"I know you're surprised that I acknowledged what you are to my daughter without sounding bitter" Dalcia said amidst a chuckle
"
"Yes I am. We're sworn enemies by the treaty and history" Demitri replied
"I know. Come with me please." Dalcia said and led the way into the dining room where they sat across each other.
"I would ask if you'd like some tea but you probably think it's poisoned" Dalcia said looking at him as she poured some for herself.
"No, I'd like some. You didn't give me reason to think you despise me". Demitri argued and she did pour some for him.
The part of him that hated witches and vampires would have definitely rejected the tea but he felt Dalcia wouldn't harm him. At least not now.
"You're right but I could harm you for that bruise on my daughter's neck" She said making him tense up. That was true.
"I didn't mean to. My wolf lost control and she was in heat" Demitri explained.
"I can understand but she doesn't"
"I know". He said with a sad look which he masked before she could notice.
"But don't give up. If there's anything I'm sure of about wolves, it's that you're more loyal to your mates. You can charm your way into her heart. And you have the pull to help you"
Demitri stared at the woman. She was actually giving a werewolf her blessings to be with her daughter despite what he'd done. He appreciated it but he was also surprised. Very surprised. A part of him refused to believe it.
"Thank you, Kyría Dalcia. I'll have to return to my pack now" Demitri said getting up.
"I told you to call me Dalcia, Demitri but I'll let it slide this time"
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"I can't do this" Lina muttered, giving the whip back to one of the guards. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to met out the punishment Doukai was supposed to receive even though she had been assigned to do it.
He had administered her punishment when she deserved it yet she couldn't bring herself to do same to him. It was her duty yet for the first time in her life,she was slacking as a general.
"General, we're waiting for you to start" The guard informed her.
"I don't feel so good. Go ahead and administer the punishment"
"But-"
"That's an order, soldier!"
The guard nodded and she turned to leave even before the guard started.
She felt so sick all of a sudden and just the thought of raising a hand on her sister's chosen mate didn't sit well with her.
She was surprised to meet Kyría Celma when she had entered the castle. Everyone apart from Aria and the guards were supposed to be witnessing Doukai's punishment for harming the queen.
"Kyría Celma, is anything the matter? I m-" Lina was cut off by the older woman's arms wrapping around her midriff and holding on to her for dear life. Reluctantly,she put her arms around her. She could now understand why she wasn't with everyone else. She and Doukai were obviously close since he was a keeper of the border spell and she was the oracle of the Queendom. They mostly worked closely.
"Bless Thea Seléni that you didn't have to whip him. He wouldn't ever recover from your whipping"
Kyría Celma said with tears in her eyes. She hadn't ever seen the leader of the witches coven look so sad.
"Oh Kyría Celma, I understand you're worried about him but no matter who whipped him, he'd recover" Lina said calmly.
"No, not from yours."
"What do- "
"Oh I'm sorry General. I forgot I have to prepare a balm for him". Kyría Celma said and ran past her and out of the castle.
"Weird" Lina muttered to herself and she continued to her sister and queen's wing.
The leader of the witch coven was always organized and composed so her breaking down infront of her seemed out of place. Lina had an inkling there was something wrong somewhere but thought it was best to not dwell on it.
The past days had been quite hectic with her having to take over her sister's duties for sometime since she was still bitter from her mark and hurt by her chosen mate. She had been staying in her rooms since.
"Lina". Aria called when her sister entered the room
"I'm sorry Aria. For some strange reason unknown to me, I couldn't bring myself to do it no matter how hard I tried. I'm really sorry"
"Don't worry, I understand"
Lina sat at the foot of her sister's bed.
"How are you doing, Aria?"
"The mark burns still and the pull is getting stronger for some reason." Aria confessed
"Aria, don't hate me for saying this but could you at least try working things out with your mate?"
"I can't bear to think of him in any positive way. I don't know how we can work anything out"
"It's been a month since got marked and the bruise only gets worse, especially with you avoiding your mate. The Queendom needs you both. You know that"
"I've been ruling alone for decades, Lina"
"But now that you have a mate and you've been marked, you need him too to be complete"
"I don't and don't try to convince me otherwise." Aria said and got up from her bed and went out to the balcony. A subtle sign that she was done with the conversation and didn't need her sister bothering her about it.
Lina decided it would be best to give her the space she obviously needed.
"Alright I hope to see you at breakfast tomorrow". Lina said
"I'll try to join you" Aria replied and turned back to watch the Queendom ahead of her.
Ourà Fengàri had some beautiful sights, especially in the evenings and nights.
Fresh rain mixed with cinnamon hit her nose and she turned sharply to find her mate a few inches away from her. There was a hint of uncertainty and despair in his eyes and she felt a pang in her chest. The two weeks she's spent holed up in her rooms because she didn't want to meet him had been so difficult but she wouldn't have it any other way.
The hairs on her skin stood when she felt his arms on her waist but she didn't protest. Not even when he pulled her to him in a warm embrace. He took a great risk and lowered his lips onto hers. Sparks erupted as their tongues clashed and he sucked on her bottom lip, a grown escaping his throat from deep within his chest. His hands came up to face her face and deepen the kiss. Aria hadn't felt anything like it. She'd kissed a number of people but none of them felt this way. She whined when he pulled away but moaned as she felt him latch his lips onto her mark. Since she wasn't fighting him,it was pleasurable and she shuddered as he twirled his tongue over it.
The hate in hate snapped and she pushed him but he refused to let her go.
"What are you doing here?" She questioned with a glare as she wrapped her arms around herself.
"Look how your body responds to me, Moro(baby) . You can't fight me forever". Demitri said burying his face into her neck and inhaled her vanilla scent.
"Never" She argued and pushed him away successfully this time
"We'll see about that"
"Is that a threat?" Aria asked her eyes flaring in annoyance but her mate wasn't fazed as he watched her with a lustful look.
"No honey, it's a promise" He shot back in a husky voice that made heat travel to her core as he approached her. She took steps back as he approached her and that was her mistake because he caged her in his arms as soon as her back hit the balcony rail.
No words were exchanged as they stared at each other, getting lost in obsidian orbs and gold flecks.
"Why have you come here?" She willed herself to ask.
"I can't stay away from my mate for long even if she doesn't want to see me"
"I don't want you, Demitri. We'll never work". Aria spat
"Oh you do baby. And my name sounds so sexy rolling off your lips." Demitri whispered into her left ear and made her gasp when he bit her earlobe lightly. He trailed wet kisses down her neck to her cleavage. She sucked in a breath when the cold air hit her naked breasts.It could have been because of the mate pull or because she felt touch starved. Her body wasn't hers, neither was her mind but she wasn't complaining. If she decided she'd kill herself after that part of her which hated him reappeared, she'd at least die after a certainly pleasurable night.
"Mmm" She bit her lips to stop a loud moan from leaving her lips as he tugged on one nipple with his fingers and he swirled the tip of his tongue around her areola before sucking on her breast. Her gave the same amount of attention to both breasts. Her silk nightie that ended just a few inches above her knee was lifted and she felt his fingers on her inner thighs. She felt hot sensations through her body as he worked on her sensitive nipples.
As soon as his fingers found her foods, he brought his lips back up to hers and it hovered over her luscious ones as he circled her clit with his fingers.
"Your pussy is dripping wet,Moro. Yet you say you don't want me". He whispered above her lips but she had no time to reply as he claimed her lips in a hot kiss. As their lips moved against each other,he thrust his fingers into her pussy, pumping them in and out while his thumb rubbed her sensitive clit.
"Oh fuck" She moaned he increased the pace of his fingers.
"You like my fingers in your wet cunt, don't you, baby?" He whispered huskily into her ears causing a shiver to run up her spine.
"Mmm". She moaned in reply
"Words, honey. Use those tempting pink lips"
"Yes, yes" She whimpered as she felt a knot in her belly with every thrust of his fingers in her pussy. She felt her orgasm reaching her and she held the rail for support as thrust his fingers deeper and faster.
Her lips parted as she threw her head back.
"Oh, Demitri,yes"
"Come for me, moró" Demitri instructed and just like that, she let go, her juices coating his fingers but he didn't stop he kept rubbing her clit, finger fucking her and sucking on her nipples till another wave of pleasure hit her.
She slumped against him when she came down from her high and he held her in his arms.
"I got you, honey" He said as he carried her to the bathroom and pressed a kiss to her forehead and she wrapped her hands around his neck.
He knew it was the pull and because she wore her mark that she was able to lose control from his touch. He was grateful that he'd been able to spend time with his mate but a bigger part of him wished that she had given herself to him from her own will not because of some bond but who was he kidding? It's always going to be a bond. He had refused to believe the one thing a wolf should believe more than anything and he was going to pay dearly for it.
A bath had already been drawn, probably by one of the maids so he lowered himself into the tub still holding her. As he washed her body,he licked her mark which had begun to heal. He could only hope that it wouldn't start bruising but who was he kidding? Once he left and the effects of the post-heat and mate pull had worn off, she'd start to hate him more than she already did. He could get only hope and pray to Thea Seléni to make his mate accept his mark. If she didn't accept it for a long time they were both bound to die as a part of the lost.
She must've punished herself in some way; maybe starved herself because she was asleep by the time he carried her back to her bed after helping her wear another nightie.
He tucked her into bed and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead and turned to leave.