Hate or Love

His Gentle Side

Opening her eyes slowly, Estelle tried to make sense of where she was for a few seconds. It didn't look like her bedroom at all.

Because it wasn't.

It was the King's bedroom. Victor's.

Her eyes caught him sleeping curled on the small couch in front of the large bed. He was hugging the pillow in his chest and his light hair were messily spread on the dark color of the velvet couch.

The sight made something melt inside her heart. He looked so precious. Not at all the King people feared and respected in equal measures. Just a young elf male, who happened to be King, but gentleman enough to leave her his bed and sleep on the couch instead.

Yet something inside her wished he hadn't; wished he had slipped under the sheets and taken her in is arms instead. It wouldn't be the first time after all, they had slept together in Walton's residence just like that.

Was it the fact that she wasn't able to resist him anymore what had made him lose interest on her? Was she more appealing to him when she pushed him away more?

Suddenly, she realized that she was naked, since last night after she had shifted back to her human form. A blush invaded her face, but Estelle was at least happy she had slept covered in his blanket the entire night.

There was a simple dress at the edge of the bed, probably one that Lady Lillian had left for her before she had gone back to her chambers.

Estelle took it and rushed to the bathroom, putting it on carefully so she wouldn't hurt her wound. And her eyes widened when she looked herself in the mirror. Her hair were disheveled, her face puffy.

She looked terrible.

Trying to soothe her hair back using some water, she hoped she would somehow look just a little bit better.

When had she ever cared how she looked in front of Victor?

Always, Estelle reminded herself, rolling her eyes. Since the very first day, despite how much she had hated him. And she still did. Estelle had to repeat it to herself that she still did.

It was the only way.

When she walked inside, Victor was already awake. His eyes roamed over her and he didn't try to hide how much he appreciated what he was seeing.

However, Estelle couldn't help but look down at his naked chest. He was only in a pair of leather black pants, and if she had to be honest, he looked like a perfectly sculptured God.

"Like what you see?" His deep voice got her out of the daydream of running her hands all over his body.

Her cheeks started burning again as she looked away and chewed on her lip almost shyly.

Victor groaned internally; she was just so desirable.

"I was not looking, I was just lost in my thoughts," Estelle tried excusing herself, yet it sounded lame to her ears as well.

He only chuckled lightly and went to help her get in bed again.

"Victor, you know I can walk, right?" She asked in sarcasm, rolling her eyes, however she couldn't deny her wolf was more than contented with him helping her with the smallest things like adjusting the blanket, or tucking her hair behind her ear softly. "It's my shoulder that's been wounded, besides, it's already healing," she added a few minutes later.

"Which doesn't mean I'm going to let you hurt yourself again."

Without her realizing what he was doing, Victor walked at the door, getting something from one of the maids.

Estelle's eyes widened when she saw it was a tray full of food he had in his hands. And he hadn't even let the maid bring it to her bed. He did it himself instead.

"Is that for both of us?" She asked, trying to hide how much all this affected her.

Victor furrowed her brows at her as if she had said the stupidest thing there could be. "Of course not, that's for you."

"Me?!" She almost jumped from the bed. "Victor, that is enough for at least three to four people."

"But it's for you only, because I want you to heal fully." Victor sat down besides her on the bed and put the tray of food in his lap. "Although I like you on my bed a bit too much if I have to be honest."

Her heart pounded as if with magic, her hands starting to shake slightly.

However, the last thing in the world she had expected was for Victor to feed her himself.

He took the spoon, full of soup and brought it to her mouth. "I asked the physician to prepare it. It'll make you heal faster," he said in a soft voice, looking into her eyes the whole time as he spoke.

And all Estelle could do was look at him as if he had grown two heads. When had this side of him come from? Why hadn't she known he could be this gentle if he wanted to?

But then again, it was something about Victor being like this only for her that made her need him even more, somehow. The fact that she could bring this tenderness out of him.

He could act tough and scary all he wanted, Estelle was eventually seeing what was deep inside his heart; and it wasn't helping her at all.

"You don't have to feed me," she said, but her mouth opened by itself anyway.

The soup was good, surprisingly. Full of mushrooms, warm and a bit salty just like she wanted it.

Had he really gone and asked Julian or Arthmael how she liked the food? Somehow, this seemed very believable right now.

"I want to," he simple said, smiling just briefly before he went back to focusing on giving her as much food as possible.

"Victor, stop, I'm literally so full right now," she complained for the tenth time already. "You're treating me like a baby."

"Are you any different? You complain and pout like a baby," he observed, laughing just a bit as he sent the tray back to the guard out of the door.

Estelle was sure Victor didn't know how much laughing suited him.

"Don't you have King-y things to attend to?" She questioned when he came back and sat down besides her again. The truth was she only wanted him to throw a shirt on. Victor walked around half-naked was distracting the say the least.

"Are you throwing me out of my own chambers, Your Grace?" Victor asked in a dramatic tone, enjoying this time with her a bit too much. "I didn't know you had came here with the purpose of invading my lands."

Estelle couldn't help it, she started giggling. And only the sound of it made Victor almost lose his mind.

"And I didn't know you could be not boring if you wanted to." She gave a wink, teasing him.

"Boring?!" Victor raised his brows in amusement. "I am boring, huh?" He started messing her hair furiously, both laughing and playing around like little kids. "I will show you boring."

"Victor, stop!" Estelle laughed so much, her lungs started hurting from the lack of air.

And only when the door opened they stopped throwing their hands around, abruptly, figuring it was actually their siblings, coming to check on her.

Estelle gulped, figuring they had once again caught them in something that could be called intimate.

Victor however, only smiled, almost joyful, and then started soothing her hair back after messing them up himself.

"We should literally stop interrupting them every time," Evelyn snapped at the two men like it was their fault. It was most probably her hormones, so neither of them tried to object. And if it was another time, Estelle would have felt bad for her poor brothers.

But the whole time she looked away, biting on her bottom lip nervously.

The truth was, they had walked inside right in a perfect time to stop all this madness Estelle was falling into.

What was she even doing? How could she let herself flirt with Victor, get that close to him? Stay in his bed, moreover?

The conversation with his mother made its way on her head again. Lady Lillian had been right, after Victor's coronation, Estelle would have to make a decision. And she already knew the decision.

So, to save her heart, she should stay away from him the last few days they had left together.