Hate or Love

The Feast

Estelle walked inside with her head held high, despite what had happened between her and her mate just an hour or so ago. Yet, her eyes were drawn to him instantly, no matter how angry and betrayed she felt.

She always seemed to do this. Find him in a crowded room the first second, as if he was a magnet drawing her to him. And not only because her wolf was restless as always, demanding from Estelle to accept her mate, but because for her, herself, it felt like everything revolved around him.

However, this time she averted her eyes from him immediately, walking to Arthmael, just because she was afraid Victor would catch her on time while she was still alone. And in the middle of his guests, there was nothing she could do about it.

She gritted her teeth together as soon as she noticed Irene looking at her knowingly.

Mine, her wolf claimed, but Estelle tried to block her in the back of her head instead.

"You look stunning as always, little sister," Arthmael's deep voice draw her attention from elf female that was clearly challenging Estelle with her eyes only.

"And you never forget to compliment me as always, big brother." She smiled right back at him, while the nannies brought the twins to them. Estelle took Evander, leaving Alice to Arthmael. Nonetheless, she noticed the way Arthmael kept looking back and forth between her and Victor, as if he was trying to understand what was going on between them. "It suits you a lot, being a father," Estelle told him.

"Thank you, Stelle, but I really think you're trying to avoid me here," he pointed out, looking actually amused at her attempts not to notice Victor across the room.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The look in his eyes softened a little bit. "What happened?" Arthmael questioned, in a lower voice, so the others wouldn't hear anything.

"Nothing happened, Arthmael, don't we have other things to talk about except your infuriating brother-in-law?" To avoid his gaze, Estelle kept playing with Evander's small hands.

"You mean your infuriating mate that cannot stop looking at you?" He teased. "We do, but let's say you really want to talk about him right now."

"No, I don't."

"You really tend to forget I've known you since you were a child, Stelle," Arthmael smiled at her, pinching her chin with his free hand so she could look at him, before he got a bit closer, placing his lips on her ear. "Besides, I think you forgot you aren't the only wolf in this palace, little sister. I can smell him all over you."

Her face blushed crimson instantly as she closed her eyes in embarrassment. How could she have forgotten that?

Did she really smell that much like Victor?

Did he smell like her too? Or like Irene? The thought made her hands turn into fists in anger.

And the whole time Victor kept looking at them, almost not listening to what Walton was saying anymore. He tried so much not to think of it, but there was something nagging at the back of his head, doubting that maybe, just maybe there was a small part of her that would always feel something for Arthmael.

And that Victor wouldn't be able to bear.

But he tried getting it out of his head instead. He was just becoming more possessive over her as the days passed by, which was strange to him too.

Once again, Estelle looked at him and this time her eyes widened, remembering what had happened. Reminding the way he had made her body fly with his mouth and his fingers only.

"Arthmael," she protested weakly. "You weren't supposed to say that. It- it was just a mistake―"

Arthmael chuckled. "I'm sure it was."

"It was to him. He wouldn't..." she trialed off, sighing. It was no use saying anything to Arthmael when she knew how close he was to Victor. "It doesn't matter."

Arthmael tried making sense of the little words Estelle had told him before closing off, as always these days. "There is no mistake for Victor when it comes to you, Stelle. He has made it clear."

Estelle forced a fake smile on her face. "I don't think so," she protested, but immediately noticed the way her brother smirked in disbelief. "This is all a big mistake, Arthmael, he wasn't supposed to be my mate at all."

He smiled in sympathy, reminding himself how for the longest time, he had tried convincing himself Evelyn wasn't supposed to be his mate as well. "Believe me, he always was. The twins are made for us, Stelle." Just as he said that, his eyes were drawn to the door and a smile crossed his face instantly. One that he only had when his wife was around. "You just have to let him in."

Taking Evander from her arms, he walked to Evelyn immediately, leaving a kiss in her forehead. All eyes were drawn at them, and Estelle couldn't help it, she smiled at watching the lovely scene in front of her.

If only she could have that too.

If only...

"My sister is finally here, so please join us," Victor declared in a cold voice, drawing everyone's attention at him. He waited for everyone to sit down at their spots in the long, extremely long table, still expecting his mate to join him, just like he had proposed her to.

But something in his heart broke when instead, she sat down on the guest's spot, joining her youngest brother instead, not even sparing him a look.

The spot besides him was empty even tonight, one day before his coronation. And this time he had had so much hope, only for them to be crushed instead. What would he really do with her?

Clearing his throat once, he reminded himself everyone was expecting him to say something. "Thank you, everyone, for joining us in such a happy day. The royal family has two new members, and I want everyone to welcome and cherish my sister's and Prince Arthmael's twins like they deserve to. Thank you, once again," he finished, sitting down and with his hand only, showing Evelyn that was her turn to say something. And all the while, he admired her with his eyes only.

Evelyn gave Alice to the nanny, before standing up and holding Arthmael's hand on hers. "Hey, everyone," she started. "First of all, just like my brother, I wanted to thank you for coming tonight. We don't have a lot of good history, I know. I was rejected as your Princess once, when you chose someone else above me as your Queen, and married me off to another King." It was obvious the memories hurt her as she spoke, but then a smile made its way on her face. "But maybe things wouldn't work out as they did if you all wouldn't. Maybe I would have never known my brother, maybe he would have never been our King, and maybe I wouldn't even known my mate too. So, I'm happy. I'm happier than I've ever been, so thank you." Tears filled up her eyes. "I wouldn't trade this; my friends, my family, my husband, my children for everything in the world. Thank you."

An applause followed her words, and Arthmael kissed the palm of her hand as she sat down, emotional as well.

Estelle's heart beat faster when she felt Victor's gaze on her. Why couldn't she be angrier at him? Why?

"I heard everything was prepared by Princess Estelle tonight." As soon as Lord Walton spoke, mentioning her name, everyone kept silence, all her attention on her now. "Not only the feast, but tomorrow's ceremony too. Is that true, Your Grace?"

Just his voice angered her instantly. She couldn't forget the way he had treated her. "Yes, it is," she admitted, not wanting to show any hesitation. That wasn't something she could hide, anyway.

"That's such a honorable thing to do, I must say." The sarcasm in his voice made Estelle grip the edge of the table in frustration. "Preparing the ceremony for your mate yourself."

The look in everyone's face was knowing and curious too. "For my sister-in-law too," she added. "And I think everyone can see we're in peace now. The past is in the past," Estelle said between her gritted teeth, the smile plastered on her face the whole time. The past wasn't in the past but there was no better thing she could say to Walton.

Walton tapped his fingers in the table, studying her face and then Victor's too, for any reaction he would make. "Does that peace include a royal marriage too, Your Grace?"

The smile on her face was bitter this time. "There will be no marriage anytime soon, Lord Walton, you don't have to worry."

Victor looked at her with widened eyes, and Estelle could swear she saw real anger in them. But she kept eating like nothing was going on, enjoying her sweet little revenge.

The feast went by smoothly after that, musicians playing music, some couples waltzing, magic everywhere on the air as the elves ate and drank for hours.

As soon as she could slip away from the feast, and from his gaze too, Estelle opened the door and tried leaving, inhaling deeply while thinking she had finally escaped.

However, the door of the hallway closed by itself with a loud bang, as if with magic. Or literally with magic.

She didn't have to turn back to see who it was. "What do you want, Victor?"

"You."

Her eyes widened when she realized he had said the same thing as her.

"You can't get me, so what other do you want?" She tried making her voice strong, not turning to look at him in the meantime.

It hurt but Victor tried to swallow it down. "You to at least turn and look at me, and tell me why you didn't sit down besides me as you promised."

This time Estelle did turn to look at him, frustrated. "I didn't promise anything, I said I wouldn't. You're the only one that keeps making promises and claims like you're entitled to everything."

When she last expected it though, he walked to her in his inhumane speed, in a second having his arm around her waist, flushing her to his chest. "No marriage, huh? There would be no marriage? That's what you told him."

Estelle couldn't help but take in his scent. The only thing he smelled like was her. It shouldn't have mattered that much but it did. "Yes, because there will be no marriage. Now can you let me go?"

"No," he simply told her.

"Victor Averell, let me go or―"

"Or what?" Victor raised his blond brows. "Or what, little wolf?"

"Stop calling me that!" She said in frustration, making Victor chuckle.

"I can call you anything I want, Estelle. You're mine."

Something clenched inside her stomach, but she didn't have time for it. Victor crashed his lips on her once again, just like he had done back to her room. Estelle tried resisting it this time, not opening up her lips for him, but for the love of the Moon Goddess, it was just impossible.

She kissed him back until they were both out of breath, and only when Victor thought he had her once again, she bit on his bottom lips with her sharper-than-usual canines, finally making his grab loosen around her body.

"Ouch." Victor's hand went to his lips unconsciously. "You are supposed to mark me here, little wolf." He flipped his white blond hair in his shoulder, showing her his neck. "Not in my lips."

"Can you stop teasing me for one second, Victor, there will be no damn marking. Ever!"

He blinked his eyes a few times, the smirk leaving his face. "Why?" He simply asked. "I thought...I thought after what happened this was all in the past. You couldn't reject me, Estelle, so why do you keep torturing us?"

Estelle didn't answer. It was no use explaining to him things he didn't want to understand at this point.

"Answer me," Victor demanded, his voice angrier. "Talk to me. When will you ever talk to me? We're mates, we're supposed to talk things with each other. We're supposed to be a team, damn it, Estelle!"

"This won't ever work, Victor."

"Why?" He once again, demanded. "What we shared, I thought it was special. I know I left in a hurry, but I swear it was important. I will explain it to you when the time comes."

Estelle wanted to laugh at that. Important? As important as leaving just like that?

Not that she was surprised, what he did best was leave. A mark wouldn't change that.

"I don't want any explanation, you owe nothing to me anyway," she said.

At this point, Victor was tired. There was no way to break down the walls she had built around herself, and he didn't even know why she had at the first place. The past was there, of course, but why couldn't she move past that? Past the murderer of her father?

"When will we stop these games?" He asked.

"Tomorrow," she answered. "When you're crowned King and I'm back to my court."

The way she said it so simply, as if it didn't matter to her at all, made him want to snap at her. "Do you think I will allow you to leave?"

"What will you do, prison me here?" She said it jokingly, but her eyes widened when she saw the serious look in his face. "Do you want war with my people, Victor? You're thinking of imprisoning their Regent."

"If war is what they want, war it is then." He shrugged once. "I will tell them I'm just keeping what's mine, and I'm ready to sacrifice a lot for that."

Estelle shook her head at him. "You're crazy," she told him, walking away. "Ah, and if you don't want to humiliate yourself in the first night as a crowned King, don't invite me on a dance tomorrow. I won't accept."

He smiled bitterly. "I will dance with you tomorrow, Estelle."

"You won't," she insisted.

"I will. I promise you," he stated. "Just as I promise you that even if you leave, you'll come back. Maybe then you'll really realize you can't live without me anymore."