Chapter 41 Political Mating
As I walked downstairs , I found myself lost in thought, my mind swirling with everything that happened early during the day.
Surprisingly Amina really wanted me to give her a tour of the place even though we spent most of the time not speaking . She had stayed behind to speak to some ladies we had bumped into and I went back to my room.
Faruk’s behavior toward his mate, Amina, troubled me more than I wanted to admit. He had embraced her in the garden earlier, acting every bit the affectionate mate, I had caught him with another woman on the beach, so brazen, so careless.
How could he do that? How could he cheat on his mate so easily? Even if she was his chosen mate he owed her his loyalty and respect.
Amina had been so composed when she introduced herself to me, so regal in her demeanor. But I couldn't shake the coldness she exuded, the way she had spoken to Faruk as if they were nothing more than acquaintances.
I followed behind the group as we made our way into the dining hall where the guest were still socializing. The air was different now. The lightheartedness of the previous hours had faded, and there was an underlying tension I couldn’t quite place. Amina’s presence had shifted the atmosphere, and it seemed like everyone, especially Faruk, was on edge.
I found it hard to focus on anything other than the subtle tension between Faruk and his mate.. Her posture was perfect as ever, her face serene, but her eyes never once drifted toward her husband. She kept her attention on the other guests, engaging in polite conversation with the nobles and high-ranking Alphas and high profile businessmen and officials who were present. Meanwhile, Amina was unusually quiet, his jovial, carefree demeanor notably absent. He twirled his champagne, his gaze occasionally flickering to his wife, but he said nothing.
It was a stark contrast to the confident, playful man I had meet, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Amina’s arrival had brought more than just the weight of responsibility back to this place. Perhaps it had brought a reckoning of sorts.
As dinner drew to a close, Amina stood up, gracefully commanding the attention of the entire room without a word. The guests fell silent, their gazes turning to her with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
“The party is over,” she announced, her voice calm but firm. “The Alpha King and his brother the senator will be returning to the city to resume their duties. There is much work to be done, and we have all indulged long enough.”
Her words struck me like a blow, not because of their content, but because of the authority with which she spoke.And from the way Darius treated her I could tell he really respected her, besides I just learnt she was a member of Cabinet . The way she said Senator, as though she were speaking about someone else entirely, made me wonder just how much distance had grown between her and Faruk.
Faruk didn’t protest, though I could see the irritation in his eyes. He forced a smile, but it didn’t reach the usual warmth I had come to expect from him. It was tight, forced, annoyed, even. Clearly, he wasn’t pleased with his mate’s declaration, but he didn’t argue. The weight of her words had already settled over the room like a heavy fog, and everyone seemed to know that there was no point in questioning her authority.
As the guests murmured among themselves, rising from their seats and preparing to leave, I quietly slipped away while Darius remained talking to some men. But as I walked toward the stairs that led back to my room, I heard a pair of voices echoing down the hallway.
Two women stood near the corner, whispering to each other in hushed tones. I recognized them from earlier, they had been part of the party crowd, one of the many ladies who had attended to curry favor with Darius and Faruk.
“Even if they are mates, it doesn’t mean anything,” one of them whispered. “Faruk and Amina’s families just wanted the alliance. That’s all it was, an arrangement to secure their political standing.”
“Of course,” the other replied, her voice low and conspiratorial. “With the supernatural species all being represented in the Congress now, having a seat at the table is all that matters. Their bond means nothing. It’s all about power.”
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. So that was it? Faruk and Amina’s mating wasn’t one of love, or even respect, it was just another political move. Their families had arranged their union to strengthen their standing in the global political arena, where supernatural leaders now held sway alongside human governments.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. In this world, power was everything. But hearing it laid out so plainly like this, hearing that even a sacred bond like a mate pairing could be reduced to nothing more than a political tool, made my stomach turn.
I hurried back to my room and once I reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I kicked off my heels, sighing in relief as I rubbed my sore feet. My mind was spinning with thoughts of Faruk and Amina, their loveless bond, and the whispers I had overheard about their political marriage. But just as I was about to lose myself in thought, the door to my room creaked open.
Darius stood in the doorway, his broad frame filling the space as he stepped inside. His expression was unreadable, but there was a quiet intensity in his eyes that sent a shiver down my spine.
“We’re leaving first thing in the morning,” he said, his voice calm but firm.
I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Leaving?”
Darius closed the door behind him and walked toward me, his gaze never leaving mine. “ We’ve indulged long enough. Or maybe you'd like to stay some more with me. Just the two of us”he smirked.
“You wish”, I rolled my eyes and said. I felt relieved that we were finally leaving this strange, tension-filled island.
Darius stepped closer, his presence commanding, as always. “Get some rest. We’ll need to leave early tomorrow.” he said and walked into the bathroom.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I watched him as he turned and entered the bathroom, the door clicking shut softly behind him. I pulled the comforter up around my shoulders and curled up on the bed, my mind racing. Leaving meant going back to his pack and in a way it felt like he had won and I had lost so easily.