Hate or Love

Guest of Honor

After a long day exploring around the palace, and the endless gardens of it, Estelle walked towards her chambers, trying yet failing to stop thinking about how much Victor had made a fool out of her.

She should have asked the ambassador more questions instead of tearing the invitation in his face. Maybe that way the old elf would give away any small information that would have made her understand her mate's true intentions.

Evelyn's pregnancy was of course just an excuse, the King basically made it clear himself. It was just his stupid yet genius way to keep her at his court for longer, and Estelle had fallen right into it.

Two weeks.

Two weeks at the same place with the one person she hated the most in this world. This was going to be a challenge, and not one she was looking forward to. He seemed to know exactly what to say to drive her crazy.

When Estelle stepped inside her bedroom, she spotted a maid leaving a gown above her queen-sized bed, one that made Estelle's eyes widen in surprise.

It was so elegant. A satin royal blue with open cleavage and long sleeves. It took her breath away instantly.

"What is this?" She asked the elf maid, who strangely didn't even look her in the eyes. Estelle was a guest here, but she had never been the kind of Princess to make the others, especially servants, fear her. On the contrary, everyone back home adored her.

"A-A gown," the maid stuttered. "From... Princess Evelyn. There is a small gathering at the ballroom tonight in the honor of you, the royal guests in our court. The Princess said she would be happy if you accepted her gift, she... knew you hadn't taken a lot of clothes with you."

Estelle looked at the gown once again. That made sense, it was exactly something that Evelyn would do. Of course, the ice between them couldn't be broken, and Estelle herself wasn't willing to let everything in the past, she couldn't after all, but if Evelyn had gifted her this gown, she would wear it.

It was not like it was a hard thing to do, the gown was beautiful.

With the help of the maid, she got ready and walked to the ballroom by herself. It was not hard to find it, just following the harps and violins playing was enough.

She couldn't see Evelyn nor her brothers at first; there were only some ladies dancing around and the gentlemen, drinking and probably talking politics as always.

"Princess, come dance with us," one of the ladies shouted to her, smiling brightly. Estelle remembered having a conversation with her today, she just couldn't remember her name. She had met so many new people, it was difficult to keep track.

The Princess hesitated at first. If she would have been back at her court, and if things would be as they were before her father was killed, she would have been the first one getting her heels off and dance around, probably for hours. Dancing was her biggest passion, after all.

But here? With all eyes on her, seeing her every move? She wasn't sure.

Another melody started, one that she couldn't resist anymore. Lifting her skirt lightly, so she wouldn't step on it, she joined the ladies, dancing, laughing as they formed a circle around her and let her spin around.

Small feathers started falling magically from the chandeliers above. For a moment, Estelle forgot where she was, why she was here. For a moment, she felt nothing but happiness, looking around with the brightest of smiles on her face.

Until her eyes met his.

Victor sucked in a breath. He had been watching her for minutes, enjoying herself, giggling as she danced and spoke with some other ladies. But then she had started smiling even more when, with a snap of his fingers, he had made feathers fall from above, just so he could see her reaction.

Not only her lips smiled, her warm, brown eyes smiled too.

And he was lost. There had never been someone that had a more beautiful, radiant, heart-stopping smile than his mate. Her gaze fell in him and she stopped spinning, frozen on the spot. But the smile didn't slip her face yet, as she kept looking at him with some big eyes that gave everything she was feeling away.

His heart pounded inside his rib cage, Victor was sure it could be heard even from miles away.

He didn't know when he started walking towards her, but the ladies opened the way for him instantly, and only then, Estelle seemed to snap out of the dazzling haze she had fallen into, shaking her head slightly.

"Dance with me." He extended his hand forward, holding her gaze the whole time as he waited for her to place her small hand above his.

All eyes were on them, it seemed like all were holding their breaths, waiting for Estelle's answer. She swallowed down, forcing herself not to look away. "Why would I dance with you?" She whispered, raising her chin defiantly.

Victor wanted to laugh. She was just so adorable, she just had no idea she was. "Because you're my guest of honor tonight. And here where I live, the guest of honor dances with the King." He made it all up of course, there was no rule about this.

Her lips formed a thin line, as she looked at him, letting him know how much she hated this. But of course she couldn't walk away from this now, when everybody was watching.

Placing her hand in his pale one, Estelle felt his other hand around her waist, flushing her to him, and the waltz music starting at the same time. She had to waltz with her enemy, while everybody kept watching and no one except them was dancing.

The corner of his lip was lifted up, almost teasingly. Estelle hated with all her being how everything happened just the way he calculated it to, including her.

"I despise you," she told him, gritting her teeth together as she looked deep in his blue eyes.

"Oh, but do you?" His blonde brow arched upwards, the tone of his voice sarcastic.

"I do," she hissed, following his lead. "With everything in me."

Victor chuckled lightly, letting this one slide, enjoying the way she looked away, upset.

For a few seconds they waltzed in silence, until he decided to break the ice again, "You look breathtaking in blue. I have taste, after all."

The words got caught on her throat, her eyes and mouth round in surprise. "The dress was from Evelyn," she said, but even as she heard her own words, she realized how lame they sounded. There had never been a dress from Evelyn, he had just fooled her once more. "You..." she hissed. "You're infuriating."

Victor smiled, making her heart skip a beat. "Am I?"

"What do you think you gained from this? I would never wear it if I knew that was from you."

He spun her around, this time wrapping both arms around her body so she would have no choice but to place hers round his neck. "Well, I gained the result, of course. I wanted to see you in this dress and I did." Victor placed his lips on her ear, and a shiver ran down her spine at his proximity and his whispered words, "I always get what I want, little wolf."

She closed her eyes, biting on her bottom lip as her stupid wolf whined inside her head. The endearment only made goosebumps erupt on her skin. "And what do you think you'll gain from these two weeks, keeping me here?" Thankfully, her voice sounded strong and even, nothing like she was feeling inside.

He looked into her eyes, their faces only inches apart. "You."

In that right moment, the waltz was over. Estelle felt numb, as if her mind had played tricks on her.

Taking her hand in his, Victor left a kiss on her knuckles, all the while looking up at her.

His long fingers were beautiful, she found herself admiring them. Until images of blood dropping from them filled her mind and she shoved his hand away harshly, making a step back from him.

"Don't touch me." Her voice was a whisper, but a threatening one. "Don't you dare touch me again."

Without looking around, but feeling everyone's eyes on her, she walked away from there, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, yet, she held them back.

What was she doing? What she had to be thinking now was how to avenge the death of her father, instead she had been waltzing with his murderer, letting him play with her feelings however he wanted.

He was so damn manipulative, then why was she falling for it?

Estelle shook her head. No, she wasn't. Of course she wasn't. Maybe it wasn't easy to be near him; he was her mate, it was the bond making her body react that way. However, she knew better than a stupid bond that kept two people that despised each other, tied together.

Perhaps King Victor thought two weeks were enough for him to win her over. But two weeks would be enough for Estelle to make him regret what he did to her. She swore in her head about this.

He would regret for all the pain he had caused her. For all the nightmares and panic attacks.

"Estelle?" Evelyn's worried voice echoed the hallway. "Are you alright?"

Faking a perfect smile on her face, Estelle nodded once. "Of course I am."

Evelyn didn't buy it, so she took Estelle's hand on her. "Did my brother say something to you?" She asked, softly. "I know he can be arrogant and prideful sometimes, but he's―"

"No, no, nothing happened. Your brother was a true gentleman." Estelle said between gritted teeth. "He even gifted me this dress."

The looked on Evelyn's face was embarrassed, as if she couldn't believe her twin had been that bold. It was obvious she knew nothing about it, though.

"Let's go inside," Estelle said, wanting to prove that Victor had had no effect over her.

But as soon as she was there, the first thing she saw was a pretty female elf, leaning on Victor's arm, giggling at something he was saying. He looked at Estelle once, before his attention shifted on the elf once again, as if she was the most interesting woman there could be.

Estelle didn't let it show on her face, but inside, for some reason, she was fuming.

Mine, her wolf howled inside her head. Estelle cursed herself. No, not yours, she forced her wolf not to take control. Not yours.

Before Evelyn could say anything to make this better, Arthmael was in front of them, clearly to ease things a bit. Estelle didn't know why they were worried about all this. Did they think she would really be jealous about Victor?

She hated him.

"Will you have a dance with your brother now? Like in old times?"

Estelle gave him a sad, sincere smile. Those times he was speaking about, it was when she had been innocent and clueless. When she thought life was beautiful as long as she had the people she loved, Arthmael being one of them. Back then, she would give everything up just for him to invite her on a dance. Now though, she realized she had been nothing more but a child.

"I would, gladly, but I think your wife is waiting for a dance instead."

Arthmael's eyes widened, before he gave her a smile too, and then a kiss on the cheek.

Taking Evelyn away, they started making slow moves, one of his arms around her back, and the other resting on her big stomach. They looked so happy. So in love. Estelle had known Arthmael her entire life, and he had never looked this happy before. And as for Evelyn, all she had been in Estelle's castle, was miserable.

Would Estelle ever have something like this? Someone to look at her the way her brother looked at his wife, like she was the most precious thing in the entire world?

Most probably not.

And she was fine with it, she hated the man destined for her, after all. And she hated him even more now that he was drinking some wine in that woman's company.

"Who is she?" Estelle couldn't help but ask the ladies that were near her, the same ones she had danced with at first.

"Irene?" One of them answered with a question. "She is the King's mistress."

"Although she says he has promised to marry her soon and make her his Queen."

Her heart fell, and her mouth felt dry all of the sudden. So he was going to marry her? Another woman? Without even rejecting Estelle in the first place?

Anger bubbled up inside her skin, and immediately, she walked towards a man, who had a glass of wine in his hand. Before he could understand what was happening, she took the glass from his hand, gulping it all down. "Thank you, gentleman," she told him in a sing-song voice, making sure Victor was watching, before she raised her voice, "Will we dance now, ladies? We won't let the King spoil our night, will we?"