Chapter 110: Micah Believes Me

Fiona’s POV.

“You all recognize the necklace she wears, don’t you?”

Slowly, I lift my head up as Micah’s acidic tone threatens to eviscerate everything in his path. I watch as Alara gasps, her eyes fastened on the necklace he has taken off my neck. A slow and devilish smile forms on Micah’s face, and instantly, I know I never want him to look at me like that.

It’s dangerous and terrifying.

“Yes, it’s my mother’s family heirloom, passed down only to the females of the family, and since she never had any daughter, it is supposed to go to my wife.”

I watch as the Lycan king goes pale, his eyes fastened on the precious ring that hangs from the necklace.

“Why would Fiona need to steal anything from my mother when she already wears the most precious thing my mother ever owned?”

My mouth drops open at the revelation. I cannot believe that the necklace Micah gave me so casually meant so much to him. A slight tremor runs through me as I watch him defend me. A strange feeling trickles in my chest. I feel like a ship that has found its anchor amidst a sea of choppy waves.

Somehow, Micah just … believes me.

Without doubt. Without question.

It gives me strength for what I know I need to do. Just before I can say anything, the maid has another outburst.

“My prince, I am not lying! She really did steal it. Just look inside her bag!” My eyes slightly narrow at the way she points her accusing finger at me.

Slowly, I walk forward with my hand around the bag and I push it towards her.

“Then, show them.”

I tell her, my voice firm. The maid looks at me with a look of pure hatred as she snatches the bag from me and pulls out a jewelry box.

I watch as a smug expression takes over her face. She clearly thinks she has won whatever game she is playing. With eager hands, she yanks open the jewelry box, excited to frame me.

Only, to have her expression fall.

“I-I” She stutters.

“Well, show me what you have there.”

Micah snaps, clearly at an end with his patience. I watch as her face turns red with anger as she fidgets under Micah’s glare.

I know she didn’t find what she was looking for. She never was going to find it because I made sure what she put in my bag wasn’t there. The moment I saw her sneak that box into my bag, I knew she was going to be trouble. While I hate schemes, I knew I couldn’t just stand by and let this all play out.

I had to be prepared for this.

“She clearly replaced it! This is not the item that was in there. I swear she stole one of the sapphires that belonged to your mother, Prince Micah!”

The maid screeches, clearly shaken after her insidious plan had backfired.

“And how exactly do you know that?”

Micah’s voice is low and ice-cold as he asks her the damning question.

“Because I put it there!”

She yelps, too overcome with her emotions to realize what she just let slip.

For a moment, silence follows as everyone takes in her confession. She turns white as a ghost as she realizes the magnitude of what she just revealed. Immediately, she falls to her knees again and starts begging.

“Forgive me, Prince Micah, I didn't mean to frame your wife! I just couldn’t stand it, she is just a commoner, she doesn’t deserve to be your wife. Even my status as a palace maid is more than hers!”

“Enough.”

Micah cuts her off with a single word.

He says it quietly, and yet, it might as well be a thunderous roar. The angles of his face look harsh as he studies her with his narrowed gaze.

“You will be stripped of your rank, and you will be flogged in public for trying to frame the future princess of this kingdom.”

His voice is silky danger, and his eyes blaze as he hands her the sentence.

“The status you enjoy so dearly will be taken from you, and an example will be made out of you so everyone knows that nobody messes with my woman.”

Even as his words are addressed to the maid, his eyes are locked with Alara, and she looks visibly shaken.

“Is there anyone who disagrees with what I have said?”

The question is spoken softly, but everyone in the room knows it’s a mere formality. Micah’s word is final.

Even the king looks slightly disturbed. He clears his throat and directs his angry gaze at Alara.

“Since she is your maid and you have failed to train her properly, your monthly allowance and expenditure for the next few months will be halved.”

He spits the words at her before stalking out and leaving her looking dismayed. Guards drag the maid from the room and slowly the rest of the people follow her out, looking uneasy with everything that played out.

When everyone leaves the room, Micah turns to me.

“Micah, I—”

I rush out, feeling compelled to say something in my defense even if it was proven that I wasn’t guilty.

“Shh.”

He puts a finger on my lips and shakes his head. Something about the expression in his eye is so uncharacteristically gentle that it shocks me into silence.

Nobody has ever looked at me that way.

However, before I can think about it further, he takes my hand in his and walks me out of the room.

I follow him silently. All the way to his car, where he tucks me inside and fastens the seat belt over me. Then, he gets into the driver's seat and powers the engine. I twist my hands together as I feel words bubble up in my throat.

“You need to know that I have dated Jeremy in the past.”

I burst out.

“I know you said you don’t care about my past, but I have to let you know. That was the secret I used today as leverage. It was what made him vote in my favor because he didn’t want Leah to find out about this.”

I know I am rambling, but once I have started, I cannot stop.

“That’s how I knew the maid was going to frame me too. I used to want to make Jeremy happy. So, I learned all about the scents his mother preferred.”

I reveal, feeling ashamed.

“The scent from the maid … it is one Queen Alara adores and uses all the time. So, I knew it was a trap. I know how all of this makes me look. I really didn’t want to hide my relationship with Jeremy, Micah, and I completely understand if you want to withdraw from the marriage contract—”

A throaty chuckle stops my jumbled rambling.

I am startled to see that my eyes are wet as I stare at him. For some reason, my heart hates the idea of Micah leaving me. Even though I have just met him. Even though there is so much about this dangerous, unreadable man that I don’t understand.

He turns to me with amusement.

“I know all about that, darling. Did you really think I wouldn't do my due diligence on my future wife? After all, you are my favorite subject to research.”

His expression darkens as he says the words, and his gaze feels heated. However, before I can react, he lightens the mood by gently chucking my chin.

“I won’t lie, I was quite worried about your taste in men, but now, that won’t be a problem considering you have me.”

With that, he gives me a wink and speeds down the road.

And, once again, for some inexplicable reason, I feel lighter than I have in days.

____________________

Micah’s POV.

I can feel her sneak glances in my direction as she fidgets in her seat, and she makes me want to smile.

It’s weird. This feeling. This urge to smile that I feel so often in her presence. I also think of words I never would have before. Words like adorable and cute because my little rabbit is both of those words when she squirms like she is doing now.

The queen mother’s words from earlier flash in my mind.

“Micah, in the short time I have seen her, I can already tell Fiona is a lovely girl.”

She had told me, and strangely, the compliment made me feel pride. As if she was already mine to feel proud of.

However, there were more words my grandmother had to share.

“That said, I want to make sure you are not only marrying her because of the conditions set by your father. If you don’t have real feelings for her, it will hurt both of you in the long run.”

I smile at the words now. My grandmother was sweet to worry, but she didn’t know how long I had waited for this.

How badly I wanted her, and now I had her all to myself.

So trusting.

So innocent.

All mine.

She looks at me with huge eyes as I park the car outside my apartment.

“Micah?” She asks with a question in her voice, and I hate how heat rushes over me just hearing my name on her lips. I hate my lack of control when it comes to her.

“Where are we? I thought you were going to drop me at the hospital?”

I don’t answer her. Instead, I walk around to her side and unbuckle her seatbelt. This close, I can smell her soft strawberry scent, and my wolf growls with pleasure at the nearness of it.

I gently pull her out of the car and lead her to the door. Even as she is confused, she follows me without resistance. It makes pleasure brim in my heart.

When we near the door, I hook a finger around hers and lift it up. Then, I gently press it on the security sensor of my apartment. The door unlocks under her touch, and her eyes widen in shock as she looks at me.

I smirk slightly.

I know it’s already too late for me.

I can’t let her go even if I wanted to.

She’ll be mine now until I am burrowed in her heart and under her skin.

Until she forgets all the sorrows of her past and only sighs with the pleasure I am going to give her.

This is just the start.

Just the first imprint of me on her life.

I bend down close to her and press my lips to her ear. I smile when she shivers at my slightest touch.

“Welcome Fiona, home.”

I whisper, knowing that I mean every damn word.

Because yes, my home is her home just as she will become mine.

Body and soul.