Chapter 20 20
Odette's Pov
Pain was the first thing I felt when I woke up.
My head, my face, my throat even my whole body was in pain, especially my arms where the men held me down. My heart lodged in my jaw and I looked around for any threat, only to realize I was back in the castle. I was safe.
A glass of water on the bedside table caught my attention.
I needed water.
My throat was parched and I badly needed to quench the thirst.
I reached my fingers closer and grabbed the glass, then I emptied it quickly.
Suddenly Aaron came to mind. Was he safe as well? If something happened to him how could I forgive myself.
I needed to know so I walked toward the door but stopped suddenly when I walked past the mirror. Taking a few steps back and I stared at my reflection. A dark bruise covered my right cheek, my lips were and my hair was bedraggled. I looked awful but at least I was safe.
“Are you alright?”
I jumped at the sound and looked to where it came from.
Aaron stood in the room with his hands behind his back. He seemed angry and there was an aura of danger around him.
How could I not have heard when he came in?
“I…” I opened my mouth to speak but my throat hurt. I could barely speak so I just nodded.
The way he stood reminded me of earlier. His blood-red eyes and sharp claws. He really was a beast or maybe it was my imagination but I was sure I saw him.
My head was already spinning and it hurt thinking about it.
“Are you alright?” I managed in a whisper.
“I am.” He said with a slight frown in his face.
I looked down. If I hadn't gone back to talk to Adam and Leila, none of this would've happened. This was… all my fault.
Tears filled my eyes and I turned around to go to bed when Aaron suddenly picked me up.
I tried to protest but he shook his head and carefully laid me on the bed.
“Rest now,” he said and I closed my eyes as I didn't want to look anymore.
I didn't want to feel or think but my thought wandered back to Aaron standing there with his red eyes as blood dripped down from his long nails when he killed that man.
His fingers traveled down my cheek and disrupted my thoughts.
“You scared me last night. I have never been so scared in my life before.” He whispered.
Opening my eyes, I looked at his sad, concerned eyes.
“Please, don't ever make me worry like that again.” he pressed his forehead to mine.
Tears threatened to fill my eyes as I stared at him.
I wasn't scared of him. Instead, a warm feeling spread through my body. He had truly been worried about me.
“Get some rest.” He kissed me softly on the lips before he got up and left.
I instantly panicked. “Where are you going?”
He didn't answer.
“Aaron?” I sat up, fearing the worst. “Where are you going?”
“I'll be back.” He said softly. “Get some rest.”
And since then, that was the last I'd seen him.
A few minutes later, Clarisse entered my room with a tray.
“I brought some food and medicine.” She said with a small smile.
Then she walked to my bed and kept the tray on the bedside table. Then she reached for one of the items on the tray and rubbed it on my cheek. Her eyes watered as she smeared the white aqueous herb on my cheek.
“How did you get this hurt, sweet Odette?” She asked.
I shook my head, my voice shaking. “It's fine, Clarisse.”
“No, it's not,” she cupped my cheeks. “How…”
I leaned forward. “Clarisse, where did Aaron go?”
She shook her head. “I don't know.”
“Just tell me…” I insisted.
“You need to eat something. Now, come on.”
She helped me dish out the food and while it looked and smelled amazing, I couldn't find the appetite to eat. All I could think about was Aaron and where he had gone.
After eating, Clarisse helped me drink the medicine, some mashed leaves the healer had prepared, and it was bitter but she told me it was supposed to mend my broken rib and the bruises on my face. But before I slept, she told me to bathe with healing water.
I didn't pay attention to her because I was too exhausted so I nodded and fell right asleep.
By the time I woke up, Aaron was sleeping next to me. I remembered I hadn't taken a bath so I prepared myself a bath myself.
I rubbed dirt off my skin and hair till I was satisfied then I grabbed a towel and wrapped myself in it.
Walking out and into the room, grabbed a simple gown and slid into it then I dried my hair with the towel. Even though I was all clean I still felt dirty. The bruises on my face and arms were healing but they still hurt and thinking back of what happened made me sick, of how I was nearly raped, if Aaron hadn't come to save me.
I went back to bed and studied Aaron while asleep. I didn't know what I was looking for but I was looking for something. My eyes traveled to his fingers, no sharp nails. Just normal short clean nails and his eyes had been normal too. But I was sure I didn't imagine what I saw.
A gasp escaped my mouth. I guess I hadn't believed he was a monster entirely until now. I couldn't and didn't want to believe it. He couldn't be what the rumors said he was, the Beast of BlackWood Castle with red eyes and long nails. He had easily snapped that man's neck. What else could he do?
He opened his eyes slowly which made my heart jump. I looked into those eyes that had captivated me so much, I looked at the man I was married to, the man that moved my heart, evaded my thoughts and made my body tingle with pleasure. He couldn't be cursed. He couldn't be a monster. There was nothing evil in his eyes, in fact, they looked troubled.
“Is everything alright?” he asked in a sleepy hoarse voice.
“Yes.” It came out as a whisper.
Bringing his hand up, he cupped my cheek. ”I am sorry I didn't come earlier.”
He really sounded apologetic. How could this man be a monster?
“It's alright, I am fine.” I really was because it could have gotten much worse.
“You could have asked me to go with you if you wanted to talk to …. Adam.” He gritted his teeth when he said his brother's name.
“I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you in my own way,” I whimpered.
“You don't have to protect me. I should be the one protecting you.” Taking my wrist, he pressed a light kiss on my pulse.
“But I was worried. I couldn't leave you…”
The rest of my words were muffled when his lips claimed mine.
I melted into him, hesitating at first before completely surrendering to the all-consuming kiss.
Aaron pulled back for a breath, and he rested his forehead against mine.
“I think you’re sleep deprived. Did you sleep at all?” I asked.
“If I’m not sleeping next to you, I’m not sleeping at all.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“I'm sorry I couldn't answer your question,” he stroked my cheek. “I left to find Adam and … I realized I needed you so I came back home to you.”
I sniffled softly.
He continued. “I realized something else too.”
“What is it?”
“I love you.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
Aaron leaned closer.. “I’d known from the first day I met you. I’ve known it all along, and I’m sorry for letting you think I needed time to realize it.”
With his palm cupping my cheek, he pressed a light kiss to my forehead. “I love you, Odette.”