Chapter 23 Chapter 23
Thalina’s POV
Thalina’s expression turned sour. Her smile was now forced. She stared at me for a few seconds before looking away and attending to her other guests leaving to Selene’s table.
It was a circular table with four chairs. I took the available seat across from Selene. “I hope you don’t mind if I shared a table with you my dear sister?”
She looks confused now but still nodded. The two other girls beside her started whispering on her and they are probably talking about me.
“So how are you, Selene? Are you having fun being the new Luna of Magnus?”
She flashed a smile but I can tell the fakeness behind it. “Yeah. Of course I am having fun. Magnus’ treating me with so much love—”
A chuckle escape my lips so I immediately bit my lips and looked at her apologetically.
“I am sorry I didn’t mean to offend you. I thought you are having a problem since Magnus had been asking me to go back to his territory. He was begging me to come back Selene,”
Her lips twitched. She shot me a dagger look and if looks could kill I would have probably fallen on the floor bleeding.
“Stop lying, Thalina. I know you still can’t accept that Magnus chose me over you. You don’t have to make story to ruin us,”
“I am not creating stories, Selene. I am not like you,”
“How dare you!”
She was ready to throw her hands at me but the woman beside her was quick to grabbed her wrist.
“King Thaddeus!”
Everyone greeted in unison. I looked over my shoulder and there I found him splitting the crowd into two. Everyone bowed their head so I did the same.
I keep my heads low as I listened to his footsteps cutting the silence. His footsteps starts to get near until I saw a pair of black boots touching the hem of the gown I am wearing.
“You never told me you will be attending,” he spoke.
I slowly lift my head to look at his eyes. In my periphery I can see Princess Atasha’s guests looking at us. I saw how they whisper at each other but I focused my attention to King Thaddeus who was busy scanning the gown I was wearing.
His jaw clenched and when he brought his gaze back to my face I saw how dark his gaze are. “Who gave you this gown?”
I glanced at Princess Atasha who was quietly watching us from a distance. Fear was written on her face and I saw how she swallowed hard while looking at me.
“I chose this gown. It was royal party so I thought I should wear a ball gown,”
He looked at me intently as if he was trying to figure out if I am telling the truth or not.
My mind tells me to tell the truth and reveal Princess Atasha’s petty scheme but I don’t want to ruin her birthday. I already defended myself to her earlier. Besides I don’t want to look weak hiding behind King Thaddeus. I want to defend myself without his help.
“Do you want to change? I am sure Atasha has spare gown that will suit her party,”
I shook my head and offered a small smile. “It’s fine. I am comfortable with what I am wearing anyway,”
“Are you sure?”
I stretched my lips even more, smiling widely to prove him that I am okay. “I am fine. Stop making it a big deal. It’s like you’re rubbing it to my face that I have a bad taste,”
A smile formed on his lips. “Well…” he trailed scanning the gown I am wearing once again. “You do really have a bad taste, Thalina,”
I glared at him but then he leaned in and whispered on my ear.
“Glaring at your King is not a good attitude, My Queen,” he pulled his head back and looked at me straight in the eyes. “Quit glaring,”
I rolled my eyes at him and took a deep breath before I forced a smile.
“King Thaddeus!”
My attention shifted to Princess Atasha who was walking towards us. King Thaddeus faced her and kissed her on the cheeks.
Something inside me twisted as I watched them.
Princess Atasha was glancing at my direction from time to time, fear was still written on her face but she concealed it with a smile. She still look uneasy. She probably think that I will tell on her. Well she’s lucky I am not as petty as her. I prefer playing fair.
“I am glad you made time to attend my party. I thought you are busy meeting with the Council,”
King Thaddeus chuckled. “I never missed your party, Atasha. I will always make time to greet you happy birthday didn’t I?”
Princess Atasha glanced at me. The fear in her eyes vanished and she looked at me confidently.
“I know you will always make time for me,” her hand started caressing King Thaddeus arm.
I can feel my blood boiling again but when I am about to stepped in Thaddeus pulled his arm away and used it to grabbed my waist. He pulled me close to his. I heard gasp from the crowd and Princess Atasha’s proud smile slowly faded.
“I just hope you helped my mate pick a gown,”
Her face turned pale. Her lips started to tremble as she forced her self to smile. She slightly bowed her head as she looked at King Thaddeus apologetically. “I am sorry King Thaddeus. I was too busy planning for my party and didn’t even think of helping, Thalina,”
She looked at me with a pretensious apology written on his face. “I have spare gown on my room. Do you want to change, Thalina?”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I am starting to get comfortable with this gown,”
She lets out a nervous laugh and nodded. “It looks good on you anyway,”
I am sure that’s more of an insult than a compliment but I won’t make a big deal out of it.
“If you’ll excuse me I will just checked my other guests, King Thaddeus,”
King Thaddeus gave him a nod and let her leave. I saw Princess Atasha threw me a glare before she walked away.
King Thaddeus didn’t see it since he was busy staring at me. He was probably looking for something he could point out.
“I know I don’t look good. You don’t have to rubbed it on my face,”
He looked at me innocently. “What do you mean?” he asked acting all clueless but I knew deep down he was holding his laughter.
“My make up doesn’t look good. The gown I am wearing is horrible. That’s what your thinking right?”
He pouted and fuck that pout. I never thought he is capable of looking this adorable. How can I think straight when he was looking at me like that?
“Yeah I won’t deny, your gown really looks horrible,” I was ready to roll my eyes on him but stopped when he spoke. “But your face is saving you. You should be thankful you have a beautiful face if not you would probably look like a clown,”
I don’t know if I should be thankful or not. Why does it feels like he insulted me and complimented at the same time?
“Should I say thank you?”
“Just words? I don’t accept a simple thank you, Thalina,” his eyes scanned me from head to toe. I know he wasn’t checking my name. A dirty thought was running inside his head. I can clearly tell by the way he looks at me.
“They might hear you,” I warned him side eyeing those who were near us and just like what I expected they were clearly listening.
“I didn’t say anything wrong. There is nothing wrong with wanting my mate,”
My cheeks burned in an instant. Can’t he really control his mouth? I get that he has the freedom to do everything he wants but does he really have to say those words out loud?
Before he could embarrass me further I held his hand and dragged him away. He didn’t complain. He was even smiling as I pulled him out of the party.
“Are we heading to your chamber or mine?”
I glared at him and continued walking until we reached the garden where no one was around.
When we are finally away from the crowd I face him. The soft gleam of moonlight hit his face.
“Do you really have to say those words out loud?”
There he goes again looking at me with innocent eyes as if he doesn’t know what I mean.
“They would probably gossip again. Rumors had already spread that I am just your bed warmer. Yes that’s the truth but can’t you just give me a little bit of dignity?”
I have no idea what gotten into me but I felt my eyes water. Maybe it was my frustration piled up. The look in their eyes when I showed up wearing this tacky green gown. The murmurs of the crowd criticizing how I look. I pretended to be strong but I can’t keep that image for too long. I had been wanting to crumble for a while and maybe…maybe I was just using King Thaddeus as an excuse.
I wasn’t frustrated because of him but because of the fact that up until now I still feel small.
Tears streamed down my face. I covered my face ashamed that I am crying. I thought he will get mad and scold me for being weak but he pulled me into a hug.
He wrapped me in his arms and my head instinctively rested on his chest as if it belongs there. Sobs escaped my lips and he hugged me even tighter.
“I’m sorry,” he uttered, his voice filled with gentleness. “I am sorry for making you feel that way, Thalina,”
Never in my wildest dreams I thought the almighty King Thaddeus will apologized to me. His pride was way too high but this time he willingly accepted his mistakes even though it wasn’t entirely his fault that I am crying.
He let me cry on his chest and when my tears turned dry I broke off the hug and wiped my cheeks.
I thought he would let me go but he held my chin and made me looked at him. His hand cradled my face while his gentle gaze was locked on mine.
“I won’t let anyone disrespect you again. I talk to the council, the Blood Moon appeared earlier than expected. It might appear on the night sky tomorrow night-”
“I am not ready,”
I haven’t perfected my walk. I haven’t regain my wolf yet. I am not deserving to be his Queen yet.
“You’re ready,” he said, confidently. “I know you are ready, Thalina,”