Chapter 289 - The Alpha King's Rejected Mate

Amara’s pov

There was gossip amongst the house staff when I got home, it wasn't about Cyrus or that anyone had seen me with Hector knowing that he detested me, it was about another death.

As I battled with Intense lower abdominal pain and a banging headache that refused to go away, my ears weren't shy to their words and I picked on what they were saying pretty fast.

A body was found outside the borders, a decaying vampire's body that had been dead for quite a while and looked like he had been murdered by wolves. I gathered that it was a lone vampire and he was seeking to get into the clan when he met with his unfortunate ending but the cause of his death was more alarming.

I am a wolf and the fact that it was rumored that he was killed by my kind made me think that matters between Orian and I would go back to being complicated. There was a possibility that he was killed by rogues as well as other wolf packs or the royals, my parents. I sincerely hoped that they wouldn't have a hand in his death and if they sure did, it was for a good cause but either way, I knew this was going to cause trouble.

Aileen noticed what was going on and knew that the staff would soon start throwing accusing looks at me and she dispersed them, disengaging them from whatever they had going on and then she sent them home.

"You don't look well, Amara." She came back into the kitchen where I was hunched over the counter with my fingers gripping the edges as I struggled with balance and tried to bear the pain, "You should go up and rest." She touched the back of her palm to my neck and shrieked about how quickly I was burning up before taking my hand and leading me to my room to lay me down.

"I am supposed to move to Orian's room, aren't I?" I whispered as she gently pushed me down to sit on the bed before proceeding to help with taking my clothes off.

"He specifically told me not to let you in there, my dear." My clothes were off and I watched as she dipped a rag into cool water and began wiping at my body while whispering soothing words at me, "You will be fine after a moment of rest, just stay still let me finish."

I felt a bit relieved when she wiped me whole over but my headaches and abdominal pain wouldn't stop, I could feel my entire body going jelly-like and I just collapsed on the bed in defeat curling up into a ball as she went around trying to see what next she could do to make me feel more comfortable.

Puppy Orian jumped on the bed staying next to me despite Aileen's gracious attempt to shoo her away so she wouldn't bother me but she was relentless and stayed by my side, whimpering lowly as she bumped her head on mine, licking at my face and peering at me with those sad puppy eyes of her.

"I will be fine puppy O." I stroked her fur as she rubbed her snout on me, "Just lay next to me for a while, hmm?" And like she understood my statements, she leaned against the bed and lay next to me tucking herself in my arm while Aileen pulled another cover over us.

"I will go downstairs to make you soup." She murmured smoothing the back of her hand over my forehead, "You should be okay after that and I will put a call to His maje-"

"No Aileen, don't tell him." I almost sat up in urgency knowing how Orian would be worried if he knew my state and he would immediately come down here, "You should go home too, I would be fine when I wake up by evening."

"No." She said with an eye roll, "Look at you my dear, you do not look good!"

"I will be fine, I promise." I begged as she crouched beside me on the bed, "Go home and we will see tomorrow, Orian would come home soon anyway."

"If anything happens to you, he wi-"

"Nothing will happen." I assured her and the look she gave me told me that she wasn't buying it, "I will be fine, go home and rest, see you tomorrow."

She finally gave in after much persuasion and she bent to kiss me on the cheek with instructions on how she would make the soup before leaving and told me how to take it if I woke up later and didn't feel any better. I nodded to all her words and after a while, she left the house completely. I lay in bed willing myself to sleep despite the pain because I needed to be well-rested before he came back, I couldn't let anything ruin our planned night.

______

I woke up later on free of the pains but with something new bubbling within me, something similar to what I felt when I was with Orian this morning. It was uncontrollable as usual, a much more delicious sensation coursing through my insides making me roll in bed for a while with my thighs clutched together as I tried to get a hang of what was happening.

It's worse, Cora moaned in pain, the pain of what we were feeling not being satisfied and it growing by the minute, I don't know how long I can hold on and it's becoming unbearable.

At her words, I got struck in my lower body, a flicker of pain so tender yet so intense mixing with the almost carnal feeling and it was so maddening that I rolled off the bed falling to the ground with a groan.

I could hear my puppy barking in the background as I clutched my legs tightly to my body rolling on the floor with my eyes shut tight and throat parched from thirst. I could feel my temperature rising again and I instinctively blocked Orian out not wanting him to panic and rush home all too quickly if he felt a change through the bond.

I gathered myself and stood up, heading for the bathroom for a cold shower and to clean up before Orian came hoping it with quell whatever it was I was feeling.

I finished up after a while, my body scrubbed clean and scented, my hair done up and I was clad in one of the sheer lingerie that Orian had gotten me. It was so sheer leaving nothing to the imagination and I had quickly put on the silk slip that came with it to avoid being overcome by my insecurities so I wouldn't contemplate taking it off and putting on a simple nightie.

I fastened the slip with the tiny sash that came with it and my cheeks heated up at the thought of him tugging at the rope and revealing what was underneath. I grew hot thinking of the raw gaze that would be present in his eyes as he kissed my skin and ran his fingers across my form whispering about how beautiful I was before pining me down and finally claiming me.

"Woo." I blew in my cheeks as my imagination grew wild, I couldn't stop thinking of him using the sash to bind my wrists above my head and pin me down with his weight, I could pretend to struggle, pretend that he was still a mere enemy but he would remind me with my body response that I wanted this just as he did, "Get a hold of yourself, Amara." I slightly tapped my cheeks willing for my thoughts to stop but I couldn't help it.

I thought of us playing a little game just like we did back in the forest on our way here when he chased me down and marked me.

What if I run from him and he hunts me down, like a prey and a predator? What if he catches me and claims me as he promised?

I bit my lip shaking my head with my eyelids squeezed trying to will the images to myself and I laughed as they grew wilder not going away.

My puppy's barking drew me from her thoughts and I bent to pick her up, holding her close to me while deciding to explore the castle so I could occupy myself before he came home.

I went around the insides of the castle, peeking in the empty rooms and carefully avoiding Orian's since Aileen had spoken about me not entering there. I got to the kitchen and ate a little bit of soup, saving space for the dinner I would have with Orian later on.

That's if we don't jump on him immediately he walks through the door, Cora purred as I exited the kitchen, him first, dinner later.

I shook my head at her words and got the gift I had for Orian, my steps taking me where his office was as I intended to drop it there with the box of chocolates I had gotten on the side.

I entered the office, flicked on the lights, placed puppy Orian down, and went straight to the table. It looked cluttered which was very unlike him as he had always been the organized one and I thought about how busy he had been these days, it was certainly a hassle for him to keep his orderliness.

I placed the gifts on the table and began to arrange the strewn papers and other stuff of his. I arranged the files and in the process knocked down an envelope and the flap was open causing the contents to spill.

"Clumsy me." I muttered bending over quickly and in the process tipping the trash can that carried clumped pieces of paper toppling it over and the contents spilling, "Great work Amara." I rolled my eyes and reached for the envelope first to quickly arrange it.

My eyes narrowed and my kids twitched as I looked at the pictures that had been in it, a feeling of dread and nostalgia settling in me as I stared at the images of my brother, Eros.

I took in a deep breath, pouring all the pictures to the floor and gazing at them with narrowed eyes and confusion lacing my emotions.

There were different images of him, in class, taking a walk, outside our territory going for a run, in the human world, at home and everywhere he frequented. He didn't have that spark within him again, I could tell from the pictures as I gazed at his face and I could also tell that he was being stalked, these pictures were proof.