a/n> Do like to read romance books that keep you on your toes? Then my new book Mr. Night might be something you need to check out ;)
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-HER-
"Here," Regulus spoke as he handed me a cup of lotus tea. I took the cup and looked at the steaming hot brown liquid in it. Small ripples surfaced the liquid as my hands shook. Regulus put his hand beneath the cup to steady it before he took the cup and held it to my lips. I took a very small sip from it. The heat from the tea burned my tongue but I didn't react to it.
Regulus noticed it anyway. The strange look still hung from his face as he looked at me in puzzlement and blew my tea for it to cool down a bit. His eyes never left me meanwhile. We were currently in the small kitchen in my wing. He had carried me here after making me calm down and wiping my tears. I might appear calm on the surface but deep down, I was still bleeding from the wound that Ezekiel had given me.
A small sob would leave my lips now and then and a tear would stream down my face. It'd make Regulus even more worried and he would always reach out to wipe my tears. He was doing his best to comfort me but so far it wasn't working. My whole body was shaking and my wolf... she had gone completely silent for a while.
His words hurt her the most. His words were worse than any kind of rejection.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Regulus asked me very gently as he placed the cup in front of me. I didn't feel like drinking or eating anything at that moment. All I wanted to do was end myself or just run away from here and hide in the mortal realm.
"I cannot," I choked on my sob and sniffed. I covered my face with my hands and let my tears out again. I felt Regulus move closer to me before his arms fell around me again.
"Did someone do something to you?" He asked me after a while. His voice was very low and dangerous. I was able to hear the edge to it.
"Worse," I sobbed and I felt him grow stiff. His arms tightened around me while I let more and more tears stream down my face. I was feeling so very miserable at that moment. I wanted to die.
"What happened, Celeste?" He asked me again, this time, his voice sounded a bit too deeper. I could feel the power of his wolf oozing off his body. He really sounded very angry. It took a lot to make Regulus angry and when he became angry, he could do the unthinkable.
"I cannot tell you about it," I sobbed. The spell was still there, stopping me from saying anything.
"Celeste!" I heard my mother's voice as she rushed to the kitchen. Her eyes widened as soon as they fell on me.
"Where were you! We have been worried sick for you!" She bellowed before stepping closer to me. Regulus gave me a lingering look before he stepped back. The grimness was still on his face and I could feel it in my bones how he was so close to losing control.
"I'm sorry," I sniffed as my mother clutched my shoulders and forced me to look her in her eyes. Her eyebrows were drawn together in worry as she looked at me in bewilderment.
"What happened, Celeste? Where were you all this time? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Why are you crying?"
"CELESTE!" My father roared as he rushed into the kitchen and spotted me. Ares, Augustus, and others followed him in. My father relaxed for a bit as soon as he saw me but he tensed when he saw the state I was in.
"What happened? Why is she crying? Where was she all this time?" He demanded. His voice came out more like a growl that was strong enough to shake the walls. He sounded more like he was on the battlefield commanding his men. If anything, it made me panic even more. All this attention brought upon me all of a sudden wasn't helping me. After all, my mate had told me that I was ugly.
I felt that word carved on my skin now, making me feel more and more self-conscious of myself and making me want to hide somewhere and disappear forever. My mother was quick to notice my panic. She parted her lips to speak but before she could say anything, the crowd in my small kitchen parted and the royal couple walked in. Arles' silver eyes softened as soon as he spotted me but the grimness persisted to be there on his face.
On the other hand, Nefret was looking at me with this strange expression on her face. It was as if she knew something about me that I didn't know.
"Please, you all are scaring her," My mother spoke.
"Everyone leave!" Arles commanded and half the kitchen was instantly empty.
"I meant everyone," Arles gritted, looking pointedly at Regulus. Regulus glanced at me for the last time before he walked away. It was only the Royal couple, me and my parents left in the kitchen. Nefret stepped beside me. I felt her heavy hand weighing down my shoulder. It sent a shiver down my spine, reminding me of her power.
"Celeste," Nefret spoke very softly, making me turn towards her. "Is it right that you went to Thastonia dressed as a man?" She questioned me very calmly but I didn't miss the edge in her voice. The room was suddenly filled with so much tension, I could hear it crackling in the air. My heart beats instantly shot up.
This was the real trouble.
Everyone in the room was looking at me with a combination of anger and disappointment, making my head and shoulders drop lower.
"Yes," I whispered.
"Why did you do it?" She asked next.
"To go to the mid-winter festival," I told her honestly. There was no use lying now. They would know either way. My words put the biggest ugly frown on everyone's faces. If anything, it made me physically shrink even more.
"You know that women aren't allowed there, Celeste. Don't you?" Nefret asked and I nodded.
"Whose idea was this?" Arles growled.
"Mine," I sobbed but Nefret tsked and corrected me, "Honey, I know you weren't alone in this. My boys are equally responsible in this..." she sighed. The disappointment was very clearly audible in her voice before she asked next, "What happened there?"
When I didn't answer her for a while, she held my chin firmly and made me look into her regal blue eyes. I stilled as soon as our eyes locked. Another chill rand down my spine. That knowing look was now much more intense on her face, bringing the tears back in my eyes. I couldn't hold myself at that moment. I covered my face with my hands and broke into tears.
I instantly felt my mother's arms go around me before Nefret commanded, "I want to speak to Celeste alone,"
I sobbed lightly as I heard everyone walk out of the kitchen until it was only me and the Queen of the wolves. She let me sob for a moment while I heard her circling me, her eyes digging into my skin.
"What happened there, Celeste?" Nefret asked me while I sobbed. When I didn't answer, she ripped my hands off my face and forced me to look at her. "I asked you something," She reminded.
"I got caught by Ezekiel," I told her. For some reason, my answer didn't surprise her very much. That knowing look persisted to remain on her face. She asked next, "Did he say something to you?"
This made me straighten up for a bit before my shoulders dropped again and I broke off into tears.
"Celeste," Nefret snapped. She clutched my face again, this time a bit too painfully.
"What did Ezekiel say to you?" She repeated.
"He didn't-" I tried lying but Nefret shook her head and whispered to me, "I know it, Celeste. No need to lie to me. What did he tell you?" She asked me very gently this time. Her eyes softened and the disappointment was now replaced by understating.
I sniffed in reply. She commented, "I know you went there to see him,"
"No, I didn't,"
"Don't lie to me, Celeste. I know you two are-" she stopped speaking abruptly. I could see the pain in her eyes. She was feeling very sorry for me.
"Please!" I sobbed, "don't. Don't tell anyone! He's... he's..." I trailed off, suddenly at a loss of words as I remembered his threat. "You're not supposed to know!"
"I'm the queen of wolves, Celeste. I know everything and he cannot do anything to us or you. Now tell me what he said to you... I know something happened between you two. Inanna was here moments ago. She told me everything but what he said to you. Tell me, Celeste. What did he say to you?" she whispered the last part.
My heart stopped beating for a moment. A lump was building in my throat. His words rang in my ears again and again.
You're ugly!
You're ugly!
You're ugly!
"He told me he didn't want me because I'm ugly!
_
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