Lex:
The man in front of me was radiating so much power I was surprised he didn't say he was the King, he looked to be the same age. My father stated that he was only a few years older than me, but looking at him something inside of me tightened. It was a feeling I never felt before, I felt as though this man was everything I ever wanted, I needed. He was breath taking, literally taking the breath right out of my lungs, making it very hard to remember how to breathe.
He was tall like Alex, with almost the same body type, his face was clean shaved, he had dark hair and green eyes. I've never seen anyone so handsome, my wolf was howling on the inside, fighting to be released, needing to be with this man. I smiled at the thought. He said the King was away on business that was good, I had time to get comfortable before meeting the devil. I wondered if he was feeling the same as I was? Feeling the need to be closer to me. I wanted to ask so bad, I’ve never been one not to voice what I was thinking. I refrained from asking at the last moment, this guy was in the kings pack, and by the power he gave off it was clear he was of higher ranking.
"Who do I talk to, to figure out what room I'm in?" I asked to break the silence. I think I saw a smirk on his lips but it was gone before I could fully register that it was really there. "I think they put you next door to me, here I'll take you." He began to walk towards the entrance, so I trailed behind him. I secretly admired him from behind, his square shoulders look so strong. His back muscles straining against his shirt. He looks back at me over his shoulder and I look away to take in the view of the estate, this was the biggest place I think I've ever been to, it was beautiful to say the least.
"Thank you, do you know when the King will return?" He stiffened a bit when I asked but still tilted his head towards me, "No Idea, a few days I assume." Why did he hesitate? We walk through the huge doors of the castle, and it’s so grand I can’t believe I’m going to be living here. I’d probably be excited if not for the fact I was here against my will and being forced to marry the devil himself. We go up a few flights of stairs and down a maze of hallways, I can already tell it’s going to get more confusing before I know my way around. As we approached a room a man was walking out of it,
"Sorry I wasn't out to meet you ma'am but I was finishing your room, nice of, Adam here to escort you." He paused before he said the name Adam.
Adam, his name was Adam, it fit him. Adam smiled brightly, I was blown away by his smile, I could feel something stirring inside me, something I've never felt before, something animalistic and raw. "I'll let you get settled then." Adam said as he walked into the other room. My heart was racing, I wanted, no needed to be next to him again. That was without a doubt the single most important thing to me now. 'Lunaria is this the feeling of having a mate?' I thought it would be more distinct, more in your face. I wait for her to answer me, she's being quieter than usual. 'Were you able to reach his wolf?' I tried again, but still no answer. 'Are you ignoring me?' Still no response.
She doesn't usually ignore me, she must be upset that I didn't fight harder to stay home. Although that really wasn't my fault, she knows how my dad is. I would've never been able to persuade him, Alex couldn't even change his mind.
I unpacked unable to stop thinking of Adam, when I finished unpacking I'd decided to go ask him if he felt it or if I was just going crazy. I didn’t find anything wrong with asking, and maybe I was just that desperate to get away from the king that I was imagining this as a bond. I paced back and forth trying to figure out the right way to say what I needed to say, the right way to ask him if he feels the connection I feel.
I didn't know if this was what it felt like to find your mate or to just be attracted to someone. But if I'm to be married to Kaden maybe I shouldn't say anything, but maybe if Adam feels the same the king will understand and let me out of this arrangement. I'd been in this room contemplating this almost all day, and decided that this was something I needed to do.
I couldn’t marry the king if I felt something for someone else could I. I stepped out of my room and headed towards the room he went in earlier, but before I got to the already cracked door I heard it, a woman, moaning through the crack I could see them, he had her against the wall naked, he's pounding into her so furiously from behind. I didn't realize I was starting to tear up, but I was frozen unable to move. My heart pounding so hard against my chest that I surprised he couldn’t hear it. For some unknown reason I felt as though I was breaking from the inside out.
He looked over and saw me standing there, with the look of surprise on his face I was broken out of my trance and I ran back to my room and locked the door. He obviously didn't feel the same, and I feel like a complete fool. Maybe I just wanted to allow myself hope to get away from the king, how ridiculous of me, how stupid I must be. I start crying, I'm not even sure why I'm crying, but seeing him with another woman, makes me feel like someone is repeatedly stabbing me in the heart. I just want to go home, curl up in my bed and cry, but I can't, this room, this bed, this is my life now.
Will it always hurt this bad to see him with other women? Even after I get married, mated, and marked by the king. Even my wolf is hurting seeing him with that woman, was she his mate? She didn’t smell like a wolf, and I don’t recall us ever being mated to humans, I focus on getting my breath back under control when there's a knock at my door.
Kaden:
She saw us, I don’t know how long she was standing there, but the look on her face shattered me completely. I need to fix this, I pulled away from the human I was fantasizing was Alexis and run after her, her door was locked. 'I told you not to bring the slut into your room, how can you say you want Alexis, then go and f**k a slut.' Xavier was also pissed at me, I should've listened to him, Although I am confused as to why he’s upset, he’s the reason I don’t sleep with wolves, only humans. If I knew she would come look for me I wouldn't have been f*****g that woman against the wall or at all. "Alexis, open the door, please let me explain." Explain what I had no idea, I’m not even sure why I’m concerned about correcting myself I have every right to f**k whoever I wanted whenever I wanted. I mean yeah I’m going to marry her, and I’ll be faithful after we get married. Until then I figured it wouldn’t matter, I can’t believe I’m allowing myself to get as low as to apologize, to a woman I just met, I AM KING! I knew this girl would cause me trouble.
"Alexis, open the door." I say with a little more authority, becoming upset for the disrespect she’s showing. Still nothing, I could hear the sound of crying in her room, that sound was making my heart ache. Xavier wanted to surface. I feel my anger dissolve now I just want to wrap her in my arms and tell her it’d all be okay, and I’d never hurt her again. Was she crying because of me? Was that a selfless thing to think? I needed to see her face, I needed to get in this room. Now. Feeling my pride washing away, I’m beginning to feel like begging her, what is this woman turning me into? I will not resort to begging in my own castle! Then it hit me, she doesn’t even know she’s disrespecting the king.
I wanted more time to get to know her better, as a person not the feared king. "Alexis,” I take a deep breath. “The truth is I'm king Kaden." Now I feel like s**t for lying. She stopped crying, I heard the sounds of sniffling, and feet shuffling on the floor then, I heard the door unlock. She opened the door, I almost let out a sigh of relief, but by the look in her eyes you'd think she had been crying for a solid week not a few minutes. I feel my heart clench and I fight the urge to pull her into my embrace, instead I roll my hands into fist at my side.
She narrowed her eyes then spoke. "You're the king?" She asked with what felt like disgust. I almost cringed by the way she said it, did she really hate me that much? How can you have so much hatred for someone you don’t even know? More importantly, how do I turn her hate into something else, even if not love, at least affection? "Yes, I'm the king, I should have told you this before." “You mean you’re sorry for lying to my face and pretending to be someone you’re not?” I looked at her my heart still aching, she sure has a way to make people feel like absolute s**t, but I’m the king no one can make me feel anything that I don’t want to feel. “No, I’m the King I don’t have to apologize for doing anything.” I almost flinch at my own words and tone, a flash of hurt crosses her face but then it’s gone, and my heart is pounding in my chest I want to take it back tell her I didn’t mean it that way. She took a deep breath, "Okay, please stop calling me Alexis, it's just Lex, And you have nothing to apologize for. Lying to me is okay since you're the king right? Tricking me into thinking you’re someone you’re not is also okay for a king. treating your future wife like an inferior i***t, like nothing more than a joke it just fine because you’re the king, got it. And we're not married yet so you don't have anything to explain. Or do you plan on sleeping around even after we say our vows" She looked me in the eye, her own eyes full of defiance.
I want to assure her that I won’t and that I really only want her, but I can’t bring myself to say that. I’m also at a loss of words to defend myself against her other accusations so instead I change the subject. "Was there something you needed from me?" I asked nonchalant trying to keep her talking to me. But I instantly regretted it, the second I asked her she looked as though she was going to cry again. "No, nothing that matters anymore. I am only wondering now when the official wedding is going to be, so you can start helping my family and my land." That's right I almost forgot she's here as a deal. I can't lose her, I will marry her first thing. We can fix everything once we’re married.
"The wedding will be tomorrow, I will send someone to your lands to do the healing on your crops and whatever else needs to be done after that." She looked up shocked and maybe a little scared. "What?" I asked her, daring her to keep questioning and defining me. "Nothing just wasn't expecting it be this soon, will I be sharing a room with you after the wedding?" She still looked stern but I could smell the fear on her. "We'll see." Was all I managed to say through clenched teeth. I wanted to say yes, but I also don't want her to feel forced. I've never been this lost on what to say or do. Will it always be this way between us? "What about my family? Having it tomorrow gives them no time to make it here." She looked heartbroken, and again I was feeling my own heart break. "We'll have them come stay for a while afterwards." I turned before she could respond, before she convinced me that they needed to be here and we had to wait longer to get married. I called Henry to set up for a party to be thrown in two hours to welcome Lex. I like that name Lex, it sounded good on my tongue, and I started to wonder how she’d taste on my tongue. I felt my wolf rumble with the same thought and was starting to worry about him.
I turned around and knocked on her door again, she opened the door slightly, and looked blankly at me. I want so badly right now to fix this, the look she’s giving me makes me want to punch my own face. "There's a party tonight, you'll be there, I'll have something picked out for you to wear." I walked straight to my mom's room, I’m almost unable to contain my frustration but mostly my excitement. "Mother, I need you or Cindy to help miss Lex with a dress for her party tonight. Also with the wedding tomorrow." My mom looked at me with the biggest smile she'd ever given me. I groan and internally roll my eyes.
"Wedding? You're getting married!" She'd been waiting for this day for a long time I told them I’d consider marrying the Darkmoon girl, but after seeing her and talking to her there’s nothing else I can think about. I wasn't going to tell my mother about the feelings I was having for this woman, she’d never let me live it down.
"I need an heir and she's an ideal match, don't ponder on it too much." I was trying to sound indifferent, hoping I was masking my feelings well enough. My mom smiled and started nodding her head agreeing with me, then her face turned into confusion. “Then who is Lex son? You can’t bring one of your humans with you, that’s more than disrespectful, and I know I raised you better than that." I looked at her like she grew two heads. "Mom, it's dads friends daughter, the Darkmoon girl. I would never bring a human to a wolf event." I saw the wheels turn in her head. "Oh, no son her name is Alexis, remember Nicholas saying Alexis, I know it can be a little difficult to remember with everything going on, but do try son. I do want you to have a beautiful marriage, remember love will come, especially after you mark her."
Now I understand moms confusion, but she should probably hold off on that ‘love’ she’s expecting. Xavier growled at me, he’s becoming more than a little off lately. Maybe he’s upset about marking someone who isn’t our mate, but he wants her just as badly as I do.
"She said to call her Lex, mom, I want her to feel comfortable, she doesn't want to be here, I don't want her here, no reason we can't find common ground and both feel comfortable." Now that I know that she’s not here because she wants this, I question what her fathers motives are, and I know I shouldn’t be marrying her tomorrow because of my doubt now, but if not tomorrow then I might actually lose my mind. My moms smile faded, I know she wants so much for her children. She looks like she might cry.
"Maybe my children are cursed, you haven't found your mate, and Cindy has yet to find her mate." I went and sat by my mother, and let her cry, but I wanted to go to Lex, I want her beside me and never leave. “Mom Cindy is only nineteen, she has plenty of time to find her mate.” Mom sobbed louder. “Where's father?" I look around their room wanting him to come console my mother. "He went to shower, he heard about your party tonight." My mother stopped crying at the mention of my father. Having a mate can make a woman stronger, but it weakens a man, at least in my opinion. When My mother needs strength she looks towards my father, but my father is always vulnerable with my mother around. I got up and before I left I reminded her to ask Cindy to find something for Lex to wear tonight.