A Court of Secrets and Deceptions

Alaric POV

Elentiya didn't come back down the stairs. Just stayed up their with Kainda. I heard them laughing once. But I'm The morning Kainda was as grumpy as normal. If not more stressed.

They came down the stairs together. "Kainda and I are going to the club tonight." What? No. Elentiya couldn't be serious.

"And How exactly are you planning to dress to this?" My dad looked like he was laughing mentally. Ugh. I just had to say that.

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you would like to see me in?"

"No." Did I answer too fast?

"You sure about that? Last chance." God yes I did.

"Nope don't want to see you in anything."

"I'm sorry, not going to the club naked." My eyes widened.

"No no no that is not what I meant." Was my face red? Oh boy. All I could think about was her now. Under me. All mine.

"Oh? You sure about that?" No absolutely not. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. She chuckled to herself and began to walk away. I walked after her.

"Elentiya. I'm sorry."

"For what?" She whipped around and took a step towards me. Then I realized how close I was to her when we were about an inch apart from each other.

"For saying that before. I mean it's just that-" she put a finger to my lips.

"It's fine, besides you so checked me out after I said the naked part so, I got it." She seemed to notice how close we were as well. I wanted to kiss her. Just push her up against the wall and kiss her. Claim her. Every part of me itched to. To just show other males she was mine. But I couldn't. She just stood there and looked at me. Then she hugged me. I hugged back.

"Elentiya? Are you okay?"

"No." Her voice was full of tears. I picked her up in my arms and let her rest her head on my shoulder. I felt like I towered over her at 6 feet tall. I brought her to my room. And onto the couch inside it. She was sobbing into me now.

"Why are you crying?"

"Please don't hurt me!" She was sobbing. I knew I was intimidating but I never wanted her to feel scared of me.

I sat next to her and brought her in closer. "Please don't force me into anything." I heard her say.

"Elentiya, I would never hurt you or force you into anything. Why would you think I would?"

"Because everyone does. Everyone in my life tries to hurt me and force me into things I'm not ready for yet. I just say you above me and my first thoughts-. I thought maybe you could listen. Because no one listens before I came here. No one cared about my scars, my pain, they laughed when I couldn't find strength in my body at 6 to pull myself up. Laughed. And I can't risk that again."

"Who has hurt you?" My voice was cold. Ruthless and unforgiving.

"Many people. But I'm going to get married soon. So hopefully my Fiancé is better. He has recently asked my father for my hand. My father agreed. I'm not sure though who exactly he is personality wise." Fiancé? She was going to get married.

"Just leave. Come here. Stay with us." She didn't even bother to tease me about that. Just sat next to me.

"Elentiya why do you stay with him? I mean there are ways around this. I can help you find a way."

"No." She said firmly. I felt like it was an order. Not a decline, but a direct order that I couldn't break out of respect.

"Why not?"

"Because." She got up. "I can't. I can't do this." Something in her eyes lit up. "Because I think I love him." A look of pure happiness crossed her face. I wanted to see his face. But I couldn't invade her privacy like that. She smiled and turned towards me. "I love him. And I'm going to marry him. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you earlier. In fact I wasn't even planning on coming the first day. But I love it here. How it feels. How everyone acts so kind towards one another. How accepting you are. So I want to stay here. I'd give anything to stay here. I'd give all my dreams to stay here."

"All your dreams?"

"Yes. My dreams in which I have the perfect world. A mother who loves me. A father who cares for me. A little brother who was barely a baby when I turned 4. But I loved him anyway. A second cousin exactly my age who was a human but a powerful shapeshifter. A uncle, Well the moms cousin, who loves me as his own daughter. My parents are Fae. But he is a human. So is his wife Lysandra. And my parents are the king and queen. There is my moms best friend, lady Elide, who is much like Elain but human. Her husband is Fae and loves her dearly. Fenrys who is the wolf. He can shift from Fae and a wolf. He loves us all as if we were family. Then there is Manon. Who has iron nails and teeth, a immortal witch. Dorian, who has magic, is a human and the king of Adarlan." She was sitting next to me. I saw her eyes light up about all these people. "Lorcan, Elide's husband. They had a child about 8 years older than me." She went on and on spinning this complicated family tree for me. Explaining who was dead and such.

I was glad to listen. Though we spent hours up in my room. We had gotten in the bed somehow. And I was spooning hugging her, she was so tiny compared to me. Just telling me on and on about their favorite things to do. Explaining how they looked. But never about their power.

She talked about them as if they were her actual family. I saw a little girl, loved by her parents. Raised by them. Not hurt and scared of people. Not forced into things she didn't want. At least she found someone she loved in this world that had been so cruel to her.

Whoever her fiancé was, he was a lucky man. If he hurt her though, I would try to kill him for hurting my mate. And I wouldn't be forgiving. Not even for her, not even if she thought I was a monster afterwards.