Hate or Love

Reject Me

Only after she finished everything off, Estelle allowed herself to take a deep, deep breath.

Taking care of the preparations for Victor's coronation ceremony all alone for two full days had been harder than she had first thought. After all, Evelyn still needed time to heal. Arthmael was headstrong on not going out of the room but taking care of her and the twins fully. Julian had gone back to their court because of a few political matters Sir Vincent couldn't deal with alone, and Victor... Well, Victor wasn't the perfect person to choose for decoration matters; not when he had been living at his court only for a few months.

Plus, Estelle wouldn't be able to focus on her job with him around.

Yet, how she had gone from swearing to not attend his coronation to being the one to organize it, in only two weeks, she had no idea.

Estelle sighed in frustration when she noticed one of the flags hanged on the wall, that represented the Elven kingdom, was more tilted to the right than it should have been. Looking around, she noticed there was absolutely no servant in sight. The whole ballroom was empty.

Almost frustrated, she walked to the wall, trying to fix the thing herself. However, no matter how much she tried, the flag was hanged too high for her; she couldn't reach it.

The chuckle she heard behind her back, closer than she would have thought, made a shiver run down her spine. She didn't have to turn, her wolf went insane inside her head as soon as she sniffed his scent. Two days without him and it was hard to keep her from breaking out of her skin and claiming her mate.

"Here." His voice was surprisingly smooth and gentle as he fixed the flag without even getting on his tiptoes. "How does it feel, being that small?" Victor teased.

"I'm not small," Estelle complained, abruptly turning just to find him inches away from her. "You're just too tall."

Victor smiled lazily before looking around in curiosity, almost in awe. "Did you prepare all this for me, little wolf?" He questioned, feeling his heart swelling. She could say she didn't care all she wanted, Victor could see it in the little things she did. In the fact that she had clearly asked around about his favorite pieces of decoration, used the colors matching with the flags, taken care of every guest and official invitation, changed and perfected every small detail.

Estelle looked away. "You don't have to put it like that," she lamely tried to excuse herself. "I did it just because Evelyn couldn't. It's her birthday too after all."

Obviously, Victor wasn't fooled; he corner of his lip lifted upward, his blond brow raising too. "Is that right?"

"It is," she insisted in her lie. "Besides, you don't have to be that impressed, Victor, organizing balls it's my thing. I have acted Luna for years now, I know my way around a court... even one as beautiful as this," she added, in a lower voice.

Something about her loving his place made him feel even happier internally. Loving it meant she could hopefully call it home someday. "You've done an... amazing job," he complimented truthfully, seeing as she blushed just slightly, that kind of blush she had when she was a shy only around him. Just before she would start to ramble out of nervousness. 

"It isn't over though, I'll have to add the blue roses tomorrow, because I didn't want them to wither. Besides, I'm not sure where I can find them. I still have to go and find something to wear about the twins' feast tonight, I'm really late and―"

"Stelle," he cut her off suddenly. "Sit down at the table with me tonight."

Estelle froze, gazing up at him with her doe-like warm chocolate eyes. "What-what do you mean?" But she already knew what he meant. "Victor, I will not sit down on the Queen's spot," she objected weakly, feeling her hands shaking and her heart racing. "I don't want your court to think..."

"I do," he simply yet bluntly said. "Sit down besides me tonight, please."

Just the thought made a lump on her throat, her mouth felt dry and she couldn't look him in the eye anymore. "No," she objected. "Don't ask me that."

"Stelle."

"I really should go, but I'll meet you at the feast." She moved passed him, rushing to get outside before it was too late and she was lost at him. "Everything is ready for the feast too, don't worry, the guests are gathering as well." She tried to smile when she was at the door, but her lips trembled slightly too when she saw the way Victor looked at her.

Longing.

Did he really long for her? Or was it simply what her mind and her wolf wanted her to believe?

Once she was inside her room, Estelle closed the door and leaned her back on the cold surface of it, breathing heavily.

He was too close. Too close to convince her.

Why had it sounded that right when it was so wrong?

Why did he even have to propose something like that when he knew it was never going to work out? It was never going to work out for people like them, that were supposed to be enemies, so why couldn't Victor see that? Why did he have to make this even more difficult?

Estelle's head was a mess, she didn't know what to do anymore. It felt like she was in a crossroads, and whatever road she chose, her heart would end up getting broken.

Rushing to the bathroom, she let the hot water feel the tub and only after feeling the heat of it calm her body down, she tried breathing normally again.

Things were getting out of control, and Estelle couldn't allow it. Somehow, she had to find a way to put some distance. At least until tomorrow night. At least until...

She didn't allow herself to finish that thought. She just couldn't.

When Estelle got out of the bathroom, she already found a lilac-colored gown in her bed, waiting to be worn by her tonight. Edith was no where to be seen though, so she put the white inner dress herself first, and then the corset.

However, it was just impossible to tie the ribbons on her back herself, and there was no maid in sight.

"Edith," Estelle exclaimed, "Edith, can you help me out, please? I can't tie up the corset myself." Finally, Estelle heard the door opening and closing. "Thank Goddess, Edith, I've tried for minutes now―" She sucked in a breath as soon as the hands were on her corset and his breath brushing her hair slightly. "Victor..."

"Am I allowed to help out?" He questioned in a low, breathy voice, but his hands were already pulling the ribbon on her back, his face too close to hers.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes at the sensations of his touch and his proximity, biting down on her lip when his fingers moved her head to her left and brushed on the back of her naked neck. "Victor," she tried again, her voice weak.

"Why are you still fighting me?" Victor kissed down on her shoulder. It was more like brushing his lips on her skin but it set her body on fire. "Why, little wolf?"

"I'm not fighting anything," she protested, yet her voice was needy, her breath quickened.

Victor spun her around all of the sudden, the look on his eyes hard with determination and desire. "Let's stop these games of push and pull already, Estelle," he suggested. "Accept me, or reject me."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "But..."

"Once in your life, Estelle, have the courage to make a decision," Victor said, his eyes boring into hers as he studied her every reaction. "Reject me. Look me in the eye, and say the words if you can. And I give you my word, I will accept your rejection."

There was no doubt on his face. No lie. Yet there was this usual self-confidence, arrogance even, narcissistic look that for some reason made him even more desirable to her. Just like it always did.

She needed him so much, he had no idea.

Or maybe he did. Estelle couldn't tell anymore.

Her eyes averted away instinctively, as she tried to somehow prepare herself to say the words she should have said way before, when he hadn't crawled that deep under her skin. "I..."

Victor's fingers pinched her chin, moving her head so she would gaze up at him. "I said look me in the eye, Estelle. I won't accept a cowardly rejection."

Desperate. That's how she felt, desperate. Desperate for a solution, desperate for him.

His eyes kept holding her as if he could see right through her. Like they were saying he knew she couldn't, like they were challenging her to keep going.

And for the life of hers, Estelle couldn't.

She took a deep breath. "I, Estelle Barlowe..." Her lips trembled, tears pickling behind her eyes. "I can't," she told him in desperation, "Victor, I can't."

The satisfaction written all over his beautiful face made her thighs clench together in need.

All of the sudden, Victor pushed her against the wall, one of his hands pining her arms above her head, and the other placed her naked leg around his hip.

His body pressed up to hers and the hunger in his darkened eyes made Estelle nearly fall right there, if he wouldn't be holding her possessively.

"This was the last chance I gave you, little wolf. Now you're mine. Now you're mine and I'm never letting you go," he claimed, and his lips came crashing down on hers.