Chapter 8 - She Steals The Jewelry

Fiona’s POV.

Micah brings me to a room that is located up a long flight of stairs. It is secluded from the rest of the palace, almost like it is isolated on purpose. He doesn’t let go of my hand even as I am ushered inside the mahogany door and stare at the beige walls of the bedroom.

It is beautiful, decorated with expensive furniture and is bigger than any space I have ever lived in.

“My room is just across from yours. You can reach me if you need anything.” I slowly turn towards him, only to find him standing right behind me. My movement brings me chest to chest with him and almost instinctively, I move back.

His eyes narrow as he takes me in. A wicked smirk lights up his face as he takes a step towards me. I find myself in a dangerous dance with him. With every step I take back, he takes one forward. There is a strange gleam in his eyes, almost as if he is enjoying the chase.

A part of me tells me to stop moving back. Micah is a Lycan prince, a powerful predator. Wolves like him like to hunt their prey. Still, I can’t help my steps until I am backed into the dressing table.

His lips tip up again and he watches me with lazy eyes, knowing I have nowhere to run to. My lips feel dry with nervousness and I lick them absentmindedly. Immediately, his eyes latch on to the movement and he watches me with such a ravenous expression that both fear and excitement make my stomach dip.

Slowly, he lifts his hands and places them on my waist. Despite myself, I lean towards him, almost as if beckoned by an invisible thread. His eyes are heated and the hands around my waist tighten. I am sure, he is about to touch more of me, kiss me, drag me closer but he surprises me when he turns me around.

I face the mirror behind me and I hardly recognise the woman who stares back at me. My cheeks are flushed crimson and my eyes hold a sparkle I haven’t seen in a long while. Behind me, Micah is a dark looming presence. He is so much taller than me and almost engulfs me whole as he stands with his hands on my waist.

Slowly, he drags his fingers up my side and a shiver runs through my body. Then, before I know it, his other hand gathers my hair in one swipe and pulls it to my side unless my neck is fully exposed.

I barely breathe as he touches me and I have the fearful feeling that if he moves away right now, I would stumble, fall to my feet. It’s only his heated presence behind me that has me standing upright.

In the blink of an eye, he fishes out something from his pocket and puts it around my neck. It’s a necklace with a stunning ring hanging from it. The ring is encrusted with rubies and diamonds and is gorgeous to look at. It falls between the valley of my breasts and I gasp as the cold metal of the ring makes me tremble.

Micah holds my gaze in the mirror and then, slowly, without breaking eye contact, he hooks a finger down the front of my shirt. His eyes are darkened and he looks wild, savage, like he is pure, unrestrained power and I am the only one keeping him tethered.

His finger dips below, lightly tracing the sensitive skin between my breasts before it curls around the ring and then, slowly, he pulls it out, laying it over my shirt.

My mouth feels dry and I feel his touch lingering on my skin like an imprint of fire itself.

I watch with bated breath as he bends his head down until I can feel his breath on the side of my face.

“This is your reward for being such a good girl today.” He says to me in a whisper that makes my entire body tingle.

Before I can ask him what he means, he is gone.

Leaving me there, feeling warm, dizzy and like an imposter in my own skin.

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An hour later, a knock sounds on my door. I have spent my time in the room trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened and feeling totally out of my depth.

“Come in.” I say softly, still feeling dazed by Micah’s actions from earlier as I absently fiddle with the ring around my neck.

A plump maid comes inside. There is something familiar about her that I cannot place. She bows her head softly before she looks at me.

“Miss Fiona, Prince Micah has sent me to fetch you. Please follow me.”

I slowly get up, clutching my handbag, and follow her out the door, wondering what it is that Micah wants to show me. She takes me to a room on the opposite end of the palace. When she opens the door, it is full of dust. Almost like it hasn’t been used in a while.

It smells of old books and clothes. I look around and see a table full of trinkets and jewelry that look expensive to the touch. In a corner, there are paints of all types organized with great care as if the room belonged to a painter.

I walk towards it, gingerly touching the paints when someone slams into me. I lurch forward, trying to gain my balance when one of the liquid paints topples down, causing the colored liquid to bleed into the dress I am wearing.

I gasp and whirl around only to see the maid looking at me with a weird expression.

“I am so sorry, Miss Fiona, I slipped. There is a washroom right up ahead you can use to clean up.”

There is something about the way she says it that makes me feel uneasy. Frowning, I put my handbag on a nearby chair and slowly walk to the washroom she is gesturing towards as suspicion clouds my mind.

Just when I take a step inside, a gust of wind blows into the room from an open window, bringing with it, the maid’s scent.

I pause in my steps.

Immediately, I realize why something about the maid felt familiar and my heart pounds.

____________________

I busy myself cleaning up the paint that has spilled on the table, carefully putting everything back in its place. I have just finished the last speck when the maid bursts inside.

Micah follows behind her, along with the King and the Queen and Jeremy and Leah. I falter slightly as I take them all in. Their intense gazes are fixed on me and it makes me feel slightly nervous.

Suddenly, the maid falls on her knees and starts wailing. She raises a finger at me as she sobs.

“M-my king, I brought Miss Fiona here because she forced me to take her to Prince Micah’s mother’s room. As she is to be his future wife I couldn’t refuse her. However, when I brought her here, I saw her steal the late Queen’s precious jewelry. Even though I was scared I had to report this crime!”

With that accusation, she further throws her head down as if her words put her life at great risk.

The king looks outraged.

“Is this true, girl?” He bellows at me. He looks as if he wants to murder me. Beside him, Queen Alara has a glint in her eyes and she looks extremely proud of herself.

“Oh, I never thought you would try to sneak into Micah's mother’s room, Fiona. He doesn’t like anybody to step foot in it.” She says pityingly.

“I know these jewels must be worth more than anything you have ever seen in your life before but if you were momentarily blinded by greed and stole it, you can still return it. Maybe, I can plead for a lighter sentence for you, given Micah’s relationship with you.”

She says politely but I see the evil in her eyes. She can barely hide her mirth.

“It’s inside her bag!” The maid bursts out with conviction. “I saw her put the jewelry box there!”

Alara shakes her head.

“Tsk Tsk, I cannot believe you would do this Fiona. I expected more from you. I feel disappointed that I cast my vote for you only for you to do this.” She says with a mocking tone.

“I did not steal anything.” My voice is soft but resolute. I am not afraid, I know I can prove my innocence. However, even as I say the words, my eyes can’t help but seek Micah.

For some reason, out of all the people here, I want him to believe me.

He is dangerously quiet, his face devoid of all expression and his eyes look so icy that I take an involuntary step back. He observes me in silence.

“My king, this behavior needs to be punished.” Alara continues, adding fuel to the fire. “If the late Queen knew about this I am sure she wouldn’t have liked-”

“Don’t fucking act like you know anything about my mother.” Micah’s words are acidic and he throws them at her like he intends to destroy. He slowly looks at her with an expression so terrifying that it makes my heart beat faster.

“I am sure there are many things my mother wouldn’t have liked stolen. Like her husband, for example.”

The moment the words come out of his mouth, Alara looks like she has been slapped.

“Micah…” The Lycan king himself has gone pale and his voice is strained as he speaks to him but Micah is like a wolf out for the hunt.

He walks to me with confident steps until he is inches away from me. Then he closes his fingers around the necklace he gave me and yanks it from my neck.

Immediately, my heart drops.

He doesn’t believe me after all.

It's okay. I try to tell myself.

Of course he doesn’t trust me. Why would he? I have always only had myself, why would that change now?

I try to swallow down the disappointment that wraps around me like an old friend.

I take a deep breath and steel myself.

I know what I need to do.

However, just as I open my mouth, Micah speaks and his next words shock me into stillness.