Chapter Seven
824 Words
The air in the room felt thick, there was intense, unspoken tension that made the fine hairs on my arms stand up. I looked at Ronan—really looked at him—and saw the cracks in his amor. Though he was a king, who seem strong and unbreakable; he was still a man holding back an avalanche.
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "Why risk everything for a human girl who has nothing to offer but a debt and a bruised face?"
Ronan reached out, his hand was close to touching me, yet not too far.
It was a mix of longing and restraint. I flinched, my instinct screaming run, but the bond i felt forced me to stay, it was beautiful and wretched.
It felt like an inescapable, magical connection that forced me to stay close to a man i once feared.
"You have more to offer than you can possibly comprehend," he growled.
Without warning, he gripped my chin, his thumb tracing the path of the bruise where Corvin had struck me.
The touch made me tremble, i was prepared for violence or anger.
But Ronan treats those bruises with tenderness. That made me realize: Gentleness can be scary when you expect a blow!
I was only traumatized.
It was a stark contrast to the violence that had brought me here. I hadn't experienced such tender affection before.
"The bond demands acknowledgement, Devlin," he said, his voice dropping to a register that felt like a command from the earth itself.
"It is the only law that matters, and it is the only one I cannot ignore."
I could see the vulnerability in this mighty king. "All because of me? Could this be more than I think?" I said, deep within myself.
"I don't know who you are," I gasped, trying to pull away, but my body betrayed me, his touch felt warm, pleasing and secure.
Yet, I said reluctantly, "I don't know if this is love or just... biology."
"It is destiny," he countered.
He leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. For me this touches changes everything.
Every doubt I had, every shred of the 'useless daughter' I had been, began to dissolve in the face of the storm in his eyes.
He sank his teeth into the crook of my neck, right over my pulse.
This bite from Ronan meant everything to me.
He has taken my entire being. It was the moment i stopped belonging to myself.
There was only the heat of his skin, the frantic beat of my own heart, and the devastating, beautiful realization that i was changed for good!
"I am no longer just surviving—I'm anchoring into Ronan." I assured myself.
Filled with emotions, my hands found the back of his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair to pull him even closer.
The sharp, overwhelming ache of the bite completely dissolved, giving way to a sudden, staggering sense of peace.
For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt like I had finally landed somewhere safe.
When he finally pulled back to look at me, the intense, fiercely protective look in his eyes took my breath away.
Oh, how it feels to love!
He wasn't looking down at me anymore. He didn't see the broken, fragile person who had been hurt by everyone eels.
He looked at me like I was his absolute match. His lover.
But just as the warmth of his touch began to settle deep into my chest, the bubble we had just built completely burst.
The harsh sound of heavy footsteps and loud voices echoed in the hallway outside.
"My King," a voice called out, tight with panic.
"The Thorneclaw envoy is here. They demand an audience. They say they know what you've brought into the Keep."
Ronan’s gaze didn't leave mine, but his posture shifted.
The king in him had returned.
He brushed his fingers against my cheek one last time—a touch so light it was almost a memory before he even pulled away.
It was his way of telling me "hold on, I enjoyed the moment too, but i have to go."
"Stay hidden," he ordered softly.
"No matter what you hear, do not leave this room."
He turned and walked out, the heavy door clicking shut behind him and cutting off the light from the hallway.
I just stood there, with the echoing silence of the empty room.
My hands were shaking so badly I could barely function as I raised my fingers to my collarbone, touching the spot where his skin had just been printed on mine.
The pleasurable feeling of him was still burning against my skin.
I just couldn't comprehend the happenings well. . I was the King’s mate.
But what if the panic in that guard’s voice was any indication, the war had just begun?!
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