AVERY “ If I was just your mate…and not your enemy’s sister…would you have treated me the same as now? ” There is no point in asking but I still do. The little vulnerable moment with him has opened a gateway to more embarrassing moments that I can’t put a stop to. “ Am I not gentle enough? ” He smirks like a true grim reaper and keeps his focus on wrapping a clean bandage on my arm. It still feels surreal to have an open wound that needs care. But he is the one who cares about it and this makes things more weird for me. If someone had told me he would ask Draven to come to my room in the middle of the night just to get a clean bandage while he held my arm and inspected the cut, I wouldn’t believe it in a billion years. But here he is, doing strange things. Maybe, he switches personalities often and has a loose screw in his head. “ Stop looking at me like that. ” He says without picking his head. “ I was thinking— ” “ I don’t believe your brain is on that level of functioning y
AVERY “ Did they do something to you? ” Worry clouds my features as I spin Renee around for the nth time and inspect her body for any signs of torture. “ No, Princess. They didn’t do anything. How many times do I need to tell you? ” She sighs, gripping my rapidly moving hands. Momentarily, I freeze and look into her eyes to find out if she is lying but she looks at peace and…okay. A huge burden lifts off my shoulders. My muscles loosen and my heartbeat slows down considerably. “ Where did they take you? ” I swallow the unease in my throat. “ They gave me a room and locked me in there. ” Renee whispers, slowly dragging me to the bed and sitting me down on it. “ Renee, tell me if anyone attempted— ” “ They gave me food three times a day and provided me with these clothes. See, Princess. ” She stands straight and spreads her arms so I can see the black dress she is wearing. It’s clean and looks new. My brows furrow as my eyes take her in again unconsciously. “ I was worried abou
AVERY My eyes snap open and land on her. She looks away instantly and stares at the wall to avoid my glare. What does Dustin mean by this now? Does he want me to fight or lay dormant and let Aleister rule me? How does he want me to get Aleister Anasazi on our side exactly? It will take a copy of Dustin’s mind to understand the contradictory things he says. I huff when a knock sounds on the door and turn to look at it. Without much delay, it clicks open to reveal the stupid grin of the detested man. I roll my eyes and lean back to look at Renee again. “ If I could see my brother right now, I would tell him to stop being a freak. His stupid plan, whatever it is, got me to this point and really, I am in no mood to listen to whatever it is that he wants or needs me to hear. ” I scoff, rising from the bed. “ My King thought your mood would be better after seeing your long-lost friend but the opposite seems to have happened. ” Draven tilts his head to the right and throws me a wide g
AVERY “ I was scared last night, My King. It felt like someone was trying to kill me right under your nose. ” I bat my lashes, sliding a little closer to him, occupying more space between his parted thighs. The people in the throne room seem to have disappeared altogether because no one dares to speak again. “ I thought I should call you to my room and keep you to myself all night because I couldn’t sleep due to the fear and I thought if you were in the bed with me, it would be easier for me to…catch some sleep. ” I whisper, but I am sure everyone can hear. “ What are you trying to do? ” Draven scoffs but Aleister lifts his hand in the air, shutting him up again. The smug King is enjoying having me kneeling between his legs. My stomach tightens into knots. “ What do you want, Princess? ” Aleister runs his knuckles down my cheek gently. “ You know…My King… ” I cringe and don’t make the effort to cover it when only Aleister can see, “ I couldn’t sleep at all after our long night
AVERYHis eyes, wide and round stare back at me while his hand gestures at me to do something. I can’t make sense of it. I think he wants me closer, or maybe, he wants me gone.“ Don’t. ” I murmur, again and again and again but they pay no heed to it.My words mean nothing to them tonight. When I try to get them off with my hands, a push sends me flying in the air.The world spins as the window becomes smaller in my view. When I finally hit the floor, something cracks, and choked screams erupt from my mouth.A sharp breath, and then nothing but an endless abyss of pain. I gasp, my eyes shooting open to meet the familiar black pants and a muscular thigh. For a few moments, I blink and breathe deeply to regain my senses.My trembling fingers touch the side of my head. When nothing wet touches them, I swallow and sit up, only to have a hand weave into my hair and pull my head back.“ Was it sweet? ” The pair of grey eyes, intense and piercing, stare back at me.“ Huh? ” I blink again.“
AVERY Anger bubbles to my head and I push at his chest harder, almost fighting to break free of his vice grip. For a moment, I think he won’t let me go and that thought sucks the soul out of me but with a delay of a second, his lips part from my immobile ones. Hungry for another touch, he tilts his head and dives in again but I turn my head away. My heart almost breaks out of my ribcages when his lips land on my neck, his hot breath fanning my sensitive skin. The muscles in my thighs clench as the ache grows. The need for a mate is an undeniable truth but…I can’t forget what he did to me, not once but repeatedly. Aleister grabs my hair and makes me face him again before leaning in towards me. “ Aleister. ” I whisper, my nose brushing his slightly. He pauses right above my lips, not moving an inch. Our eyes meet, and I see the lust and desire swirling sharply behind his dilated pupils. Maybe, I look the same, and that’s why he draws me closer again. “ No, I can’t. ” I add before
AVERY“ You seem to be in a bad mood, Draven. What happened? ” I grin while walking ahead of the brooding man.I was surprised to find him waiting for me outside the throne room as if he was really serious about becoming my guard. But, at least, it’s amusing to see him following me everywhere like a shadow, all the while burning holes in my back with his eyes.“ Don’t push your luck too much. ” He scoffs after a small pause.I enter the hallway that leads to the main hall for the women and he is still behind me. “ Good for me, I don’t believe in luck. ” I hum, folding my hands in front of me and straightening my spine. “ It’s purely your luck that Leister took a liking to you and let you off the hook. ” He murmurs like a sulking child.I halt in front of the golden doors and turn around to face him. His brows lift to his forehead in a silent gesture for me to explain why I have suddenly stopped my dilly-dallying.I search his face for any hint of realization or awkwardness after cal
AVERY My body grows heavy before my head and heart do. Unable to believe it, I shake my head repeatedly. “ I saw Amelia. Aleister said she is his half-sister and she is alive! ” “ That’s because Amelia’s mother ran away from the South before she was born. We didn’t find her for a long time and when Leister did, your brother made a deal to save her. ” He states, as a matter of fact, a bitter look crossing his eyes. A lump forms in my throat and for the first time, I am glad that Dustin protected Amelia and didn’t let Aleister kill her. She didn’t deserve to have a family like this. “ How did the previous King let Aleister kill his brothers? How does a father do that? ” I whisper. Why am I even surprised? Maybe, I was not expecting things to be the same here. Perhaps, I thought a strong Kingdom like the South would have people who didn’t lust for their family’s blood. “ Leister’s father? ” The bitterness in Draven’s eyes becomes full-blown hate, “ He killed two of his elder sons