CHAPTER 96: MORE ROSY DAYS
“Hey Clara, just the person I wanted to see?”
“Really?” I asked and walked towards him, “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, as much as I know, everything is fine. It’s just that I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Okay. Shoot. What is it?” I watched him for a while as he opened his lips to speak. I would have said that he hesitated but then, some maids passed by which gave me the impression that whatever he had to say, he didn’t want even the walls to hear it.
I stared at him waiting for the words to come after the maids had passed but instead, he didn’t say anything.
“What is it Kieran?” I had to ask again.
“Let’s go somewhere a little more quiet,” he said and showed me his hands.
“No, I’m fine. Just lead the way.”
As he walked ahead, I watched him. I wondered if reading his mind would have been a lot better. At the same time, hearing him say it would give me a better view through his thoughts. At least, I would know what he really feels about what he wanted to say.
I shut the door of his chambers as soon as we got in. There I stood, holding the door again and the memories just came rushing back to me. I didn’t know what was so important that he had to bring me back to his chambers which had become like a pool of forbidden memories. That was how the time we spent together which I had thought was perfect, suddenly felt.
The mixed smell of the polished wood of the door with that of his hair oil caressed the hairs in my nostrils. It reminded me of the feeling. The very one that I had hoped to forget. The moment when he went into me for the second time in less than a week. How could I have let that happen? Amidst the anger that I felt for him, he still had a way to make me feel so lucky that I forgot that I didn’t want to be with him. I reminded me that all I wanted at that moment was to have him and I did. We both did have ourselves yet, I felt like I was being used. Maybe that was what it was. Because as usual, he would regret it and term it all a mistake. He was right though because it was.
“Alright Kieran. I’m done with all this suspense and looking over shoulders. What is it you want to talk about? I’ve still got some training to do with Nikkei.”
“I apologize for just dragging you in here but I wanted to talk about the mating process.”
“Oh yeah that, the werewolf council members definitely bought that crap.” I chuckled, “how long do you think that they would take before they begin to suspect that it is all a lie?”
“Not too long, that is why I want you to organize the mating process.”
“What do you mean? This is supposed to be fake.”
“Well, I never said that it isn’t but this people are smart and it wouldn’t be long before they smell something fishy and come for you.”
“Wait, are you saying that we should do this? You know that undergoing a mating process with you will mean that I will officially be your mate right?”
“Yes, I know that. But what choice do we have?”
I gasped, taking a step backwards. It was all too much to take in. I knew Kieran had mentioned the mating process to the members of the werewolf council but I never thought that we would go through with it. Hearing him say it now hit me so hard that I suddenly felt the air leaving my lungs. The room was hotter and had become stuffy. Sweat was forced out of my pores. I have always wanted everything to die off so that I can finally leave and start my life all over again. But with what Kieran had just spilled, there was no going back and there was no starting my life afresh.
“Kieran, I can’t do this. I can’t be your mate.”
“Neither can I. But this is not just about us anymore. You know that right? I’m just trying to protect you here. Moving forward with the mating process is the only way for you to gain my full protection. Don’t you want that?”
“I do but…”
“But what? Look Clara, this is hard for me too. You think I want this? Or this is some plot to keep you here? You know me. And you know that it’s not it.”
“Why are you protecting me?” I asked.
“I feel it’s my responsibility as a leader. I never should have taken you to the meeting in the first place. But the deed is done and so we have to face the consequences. I can’t let them have you.”
“So, it’s like an obligation thing?”Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.
“Perhaps being a King is a lot more than any of us can understand.”
“This is mostly about your ego as a King right?” I watched him.
“What is that even supposed to mean? Have you not been listening to what I have been saying?”
“Of course I have. And it sure sounds like you are doing this for something. You know quite well that if you let them have me, it will mean that you can’t protect me. And your people would begin to have these doubts that you can’t protect them either. You aren’t trying to save me, you are just saving yourself.”
“I’m protecting my territory that what’s Lycan Kings do.”
“You never cease to amaze me Kieran after everything we’ve been through you still see me as an obligation. Like something that you need to do. Well, I’m not surprised. You’ve always reminded me that we aren’t friends.”
“You are the one with these thoughts. You always have something against my pride. I’m just trying to protect you and make sure that you don’t end up being a lab rat to those people. So it’s either you accept this or not. I can’t force you to. But you need to be reasonable because lives are at stake.”
“What if I just leave? Will that not put me out of it? At least if I’m captured it wouldn’t matter because I’m not your responsibility anymore.”
“If you feel that leaving will solve the issue then leave. Perhaps you should go out there and see things for yourself.”
I said nothing and then he continued.
“But in case you see my opinion as reasonable, then I’m putting you in charge.”
“In charge?”
“Yes, you will foresee all the activities pertaining to the mating ceremony. Handle it the way that you like. At least, it will be an opportunity to do things the way that you want. And that includes fixing a date. My advice is that you consider a much closer date or else there wouldn’t be any need for that.”
The scaly sensation in my throat made it a bit difficult to speak by the time that he was done talking. He was right, at the same time, it all felt so wrong. A mating ceremony was supposed to be special. I have lived half of my existence thinking about how that day would be when it finally came. I had finally stopped thinking about it when it became like a nightmare. I tried to forget. Whenever I closed my eyes, I would see Raymond. He was the one that I should have been doing this with. But seeing his face again was horrifying enough.
Asides that, my parents should have been the one to prepare it. It would be special because I would be treated like a queen. I’ll stay home all day doing nothing but looking after myself. Now, I could barely recognize who I had become. Being made to dress like someone else had been depressing enough and now, I would be handling this all alone instead of them. But it was my only ticket out of war. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. That’s not how I had planned it to be. The mating ceremony has always been a thing of great joy and celebration and so it still felt that way. But that wasn’t the worst part of the situation. Having a mating ceremony with Kieran was.