Chapter 36 Untitled Chapter

Chapter 36 Untitled Chapter
Ashley
I walked past the king without saying a word, my steps quick and uneasy. My heart was beating fast as I headed straight for my room. I just wanted to be alone, to breathe, to think. Everything felt too overwhelming.
“Stop.” His voice came from behind me, calm but firm.
I froze immediately and slowly turned to face him.
“Oh, your things have already been moved out of that room,” he said casually, as if it was nothing. “From now on, you will be staying with me. We will be sharing a room.”
My eyes widened in shock. “What?” I blurted out, completely taken aback. “Why would I have to share a room with you?”
He looked at me like the answer was obvious. “Because you are my wife now,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense for us to live separately when we are married.”
I shook my head quickly, taking a step back. “No, I don’t want that,” I said, my voice firm despite the nervousness inside me. “Can’t I just go back to my old room? I don’t want to disturb whatever you have going on, especially with your other mistresses.”
A smirk slowly spread across his face. “So soon?” he teased. “We have barely been married for a minute, and you are already jealous and trying to keep me to yourself. Isn’t that a bit selfish?”
I frowned, annoyed by his words. “I don’t care what you do,” I snapped. “Do whatever you want with whoever you want. All I’m asking for is my own space. I need somewhere I can breathe. I don’t want to share a room with you.”
He didn’t argue further. Instead, he simply turned and started walking toward his room.
“I suggest you follow me,” he said over his shoulder. “And if you still insist on going back to your former room, just know that it’s already occupied.”
With that, he kept walking, leaving me standing there, frustrated and unsure of what to do next.
I had only left that room a few hours ago, and now it already belonged to someone else. The thought made my chest feel heavy. I let out a tired sigh, rubbing my temple slightly. The more I tried to get away from him, the more it felt like I was being pulled right back in.
Reluctantly, I followed him to his room. He reached the door first and held it open for me. I hesitated for a second before stepping inside. The moment I did, I couldn’t help but pause and look around.
The room was massive. It was larger than anything I had ever seen before. The space alone could comfortably hold several people without them ever crossing paths. Everything in it spoke of wealth and power—the polished floors, the high ceiling, the expensive furniture. And the bed, it was huge. Big enough to fit at least three people without them even touching.
A small sense of relief settled in me. At least there was hope. We could share the space without actually sharing anything. If I stayed on one side, there would be no reason for our bodies to even come close.
I moved further in and stopped beside a couch at the corner of the room, my hands clasped together nervously. I didn’t know what to do next. I wasn’t even sure how I was supposed to get out of this dress on my own.
I was still trying to figure it out when I suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around my waist from behind. I gasped and jumped slightly at the sudden contact, my body going stiff.
“You look tired,” he said, his voice low and calm, right behind me. “Do you want to take a shower? I could have a warm bath prepared for you.”
I frowned, confusion immediately replacing the shock. What? Since when did he start acting like this?
Just a moment ago, he had been arrogant and insufferable. Now he sounded considerate. It didn’t sit right with me. It felt wrong and suspicious.
I tried to turn and face him, but his hold on my waist tightened slightly, keeping me in place. “I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “Why are you suddenly acting nice?”
“Well,” he replied easily, “you are my luna now. It’s only right that I treat you with respect.”
I let out a short, disbelieving laugh and shook my head. “Respect?” I scoffed, my voice laced with bitterness. “You are talking about respect?” I finally managed to turn my head slightly, even though his hands were still holding me.
“Barely a minute after we got married, you were already flirting with other women,” I continued. “You ignored me completely. I stood there like a fool while your mistresses laughed and mocked me.”
My chest tightened as the memory replayed in my mind. “And now you want to act like you care?”
“Who dares to mock you?” he asked sharply, his expression darkening. “Tell me who they are, and I will deal with them. No one has the right to disrespect you.”
“That’s not the point!” I snapped, my voice rising. With effort, I pushed his hands off my waist and turned to face him fully.
“How can they respect me when you don’t?” I continued, my chest rising and falling with emotion. “You forced me into this marriage. I didn’t have a choice. No one asked what I wanted, no one cared how I felt.”
I shook my head, hurt and anger mixed together. “And on our wedding day,” I went on, my voice trembling slightly, “you didn’t even think about how it would make me look. You ignored me completely and went around openly flirting with other women like I wasn’t even there.”
For a moment, there was silence between us. Then he stepped closer. Instinctively, I moved my hands behind my back, refusing to let him take them. But that didn’t stop him. Instead, his arms slid around me again, pulling me closer. I stiffened as the heat from his body pressed against mine, making it hard to think clearly.
“I didn’t mean to disrespect you,” he said quietly. “But I won’t apologize for marrying you.”
My brows furrowed as I looked up at him. “You were mine from the moment I first saw you,” he continued, his voice firm, almost possessive. “And you will always be mine.”
I swallowed, my heart pounding harder at his words. He took a slow breath before speaking again, his tone softer this time. “I know this didn’t start the right way,” he admitted. “But I will respect you. From now on, things will be different.”
His hold on me tightened slightly, not painfully, but enough to make his words feel serious.
“And anyone who dares to disrespect you or speak against you…” his voice turned cold, “will face the consequences. I will have them punished—or banished from the pack entirely.”
I stared at him, unsure of what to believe. He held my gaze, his eyes searching mine as if he wanted me to see the truth in what he was saying. But I didn’t believe him, I had already seen enough to know the kind of man he was.
He would get bored and when he did, he would go right back to those women—openly, without care. “I don’t believe a word you say,” I said quietly. “But I will pretend to.”
A small smile curved on his lips, like my response amused him instead of offending him. “Come here,” he said gently. “Let me help you out of your dress.”
I hesitated, every part of me resisted accepting anything from him, especially something this personal. But I knew I couldn’t take the dress off by myself. After a moment, I gave in and turned my back to him.
I felt his fingers at the zipper, slow and careful as he pulled it down. His touch was steady, almost too gentle for someone like him. When the dress loosened, he helped slide it off my shoulders.
It fell to the floor in a soft heap, leaving me standing there in just my bra and panties. A wave of self-consciousness washed over me, but I tried not to show it.
“Sit,” he said softly. “Let me help you with your shoes. Your feet must be sore.”
I blinked, still trying to process everything. Was this really the same man? The same man who had threatened me without hesitation, who had treated me like I had no choice, no voice? What was all this?
Still confused, I let him guide me to the couch. I sat down slowly, and he took a seat beside me. Without asking again, he lifted my legs gently and rested them on his lap.
For a brief moment, his eyes moved over my body, dark and unreadable. Then, as if catching himself, he focused on my shoes instead.
He removed them carefully, one after the other. Then his hands moved to my feet. His touch was firm but gentle as he began to massage them. The tension I hadn’t even realized I was holding started to melt away. I closed my eyes, a soft moan of relief escaping my lips before I could stop it.
The moment I realized what I had done, my eyes snapped open. His gaze was on me, dark and intense but he said nothing. He simply looked at me for a second longer before lowering his eyes and continuing what he was doing, like nothing had happened.
The silence stretched between us, thick and uneasy. Then he spoke. “Where did you meet Gerald and Waneeka?” My entire body went still. The comfort I had just begun to feel vanished instantly, replaced by tension and unease.