was right. 

There was a time when I used to have a crush on him. I felt a magnetic pull towards him. I constantly gazed at him, and I still find my eyes drawn to him.

We weren't alike. I was half-lycan and half-werewolf, while he was a superior werewolf, almost like a deity among our kind. Yet, I found myself irresistibly drawn to him. Everything about him sparked an intense fascination within me.

He always exuded authority and control. His demeanour remained cool and handsomely dark, but he never spared me a glance. When I mustered the courage to approach him, he dismissed me, saying I was a little girl and scoffed at my dreams. I was eighteen then, and it still hurts.

I simply wanted to be friends, but he refused to entertain the idea. Yet, he maintained a friendship with Mathias, who was my twin, and now he's amicable with Ivory.

I should have anticipated that he would keep me at arm's length; the signs were there ever since I acquired my wolf. He distanced himself when I turned sixteen and gained my wolf.

So, when I turned eighteen, and he dismissed me as a little girl, I began to suspect that his aversion toward me was personal. Consequently, lashing out became my newfound approach.

When my father refused to allow me to school in Hill and insisted I schooled in Forest, I became defensive since it meant I would have to deal with Aeron daily. It has been like this ever since.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I decided to damn him and go to Trevor's party. I might be a princess, but I deserved a life with friends other than my cousins and family friends. I also deserved to fall in love and add some romance into my life, and to do so, I have to mingle.