Chapter 69 For me?
ZORA
My eyes slowly stirred open to the dark curtains facing me once again. I made an attempt to roll over when a sharp pain struck me from the area between my thighs.
I felt sore all over.
I groaned softly in pain, closely followed by the swell of embarrassment heating up my face.
Oh my God!
My palms pressed deeper into my cheeks as the memories of last night came flooding into my head, making me wish to disappear and never return.
My gaze swiftly traveled to the other side of the bed, relieved to find it empty. At least Ryker knew to save me from the shame or perharps he knew it meant nothing.
The moon goddess clearly found entertainment in ruining my life.
First by pairing me up with his arrogant ass then cursing me with an heat period that didn't only come during the worst phase of my life, but made me sleep with a man I should have long sliced his throat.
Oh well, I guess whatever happened between us stays forgotten, and we'd both go on with our lives like it never did.
I carefully put my feet on the floor, standing up with a grunt in discomfort, then dragged my body to the bathroom.
I'd planned to wash up every trace of him from my skin, especially before anyone else came into my room and saw me in this abominable state.
The bathtub seemed to help my body relax, but not my mind. A bit frustrated at my disturbed mind still entangled around Ryker, I got out of the bathroom determined to keep myself locked in my room just until I could sort out my roaming thoughts.
“Zora..”
Marissa's face glowed with excitement the moment she saw me while holding the soiled sheets from last night, almost pressing it into her chest.
“Marissa” I sighed, walking past her to the closet where she wouldn't see my flushed face. “I'd love to be alone”, I said, forcing a hint of coldness in my tone.
“Oh that's alright, my lady, I'm just glad you and the king—" She said in the most dramatic tone, a playful tease in her tone.
“Don't say it!” I twirled sharply, holding my forefinger up with my eyes about to burst from their sockets.
"And miss the chance to see you this way? Definitely not."
"Ugh!! Marissa. Just let it go."
"I'm sure you feel better now, yeah?"
I bobbed my head, looking away.
"Can you check on Courtney and the children. I heard a scream." I lied.
She eyed me but goes either way
I released a deep breath as soon as the door closed, both shocked and embarrassed at how easily I'd given myself away.
Get it together, Zora!
I bet Ryker was also in the same boat as I was seeing how early he disappeared. At least that made two of us. All I had to was just get through today… maybe the rest of the week, in fact.
A knock came from the door once I settled underneath the safety of the fresh covers.
“Zora” Marissa sing sang as soon as she entered, keeping a safe distance from me. “It seems like you wouldn't be able to enjoy the sleep you crave for today."
“Why?” I questioned
“Uhm, the… Alpha Ryker has ordered for everyone to be present at the table for breakfast today”, she answered, “and it won't start until everyone is seated”, she added, like she already saw through my next words of protest.
It was difficult keeping the scowl off my face even as I stormed past her outside the door.
“Perharps it's not as bad as you think. It's a good thing the Alpha is eager to see you, right?” She jogged behind me, trying to match my pace, but I paid her no attention.
She didn't smell the foul play I did, so she wouldn't understand even if I held her eyes wide open myself. Eager to see me, my foot! More like the bastard couldn't wait a few days to gloat.
Truly, Courtney and the kids sat impatiently at the table with their eyes glued to their plates. I suddenly felt a slight pang of guilt for making them wait this long.
Finally getting to the dining room, I chose a seat far off from Ryker while deliberately avoiding his engulfing prescence.
“Good morning sweethearts” I managed a smile for the kids.
“Good morning m—auntie”
“Good morning to you too, sweetheart”
My eyes snapped towards Ryker who'd responded without being addressed, only to catch the smug glint in his eyes.
“Can we eat now? I'm starving”, Tyler whined, forcing my attention back to him.
“Of course you will, once your auntie's in the right seat”, Ryker was quick to respond, a tight smile drawn over his lips as he stared at me from across the table. “You wouldn't make him starve much longer, would you?”
I struggled to hide the contemptuous look on my face, noticing how petty he was by putting the kids hungry state at stake, all because of a damn chair.
Fine! What was the worst that could happen if I sat right next to him? He couldn't do anything to me in a room with people, especially under the noses of the kids.
His kids, just doesn't know it yet.
I noticed a slight frown on his face.
Oh shit! He didn't hear that, did he?
I'd really cut off his throat then if he does anything out of context.
Thank Goddess my powers are stable.
Comforting myself with these thoughts, I moved to the ‘right’ seat, reminding myself to keep calm, especially when his woodsy scent filled my nostrils, threatening to bring back unwanted memories.
“You can dig in now, kids, Courtney”, I urged, avoiding Courtney's curious gaze as well.
They spared no second to dig in, filling the dining with low chatters and sounds of cutleries clinking against each other.
“You look just like a new bride, if I didn't know any better I'd think last night was your wedding night”
Juice spluttered out from my mouth the moment he said those words, so close to my ears that I felt the heat all the way to my—
“There are kids here for crying out loud!” I reprimanded, blushing from both anger and embarrassment.
He casually shrugged in return, selectively picking the food on his plate with his fork.
“What? Their mother doesn't mind. It's not so hard to imagine you as a mother already, you know”
I tensed involuntarily, as well as everyone else on the table, due to the loud silence that instantly followed.
My head snapped sideways to face him, terribly relieved to see his attention on his plate instead of me or anyone else.
Courtney and I both exchanged but quickly averted our eyes before he noticed.
Perhaps it was just me being paranoid. Either ways, someone had to put an end to this before it escalated even further.
Just as I opened my mouth to excuse myself, Ryker stood up without a word, leaving the rest of us in confusion.
“Good night mum” the kids said in hushed voices as I tucked them in after reading them their bedtime stories.
“Goodnight babies”, I replied, stroking each of their cheeks lovingly, then stepped out of the room, only to gasp in fright at the sight of Ryker's figure right outside the door.
He must have heard that, right?
“Follow me”, he ordered coldly, leaving no space for protest as he walked away in large strides.
I followed behind with hesitant steps, wondering what he was up to now.
I was inside Ryker's room, the cold and lonely aura it gave was just as expected of him. The cat was perched on his bed, staring as if it would attack I any second.
I felt his intense stare on me from where I stood even though I kept my distance, staying few feet from the door, holding my breath as I awaited his words.
"So?" I questioned.
He just stared at me with an unreadable expression.
Where was this going?
I don't feel comfortable with him watching me that way.
"You're still so eager to leave, yeah?"
I nodded, a frown creasing on my forehead. Is he letting me go now?
He tilted his head, still studying me, "How about we make a deal then? A small price for your freedom”
My heart skipped a beat, not liking his suggestive tone one bit.
I didn't say say anything.
"The chance to save yourself, your friend, and those kids you seem to love so much now rests in your hands Zora” he emphasized.
I swallowed, unable to believe my ears.
But now wasn't the time to suddenly go mute. If Ryker was truly suggesting a deal for him to let me go, then it was far better than nothing at all.
“W-what’s the price?”, I asked in a small voice.
“You'd rid me of my curse” he replied. "You know I have a beast. Find a way to stop it completely.
Blood drained from my face.
My hopes were crushed to irretrievable pieces.
“That's your condition?” I questioned, my pulse thrumming with anger.
"Yes, meiga. Finally, it's time to put those powers of yours to test."
“You know I can barely lift a cup with my powers, and you're requesting this of me?”
"Yet you killed someone that tried to kill you, and you almost killed Wesley. Your eyes are currently threatening to go full on blue, and I can see the faint glow of the tattoo under your shirt. Don't tell me all you know to use your power for is killing.".
It felt like I was dealt a blow with in the guts. I glared at him.
"Come on meiga, don't be shy."
I marched closer, eager to get a glimpse of the expression on his face, but the darkness in his room was just as thick as the one in his cold heart.
“Just say the truth, Ryker, you don't plan on letting me and my fa—friends go”, I snapped angrily.
He wriggled his brows.
“We both know they're here because of me, but you can't keep them here forever. So here's a new deal Ryker, you can keep me here for all you want to, but let them go” I proposed, my heart hammering against my chest.
His lips curled up in an unnerving smirk, "No, meiga. I think I'll go with my first proposal. It's up to you to believe me or not."
I had to find a way to get those children out before Ryker hurts them or, worse, find out they are his and that's if he hadn't already, that is.
I was angry, pissed shirtless at him, so why aren't the silver threads visible.
Why can't I attempt to knock him out at least.
I thought about everything I've suffered here, about my children, about Lucas.
Good.
I was angry now.
The threads were visible, and just before I pulled at it, it broke.
The bond churned uneasily inside me.
It was angry.
At me.
"You're also forgetting something meiga. You don't get to make the rules here. Did you, for a fleeting second, forget what is at stake for you?"
My teeth gnashed against each other in anger. If I've never regretted not being able to make use of my powers, it was now. This exact moment.
Refusing to reply else him, I turned on my heels and twisted the door knob open.
“Those kids…” he started, his voice stopping me in my tracks.
What about the kids? What's he going to say?
Does he know? Has he been listening to my thoughts all these while?
Did he hear all or.... what exactly did he hear?
My fingers tightened around the knob, causing my knuckles to turn white.
“Are they yours?” he completed.
I needed no one to tell me my face was white.
My body trembled slightly. I should not be surprised if he had it figured out anyway.
"What?" I croaked out, turning around to face him.
His gaze was serious as he trained them on me.
“Are they also by any chance, mine??”