ELORA
My eyes opened as the too-bright sunlight stole into my room, leaving a terrible pounding in my head. I groaned sitting up surprised to see I was naked underneath the covers with strange marks resembling hand prints on me.
Had I transformed last night?
I rushed to my mirror to see teeth marks on my neck and even more on my chest and stomach and going downward.
What the hell had happened last night?
I looked towards my bed and saw a familiar lump of blue cloth and went to inspect it. It was the King’s shirt as well as his cloak.
Why would his clothes be in my room?
I sniffed deeply, letting the earthy scent of him fill my nostrils. The scent of him so close jogged my memory and I saw flashes of last night.
“Oh, God.” I gasped as the fog cleared and images of last night flooded me.
I couldn’t remember how I’d gotten to my room but I remembered when I’d started drinking. It was hard to watch Teriel’s sister being so close to the king. My jealousy had grown when I’d heard her family talk about her crush on the king and worsened when she hadn’t denied still having feelings for him. I shook my head as more memories filled me, a hot blush coating my cheeks.
I lay back on my bed feeling warmth crawl up my body, a familiar burst of liquid heat pooling between my legs as I remembered all that had happened between the king and me, how he’d kissed me and how he’d touched me in ways I’d only seen done to others.
My body quivered in memory of how his tongue between my legs had stirred a fire in me that burned even now. He’d taken me to heaven and back with the skillful thrusts of his tongue and I blushed when I remembered how I’d fisted his ginger locks and screamed in pleasure.
I vaguely remember the broad outline of his bare chest as he leaned over me and slid into me. I frowned remembering he’d pushed off me and left.
Did I perhaps do something wrong?
Had I been too eager?
I sighed, rolling onto my side.
I had wanted him for such a long time that last night, I had finally had enough of burying my desires. The alcohol had only boosted the thoughts I had suppressed for so long.
My face warmed as I remember how he’d groaned into my ears when my hands had palmed him through his breeches. I wondered how he’d have sounded if I had taken him into my mouth like I’d wanted to so many times.
A knock on my door pulled me out of my train of thought.
Who might that be? I wondered.
I slipped into a robe and trudged to the door, surprise filling me as I saw the smiling face of the rescued slave I cleaned up the day before. This time, he was dressed in the usual Royal guard uniform. It seemed he had chosen a job at the palace instead of going to the Blackfoot like some of the others.
“Good day, Your Highness.” He greeted smiling so brightly, his white teeth were on full display.
“Good day,” I answered, my eyes subconsciously roving over his fit body in the uniform.
I couldn’t help but notice the bulge of his biceps and his black, shiny hair. Gone was the grimy slave I had attended to. Now clean and in armor, the subtle elegance of his carriage stood out more. It was a total transformation that I hadn’t been prepared for.
“I see you have a job at the palace,” I stated when I remembered I had been staring, even though it sounded more like a question.
“Oh, yes.” He answered, running a hand over his leather girdle. “I have been assigned to work as your guard.”
My eyebrows furrowed in question.
“Oh… They decided to change guards?” I asked, staring up at him in confusion.
“Not exactly.” He answered, shaking his head, “Unfortunately, your former guard sustained an injury.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“What?” I asked, worried, “How?”
“I’m sorry…”
I waved a hand dismissively. There was nothing he had to be sorry for. After all, it wasn’t his fault. I would go see him later on in the infirmary.
“I realized I didn’t introduce myself yesterday.” He said, interrupting my thoughts, “My bad. I’m Gael.”
Gael.
His name left a soft rolling caress down my skin and I was sore and tempted to repeat it to see if it would do the same to my tongue.
“I’m Elora.” I offered.
His answering smile was so contagious I found me smiling back. It was one of the most genuine smiles I had seen in a while. His eyes twinkled with mysterious light and little wrinkles formed at the sides of his eyes like he smiled this way often.
What could he have had to smile about as a slave?
“The eldest of Beta Belany’s children. From Darwin pack.”
I remembered him mentioning he knew me yesterday but the abruptness of our encounter had prevented him from asking questions. Now that we would be working closely together, perhaps I would have more time to ask all the questions swimming in my head.
“I was a slave at Darwin pack well after my father and I fought alongside your father against the slave masters.” He started as if he could read my mind.
I squinted trying to place his face.
He didn’t look familiar to me and that was strange because I hardly forget a face.
Noting my confusion, he chuckled.
“You most likely don’t know me. I wasn’t out much before… you know.” He explained, “My father wanted me to devote my time to my studies and training so there was never an opportunity for us to meet but it was hard not to notice the beautiful daughter of Beta Belany on the rare occasions I was out. You were royalty.”
My eyes widened as elation filled me.
I knew that I had to be a bit more suspicious but there was something about him that just made me feel at ease. Like I could trust him.
The fact that there was someone else close by that knew the truth about my family made me want to cry with joy.
“Really? Come in.” I called, opening the door wider and standing aside.
His confident presence filled my room and suddenly it made sense that he had such an elegance to his movements. He hadn’t been born a slave but rather had been forced into this role by that tyrant, Alpha Rasmus. His predicament was similar to mine.
I gestured to the sofa and he sat as I took my place on my bed.
If he recently was in Alkarod, then that should mean he might have news about my mother and Alma.
Would it be stretching it too far to hope for good news?
“Did you see my mother? How is she? How is Alma?”
The questions poured out of me faster than I could control but I didn’t bother scolding myself at my lack of subtlety. I needed to know what had happened to my mother in all the time I had been gone.
“They are alright…” He started delicately as if choosing his every word.
“And?” I asked, fear already sliding coldly through my veins.
“Your mother has been locked up for a long time. They believe she’s an evil witch but she is fed twice a day.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I really shouldn’t be telling you this…”
“No, continue. Please.” I begged, needing to know more about my mother.
“They don’t touch her but Alma has it worse…” He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw ticking at the punishing move. “Your friends…” He choked out, “play with her… They r*pe and cut little marks into her and leave her a bleeding writhing mess every time.”
I couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped me, my hands flying to my mouth as a flood of bile crept up my throat. The hot bitter liquid threatened to escape me as my mind painted vivid pictures of what exactly had happened to the kind woman.
I was transported back to my slave days in Darwin pack before I had been sold to Hanaerum. Ethan, Gary, and Noah threw parties daily for nobles like themselves who found their pleasure in r*ping and maiming slaves. I had been fortunate to never have been a victim of their desires as I was Ethan’s mate and him r*ping me would indirectly still seal the bond between us but I remembered all they had done while I was forced to watch.
The screaming and crying and blood.
So much blood.
They were nothing like the boys I had grown up with. The boys I had played with.
I wondered whether I had been so blinded by my own self-importance to never have noticed how disgusting they truly were.
Angry tears blurred my vision as I squeezed my hands into tight fists.
Even though I had sworn to avenge the people hurt by Alpha Rasmus and his family, I was still as helpless as I had been the night my father had been killed.
Why was I so weak?
“Ethan is in a terrible position.” I heard him say, sounding as if he was miles away from me and not three feet away like I knew he was. “He had mysteriously fallen seriously ill and his friends took it upon themselves to harm Alma since they couldn’t hurt you. They’re blaming you for his condition.”
My hands shook with repressed rage so I shoved them in my lap to still them.
“I should stop now. You don’t look too good.” He whispered, concern lacing his words.
I shook my head to clear my mind.
“I’m fine,” I said dismissively.
He stood up from the sofa and walked towards me.
“I’m sorry that this is happening to you.” He murmured, kneeling. “It’s something I understand and would be glad to give you a listening ear if you need someone to talk to…”
“Thank you,” I answered shifting nervously away from him. “I hope you enjoy working at the palace.”
“I hope so too.” He answered looking into my eyes with a playful smile.
I shook my head, clearing my throat when I found myself getting lost in his eyes, shifting further away from him. His proximity to me was not only improper but was messing with my ability to think clearly.
He smirked and sat back on his heels, planting his hands on his feeet to support himself as he returned to the sofa he sat on before.
“So…” I started once I felt my mind calm, “Why didn’t you head over to the Blackfoots?”
It was a genuine question that bugged me. He seemed like someone with a lot of fight in him and unlikely to submit to servitude again even if he was to be paid for his work with smart gleaming eyes that told of wisdom above his years and perfect posture.
“You would get a lot of freedom there; you know?” I continued, “Why return to service again?”
He shrugged and pinned me with a hot stare.
“I wanted to be close to you.”
I visibly flinched at his brazen words. If the King or any other person were to have heard him, we would have both been in serious trouble.
I found myself subconsciously glancing around just in case someone happened to be in the room, even though it was highly unlikely.
“I usually saw you through the thin windows of the holding house.” He murmured in a lowered voice that belied anger and undertones of grief. “I was one of those slaves who was hardly let to see the light of day. Maybe because they thought my beauty would be a threat to the people.”
His crooked smile and shrug brought a lightness to the heavy mood that had settled over the room.
I found myself giggling slightly.
“You know, I always thought you beautiful.” He commented, running his eyes over me, his gaze leaving spots of heat where they lingered as if he were touching me. Wasn’t he being too improper? “You have the most beautiful smile and it hurt not to see it after what happened to your family.”
I felt a hot blush climb up my neck to my cheeks as I lowered my head.
I had been the subject of many articles and conversations because of my looks even though I never understood what they all saw in me. It was weird hearing someone talk this way about me.
“It was too bad that I was always chained. I wanted to beat the living daylight out of Ethan and his friends every time they hurt you.”
I laughed awkwardly, waving him off.
“You should stop, Gael.”
His name really did roll of the tongue.
I could still taste the velvet smoothness of the words on my tongue.
“I always wished I had been strong enough to help you. I was mentally tortured daily by my own powerlessness when I remembered fondly how my father went all out to protect yours. That passion and sense of purpose my father had still burned in me and I swore that I was going to find you…”