A dejected queen

Elora’s POV

The room was quiet, except for the soft sound of Kael’s breathing. I tried to take in sight of him. This would be the closest I would ever get after today. I made a mistake last night, and it could never repeat itself.

I slipped out from under his arm, moving carefully so I wouldn’t wake him. I couldn’t afford that. Not until I figured out how to keep our secret.

I found my clothes and grabbed them, pulling my dress on as quickly as my shaking hands would allow.

Slowly, my fingers rose to brush the mark on my neck. The bond had been sealed, but it felt like a curse, not a blessing. Sierra whimpered, confused and hurt.

“I don’t understand,” she tried to say.

“Why aren’t you happy? I’m trying to be, but there’s an energy I can sense from you that isn’t letting me.”

“He’s yours, not mine.” I told her.

It didn’t ease her confusion.

“What does that mean? You and I are the same.”

I scoffed.

“Not when I’m the mute, abandoned daughter. Not when I’m nobody.”

I was probably bad luck for her too. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind as I smoothed my dress, trying to steady my breathing. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye.

My hair was an absolute mess, blood had drained from my face, but it was the mark that stood out the most.

The skin where his teeth had dug into my flash was a bright red. I could trace the map of his dentition if I wanted to.

Panic clawed at my heartstrings immediately. If anyone saw that, I wouldn’t be able to hide the truth.

Quickly, I grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around my neck.

I examined myself in the mirror to make sure I was properly covered and not flustered in the least.

Kael stirred behind me, and I froze.

“Elora?” His voice was groggy, as he propped his head up with my pillow.

I swallowed hard.

His eyes were still slightly shut. And I hated that I found it… alluring.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. I greedily traced the lines of his collarbone. By the goddess, he was so sexy shirtless!

His gaze landed on me, and for a moment, his expression softened.

It didn’t take long before he realized he was in my room, and his brows furrowed as his eyes narrowed almost into a thin line.

“What… what happened?” he asked, rubbing his temples.

I moved to my vanity table and reached for the jar of water there, placing it carefully on the bedside table where he’ll be able to help himself to it.

I didn’t say a word. He hadn’t given me enough time to think of a lie.

“Elora,” his voice grew urgent.

“Why am I in your bed? And without clothes?”

I could barely breathe with how quickly my heart was pounding against my chest.

My hands shook as I adjusted the scarf around my neck.

He noticed it.

“Elora,” he followed my hands with his eyes, waiting for something.

Think, Elora! Think!

I lowered my gaze, biting my lip, and I signed.

“You came to my room drunk. I let you sleep here. That’s all.”

Kael frowned, his eyes searching mine.

“And my clothes?”

“You were almost naked. They reeked of alcohol. I helped you take them off.”

He sat up straight.

“You’re lying.” He spat out.

“Tell me the truth, Elora. Did we…” he didn’t complete the sentence. He couldn’t. I was certain it tore him to even think about it.

I shook my head quickly, but his gaze fell to my neck.

I watched his expression change as he tried to make out what exactly it was. It went from confused, and then the realization set in.

When he swallowed, I watched the ball in his throat move.

“Elora, I’m going to ask you this question once, and I won’t repeat myself.”

Goddess, please. I pressed my eyelids shut.

“What’s that?”

Even with my eyes closed, I could tell he was pointing to the mark on my neck.

I swallowed the lump that had formed and instinctively took a step back, my heart racing.

“Elora, look at me.”

I did.

He was on his feet now. He didn’t care he was naked, he didn’t bother to search for his clothes, he only kept his eyes on me.

“Answer me.”

I shook my head again, trying to step away, but he was faster. He grabbed the edge of the scarf and pulled it away, revealing the mark.

His eyes widened. “Who did this?”

I couldn’t answer. My throat felt tight, and I was as unable to make out my surroundings from the tears that had welled up in my eyes.

“Elora,” he pressed further, his voice rising. “Tell me the truth.”

I signed slowly as my fingers wobbled.

“You…last night…”

Kael staggered back as though I had slapped him across the cheek.

“No,” It was a breathless whisper.

“That’s not possible. I… I thought…”

He sank onto the edge of the bed, his hands running through his hair.

“Elora, you must understand how sorry I am. I thought…I thought it was Selene.”

I had known, but hearing him say it was a different kind of blow to the chest.

He looked up at me, his eyes full of guilt. “I felt the bond. I thought it was leading me to her. I… I didn’t know…I am to be mated to one of Valewinds. I always thought it’ll be Selene. She’s…”

Stronger, prettier, smarter in my father’s eyes. Knows the ways of war and politics, understands diplomatic relations, would be an asset in ending the war.

I knew. I had always known. Thankfully, he didn’t remind me.

I turned away, unable to meet his gaze. The bond pulled at me, begging me to comfort him, to tell him it was okay. But it wasn’t.

“We can keep it a secret.” I thought to myself, but when his eyes rose to meet mine, it dawned on me that he could hear me.

We were already mindlinked?!

“Elo…”

The door burst open, cutting his words short.

“What in the goddess’ name is going on here?!”

Selene’s high pitched voice rang out, she stood in the doorway, her golden hair wild, and ocean blue eyes burned with a kind of rage I had never seen before. I had always been on the receiving side of her anger, but tonight was different.

Her gaze darted between me and Kael, taking in the scene.

Her eyes landed on the scarf in Kael’s hand, then on my exposed neck. Her expression darkened. I could swear I saw her nose twitch.

“You…daughter of a bitch!” She lunged at me without a second thought.

I tried to step back, but she was faster. The next thing I knew, her right hand crashed against the skin of my cheeks. Both my eyes stung.

“You scrawny silly brat! she spat. “How dare you?!”

Tears filled my eyes, but I didn’t fight back.

I was in the wrong.

Selene turned to Kael with tears in her eyes.

“And you? How could you?” she demanded. “How could you betray me like this?”

Kael raised his hands. “Selene, wait—”

“No!” she shouted, cutting him off. She turned back to me, her face twisted in fury. “You’ve always been jealous of me. Always trying to take what’s mine!”

I shook my head, trying to sign, but Selene grabbed my hands. “Don’t you dare!” she hissed. “I’ll break your fingers if you try to make excuses.”

Kael stepped between us, grabbing her wrist. “That’s enough.”

Selene stared at him, tears streaming down her face.

“What, Kael? Are you…are you going to defend her? After what she’s done?”

Kael didn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at me before looking back at Selene.

“We spent the night together,” I could hear the regret heavy in his voice. I had torn their beautiful relationship apart with my selfishness.

She shook her head.

“But,” he continued.

“It wasn’t what you think. I was drunk, and…”

“She took advantage of you,” Selene interrupted, her voice rising again. “That’s what happened. She’s a lying, scheming—”

“No,” Kael said sharply. His tone silenced her.

He turned to me, a mix of pity and something that would have seemed like joy if I didn’t know better.

“She’s my mate, Selene. I marked her. The prophecy, it’s her.”

Selene paused, and stared at me.

The room went quiet. It was a maddening silence that made me wish she would scream, yell, hit me again. I preferred her chaos to her silence, because she had never been silent.

Selene turned her head sharply at him, then at me, her face pale. “No,” she whispered. “That’s not possible. You’re supposed to be mine. The prophecy is about you and I, not her! I trained for this. I’m a warrior, a skilled one. You know this, Kael. I’m the one you need by your side, not her. She can’t speak. She’s a liability. You know this.”

Kael’s voice softened, but it was no less firm. “The bond chose her.”

Selene’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, sobbing. “But I love you,” she cried. “I’ve always loved you.”

Kael knelt beside her, his hands on her shoulders. “I love you too,” he said, his voice breaking. “I always will. But I can’t go against the bond. If I marry you, I’ll ruin Elora’s life. She’ll never find happiness with anyone else. It’s not fair to her. And the prophecy…”

“I don’t care about the prophecy, Kael! It doesn’t have to be your fated mate, does it? We can put this behind us. I would accept my fate as your chosen mate if you just accept me.”

I was sick to the stomach just listening to them.

Duty. To his honor, and to his pack,

That was what I meant to him. That was what last night had meant to him.

“I don’t need your pity.” I spoke through our mindlink. It was odd to think of it. That Kael and I could now speak without words being said.

Kael looked at me, his eyes full of regret. “It’s not pity, Elora. It’s duty. I am an honorable man. I have marked you, and so I would claim you as mine.”

Selene sobbed harder, and Kael wrapped his arms around her.

“I’ll marry Elora,” he murmured, cupping her cheeks. “But you’ll always have my heart.”

The words cut deeper than anything Selene could have said. I turned away, unable to watch. My hands clenched at my sides, the mark on my neck burning like fire.

Kael's words repeated severally in my head.

“But she’ll be my queen now, and we must respect it.”