ELORA
I stared shamelessly at the king as we sat in the aftermath of the laugh we shared while talking simultaneously. He still wore his travel clothes like he hadn’t had time to change since we arrived at the castle this afternoon. Dark circles were under his eyes and his hair were rough as if he’d been running his hands through them.
He looked ethereally handsome now but ruggedly so, unlike the usual clean-shaven well dressed king he usually was. His dark hair curled and fell over his forehead in an unruly mess that had me itching to run my hands through it recalling how soft his hair was. I pressed my thighs closer together as my body responded to the memory of the scenario that had had me running my hands through his hair.
I felt a hot blush climb upwards from my neck. I truly hoped he didn’t notice.
“Has Noel been to see you yet?” He asked suddenly breaking my train of indecent thoughts.
I nodded, unable to speak for fear I’d say something to embarrass myself.
“How…How are you?” He stuttered looking sheepish. “How’s the baby? I couldn’t really come to see you since…”
“Oh no, your Majesty.” I was quick to stop him. “Its fine really. You were brave enough to come save me and even got hurt in the process. I’m grateful to you.”
He nodded, looking away.
“We have much to discuss considering all that has happened.” He stated grimly.
“Indeed.” I assented sitting up straighter.
I had been wondering what would become of me and my siblings now that we’d been found innocent. Plus, he still hadn’t given me a response to my letter.
I reddened as I remembered just how honest I’d been in the letter. Adrenaline had spurred me then to reveal my heart’s true feelings but now that the hormone had waned, I felt only shame as if I was standing naked in front of a crowd.
“All the charges against you have been dropped.” He smiled softly stunning me. Had I ever seen him smile? He was so beautiful my heart skipped a beat. “In a fortnight, I will announce it before an assembly of the nobles once the sentence on Lord Kain and the others has been passed. You will need to be there as well.”
I nodded.
“I thank you, your Majesty.”
“Rome.”
“What?” I asked, looking up at him confused.
He stared back at me with a hot look in his eye that stole my breath.
The sheer intensity of his gaze robbed my mouth of moisture. My tongue darted out subconsciously to run over my lips. His eyes followed the movement and I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.
“I want you to call me Rome.” He answered walking towards me.
I stood, staring up at him. My eyes widened in shock as I tried to process what this degree of familiarity he allowed me meant.
“I have to apologize for a lot of things I’ve done to you.” He said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I ever thought you guilty. I made you…”
“No, your majesty.” I rushed forward. “You were only following the law.”
“But I should have known.” He declared placing both hands on my shoulders. “I believed that snake Kain over you. The truth is…”
He broke off stepping away from me.
His hands fisted at his sides as if he were struggling not to hit something.
He turned back to face me, his face a mask of sheer determination.
“The truth is from the very first moment I saw you, Elora, I was drawn to you in a way that I had never been to a female. Not even my first wife.” He explained. “I wrote it off as perhaps a mere attraction but the more I got to know you, I started to see what I felt for you was more than just lust.”
What he felt for me?
“I was afraid of what these new sensations meant and tried to push you away hoping they’d go away but deep down, I knew. Goddess help me.” He breathed out the words quickly as if he was being threatened. “I should have known then that you were my mate but I stubbornly pushed you away and even handed you over to that monster just to fight what I felt for you. I even…forced you to be my mistress just because I thought I could rid myself of you if I used your body enough.”
He laughed darkly and I shrunk back hearing just what he had thought to do to me.
“I’m a disgusting person, I know. I can see it in your eyes.” He declared still laughing humorlessly. “I don’t deserve love from a pure person like you. I don’t know why the goddess thought to shackle you to a beast like me.”
I was silent not knowing how to respond to him.
Anger, hurt and pain swirled inside me in torrents that threatened to explode.
I now knew why he’d been so brutal with me when we…
Gods above, how could I be so stupid?
“I cannot promise to love you, Elora, but I promise to treat you with the respect and dignity that should be accorded you. I will take care of you and our child as best as I can so neither of you will want for nothing.”
His words drew my gaze.
“In a fortnight, I will also be announcing the restoration of your father’s estates to you as well as your status as a noble.”
My eyes widened at his declaration.
He’d be returning my father’s home to me?
My heart soared as I thought of the home I’d grown up in.
Thankfully, Alpha Rasmus hadn’t destroyed it but kept it as a memento to punish me and my family.
I was so lost in thought I almost didn’t hear his next words.
“I will also like to be announcing something else of import if you will agree.”
I frowned in confusion.
What else was there?
“I want to release you from your duty as my mistress.” He started. “Instead, I will like to elevate you to a position of prestige.”
What could he have in mind?
Perhaps he wanted me to join his advisory council considering the lands her father her possessed.
“I will like you to stand beside me as more than just a mistress but as my equal, my mate in truth as my queen.”
My eyes widened in shock and I took a step back.
Queen?
“Your…majesty…I…”
“You don’t have to give me an answer right away.” He smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear causing butterflies to flutter about in my stomach. “I don’t expect you to. It’s a tough decision I suspect you’ll have to make considering all that you’ve lost and gained.”
“I…I thank you for your understanding, your majesty.” I told him with a curtsy.
He smiled.
“I should leave you to rest now. You’ve had a terribly long week.” He bowed. “Good night, Elora.”
By the time I could respond, he had already stepped out of the room leaving me to mutter into the air.
“Good night.”
Oh goddess what do I do?
********************************************
ROME
“Well what did she say?” Skye asked glaring at him.
She was sat at the edge of his desk while he lay on his couch, trying to disappear into the soft cushion.
“She didn’t say anything. I suspect I stunned her just as much as I stunned myself.” He sighed replaying the moment in his head.
“Plus you told her you only wanted to fuck her out of your system.” She pointed out earning nods form the rest of the group. “She’s a good girl for not slapping you.”
“I never should have told you that.” He groaned.
“Well you did not, we’re gonna have to think of a solution to your mess.” Skye groaned.
Collective sighs filled the air as Skye, Teriel, Noel and Nauru, the latest addition to their group until he returned to the Blackfoots, thought about their dilemma.
“Well, on the bright side she has two weeks to decide.” Nauru laughed. “If she says no, you’ll know she’s given it a lot of thought.”
Hot glares silenced the man.
“I was only trying to be helpful.”
“You can make yourself helpful by keeping silent.” Skye scolded. “Goddess only knows why I like you. You have such a terrible mouth on you.”
“That’s not what you said last night.” He retorted earning groans from the men and a slap on the shoulder from a furiously blushing Skye.
“Okay. That’s it!” He yelled. “All of you out!”
“Hey!” Noel protested. “I just got here!”
“You stay. We still have something to discuss.” He told Noel. “The rest of you. Out!”
They sent him dirty looks as they left but he didn’t care.
He waited till he heard the door close before sitting up.
“Tell me, Noel. How is she?”
The man smiled, pouring himself a drink.
“I already told you before.” He laughed. “She’s in perfect health. She and the baby.”
“I know. I just…”
“I know.” Noel smiled warmly. “I suspect you still don’t know how to process all these seeing how bad you are at characterizing your feelings.”
He glared at the small man who only laughed and threw back his drink.
“You know I’m right, your majesty.” He smiled. “You claim you don’t love her but everything you’ve done since she first bumped into your life says otherwise. Heck, you would have wiped out an entire race for her. What’s love if not that?”
Rome frowned as he pondered this.
Could he really love Elora?
“I suggest you take a page out of her book and write her a letter telling her exactly how you feel. I seem to recall you being a proficient writer.” He called as he stepped out, closing the door softly behind him.
Rome sat up, alone in the warm room staring at his table and the plume of his quill teasing him.
He groaned after a long minute, moving to his table.
If it was a love letter it took to get her to see a reason to marry him, he’d give her a love letter she wouldn’t forget.