Hate or Love

A Powerful Couple

It was hard to hide his smile when he saw his mate walking towards him, with a dark red cape falling gracefully on her hair and her body. Somehow, he had smiled more the few days that Estelle had been here than he had smiled his entire life.

He wasn't the smiley type, that was for sure. Maybe because of the kind of life he had had before, maybe it was just who he was, but to people who didn't know him, he would appear cold and emotionless.

Estelle was seeing past that though, and Victor couldn't tell it didn't stroke his ego further more. She could convince herself she hated him all she wanted, there was something more than hate she felt for him. Victor could see it in the way her warm brown eyes shone when she looked at him. "Already regretting your decision?" She asked, as she got on the horseback, her voice teasing. "It's not too late to give up and admit that you cannot win me."

Victor wanted to laugh. She was cute when she acted as if she had her feelings in control. "Cannot win you?" He raised a brow at her. "I've already won you, little wolf." With that, he leaded the way for her and the guards they had behind them.

"You can't even win a horse race with me," Estelle said confidentially, forcing her horse to run before Victor could even figure what she meant.

He chuckled, entirely amused, not bothering to worry that he couldn't reach her. He could use his magic and reach her in a second if he really wanted to, but he decided to play fair this time.

"What? You don't even know how to ride a horse?" She shouted, a big smile on her face, and Victor decided he had already given her enough time.

He followed her in full speed, leaving the guards far behind him. Victor could win if he wanted to, his white horse was one of the fastest one in all his kingdom, however, he enjoyed watching her from behind more. The way the wind played with her hair, the way she smiled in such a peaceful way. For just a moment, he chose to enjoy the way she forgot who they both were, and that she couldn't allow herself to get close to him.

She looked happy, and Victor realized in that right moment, being the one to make her happy had somehow became important... more than important. This was not a game for him anymore, Estelle just didn't know it yet.

"I won!" She celebrated with a big happy smile, throwing her arms in the air adorably, however, Victor was too lost in her to care right now. "Victor?"

"Yes?" He answered, shaking his head as though to get himself from the spell she had gotten him under.

"Are you sad because you lost?" She teased.

He gained control of his thoughts real quick. "You don't really believe you won by yourself, do you? I let you win."

Estelle rolled her eyes. "Yes, and I will believe that." The truth was she kind of believed it, he looked have to hold back. However, she liked that. She liked that he would go out of his ways to put a smile on her face. 

The guards reached them a few minutes after they had stopped. They rode for a few more hours, never once stopping their childish, sarcastic remarks that even the guards were starting to get used to.

"You didn't tell me it was this far away," Estelle pointed out when she realized how far away from the palace they had gone. Not that it scared her; somehow, as much as she didn't want to admit it, Victor gave her a sense of protection, which was really twisted because he was the really one she should have been protecting herself from. Just the way he held her gaze was dangerous and pulling.

Going away from the palace with him was a stupid idea, she realized with a start as she found it hard to breathe when Victor offered her his hand to help her get off the horse. They had just arrived in their destination.

"Because you wouldn't come with me if I did," Victor said honestly, not really bothered by the way she pursed her lip in frustration.

"His residence is... marvelous," she couldn't stop herself from saying when her eyes laid on the building in front of her. "Are you sure this isn't a royal palace?"

Victor's eyes had somehow darkened. "No, I am not," he hissed between greeted teeth. "If Walter is thinking of building a small kingdom of his own, I will tear him apart."

A shiver ran down her spine. Estelle had always known he was dangerous. Hell, he could kill in the most brutal way there could be. His gaze only could give you chills, however, to hear it, it was another story.

Yet, it made something inside her clench in need. Involuntary, she clenched her thighs shut. What was wrong with her?

Victor offered him her hand, so they could walk inside together as the lovers they pretended to be, however, Estelle was scared to take it. Not scared of him, scared of what a simple touch could do to her body.

"If you don't take my hand, you'll have to admit you're losing." A glint of satisfaction appeared in his deadly-beautiful eyes as he kept his hand extended for her to hold.

Gulping once, she forced a smile on her face. "Oh, please, you aren't even trying to make me lose. You give yourself too much credit."

Victor raised his brows in amusement. "If you say so." He took a hold of her hand, instead of slipping it in his arm, he brought it in his lips and brushed his lips on each knuckles, constantly keeping eye contact. "The trip isn't over yet, little wolf."

Estelle wanted to scream at how much he could affect her, but she stood still. "That's why we need to go inside," she reminded him, not because that was important to her, but because the sparks on her hand were too much to bear.

Stupid mate bound!

"Look who finally accepted our invitation! Prince Victor Averell."

An old elf got up from his elegant armchair that gave you more the idea of a small throne and stood in front of them. Everyone bowed down to them, all smaller nobles in power that he had invited as well, along with the knights and servants. Nonetheless, Lord Walter did not.

Victor squeezed Estelle's arm almost painfully, so he could contain himself from making an enemy of such a powerful man in the first second he had met him. "Lord Walter, I had been looking forward to meet you." His strong voice echoed the walls of the big hall, and everyone stood silent at the power that only a few words held. The power that only Victor could hold.

"I had been looking forward to meet Evander's son as well."

Something inside Estelle snapped. "In front of you isn't standing only the son of your previous King, in front of you is standing your King himself! It's better the next time you keep this in mind and give him the respect he deserves."

Victor looked at her like he had seen a ghost. Had she just... stood up for him? 

She squeezed his hand right back, keeping her eyes focused on the Lord in front of her fiercely. It made Victor desire her like he had never desired her before.

"With what I am informed, the coronation is yet to happen," Walter pointed out, surprised, but not scared.

"Oh, but that's only a formality." She smiled sweetly, her voice sweet but a bit of threatening in there as well. "Victor is already King in papers, in the eyes of his Council and his people as well. God forbid, you don't want the King to think you're questioning his rightful position, do you?"

Hiding his smile quite well, he slipped one arm around her waist, showing the Lord with his eyes only what would happen if Estelle's words were true.

"I like her," Walter said instead, smirking.

"You better do, you will call her your Queen really soon."

Estelle snapped her head at him, her eyes widened in shock. Maybe she was trying to seem as she was pretending, standing up for him, but the last thing Victor was doing was pretending. He had every intention of making her his Queen.

And he would. No matter what it took, he would make her love him.

Love? Victor froze at his own thoughts. Was he really talking about love? Like down to earth love? He, the all powerful elf King that people feared and respected in equal measures was talking about loving a stubborn, sweet but feisty wolf Princess who happened to be his mate and happened to demand respect for him in front of everyone?

Oh, he was so gone.

"Musicians, what are you waiting for?" Walter clapped his hands, signing them to start playing music again, more to avoid the topic than to celebrate the King's arrival in his residence.

Victor sat down on the grandiose velvet couch, all the while not leaving Estelle's hand from his, sometimes intertwining their fingers together, sometimes rubbing circles on her palm with his thumb. And the entire time she tried, she tried so much to focus on the political conversation made between Victor and the Lord, yet the tingles his hold gave on her skin were too much.

"I think it's time for us to celebrate instead. I bet the Princess is getting bored already." The look Walter gave Estelle the creeps.

"Oh, not at all." She forced another smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"A dance would make her happier," Victor suggested, slowly meeting her eyes. "Am I right, my beloved?"

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Victor sounded half teasing, half serious. Like he wanted to see her reaction at the endearment, but tell her it was no pretense as well.

"Of course," her voice was nothing but a whisper as he leaded her to the dance floor. His hand was on her waist instantly, and the other one holding hers tenderly, yet almost possessively.

Victor's eyes were smiling, although his face was as stoic and cold as always. "You can't deny it, we're a powerful couple," he whispered on her ear, brushing his lips on her hair and she was happy he wasn't looking her in the eye right now.

"Only when we're pretending to be."

"If that's how you'll convince yourself, go ahead," Victor continued. "But something tells me standing up for me wasn't that much of a pretense."

"He was disrespecting you, I wouldn't stay and listen to him―" Estelle realized she had spoken way too much in the way he tightened his grip on her lower back.

"And why does it bother you?" He questioned.

She swallowed down hard. "It doesn't, of course. But I was supposed to show him I... you mean something to me." Things were going out of control, Estelle could feel it in the way he held her closer. "What are you going to do about proving him you're his King and gaining his loyalty?" She tried easing up the tension that his eyes, and everyone else's, was causing inside her.

"I don't have to prove anything to him, I am his King. And he'll bow down to me, willingly or not."

It was when his eyes darkened like this that she felt like she couldn't breathe, and the wolf on the back of her head woke up.

But a soon as the music was over, and they would go back to their spot, they spotted Walton in front of them. He extended his hand to Estelle, a playful smile on his face. "I don't suppose your mate will mind you dancing with another man, will he, Your Grace?"

The grip on her hip became almost painful. Estelle noticed the way Victor's sharp jaw clenched shut. If looks could kill Walton would be on his grave right now.

With her eyes only, she told him to relax. It was just a dance. Clearly, Walton wanted only to cause a reaction out of him, probably to prove Victor wasn't supposedly a good diplomatic enough, but Estelle knew better than that.

"Of course not, Lord Walton." She moved away from Victor and put her hand in Walton's. "My mate knows he's my only real dance partner, after all."

Estelle didn't know why she said that. Estelle didn't know why she was doing a lot of things these days, but the way Victor bit his lip, satisfied at her answer was enough.

Yet, dancing with Walton was not easy. He never touched her inappropriately, of course, Victor's eyes were on them the whole time, after all, but his eyes only made her uncomfortable.

"You truly are a great dancer, my dear. Has your father taught you?"

Estelle closed her eyes. So this was what he was doing? Getting her to admit that she actually hated Victor for what he had done to her? "Not really, no. My father wasn't a fan of dancing, but rather my mother was," she answered honestly.

"I've heard you loved him," Walter added.

She knew his intention, yet something that felt a lot like guilt weighed inside her chest. What was she doing, helping out Victor, even pretending to be his lover? What would her father think? "All daughters love their fathers."

Walton shrugged. "But you more, though. You wanted our King to die there on the trial, if I remember correctly. So, what changed, if I may ask?"

Tears prickled her eyes. "He's my mate."

"Not enough, if you ask me."

"The dance is over, Lord Walton." Estelle moved away from his arms, walking to Victor. His words kept echoing on her head, though. What changed? Why was she here today, miles and miles away from home, on a trip with the one she called her enemy?

"I have already prepared your room, Your Majesties."

Victor and Estelle exchanged some surprised looks. "That's not necessary, Walton, we will go back to court."

"Oh, but I insist. It's getting dark, we don't want you to travel at night. It might be dangerous for Princess' safety. Why don't you dine with us tonight and give us the honors of spending the night here? We can discuss more about political matters tomorrow."

Victor had no other choice, he had to accept the offer. If it was a way to make Walton part of his Privy Council, no matter how much he despised the man, he had to take it.

Estelle felt her hands shaking. Was she really going to sleep in the same room as Victor?