Chapter 33
Gradel
The woman made it hard for me to stand by my decision. It was becoming difficult to avoid her when she was everywhere, her scent seemed to linger around me even when I was far away from her.
Now she wanted me to train her. Why couldn't she understand that I was avoiding the proximity that would lead me to catching some stupid feelings and in turn make my annoying father feel important?
Unfortunately, I still agreed to train her, a typical example of digging your grave.
Though my wolf was happy with the development, especially when she convinced me to teach her some fighting skills, I didn't feel the same.
"The prince is here," The excited screams of the little children disrupted my thoughts as I rubbed my forehead in frustration.
Before I could get a grip on what was going on, they had already gathered me, the toddlers raising their hands so I could lift them.
I cocked my head to the side, pondering on how to escape them when I caught the sight of their parents staring at me expectantly.
I wasn't one to care about people's feelings, but these were children and against my wish, I found myself lifting a little girl and then another.
The remaining children, whom I couldn't carry, wrapped their small arms around my legs, all clustered in front of me.
'Oh, god, what am I to do with these children?' I whined, regretting my decision to leave the house without Iris.
She was good with children and she would have helped avert their attention from me.
"You're so handsome, Prince Gradel." A girl, whom I guessed to be around the age of five, noted with a bright and innocent smile.
"Can you come over to our house and play with us? I have a lot of toys," Another boy urged me, his eyes blaring with great anticipation that made my knees weak.
Their eagerness catapulted me back to memory lane when I was happy and free. No baggage, no gory memory of a late mother who died in her pool of blood. I just woke up each morning, enjoying our fun and carefree life.
"Prince?" The same boy tugged at my slacks vehemently, jolting me from my reverie.
Seeing his persistence, I realized that I'd have to agree if I wanted to be left in peace.
"Alright, I'll come and play with you tomorrow."
He leaped for joy and the other kids did the same, and then they ran to their parents who had formed a little crowd, yelling in excitement.
I was free for today, but I'd plunged myself into a greater fix that I wouldn't be able to escape in days to come.
"Greetings, Prince Gradel," I heard behind me and I heaved a sigh of relief.
"Get me out of here, please," I said through clenched teeth.
I waved at the kids, forcing a smile to look a bit polite until we were out of their sight. This was why I didn't want to have a mate, children were hard to handle.
"You looked like your world had crumbled before you. Those children are harmless, aren't you looking forward to having an army of them someday?" He noted with an underlying sarcastic tone.
"Your dreams aren't mine, Hegar. Staying with kids will drive me crazy, I don't want to lose my sanity over some little gremlins." I disagreed.
"But-"
I stopped him with a raise of my hand. "Drop it, please."
He inclined his head, realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry for that. How have you been?"
"Great. The poison has almost worn off completely though I experience a wave of dizziness sometimes, it's not as severe as it used to be before Iris..." I trailed off, keeping the remaining words from leaving my mouth.
No one had to know that my mate gave me a proper blow job that had me pining for her secretly. Till now, my body still shivered with pleasure anytime I remembered the wonders her mouth did to my third leg.
If Hegar suspected anything, he said nothing and continued walking silently with me.
"How's your health? I heard that you were badly injured. I know that I was selfish to not visit you and I have no excuse, can you forgive me?"
He froze and gazed at me with astonishment written all over his face. "Are you truly apologizing to me?"
"I am. Did I say the wrong thing?" I questioned amusedly.
"No, you didn't. I'm just surprised, never mind, Prince. Let us enjoy the stroll,"
As we walked in silence, everything began to make sense and my stomach churned with remorse. My character took a turn for the worse after my mother died in a bid to save myself from getting emotionally attached to anyone again.
Her death broke me and I figured that allowing someone else to pass through the walls guiding my heart would make me vulnerable again, which would feel like recycled pain when the person gets hurt or hurts me.
"No, we don't need to overlook what I did. We used to be friends and then I ditched our friendship and regarded you as a mere personal guard after everything we've been through. It was wrong of me and I apologize once again for my nonchalance." I apologized wholeheartedly.
My heart felt lighter after doing that and I wondered what pushed me into apologizing in the first place.
And the answer I didn't want to acknowledge flashed in my mind. Iris.
Not her again.
"It's fine, Prince Gradel-"
"Call me by my name like you used to," I corrected him.
"Alright... Gradel. I've always known that my place is to serve you first before being your friend, so I didn't find it hard to blend. But it's good to have you back as a friend. I can't believe you're loosening up in a few days of getting a mate. Is that what being mated does?"
First of all, I'm not completely mated to her yet. I wanted to say but decided against it.
"Yeah, that's what it does," I replied, hoping that I sounded as enthusiastic as I wanted.
Though I'd repaired our friendship, it didn't mean I was ready to spill my secrets to him, knowing that the walls had ears.
"Is he ready?" I asked.
"Yes, he's already tied up and the last time I checked, he was begging to be released." He explained.
I nodded satisfactorily as we headed for my secret house. No one had the right to mess with Iris and go scout-free, only I had such a right.
It was time to teach Giga a lesson, one that he would never forget.