The Beast And The Blessed by Ashley Breanne
Chapter 63
Natalie’s P.O.V.
The dining room was swarming with people, even though the sun had just barely started to hit the tree tops. It seemed everyone wanted to see me or talk to me. It made me really uncomfortable, but it was something I would have to get used to. Every bite I took made me feel judged as I would meet another stranger’s stare.
I felt like a zoo animal.
Killian was settling a few things before we could leave, and I had figured eating here would be better than eating alone in the private dining room.
I was wrong.
Eating in front of everyone was like putting myself in a window display and praying to the Goddess that no one would stop to look.
They all did, and my stomach turned as it fought to keep the food down in my state of high anxiety.
“Your majesty,” A deep and familiar voice called out from my side, and I turned to see Damien. Relief filled me, and I quickly swallowed my bite and gestured for him to join me, aware of the eyes and whispers on me and the bear-shifter.
“Damien! I am so glad that you chose to stay here! How are you?” I asked as he took the chair to my left, leaving the seat to my right open for my mate, should he join us.
“It is satisfactory.” He said respectfully. But I could see the disgust in how his top lip curled up slightly, and I bit back a laugh.
For a man who had just been sleeping in the forest, a beautiful castle should have been an exciting experience. Instead, he looked like it was an inconvenience, and I knew he wanted to go back to sleeping in nature.
He glanced from me to my food pointedly. It was something I hadn’t realized he was doing until Killian had hinted at the difference in treatment from Damien toward my mate and me.
I took a bite, watching as he then dug into his food. “Why do you do that?” He silently raised an eyebrow at me, his mouth full of food as he waited for me to expand on my question.
“You did it the other night as well. You waited for me to eat before you would touch your food, but you didn’t wait for Killian. Why is that?” I placed my fork down on my plate and narrowed my eyes at him when I saw his hand start to move as if he were about to put his down as well.
“You are the queen.” He said simply. But I shook my head as he smirked with amusement. “You are not?”
“I am, but he is the sovereign. He is the one you should have been following.” I felt someone walk up, and I turned and smiled as Charlie placed a friendly hand on my shoulder in greeting.
“In title, yes. But there is something about you that makes my beast feel compelled to submit. He is our king, but your aura is stronger. For you wolves, I would assume it would be similar to an Alpha’s command, only you do it without realizing.” Damien explained, and I let my eyes drop to the table as I tried to understand. Only, I couldn’t. Why would he feel compelled to submit to me and not to Killian?
“I was curious about that myself,” Charlie said as she eyed Damien. He leaned over and kissed her cheek before whispering something in her ear that made her turn red.
The room fell silent as Killian entered, walking with purpose as he looked from me to Damien where he held his glare. I quickly shoved the last bite of my food into my mouth, and I stood as he reached our table.
“Are you ready?” I asked, cutting him off from whatever he was going to say to or about Damien. Today was going to be stressful enough without having my mate get into a fight with his soon-to-be brother-in-law.
Killian glared at Damien a moment longer before turning to me and smiling softly. “Yes, my mate.”
Nerves were bubbling in my stomach, and I was glad that I had been able to hold down what I did of my breakfast. The last thing I needed was to throw up in front of the pack. Killian looked irritated by it, but I was glad that we were taking the vehicles.
Everyone was tense as we traveled for the next few hours, filling the time with unimportant small talk. I was positive that my direct guards in the car with us were aware, but I didn’t know if the other several cars of guards knew what we were trying to do today.
Whether they did or did not, there was a lot of pressure riding on this…on me. My eyes stayed locked on the overgrown ruins and forests as we traveled through them until we reached the mountains. As soon as we arrived at the base and started to head up the off-road path, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. The air was thick, and I gasped as I felt what they had been talking about. Magic was everywhere, but it didn’t feel like Joselin’s or even like the dark curse that was on Nolan and Heath. It was light and airy but felt even more suffocating and deadly than anything I had ever felt before.
Like a Venus Fly-Trap waiting patiently for an unsuspecting victim to walk into it. I turned to look at Killian, seeing his jaw clenched the further up the mountain we drove, winding around the hills as we climbed higher and higher.
As the SUV came to a stop, I eagerly looked out the front window, expecting to see something grand. Instead, there were only more trees.
“We will run from here,” Killian said as he got out of the car. The guards scanned the area. Those that were in their Lycan forms already had the fur on their backs standing up in agitation. I waited for my door to be opened as Killian came around to my side.
He opened my door for me, and I let out a noise of surprise as he stepped back and took off his shirt before shifting into his Lycan. The large beast was over a foot taller than Killian was in his skin, and I laughed as he picked me up into a bridal hold.
My chest warmed as I remembered the last time he carried me. I had been thrown over his shoulder, staring with jealousy at Mira when her mate carried her lovingly away from our old pack. Now it was my turn to enjoy being in my mate’s arms.
Every muscle he had shifted, tensing and relaxing as he began a steady run through the trees. The guards surrounding us let Killian lead the way but stayed close to us. After a long run, I lifted my head off Killian’s chest as the guards suddenly dispersed, making their way out into the trees and leaving Killian and me alone.
“Where are they going?” I asked, trying to look over his shoulder without wiggling too much in his hold.
Killian held me tightly against him as he glanced down at me once before looking up ahead.
“They are giving us privacy,” He said. His voice came out in a low growl in his animalistic state. His body tensed even more, and his eyes narrowed as he slowed.
I followed his gaze, seeing the small opening of a cave. The magic in the air got thicker and more intoxicating. It was just barely visible, reminding me of the way heat would rise off the asphalt in blurry waves during the summer.
Killian stopped at the entrance, placing me down on my feet. “We’re here.”