Chapter 23 The Royal Kiss
"We'll go with you Fernanda, you are doing this for our sake after all." Maya said, "But running away isn't as easy as it might seem, especially from Sebastian Kozlov. There has to be an escape plan." She continued.
"You are right..." Fernanda replied with a tired sigh, "He'll find me, I don't know how but he always does." She gingerly bit her lip, thinking of ways she could succeed in escaping.
Yolanda's gasp yanked her from thoughts, "It's the full moon tommorow and there's going to be a festival to celebrate the survivors of the wielder's quest." She said with widened eyes.
"The wielder's quest?" Fernanda looked surprised, "I haven't heard of such before."
Both Maya and Yolanda exchanged puzzled glances, they were tempted to ask Fernanda if she had been living under a rock her whole life. She understood the look on their faces and admitted with another sigh, "My father made sure I didn't get the basic wielding knowledge, he raised me in the most humanly way possible. I knew nothing about werewolves and elemental wielding."
Maya couldn't help but wondered if Fernanda's father knew about her powers, that would make sense with the way he choose to not expose Fernanda to any form of knowledge that could activate her powers.
Alpha Jordan might have done what any protective father would have, because no one would appreciate seeing their daughter being hunted down by everyone in the continent. But it was too late now, it's only a matter of time before word gets out.
"I need both of you to make sure to get the horses ready before nightfall tommorow. And also make sure not to be seen." Fernanda instructed both of them.
Hope bloomed in Fernanda's chest as she reveled in the thought of freedom, she'd run to some Faraway land where no one will know her name. Where Kozlov's icy claws won't be able to reach her.
The next morning, Sebastian visited Fernanda's chambers after a very tough and not so enjoyable sparring session between himself and Levi.
Fernanda was all he could think about, she had gradually become his obsession. He hoped to burn the thoughts of her out of his mind by sparring with his beta but that didn't work out so well.
Fernanda was in a towel only when Sebastian walked in, a sight which had taken him aback. He stood still, drinking and reveling in her divinity, unaware of his own reaction.
"Goodness gracious..." He thought as his gaze attentively caressed her figure, making sure he took in every details, from her elegant curves to the soft wavy curls of her hair to her lips. Her lips which he'd give absolutely everything just to have a taste.
"Sebastian!" Fernanda's voice abruptly broke into his thoughts. "You are here!" She said again, but more excitedly this time around.
If it wasn't for the way she ran towards him and crushed the softness of her body against his own hard one and wrapped her arms around him like he was her safest haven, Sebastian would have thought he was dreaming again.
But he wasn't. He could feel her touch. He could smell lavender, which was beautifully and intoxicatingly hers.
"What are you doing Fernanda?" Sebastian was surprised by the amount of perplexity in his own voice. "Nothing, I just missed you." Fernanda replied sweetly.
Sebastian could recall her slapping him on the face the previous day, he could also remember the names she had called him out of anger. And also the fact that he had come to her chambers to ask for her forgiveness.
Now all of that doesn't matter because right now she was hugging him and he never wants it to end. She wasn't close enough, Sebastian wanted her infused within him. He wanted to claim and mark her as his forever.
He tried to wrap his arms around her to pull her closer but she withdrew from him just as he was about to do that. "I hear there's a festival tonight, did you come to tell me about it?" Fernanda said, turning away from him. The smile on her face immediately dropped as soon as he wasn't able to see her face anymore.
Sebastian cleared his throat, "I came to apologize about yesterday but it seems like you've forgiven me already. I find it odd."
"I can't ever forgive you." Fernanda thought to herself but said aloud, "I find it unnecessary to keep holding grudges, especially against my husband." She told him.
"That's the first time I've heard you call me your husband." Sebastian was beginning to look worried. "Why do you look so confused? Do you not see me capable of loving you?" Fernanda asked, brushing her wet hair with a golden brush.
"Wrong. I've just never seen myself deserving of your love." His voice was starting to get thicker with desperation. All Sebastian wanted at that moment was to bury his face deep into the fullness of her hair and drink in her wonderful scent.
"It's good you know you are not deserving of my love." Was what Fernanda wanted to say to him but held back. In as much as she would have loved to tell him that, she needed her escape plan to work. This was the plan they were all relying on and everything has to work accordingly.
So she would hold back. She would not tell him how much she detests his guts, and how she can't wait to finally escape him. She will continue with her pretence of being in love with him for twenty four hours and watch him fall hard for it.
That wasn't part of the plan but if it meant breaking his heart and leaving him devastated after finding out that she had run away, then so be it.
"Don't say that," Fernanda whispered softly, moving towards him and reaching for the side of his face and caressing it with her hand. "You deserve all of me Sebastian, and I want you too. All of you." She said, tiptoeing to place a slow but lingering kiss on the cheek.
Sebastian almost lost all senses of reasoning as soon as Fernanda's lips touched the side of his face. She pulled away and stared innocently into his eyes, urging him to do something.
Sebastian was as still as a rock.
Just as Fernanda was about to withdraw out of disappointment from his reaction, Sebastian pulled her back and crushed his lips against hers.