Of Beast and Beauty (Complete)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - A Mate

It took a week and a half before Alina decided she was ready to face dinner again. Christian had been surprisingly lenient with her missing them, but Alina was beginning to suspect she was wearing down his patience. So, instead of ordering a tray to her room she dressed and made her way to his dining room.

Christian did a double take when she walked into the room to join him, but didn't say anything as she sat. Regardless of her not having joined him in a week and a half, her plate was set and ready for her across from him. She said nothing of it and helped herself to a portion of lamb and took a sip of wine from her goblet.

"How are you doing?" She broke the silence.

"As well as usual," he snipped out.

He was back to his usual mood then.

"And your hand?"

He raised his injured hand to show no bandage, no wound and no scarring. Then dropped it back to the table before taking two large gulps of his cup. Alina squinted her eyes angrily.

Fine then. If he didn't want to be civil, she would forego all the pretty small talk and niceties.

"Why is it, that no matter where you are I can always follow an invisible tug toward you?"

Christian promptly spat the entire contents of his wine-filled mouth all over the table. Alina looked at the food in dismay. There was no way she was eating that. She crossed her arms and looked at him.

It was almost comical. Christian's brows were furrowed and his mouth kept opening and shutting like a blowfish. Alina knew better than to make a comment about it though.

"Well?" She prompted.

"I- I don't want to talk about it," he growled as he grabbed a napkin, blotting his face and the area around him.

"Well, I do."

"That's too damn bad!" He slammed his hands down on the table, causing the wine-covered food to rattle.

"Really, Christian," Alina scolded. "Control your temper. I only asked a question!"

Christian shot her a disdainful glare and his nostrils flared. She could tell he was grinding his teeth, but he took a deep breath in.

"I can't tell you anything about it," Christian gritted out. "It is part of the curse. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't form the words."

"But I thought you said I wouldn't be affected by the curse because I wasn't here when it was enacted?"

Was she going to turn into a wolf on the next full moon after all? Did he know she had been bitten?

"You won't turn into a wolf," he replied to her unvoiced question. "But that's all I can say about it. Truly."

Alina held her tongue back from asking any further. Christian's brow remained furrowed and perspiration was beading on his forehead as though he were fighting off something. Perhaps these were the signs of repercussions for talking about the curse? He did tell her that he couldn't talk about specifics of the curse.

It was hurting him. She could see that now.

She reached out and placed her hand on his. Perhaps this was why he was moody all the time. He had no control over what he could do with his life, even no control over what he could say.

Christian looked up at her, startled. Then slowly back to where her hand was laying on his.

"I am sorry I pressed," she apologized. "I can see this is hard for you. I won't ask you again."