Chapter 12 The first night
The air in the Great Hall was stifling. Nobody looked happy for us, except perhaps the Omegas, who watched with a flickering hope in their eyes. Lady Phina stood near a pillar, her gaze lingering on me seductively, her eyes tracing my body with a dark, hungry promise. Beta Calus, however, had a look of sheer terror on his face—the same expression I had worn when I first stepped out of the carriage.
King Deacon didn't linger. As soon as the mating ceremony was completed, he stepped down to speak with Calus in a low, urgent tone. He didn't leave my side; he kept me anchored to him, his hand a heavy weight on mine while he spoke.
The Elder approached me then, her face a mask of bitterness. She waited until Deacon was deep in his hushed conversation.
"I don't care whether or not you are his Luna now," she spat, her voice a low hiss that only I could hear. "You will only truly be the Hollow Queen when you can bypass those seven days. And if you can do it, come to me. I will give you something to take—a tonic so that you can have the Alpha's heir without the child being born a mute like you."
I felt a sting of insult, but I kept my face neutral.
"One last thing," she added, her eyes narrowing. "Do not think you are accepted here after the shaming life you lived at that pack house. You are just a host. Do not get comfortable, because sooner or later, I will be the one sending you back."
She brushed past me, her shoulder catching mine. Just as she disappeared into the crowd, King Deacon turned back to me. His eyes were dark, swirling with an emotion I couldn't name. He looked at me, then at the doors.
"Enough of this theater," he said, his voice vibrating through the bond. "You are mine now, Aurora. Let the rest of them whisper in the dark; I have waited long enough to claim what is mine."
Without another word, he gripped my hand and dragged me forcefully toward the palace stairs. I tried to pull back, my instincts screaming for a moment of peace, but I couldn't resist. The mate bond was active now, pulsing through my veins and forcing my body to submit to his direction.
He didn't take me to the room I had been in earlier. Instead, he led me to the royal chambers on the first floor. It was a massive, majestic space. The walls were draped in heavy black velvet, and a giant bed sat upon a dais, covered in dark furs. The air smelled of expensive cedar and the King’s own intoxicating scent. As soon as we were inside, he kicked the door shut and locked it.
"What's in your blood that is making me want you so bad, even before the mating bond was fully sealed?" he growled.
He stepped into my space, leaning down to sniff the crook of my neck. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, but beneath it, a fire was igniting. Something inside me turned. My body felt suddenly heavy and wet, an ache forming between my legs that I couldn't ignore. I wanted him. I wanted him more than I had ever wanted to breathe.
"Who are you, Aurora?" he whispered, his hands sliding down to my waist to drag me flush against his hard frame. I gasped, my hands flying up to cover my chest. "Luna... I am your Alpha. I do not care if our bond is rejected in seven days, but I want to know what is making me feel this way."
His breath was hot against my ear as he continued to sniff me, his nose tracing the line of my jaw. "You know one bite from me and your scars would disappear?"
I remained silent, staring away at the dark curtains. He growled, grabbing my chin and forcing my face toward his. "When I am having a conversation, you dare not look away. Do you understand?"
I didn't say anything, but as he looked back at me coldly, I nodded immediately.
"I see you still don't want to say anything," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "But I don't really care. we have to complete this bond."
With a sudden burst of strength, he lifted me up and pressed me against the heavy oak door. I felt the cool wood against my back as he pinned me there. "I am the King. I don't take no for an answer. So I command you to release yourself so I can suck your pussy."
My heart nearly stopped. I knew where this was heading, but the bluntness of his command left me breathless. It had only been a few days, and yet the bond was screaming for this. My chest pulled closer to him, my body betraying my fear. He reached down and bunched up the emerald silk of my gown. As the fabric slipped through his fingers, he grew impatient. His fangs lengthened, glinting in the low light, and he tore the silk right off my body.
"Open your legs, or I will do it myself," he commanded.
I tried to move, but I was paralyzed by shame. I was so soaked, my pussy dripping with a need I couldn't control. Before I could decide, he reached down and pried my thighs apart himself. He leaned in, his face inches from my heat. I held my breath and looked away, unable to watch the King of Prussia do something so filthy to a girl like me.
He bit into the lace of my panties, tearing them away with his teeth. I saw his eyes shift—the blue bleeding into a glowing gold. His fangs and teeth were fully on display. He shifted slightly, his aura flareing with a primal power, before turning back to me with eyes that looked almost soft, yet predatory.
"You smell amazing, Aurora," he whispered, his voice a primal rasp. "I will have a taste of you now."