A Lover and A Liar

I Beg of You

Julian stood in front of the door, his hand ready to knock but not quite knocking.

Instead, he rested his forehead against the cool surface of the door, closing his eyes and letting guilt consume him. It seemed like everywhere he went, if he faced both her or Katherine, guilt and confusion was what he was going to feel.

This was all so strange, all so out of everything he had been taught all his life, but what Julian knew for sure right now was that he wanted to see her. Perhaps apologize to her. For what, he wasn't sure, but it didn't matter.

Yesterday Alina had looked broken, and he had had the guilt of kissing her overshadow every other concern he had as he had looked at her desperate eyes. And this wasn't like him. He didn't dismiss people that way if they needed him.

Even if that included a very strange woman he felt pulled into as if she was a magnet made just for him.

Finally, he knocked. Once. Twice. However, there was no answer from the other side of the door. Julian considered she was perhaps sleeping; it was early in the morning, everyone in their right mind was sleeping right now, but it wasn't like Julian had been sleeping at all to begin with.

"Alina?" he called, but again, he was met with silence. "Alina, I'm coming inside. Don't say I didn't warn you."

He pushed the door open slowly and the first thing he was welcomed with were the first rays of sunshine coming from the opened curtains, right on the floor where a body was laying. Dark messy curls were covering her face but he wouldn't have missed them anywhere in the world.

"Alina," he breathed, finding himself knelt on the floor besides her body. "Oh, Alina!"

Wrapping his arms around her upper body, he placed her head on his lap, soothing the curls back with urgency. The blood he saw on her nose and her lips nearly stopped his heart from beating.

With trembling hands, he reached to check the pulse on her neck, breathing only when he found out it was strong and constant. "Thank Goddess," Julian whispered, pulling her closer to his chest. The physician, he ordered his most trusted guard through their mind-link. Bring the physician in Lady Alina's room right now!

Yes, my King. 

He let out a sigh of relief, and placing one hand under her legs, he lifted her in his arms. She didn't weight much, after all. As he looked down at her almost sleeping face, his wolf whimpered in his head in agony. If there was something wrong with her, if she had came in his room for that very reason last night, Julian wouldn't forgive himself for the rest of his life. And nor would his wolf ever forgive him. It didn't matter that it made practically no sense, the wolf was very found of the little witch in his arms.

Now that she was unconscious, in his arms, Julian could at least admit this to himself.

"Alina," he called her softly again as he placed her body under the sheets of her queen-sized bed.

"Julian." Her voice was just a weak whisper, for a second he felt like he had imagined her say his name. "Julian," she said again, however, without opening her eyes, and this time his heart broke. Did she just say his name while she was unconscious?

Who was this woman? And why did he want her this much?

"I'm here, lovely." Julian stroked her beautiful curls, his fingers losing inside of them. "Open your pretty honey eyes for me, Alina. Please," he begged. "Please, I will do anything."

The door opened in a rush and the old physician, accompanied by his guard entered, closing it again. "Let me check on her, my King," the physician said, and only then he realized he had to move away from her. His wolf growled in objection. What if she needed him close? He didn't want to move. "My King?"

"Yes." Julian took hold of himself, moving away from the edge of the bed. "Of course."

For a few tormentingly long minutes, the old wolf checked on her, drawing blood out of the vein of her arm, seeing for any injury or anything else that could have caused the blood-loss.

"And?" Julian tapped his fingers on the headboard impatiently, as they kept trembling slightly. "Tell me," he growled. "What's wrong with her?"

"I'll have to check a few more things, Your Highness, but I'm sure the Lady is perfectly fine. She must have been just overwhelmed, or in a lot of stress recently. Perhaps she hasn't even eaten properly," he suggested.

Julian didn't know what he felt. Part of him was more than relieved she was alright, and part of him hated himself he had been the one causing it to begin with.

Was it because of the kiss? Or because of the fight he had had with Cedric? Or because of the fact that he practically closed the door on her face when she reached out to him?

"Is she going to be alright?" he asked, traces of fear showing on his voice. "When will she wake up?"

"Yes, my King, she's going to be alright in just a few hours. But she'll need to eat regularly, and I'm not a wizard, however, I suppose she has to not tire herself with her magic for a few days."

"I understand. But you'll check on her again and tell me if anything is wrong," he ordered.

"Alpha, do we need to tell Lady Katherine or―"

"No!" Julian didn't know what made him say that, but he didn't want his mate to know. He wanted to be the only one taking care for her. "It'll be only between us, or else, you two will have consequences. Am I clear?"

They both bowed down to him in respect, talking in union, "Yes, my King."

"Perfect. You can go now."

Only when they were both gone Julian went to bathroom, found a bowl and filled it with warm water, took a cloth too, and sat down on the edge of the bed again, starting to wipe her face gently with the wet cloth and clean it from the dry blood.

He didn't remember the last time he had done something like this, not even for Katherine. And something told him it wasn't only because of the guilt he felt; no, he wanted to do so. Julian wanted to take care of her. His whole being did, his wolf did. He wanted to take her in his back and hide her from the rest of the world, keep her like a treasure just for himself.

***

Her eyelids felt heavy, but Alina managed to open them nonetheless. Her head spun for a second, and then stopped, only for her to see a small body laying on the end of the big bed, clearly sleeping.

"Luis?"

He jumped at her voice instantly, making Alina giggle. She rested her back on the headboard first, and then gave him a big smile.

"You're awake!" Luis threw himself at her, completely taking her by surprise.

"I am?" she made it sound like a question. "What happened to me?"

"Julian found you laying on the floor, unconscious. There was blood. He was so worried about you. I was too when I found out. You weren't waking up."

"Wait," she interrupted his speech. "Julian found me?"

Luis nodded his head. "Yes. In the morning. He took the physician to check on you, but fortunately he said there was nothing to be worried about."

Her eyes were widened in surprise. So he had came to her this morning? After... after he had slept with her? Why?

Alina wondered if he had been the one to put her on her bed. There was no blood on her face, she realized as she touched her lips. And when her hand traveled on her head, her hair felt smooth and taken care of.

Had he... brushed her hair?

Sudden tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back. No. He must have gotten a maid to do so. He had no reason to do that for her, he felt absolutely nothing about her. Alina had to remind herself this. That she was the only one that felt the bond, because that pull, she felt it for Katherine.

Otherwise he wouldn't have sent her back like that last night.

"Alina." Luis waved one hand in front of her face. "Are you alright? You look lost."

"Yes, yes, I'm alright." No matter what was on her head, she couldn't help smiling at him. He had fallen asleep at her feet because he hadn't wanted to leave her alone. Because he was taking care of her. How sweet could this little Prince be? "Thank you." She stroked his cheek with her fingers. "For staying with me."

He gave her one of his radiant smiles that only now Alina figured how much they resembled Julian's. He crawled to her even more, and she knew he was about to whisper something on her ear, "Actually Julian stayed here all day long. He told me not to tell you," he giggled. "But I did."

She felt something warm spread on her chest, her heart melting. "Did he?" she asked.

Luis nodded again. "He was so worried. I think he likes you."

Alina had a glass of water on her hand, taking a sip from it, but she almost chocked on it. "Luis, no―"

"He doesn't like Katherine. And I don't like her too. I wouldn't want a mate I don't like for myself."

Her jaw had dropped, but before she was able to answer, the door opened, cutting her off.

"Alina." A small smile spread on Julian's face. "You're finally awake." Only then she noticed a tray of food on his hands. He left it on the bedside table, sitting down on a chair in front of her. "How are you feeling?" He took her hand in both of his almost unconscionably, the sparks spreading like warmth on her skin.

She studied his face for a few seconds in silence. Would she ever be able to hate him?

No. The answer was no.

"I'm fine," she simple said. "Luis told me you had found me. Thank you..."

He shook his head, almost embarrassed his brother had told her that. "It was nothing. I was worried. You shouldn't skip your meals, Alina. Nor stress yourself too much. You're supposed to be on vacations."

The irony of that was almost laughable. Oh, what vacations these were.

"Luis, can you leave us alone, please? I have something to talk to Julian about."

Luis didn't object, almost as if he felt the weight of the situation. Alina had no idea how she was going to do this, but she had to warn him somehow. She couldn't leave this all to fate... especially if... especially if Katherine was indeed carrying a male heir right in this moment, no matter how difficult it was for Alina to even come to terms with it.

"Yesterday..." she whispered.

"Alina, I know," he cut in, pain written in his eyes. "I'm a fool. If I had known this was about your health, I wouldn't have sent you away. This cannot be forgiven―"

"Julian," she insisted. "It wasn't about my health. I'm perfectly fine. It was about you, and me, and―"

"Please," he stopped her, his eyes averting away from hers. "You should forget about what happened... at Evelyn's. I'm trying to. It's better you do the same."

If her heart hadn't been broken until now, now it was. "Oh," she whispered, the tears burning down her throat. "Okay, but―"

"There are no buts. That was a big mistake I made, and I'm the one who should fix it." He stood up, ready to leave.

"Julian, they're using you!" 

Her words immediately stopped him at his feet. He turned at her, his emerald eyes questioning. "What do you mean using me?" he asked. "Using me how?"

"They want a baby. An... an heir."

"Everyone does," he stated. "I'm the King, and I already have a mate. There's nothing unusual about her or her father wanting us to be with child."

She sighed, "You don't understand."

"Yes, I do, Alina. I do." His voice rose in anger, but more directed to himself than to her. "If this is your way to make what we did sound less of a mistake, it isn't working. We're the only ones in wrong here. I betrayed my mate and you, your friend. End of story." He turned his back to leave again.

Running her hands through her hair, she let out a deep breath. "Trust me, you should be careful of the people closer to you."

"I will, if that's what concerns you." He reached the door, grabbing the handle and opening it just slightly.

Alina could feel her heart shattering. "If I mean anything slightly to you, at least listen to me," she plead. "Don't get her pregnant, Julian. I beg of you."

Silence. There was silence.

Then he finally turned at her, his eyes filled with agony and sadness. "You can't get pregnant someone you cannot touch, Alina."