Chapter Five

Javier's POV

"Kill her... Do it... Sink your fangs into her neck and watch her struggle..... Do it Javier..... Do it"

The voices in my head started getting stronger. I was initially kissing her neck, but I lost control and started sucking on it to relieve the tension.

"Since when did you start chickening out on things like this..... Do it, Javier... She is your wife, she belongs to you..... No one will dare question you"

I was slowly giving in. I couldn't ignore the voice in my head. It was like a spell. A spell I always adhered to. I felt a strong energy that streamed through my veins with great force. An instant heat surged through me. The voices started getting louder and more intense. I was going to do it but stopped when I heard her voice 

"Javier you are hurting me"

My senses immediately came back. I almost killed her. What was I thinking?

"You can go," I told her, seated on the bed, backing her. I couldn't look her in the eye. 

"Did I do something wron"

Of course, she didn't. I did. If I was more normal and didn't have this persistent voice inside my head, I would have claimed her as my own, but I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt her.

"You can tell them we had sex to seal the ritual," I muttered under my breath. 

She slipped off the bed and walked to the door without a protest. After putting on her clothes, she left without turning to look at me. That was for the best. Maybe if she hated me, she would keep her distance. I was no good. I didn't know what I was thinking when I felt marrying her would change the monster that I was. 

But why did I keep seeing her in my dreams?

******

Hattie's POV

I nervously walked to the throne room with two maids at my back. After lying to Lydia that the ritual was done, she said I could now appear before the whole family and the Council members which included the king, his two wives, Xavier's brothers, and some respected figures of the kingdom.

I took deep breaths, placing my hands in front of me as I watched the guards open the huge door of the throne room. I didn't understand why I was nervous, maybe I was scared of being rejected or being seen as not good enough even though I belonged to Javier, not them.

The door opened. They all had their eyes on me almost as if they had been waiting for me. It was a round table. King Audrey sat in the middle with his queens by his side. It was easy to point out who was the first and who was the second. The brunette one was slightly younger than the black-haired one. There was no doubt that the black-haired one was Xavier's mother. The resemblance couldn't go unnoticeable.

By the right side of the big table sat Javier's brothers, but not Javier himself. Three of them were brunettes while only two had black hair. One of them had a striking resemblance to Javier, but his brown eyes were not as fierce as my husband's. It almost looked friendly, but I didn't want to conclude. His eyes and heart might not be the same. 

The handsome Greek gods all looked at me with a casual demeanor for a brief while before tearing their gaze off me, but one of them didn't. 

It was a brunette, gray-eyed man. He kept staring at me intently. I couldn't tell if it was out of curiosity or disdain. Whichever it was, it made me extremely uncomfortable.

"There is no way this was the best the Stalins had to offer." Lagatha, the brunette queen said with contempt on her face. I swallowed hard. With the look she had on, it was obvious she didn't care how I felt.

"You don't expect an insane person to make a good choice do you?" Carlos, one of the brunette men, spoke. His dark eyes didn't hold contempt like the queen's, but his words broke my heart.

 "He had 7 girls to choose from and he brought this,'' Hardy scoffed. I had initially thought he would be the friendly one because when I walked in, he didn't have the stern look on his face like the others, but I was wrong.

"It was my brother's decision to make not yours" Jaime banged his fist on the table when he couldn't take it anymore. He was the one who I earlier said, had a striking resemblance to Xavier.

"Maybe I should go there myself and get a bride, better than this and present it to your powerful brother," Carlos said in a mocking tone and Hardy laughed.

"Maybe you should focus on getting yourself a wife instead," Kingsley shot at him in anger. There was no doubt he was the youngest. With his flawless skin, I was certain he had never been to war. 

"I don't know what you all mean, I think she makes a perfect wife". Someone spoke amidst the argument. It was the man who earlier looked at me in an uncomfortable way. I was indeed grateful to him for standing up for me.

"I could have done better," Carlos scoffed.

"You can't even get a concubine who's free to lay with you" Kingsley, the youngest shot at him.

"Watch your mouth boy. Javier is..." He was interrupted when the door opened and Javier strutted in. 

The throne room went dead silent and everyone pretended as if nothing happened. I turned to the king and the black-haired queen; Elena, who seemed lost in thought. The King on the other hand was aware of everything they said concerning me and Javier, but he didn't do anything to stop it.

The three old men present let them rain down on me with insults, but they did nothing. I was angry, but I didn't show it.

Javier stroked me on my back before seating on the seat reserved for him.

The king finally spoke after a long moment of silence. "My dear what is your name?"

"My name is Hattie my Lord" With the way Javier stared at me, it was obvious he could tell I wasn't comfortable.

"I must say Javier you outdid yourself" the king praised, but Javier's face remained expressionless.

"Indeed," lagatha nodded.

I was stunned. Why was she pretending? She made me feel inferior minutes ago and now she was agreeing to the king calling me pretty. I looked at the men who once rebuked me. None of them said a word. They didn't have the contempt they had on their face earlier. Wait, where are they all scared of Javier? Why would they be, he was their brother.

"Thank you father," he said after some time. "Are we done, can she leave?" Javier said. He knew I didn't like standing there and I was grateful he understood my pains.

"Yes you may leave," The king instructed and I immediately turned to leave. I couldn't stay amid people who hated me but pretended in front of my husband. 

I stormed out of the throne room and marched through the hallway in anger. 

"Hey" I heard a voice behind me. I was reluctant, but I still turned to look. It was Andrew, the one who stood up for me in the throne room. I stopped walking and let him walk toward me.

"Thank you."I tried to say, but he waved his hand, signaling me to stop.

"I don't need you to thank me," he said, coming closer to me. I thought he was going to stop a few meters away, but he kept coming closer. I got scared due to the glare he had on his face and I tried to move back a bit, but he was quicker than me, grabbing my hands firmly.

"What are you doing?" I tried to wiggle my hand from his hold, but the amount of strength he possessed didn't let me.

"Listen to me. You might think you have this all figured out...."

I didn't let him finish. "Let me go" his hand was surprisingly getting warmer around mine and the temperature kept increasing so fast.

"Javier can't love. He is not made for love ..."

"Let go" I struggled. His hand was very hot around mine now and I was so scared. How was it even possible? I thought to myself.

"Stay still" he snapped at me and watched as I shuddered, but didn't stop struggling because I couldn't bear the pain again.

"When the time comes, he will end you. That is what he is made for"

He leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. "With time Hattie, you will know why the mad prince is called the mad prince"