Hate or Love

The Harp and The Harpist

The door of Victor's bedroom opened with a loud bang, waking him and his night companion up from a comfortable morning sleep.

Victor groaned, not opening his eyes yet, but it wasn't necessary to tell who was the only one brave enough to enter the King's room without knocking. "Always the respectful one, little sister."

"Cut the crap, Victor. Arthmael told me about you men's stupid plan. And for using me in it." His twin sister sounded angry, but these past few months Victor had known her enough to tell that she acted like this when she was actually worried about him. And Victor loved her more for this.

"Excellent." He rolled his eyes, almost bored. "What have you done to him? The wolf can't even keep a small secret from you for just a few hours."

"Leave us alone," Evelyn ordered the pretty elf that wasn't making an attempt to get out of his bed, or even cover her nakedness from her Princess, for that matter.

Victor gave her a single cold glance when he saw her pout, leaving it no up for discussion that she had to leave now. This was all they had. Just a few nights together, while at days they had absolutely no interaction, when in fact all court already knew Lady Irene visited the King's chambers at night. She had made sure for the rumors to spread all by herself.

Victor noticed how Evelyn's eyes followed Irene until she left the room, while he started getting dressed himself. 

"Something tells me I know exactly why she is short, a bit curvy, and has exactly that hair color."

He closed his eyes, defeated, letting out a sigh. "Evelyn."

"I'm sorry, I... shouldn't have said that." She sounded guilty, cursing herself underneath her breath as her arms instinctively went around her round stomach. The twins had definitely made a big place of themselves inside of her. "This thing about... Estelle. It's just not healthy, Victor. I'm worried about you," Evelyn added sincerely.

"Worried about me?!" He gave a lazy smile.

"Worried that you might get your heart broken."

For a second Victor let himself take her words seriously, before he chuckled lightly. "Believe me, little sister, a spoiled Princess won't break my heart. Now tell me, is she coming?"

Evelyn hesitated at first. "She is. But before you get too proud, it was Julian who basically forced her to agree."

"So, she said no?" Victor asked, still searching around for his crown, not too bothered by the fact that his mate hadn't willingly agreed to come to his coronation ceremony. Or the fact that she obviously didn't want to even face him. He had been expecting this after all, which didn't mean he would give up any attempt to his plan.

The she-wolf had to realize she belonged with him. The sooner, the better.

"Not in those words exactly." Evelyn bit on her bottom lip, obviously refusing to let him know the truth. "She said..."

"What?" Victor groaned, impatiently.

"She told you to go to hell."

Victor chuckled, utterly amused. The Princess was brave, he had to admit that. And maybe a bit feisty too. Victor couldn't say this didn't make pursuing her even more fascinating. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked under his breath, mostly talking to himself than his sister. 

This would be a challenge, but one that he was looking forward to. Just the thought made him smile. Sure, his dearest mate was stubborn, but wouldn't this make it all more fun? Seeing when she was going to break and finally fall in his arms? Playing with her, as if she was a harp and he was the harpist. The secrets were the strings. They had to by played all in right time, and he was clearly planning to do just that.

The wolf Princess had absolutely no idea where she was getting herself into by accepting his invitation, forced by her brother or not.

"You two are the worst match ever," Evelyn lastly said, walking out of his room.

"You're right." Victor shrugged, knowing she couldn't see him. "Who told you we can't change that, though?" Looking out of the window, he inhaled once. I'll change that, he thought. She'll want me. 

However, all hopeful thoughts left his mind when he saw Irene, again entering his room, a seductive grin spread on her face as she approached him in slow steps.

He looked at her for a second, not saying a word. What was he doing, letting someone else that wasn't his mate inside his bed? As much as he didn't want to accept it, deep down in his subconsciousness he knew Evelyn had been right at her observation; Irene had a few similarities to Estelle. Yet she felt so different. So not what he wanted. Or maybe because he knew what he wanted, and what he couldn't have at the same time.

For now at least. He wouldn't allow Estelle to slip like sand between his fingers once again. It had happened once, but the circumstances were a bit different at that time. She had been grieving for her dead monster of a father Victor had himself killed.

It had been four months now. Victor could put some senses into her and show her what a man her father truly is.

But firstly, he had to make things right. Make her feel welcomed at his court, at his heart too, and he couldn't do this by letting her know there was another woman wandering around his bedroom, no matter how insignificant Irene was to him.

"I hoped we weren't over yet," she suggested in a sing-song voice, resting her palms in his already clothed chest.

"We are over. For good," he bluntly told her. There was no beating around the bush with Victor, he would make it clear to her this stupid thing had ended for good.

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her brows, her lips forming a thin line. "Over how?"

"Over as 'your visits in my chambers are over'," he clarified. "Now excuse me, my Council is waiting."

Irene gasped, dramatically. "Victor!"

He turned to look at her, hiding his boredom with the same stoic look in his face. "I made this clear since the first time, it was no strings attached. And that it would come to an end soon. You were more than alright with it."

"Is this because of that she-wolf? Because she's coming here, right?" For a second her voice was full of hatred. "Everyone knows how she wished you dead on the trial. Do you really think she'll fall in your arms now?"

Anger bubbled inside him as he gritted his teeth together, his eyes almost turning wild. He was a second away from letting his powers out and this almost never happened. "You're talking to your bloody King," Victor said in her face, looking the way she paled and looked down at her feet in fear. This was what he implied on people if he lost just a bit of control over himself. Fear. And right now, he was more than enjoying it. "If you say one more word, you'll find yourself banished from here. Or even worse, thrown in the dungeons."

Her whole body started shaking. "P-Please forgive me, Your Majesty," Irene begged.

"You may go," he declared, coldly.