Hekate’s Bride

The days pass in a blur that turn to week and weeks that become that are mostly uneventful. Classes resume in full swing and our teachers are harder on us than usual. I suppose I’m the only one who thinks that since the rest of the class is faring well.

Master Kaelan doubled our routines and has the star students give us arduous tasks that left me with pain and human noodles for limbs.

It isn’t just Master Kaelan. It is Rune as well, unforgiving, hard and brutal in his trainings. All of which he ignores me for. He never looks at me or speaks to me.

Not that he has a reason to. I’ve been doing my best not to slack off during training. Over the weeks, I got better. My form is near perfect and Dar thinks I might be very well hold in a fight against his kind now.

I’ll never have their strength, but I’m faster than most and more than lycans, werewolves have always been more aware than lycans in our true forms. It gives a great advantage to be in control in times like that.

Darian and I are officially a thing now and though I am unused to the concept of relationships–mostly because I do not like to restrict myself to one male. Giving one person that much importance and placing them on a pedestal in my life has always seemed like an irritating idea. Now though, it seems kinda nice.

He comes to my room after classes everyday. Or I go to his. We’ve not had sex yet and he hasn’t marked me either. We chat, study, train, kiss a little and I rest in his arms while he watches me sleep.

He makes me feel fuzzy inside. An attentive man he is. Patient too, if I’m to note how many times he has to refrain from sinking his teeth in my neck when our kisses deepen.

My thoughts are interrupted when I sight a familiar figure rounding the corner. My heart plummets when warm brown eyes skim over my figure and turn cold. Maya clutches her book to her chest, taking pains to walk on the other end of the corridor to avoid me.

She looks leaner than the last I’d seen her. Not in the bad way. Her figure is more prominent in her short dress and her calves have taken on more muscles, much like mine, resulting from months of constant drilling.

She’s been ignoring me like this for months and though I know what her reaction will be, I pause in my steps and say, “Hey, Maya.”

She walks past.

I sigh and continue on my way, lips pursed and shoulders slumped. Should I have left Darian after that confrontation? Were her words true? Am I using Darian to make Rune jealous?

Maybe. No. No.

I told myself she would come around one day and understand my choices… or maybe even ask me why, but she never did.

There was no way I could have know that the reason why she kept asking if Dar and I were a thing was because she wanted him. I am not a priestess or the Goddess. I can’t read minds. She should’ve said something.

Now it’s my fault that we’ve fallen out.

I let out a sigh, locking out the thoughts and scrolling through my device as the sound of notifications fill the air. There’s a mid-term ball coming up next month. From what I hear, it almost sounds like werewolf prom. A ball, fancy dresses, music, crowned king and queen.

It’s a fresh start since huge gatherings have been banned for months. Even I am excited about it. I haven’t got a dress idea yet but I’m sure it’ll come to me.

“Dar?” I call out, knocking softly and a muffled response comes from inside. “Coming!”

I lean against the door frame, staring at the pictures that come up on LSgram, some weird media where everyone in school posts photos and videos and people make comments anonymously.

There’s been a hashtag going around lately; one I have been trying my best to ignore, but it seems like the universe is conspiring against me.

My heart slams to a stop for a split second when I see a picture of Rune and Ginevra in royal robes, posing for a painting… or a picture–I don’t care. This picture has the title underneath: The Royal Wedding.

I get the sudden urge to slam my phone into the wall, but I don’t. I don’t care. They can get married and have white haired kids with Gin’s eyes. I don’t care. I lock the screen and toss it in my back pocket as I hear Darian unlock the door.

“Hey,” he says, eyes smiling as they take me in. “You look great.”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

He says that every day, even if I’m in loose sweatpants and a fitting tank top. I adjust the bun on my head, feeling a tad shy. “Thank you.” My eyes skim over his figure. “You’re going to dinner like that?”

There are drops of sweat all over his chest, and his hair is matted down with more of it. He only has his pants on and I doubt the school allows males to walk around half naked.

He laughs nervously, itching the back of his head as his free hand widens the door. “I was… I just… ah… I was trying to arrange dinner. Here.”

I blink rapidly, heat creeping up my neck as the widened door gives way to… I swallow. Candles flicker in the soft glow of the moonlight streaming in through the window, casting a warm, intimate light over the space. The scent of roses fills the air, the petals scattering across the floor and bed. The setting is simple. Stunning. My heart flutters intensely, the room imbued with a sense of romance and intimacy that leaves me almost breathless.

My breathlessness has nothing to do with anticipation, if you’re wondering.

Dread.

My gut is in knots and chills snake down my spine. Though, dinner is off to the side–platters of spaghetti, meat balls, roasted chicken, garlic bread and bottle of wine–it is easy to see what happens from here. Tonight.

I feel like I have been set up.

Holy Goddess, save me now. What was I expecting? We’ve been dating for months. It is absolutely normal for this to happen. For sex to happen. Why the fuck am I panicking?

“Do you like it?”

My gaze meets Darian and I smile broadly, hiding my trembling hands in my pockets. “It’s beautiful,” I say. “Thank you.”

His grin is near blinding and he plasters a kiss on my forehead. He pulls back, excitement brimming in his golden depths. “Come.”

I follow, rubbing my clammy palms on the insides of my pockets. I did enjoy our kisses and his touch, and I was surprisingly fine with that.

But then… I surely hadn’t expected that we would kiss forever, had I?

Damn. Bloody… hell… damn.

I follow slowly beside him, overlooking the food and though they all smell good, my appetite is in the mud.

Soft music suddenly flows into the room, startling me as I settle on the rug. I haven’t heard this before. It is slow and accentuating the atmosphere Darian is trying to build.

Bile rises to my throat and I swallow it. I keep my gaze focused on the food as Darian sits beside me, the heat emanating from him making me hotter and uncomfortable.

“One day, I’ll take you on a real dinner date, in Lycanthia,” he says, placing some food in a smaller plate for me. “If you would come visit some time.”

I bite the inside of my cheek as I take the extended platter from him. “I doubt my duties will let me go over there.”

An excuse. I have absolutely no interest in seeing what the realm of lycans might look like, or the ‘fantasies’ they might hold. When I become queen, I will be allowed access to the portals, to travel with them, but I really doubt I’d be going there for a ‘date’.

His hand lands on my thigh and I turn to him in time to hear him say, “We’ll find a way.”

We’re so close, our noses are nearly touching. The candle lights flicker again, giving his eyes a surreal glow that is feral, yet soft. Those eyes drop to my lips and he doesn’t give me any time to think or protest as he leans in swiftly and presses his lips against mine with gentle sensuality, speaking with his body as his hand rises to cup my cheek, stroking softly in a silent message.

*Relax.*

My pulse is racing wildly and a warmth mixed with weakness fills me, making the plate drop from my now loose fingers.

He pulls back and my eyes flutter open to find him watching me. I am panting and I want to tell him, not today, even if I have begun to feel that warmth spreading, making my breasts heavy for touch and my core ache, but he kisses me again.

This time, more urgently. My back arches as he lifts me unto his lap, settling me on the hardness that his pants so blatantly reveal.

I sigh sharply, nails digging into his shoulders as I move against him, humping despite myself.

Deep and lustful, his groan purrs across my lips and he pulls away from me roughly, only to drag his tongue along my neck.

I cock my head to give him more access and his hands grip my ribcage tightly. They explore further, popping my breast out of my bra and my top.

My inner muscles clench tightly as his fingers pinch one hard bus and a moan escapes me, dread forgotten in an instant.

He shifts us so quickly, I barely register it. The wine bottles crash into the silverware, Darian is on me, something prods into my back and…*ooh.*

His erection presses against the v of my thighs as his teeth grazes my neck, long lapping, lips sucking hard, fingers rubbing my nipples and pulling them up.

He whispers something as he moves against me, but I don’t hear it.

Not until it’s too late and he bites me.