Chapter 67

Killian:

“She heard us talking didn’t she?” I asked Natasha, whose tears welled up in her eyes. 

I had to fight back cursing under my breath as I knew her response, and I couldn’t help but frown as I found my chest aching as I feared how things were going to be right now.

“She heard you saying that she was weaker than we were and we had…” I nodded, and walked toward her room, not allowing her to proceed with what she was going to say. I tried opening the door only to frown when I saw that the door was locked.

“Eleanor, malyshka…”

She opened the door and for the first time since I’ve met her, Eleanor was angry. 

“Don’t you fucking dare call me malyshka,” she said, glaring daggers at me. “Considering you see me as weak and broken, then go and find yourself someone who...”

“I don’t see you as…”

“I fucking heard you, Killian,” she said, stopping me. “I am broken, yes, I am hurt, yes, but despite almost losing my wolf, knowing that I lost my mother the way that I did, losing a fucking part of myself with every single fuck he took out of me, I am still standing in front of you. Therefore, not your bitch of an ex, not Natasha, who is pretending to give a damn about me, and not you.”

I stayed quiet, looking at her as I waited to hear what she had to tell me.

“I don’t expect your sympathy, Killian. I know that you had someone else in your life and if I am merely here to fill a void, then you can choose someone else to play this game on, but that person is not going to be me.” She said, and I nodded, entering the room. She took slow steps back and I closed the door before nodding at her to take a seat. She glared at me and I walked toward her bed and sat on the edge of it while keeping my eyes on her.

Her heart raced as I waited for her to approach me. However, I knew the reason behind her anger and her pain, and needless to say, her messed up emotions right now. 

She put her hand on her chest and I watched as she took a seat beside me, making sure to keep a distance and I turned to face her.

“Each one of us has their own strength in this world, Eleanor.” I said, not wanting to push her into something that I now knew she wouldn’t be able to handle. “Some of us can handle killing with no remorse, others can handle leading armies, and you were able to handle what you took.”

“You saw me as weak, and I…”

“I am always going to be a hundred times stronger than you are, Eleanor.” I said, stopping her. “But that doesn’t mean, not for a second, that you are weak. Yes, you are hurt, you were broken, and I know for fucking fact that the man tore you apart more than anyone should have ever dealt with. But you have the heart of an angel, and just like one word can make you smile, a thousand others can make you cry.”

“Get out,”

“No,” I said, glaring at her. “Not until you stopped listening to that voice inside your head, and not until you…”

“I am listening to the words that I heard from you.” She said, stopping me. “Now, if you are not going to tell me anything that is important, you can please leave me alone.”

I looked at my woman for a second before cupping her cheeks and connecting my lips with hers. Her heart raced against her ribcage and I ran my fingers through her hair as I bit her bottom lip. I pulled away to rest my forehead against hers, taking a deep breath before I took her hand in mine and intertwined our fingers.

“One, there is no you being left ‘alone’ anymore. In this world, it is the two of us together or not at all,” I said, running my thumb over her fingers. “Two, I will never, not for a second, allow you to think that you are stronger than I am. It wouldn’t give me a reason to want to protect you as my mate, and no matter how powerful, you’ll always be the queen that I want to cradle. To the world, I will be sure that every soul bends on their knees in front of you. And with me, you will be the one person that I get on my knees in front of.”

“Yes, you are weaker than I am because you show a humanity that I lost a long time ago.” I said, making sure that she had her eyes on mine as I spoke. Her heart raced, and I gently pulled her closer, knowing that she was triggered. “And that is something that I love about you. It reminds me of my own humanity, teaching me that chances, regardless of the mistakes, can be given. That is not something that I would have given before. That is something that I want you to keep in mind.”

She lowered her head, not wanting to look at me, and I put my finger under her chin, raising it. 

“Chin up, malyshka, our pack is shifting in a bit and I think that they would want to see their Luna by their side.”

“I can’t shift, Killian, you know that.” She said, and I smiled before leaning in. My body towered over hers, and she blushed as my hot breath hit her face before I connected my lips with hers.

“Whether or not you shift, your pack needs you by their side.” I said, giving her a gentle smile as I pulled her toward the door. I looked back at the dress that she was going to wear before smiling at her gentleness. It was a light pink dress, and I knew that it would be giving out her beauty when she wore it; however, now wasn’t the time for it. “So, come on, let’s go and get everything ready for the evening, shall we?”