Nova’s pov
Walking to our building with a huge smile on my face, I cleared my throat as I walked past a set of maids who stared at me with a knowing smile on their faces. I held my head high and stepped into our living room, I met Mom in the living room, sitting on a one-seater couch, staring into space with her back to me.
“Mom…” I called, moving towards her with my heels clicking on the floor.
“Novalie dear,” she jolted out of her thought upon hearing me call out to her, she stood up from the couch and grabbed a file from the centre table.
“You okay, mom?” I questioned, staring from her to the file in her hands, with my eyebrows raised.
Mom smiled, flashing me her white sets of teeth. “I have almost forgotten about the file your father asked me to deliver to his office,” she mumbled, running her gaze on my body. As if she was seeing a new version of me.
“You don’t look so good. What happened? Didn’t you visit the town with his Majesty?” she asked, running her eyes on my body once again.
I had almost forgotten about the incident, all thanks to a certain person, the whole incident came playing in my head like it was currently happening. But all thanks to my choice of colour, Mom would have seen the blood in my dress if it wasn’t because of the black dress I was wearing.
“Everything is all right, Mom! And I am just coming from my little tour with his Majesty the King.” I smiled, wrapping my hands in my arms as it was suddenly becoming chilly in the living room.
“Okay…” Mom trailed off, staring at my legs, she clutched at the file in her hand and shrugged off her shoulders. “I should get going, I will see you later, dear.” she kissed my cheeks and made use of the exit.
“Oh, okay!” I heaved a sigh of relief, dragging my feet towards the staircase. Ascending the stairs with my heels clicking hard on the tiled floor.
I walked down the hallway, walking towards my room with the hope of having a warm bath and cuddling my pillow to sleep afterwards.
I gripped the doorknob, twisted it open and entered my room. I closed the door behind me, wanting to drag my feet towards the bathroom, when a voice called out to me, startling me from walking further.
“Nice shows you pulled off there!” Tamsyn chuckled wildly, I jumped in fright, turning towards where the voice was coming from. Only to see my sister, standing by the window with a weird smile on her face.
“Oh, gracious goodness!” I cried out, stumping my feet on the ground as I walked up to my bed and plunged into the soft silky sheet.
“Would you now admit that you’re a lot closer to that beast? This is the second time you would be hugging him so passionately.” Tam grumbled, she let her hands slide down from the window, dragging her feet towards me with a sly grin on her face.
“What are you doing here?” I groaned, sitting up on the bed, I bent and undid the buckle of my heels before tossing them off my feet, placing my arching feet on the cold floor, letting the coldness of the floor soothe the arching area.
“Since when did you start to avoid my question?” Tam chuckled, falling back into the bed with her face on the ceiling.
“I am not avoiding your question, I just don’t see the need to answer you,” I grumbled, standing up from the bed and undid the zipper of my dress, letting it fall to my ankle. Leaving me in my black lace pant and bra.
“Why would you chose not to answer me?” Tam groaned, sitting up on the bed, she eyed my body before moving her gaze away from me.
I bent down and picked my dress off the ground. I walked to a corner of my room and tossed the dress and heels into the laundry basket.
“I didn’t reply because I don’t feel close to his Majesty as you said I do,” I let out, trying to keep my tone light and casual. I moved away from the laundry basket, walked back to the bed, and picked up the book I had been reading earlier from the nightstand.
I opened it to the page I had left off on, as Tam let out an annoying snort.
“His Majesty.” Tam mimicked me with a tone of mockery. She moved her hand to her tummy, caressing her little bump. “What a nice title for the beast.”
“Excuse me, Tam, his Majesty is not a beast. And I would advise you to watch out for your tongue, don’t call his Majesty such a stupid name outside so that you won’t get yourself killed!” I groaned out to her, dumping the book on my lap.
“Defending your husband, huh?” she hissed, rolling her eyes as she propped her elbows on her thigh. “If he isn’t a beast, why would I get killed just by calling him a beast?” she puffed out air, scoffing as she moved her hands away from her thighs.
“Because he’s the King and you’re to treat him with respect.” I pointed out for her, making sure I didn’t make it sound like I was siding with him. “Besides, just because I am his Queen doesn’t make him my husband, please stop making it sounds like I married him because I wanted to.” I barked at her, I was already getting mad with the fact that she wouldn’t stop bugging me if I was close to his majesty, or not.
“Stop lying to yourself.” Tam scoffed, she stood up from the bed and I did the same, she glared at me, her eyes were burning with rage and I wondered what could make her to be that outraged. It was obvious I and the Lycan King wasn’t close, and I wondered what could make me think we were a thing.
“You know if anyone is lying right now, that should be you. Why the fuck would you keep asking me if I am close with his Majesty. When in the real sense we’re just like a sworn enemy. He doesn’t like me and of course, the feeling is mutual!” I whined, slamming my palm against my forehead as I stared at Tam tiredly.
“Does that mean…” she leaned a little closer, staring into my eyes, letting out a dark chuckle. “Does that mean you don’t love him at all?” she asked, her tone clear and direct. She stood up straight, staring at me as I parted my lips gently.
I swallowed hard, gathering my thoughts before I spoke. I knew what she was asking, and I knew what my answer was.
“No,” I blurted out, the word ringing in my ears. “I do not love his Majesty, and I will never love a beast like him…”
The door bust open with a deafening crash, and his Majesty strode into my room. His footsteps on the tiled floor were heavy and measured, each step he took, sending a shiver of dread through me. His gaze was fixed on me, intense and unwavering, as he made his way towards us.
He ignored Tam, moving past her without a second glance. He came to a stop in front of me, his hands reaching out to cup my face. His touch was gentle, but his eyes were dark and stormy, his lips pulled into a hard line as he moved a strand of hair off my face and tugged it behind my ear.
He traced his thumb on my cheek and moved it to my lips, caressing them gently as he slowly moved his eyes to my lips.
I gulped hard as I watched his face draw closer, his nose pressed on mine, and I could feel his breath on my skin, hot and heavy, and I felt my heart, thumping hard in my chest.
Time seemed to have paused the moment he placed his lips on mine, and gently wiped his tongue on my lips, damping my dry lips with his drool.
Then, finally, he moved his lips on mine, in a slow, tender kiss. It was like the sun rising after a long, night, a burst of light and warmth that filled me with hope.