Twenty Four
*Rafe*
“So what is your decision?” Rafael asked. We were taking our usual morning strolls along the halls.
“Decision on what?”
“The rituals. It requires you to bed one of the contestants. You have to pick one of them before nightfall. I think that… Jessica or the other lady, Aurora I think her name is, will be the best option for you.”
I thought about Rafael’s words. He was right. I needed to bed one of them and merge their blood with mine before the rituals began. That was the only way the goddess would accept it. If I ended up not picking anyone, the rituals would be a waste of time and the sources of our powers would be weakened. Or so my forefathers claimed. I didn’t really believe in all these anyway.
“So,” Rafael continued as he noticed I was still thinking about it. “Which one of them are you picking? Jessica or Aurora?”
I went silent. I knew deep down that I didn’t want any of them. The one I wanted was Freya. She was constantly in my mind.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her curvaceous figure, her piercing eyes, the way she carried herself with such poise and elegance. Damn it, I wanted her. Badly. I took in sharp, deep breath, trying to will away my lust.
As King and Alpha, I could have any other female I wanted. They practically threw themselves at me. But Freya was different. Special. She wasn’t just another conquest to claim. She stirred something deeper inside me. And she didn’t throw herself at me. That alone made me too fascinated by her.
I imagined caressing her soft skin, planting kisses along her neck as she sighed with pleasure. I’d worship every inch of her divine body, bringing her to the brink again and again before finally claiming her as mine. Making her my Queen.
“Snap out of it,” I growled to myself. She was a contestant in the Choosing, one of the other ladies. I had no business desiring her above the others. As King, I had to remain objective and Impartial until I was ready.. But even as I tried to banish the fantasy, arousal still coursed through my veins. I couldn’t deny the hold she had over me anymore. Propriety be damned, I had to make Freya mine. Somehow, I would find a way for us to be together.
I gritted my teeth and fisted my hands on each sides in sudden anger both cursing and relishing the spell this woman had cast over me, the most powerful Alpha in the lands. Freya would be my undoing… and my greatest triumph. I just knew it.
My arousal strained against my breeches as Rafael and I strolled through the palace gardens. I tried to will it away to conceal my indecent state, but thoughts of Freya kept inflaming my desire.
“Are you alright, my King?” Rafael asked, eyeing me with concern. “You seem… distracted.”
“I’m fine,” I grunted, shifting my coat to better hide the evidence of my lust. Stars above, I had to get ahold of myself. “Just a bit overheated. I think I’ll retire to my chambers to refresh myself before brunch.”
“Very well.” He bowed as I hurried off, praying he hadn’t noticed anything different.
I walked quickly through the halls, determined to reach my room before I made a bigger fool of myself. I hoped to God I wouldn’t see Freya because I knew without a doubt that I wouldn’t be able to resist kissing her right there. But just as I turned a corner, I accidentally bumped into a fragrant and feminine figure.
“Oh!” Jessica stumbled back, clutching her leg. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn’t see you.”
I steadied her, annoyance warring with the need to be polite to her as I noticed her rubbing that same part on her leg. “Are you hurt?” I asked uninterestedly.
“My leg…” She winced prettily. “I may have twisted it. Would you help me to a bench?”
I hesitated, knowing I should leave her to a servant’s care. But I decided it wouldn’t be bad to be nice to her. “Let me assist you to your chambers. I’ll send for the physician-”
“Oh no, I’m sure it’s nothing so dire.” She leaned into me as I supported her down the hall. “How about you take me to your chambers instead? Yours is closer and I would hate to trouble the doctor over a little strain. Besides, I don’t want the other girls thinking I deliberately hurt myself to gain your attention” She batted her eyelashes innocently. I stared at her for a moment. What exactly was she looking for? I suppressed an irritated sigh as I lifted her and made my way to my chambers.
As we entered my receiving room, she sank onto a soft with a little moan. Hitching up her skirts, she exposed a length of smooth thigh. “Perhaps His Majesty could examine the injury himself?”
As I watched Jessica, my irritation began to grow. She lifted her skirts even further, revealing her panties along with a large portion of her thighs with a calculated move. slowly, she began to approach me with a sly smile, knowing all too well that I had no time for the nonsense she was doing. It was a game she played often, and right now, I was getting tired of it..
She pressed her body against mine and traced a finger along my chest. “Oh Rafe,” she purred, “Won’t you take me to bed? I’m simply desperate for your touch.”
I placed my hands firmly on her shoulders and pushed her away. “Enough, Jessica. Your charms will not work on me. Especially not this way.”
Her alluring expression quickly shifted into an angry pout, tears forming in her eyes. “But Rafe, you know my legs hurt so badly! I can hardly walk.” She clutched at her thigh as if in agony.
Sighing heavily, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Her drama was so exhausting. “Alright, I’ll send for the healer to attend to you. Now please stop crying and go back to your room.”
“Oh thank you, my dear!” Jessica embraced me tightly, magically drying up her tears. “You do care for me!”
Stepping away from her embrace, I guided her towards the door. “Go to your room. This is your last warning.” She blew me a kiss before sashaying out of the room without any sign of pain hindering her departure.
Collapsing into my chair with a groan, I poured myself a drink from the bottle of brandy. I would have to keep a close eye on Jessica and her schemes. Finishing my drink, I called for my servant to fetch the healer. The sooner Jessica’s imagined ailments were dealt with, the sooner I could be rid of her constant pestering. At least for a little while.
*****