Hate or Love

Not The Only One

"You should have never agreed for us to spend the night here," Estelle said as soon as they were inside the elegantly decorated room. There was only one bed, just like she had predicted. And the truth was... Estelle was terrified, despite how much she tried to hide it from Victor.

"And what was I supposed to do?" Victor made a rhetorical question. "I'm supposed to show him I trust him and gain his loyalty."

She inhaled once, deeply. "The trip was never supposed to be this... long."

Getting his long jacket off, he held her gaze, trying to understand what was going on inside her little head. Since she had danced with Walton a few hours ago, something had changed about her. She had kept more distance from him, and she looked lost on her thoughts most of the time as well. "Did he say something to you? Something that brought you back to hating me?" He questioned, straightforward as always.

"I never stopped, Victor. This is only me pretending not to." Her hand reached the single button on her neck, but she stopped as soon as she realized his eyes were on her. She had a corset and a small inner dress on, under the black gown, yet, it felt too intimate to get her clothes off in front of him. Especially when Victor didn't try to hide the desire in his eyes. "But no, Walton didn't say anything that you should worry about," she lied.

Seeing how uncomfortable she was, he turned his back at her, reaching for the wall and putting his palm on it. "Too well then."

"What are you doing?"

"Protection magic," he answered, and only then Estelle noticed the invisible barrier standing all over the walls of the room. "I don't think Walton is stupid enough to want to harm royals, but I won't put your safety at risk."

Her heart warmed up at that. He had such ways to make her melt inside, and the worst was that he wasn't even trying to. "Are we really going to sleep on the same bed?" She asked when she saw him walk to the bed, as if there was another one.

Victor gave a casual shrug. "You can sleep on the floor if you want, I don't mind."

She pursed her lips, rolling her eyes. "You were supposed to say you'd sleep on the floor and leave me the bed," she complained, but just the way his eyes lingered on her almost exposed body made heat rush on her cheeks, making her blush under his piercing gaze.

"Not going to happen." His eyes traveled on her naked legs, her white dress reaching only her mid-thighs. He had to look away if he had to stop himself for getting up and slamming her against the wall, taking her right there in that instant. Only the images in his head made his vision darken in lust.

Hesitantly, Estelle reached the other side of the bed, which wasn't as large as her usual bed. And all the while, his amused eyes didn't leave her. "This is my side of the bed," she said. "Don't you dare cross it."

Victor let out a dark chuckle. She was so childish sometimes, he found it adorable.

"I mean it, Victor."

"Alright, little wolf, I will be a true gentleman," he said, yet just like always, the endearment made her heart skip a beat.

Estelle turned her back at him, resting her head in the fluffy white pillow as her finger played with the sheets nervously. Both were awake, yet none was speaking. A tension had fallen in the dark room that was lightened only by two candlesticks, and the only sounds that could be heard were their breathing and the strong and fast beating of their hearts.

She shifted a bit, turning slightly so her she could rest her back fully on the mattress, looking at the ceiling the whole time that she felt his piercing eyes on her.

Their hands accidentally brushed, just the pinkies but it was enough to make her pant hard, his scent and touch driving her wolf insane.

"Estelle," Victor said her name between gritted teeth, his voice husky, hungry. "Estelle."

She got up immediately, rushing to the small balcony to take some air. A thin line away. She had been a very thin line away from crashing her lips at him and feeling his skin all over hers. His hands, his fingers, touching her like he had done on her dreams.

The breath got stuck on her throat again when she felt his presence behind her back. She hugged herself instinctively, feeling vulnerable like never before. Resisting him was much harder than she had first thought. Much much harder.

"Are you scared of me?" Victor asked. It sounded like the only explanation to why she kept shivering like that.

Only if she wanted him... Only if she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

"No, of course not," she answered on a weak voice.

"Look at me then." His voice was half pleading, half demanding. "Look at me, little wolf, tell me I'm not the only one that feels this."

She bit on her bottom lip hard, turning but not facing him, her arms still hugging her small curvy body. Victor was much closer than she had first thought, all she could see was his naked, perfectly sculptured chest. Not too wide or too muscular, but that was why it was so perfect for her small fingers to run through. Or her lips. Estelle couldn't decided what she wanted the most right now, she was almost too overwhelmed by him and his scent.

"You can't even look at me," Victor said in a low voice.

Finally, she gazed up at him. Her eyes showed fear and need in equal measures. And then Victor noticed she wasn't really fearing him, no... She was fearing herself. Her self-control. She was in an inner battle that he so much wanted to win, but if the price was for her to hate him even more in the morning, he didn't want it.

He wanted Estelle to come to him herself. To desire him so much, to love him so much that nothing else would matter to her but having him.

"I won't touch you, if that's what you want."

That was the real problem; Estelle wanted him to touch her. Estelle wanted much more than that, she wanted him to touch her everywhere, she was going insane. Her body kept shivering, her chest raising and falling rapidly.

"I really want to sleep now," she lied instead, as soon as Walton's words entered her mind. This was the bond drawing to him. He was her mate... and as Walton had said, this was not enough.

Walking past him, she entered the room again, not bearing to look at the disappointment that only his eyes held, because his face was as cold and intimidating as always.

She laid on the bed again, this time raising the blanket until it reached her chin, as if it would protect her from him.

Victor felt something ache inside his chest, but he only looked away, laying down as farther away from her as the bed would allow.

"Victor?" She breathed, her eyes closed.

"Yes, Estelle?"

"Goodnight."

He smiled sadly. "Goodnight, little wolf."

                                       ***

Small noises woke Victor up in the middle of the night. It took him a second or two to realize it was Estelle, whimpering in her sleep. Her forehead was sweaty, and she was breathing heavily, mumbling words he could not understand.

She was having a nightmare, Victor realized.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb softly, not wanting to wake her up but trying to calm her down at the same time.

"No, please no," she whimpered, and a single tear escaped her closed lashes.

Instantly, Victor felt like he wanted to cry himself, and he didn't remember the last time he had cried. Was her nightmare about her dead father? Victor realized she had been the first one to watch the image of him covered entirely in blood, and his heart out of his chest. It was brutal, Victor knew it.

He gathered her in his arms, holding her on his chest almost as if she would escape from there if he didn't do that. Stroking her hair softly, he kissed her forehead, lingering his lips on her skin. "It's alright, little wolf, I'm here with you," he whispered in her ear. "I'm here, I'll never leave you. You're safe and in my arms."

Estelle started to calm down and breathe again, even nuzzling in his chest unconsciously, trying to get closer to his body as if that was even possible. She felt so tiny in his chest. Like she belonged there, like she had belonged there the whole time.

It was almost impossible, how he was the one that caused her nightmares and the one that soothed her back to sleep at the same time. It made him sad and happy, it was confusing.

However, all thoughts left his mind when he felt her smile against his chest. She was smiling in her sleep only because she had him all over her. Because she could feel his touch. Selfishly, he smiled at that.

"Sleep well, little wolf." He kissed the top of her head this time. "Because I'm here with you and I'm never letting you go."