Chapter 23
Exton walked out of the throne room and walked around the halls aimlessly. He couldn't take it anymore. It felt as if they had been sitting for hours going around in circles.
Every spell they looked at, every remedy, every cure...nothing would stand against Azazel.
Exton knew in his heart that Gemma was not to be blamed for this. This wasn't her. He had hurt her, they all had...and Azazel took advantage of that.
If only he could talk to her...
"I think your father has lost his mind," Toby's voice suddenly spoke from behind Exton.
Exton sighed as he turned to face the man.
"I think I'm losing my mind," He said running a hand through his curls.
"Do you love her?" Toby tilted his head as he looked at the boy in front of him.
Exton looked up from the floor, not knowing how to answer the question.
Of course he loved her. Not loving her was never a choice. She consumed his every breath.
"It's all so strange," Toby said. "Having you here. Seeing you with Xavier."
"Why?"
"You are both born alphas and kings," Toby laughed. "Of the same kingdom...that has never happened before."
"None of this stuff has ever happened before," Exton complained. "This family can't seem to catch a fucking break."
"Are they going to kill her?" Toby suddenly asked.
Exton paused. His heart hurt hearing those words. He wanted to swing his fist through something.
"Are you going to let them?" Toby pushed. "She is your mate. Are you going to let your father drive a knife through her heart?"
"Dude," Exton took a step back. "What the fuck?" His head swam with violent images that made his heart drop to the pit of his stomach.
Toby suddenly leaped forward and grabbed Exton's arm.
"Listen to me," he hissed lowly. "None of these bastards know what it feels like to have a dead mate. You feel it in your bones. Day and night. It's a constant state of hopelessness. The world loses its color...you can't bare to live but death is too painless and easy."
Exton pulled his arm away from Toby and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"
"No, I'm not fucking okay" Toby jerked Exton's hand away. "I once had a mate, he wasn't perfect but he was mine."
"Toby...Eli tried to use you for blood," Exton pointed out.
"And your mate just painted your little sister's room with blood," Toby laughed. "But you still love her."
"Eli and Gemma are not the same," Exton said sternly.
"No," Toby shook his head. "She's much worse."
Exton glared at Toby. His words stung. Gemma would never do what Eli did to Toby.
"You once said you would snatch her from the gods," Toby pointed a finger at Exton's chest. "Well, now is your chance."
"You're not making any sense right now," Exton didn't know what to make of Toby's strange behavior. How long had he been like this?
"We should hate her," Toby said, the world spilling out of his mouth rapidly. "We should hate her because she's evil. She's different. She shouldn't be loved. That's what they will all tell you. But Exton you can not listen to them. Don't listen to them. You love her, you need her...you can't be away from your sanity."
Exton couldn't comprehend what Toby was trying to say. He grew worried as he watched him mutter under his breath.
Was this what happened to a mateless wolf...
Toby continued to mutter under his breath about how they will try to keep him and Gemma apart. Absent mindlessly he began to walk away from Exton and head down the hall.
Exton stared after the man. Toby's words had rattled Exton. His mind swam with images of Gemma unconscious in his arms from the day she had brought Rye back. Exton thought, surely, he had lost her. He would never forget the feeling of panic and dread. Holding her in his arms, Exton prayed over and over to anyone listening to not take her from him. It was at that moment that he realized Gemma was the center of his universe.
Maybe if Exton had lost Gemma that day, Toby and him wouldn't be so different today.
"Are you going to let your father drive a knife through her heart?"
Toby's question rang in Exton's ears like an echo. He shut his eyes tight as he felt physical pain from just the thought of Xavier harming Gemma.
He couldn't allow that to happen. He needed to stop Gemma. The goddess only knew no one would be able to stop Xavier the next time anything happened to Mavi.
Without a second thought, Exton grabbed his car keys and headed towards Lafayette's palace. It was a long drive and he had no idea what Gemma would do when he showed up, but he had to try.
If she really wanted to hurt him, she would have done so already.
It was nightfall by the time Exton arrived at the castle. He expected the guards at the door to give him a hard time, but they took one look at him and ushered him inside. A maid met him at the entrance and led him to the throne room.
The hall was deserted except a few men in suits standing in front of Gemma on the throne. They stood before her with their heads bowed and hands folded in front of them. Her eyes stopped on him as a scowl appeared on her face.
"Leave us," Gemma said to the men. Everyone bowed and shuffled out with their heads still bowed.
Exton continued to gawk at Gemma on the throne. She had on Lafayette's silver crown. Her blonde locks glowed against the jewels. They fell around her face and neck in soft waves. The crimson dress she wore stood out like dark wine against her pale skin.
As Exton's eyes traveled back up to Gemma's face, a small smile played on her lips.
"It suits me, doesn't it?' She asked playfully.
"You don't belong on that throne," Exton said.
Gemma frowned. "It's my birthright. It was taken from me."
"You don't belong on that throne, Angel," Exton said taking a step forward. He looked up at her blue and gold eyes from the bottom steps of the throne. "You belong on a throne next to me."
Gemma snickered, "And watch you rule from the shadows?"
"No," Exton climbed the three steps and stood before his mate and looked into her eyes, "Rule next to me."
Gemma looked up at him through her lashes. She tilted her head up slightly to look into his eyes. A string in her heart tugged at the emotions swimming in his eyes.
"I could kill you right now," she said slowly, unsure of whether it was truly her words or Azazel's.
"Why haven't you?" Exton challenged.
Gemma rose to her feet. She felt Exton's eyes take in her form fitting dress. It made her feel powerful to have his eyes glued on her like that. She could see his desires dance around in his eyes as they slowly raked down her body. Gemma couldn't help but flip her hair back and expose the scooped neckline. The strange need to play with him grew in her as she watched his pupils dilate.
Gemma could feel Azazel purr in approval as she took a step closer to him. Instantly, Exton's eyes dropped to her lips. The sensible part of Gemma could see how he was avoiding looking at her eyes. She knew what they looked like; one blue and one gold. She also knew she should be mad at him, extremely mad. Mad enough to never want to see him again.
But ever since she had gotten back from retrieving the seal of Solomon, she couldn't help but think, on repeat, about how good he had smelled when he had pinned her to the ground. Every time she thought about his strong arms holding her down on that floor, her spine tingled.
Exton had always been extremely gentle with her. Maybe not emotionally, but god damn it the boy touched her as if he was afraid to crush her. Gemma had never known anyone else's touch. She was content with how his hands softly touched her on the beaches of Maldives or how his lips gave her gentle brushes over the Himalayas.
She never knew she would crave Exton's rough hands gripping her wrists above her head and his hard body crushing her to the ground.
Gemma wanted to feel like he needed her to breath. At that moment she didn't give a damn about her anger towards him. Her breathing elevated and so did his. They stood motionless in front of the throne, staring at each other's lips with mad lust.
Gemma took another tiny step forward. They were a breath away from each other. Their mouths hovered over one another. Both a bit hesitant, both a bit wild with desires.
As if by some unearthly force, Exton and Gemma leaned forward at the same exact moment and their mouths collided.
Electricity shot through them as they jumped apart. Their hearts beat against their chests like two hummingbirds.
It was too late to stop. Gemma closed her eyes and dove in. Exton caught her lips in his and pulled her forward.
The energy exploded between them like atoms. Exton kissed her roughly as Gemma's hands pulled and tugged at his shirt. He didn't stop to think when she ripped the fabric and pushed it off his body. Exton was too busy tasting his Gemma.
He left hard kisses against her jawline before moving to her neck. After each kiss, Exton pulled her skin into his mouth and sucked hard. Gemma rolled her head back in pleasure and moaned aloud. She gripped his belt and pulled him closer.
A growl rumbled in Exton's chest as his arms wrapped around her like iron vines. Gemma's palms came to rest upon his bare chest. Her nails dug into his skin as he nibbled on her neck. Her mouth gasped for air as she felt him harden against her.
Gemma summoned a portal to open behind Exton. She pulled out of his embrace and looked up at him.
Both were breathless as Gemma pushed Exton through the portal and then dived in herself.
Exton was momentarily caught off guard. He felt himself stumble through the portal and then land on Gemma's bed. She joined him a second later.
Her long legs straddled him as her dress scrunched up her thighs. Exton's hand gripped her thigh as his other hand pulled her back to his mouth. He didn't understand what was happening between them. He didn't want to understand.
Exton kissed Gemma fiercely. Biting on her bottom lips, tugging, pulling, nibbling...and she gave it right back to him.
Exton's hands moved to Gemma's plump ass as her tongue moved into his mouth. He gave her a hard squeeze as she moved from his lips and began to suck on his ear lobe. One of his hands left her ass and slid into her hair. He grabbed a handful of her blonde locks and pulled her head back. He felt his wolf growl as Gemma moaned.
Gemma's legs locked around Exton's waist as he flipped them over and pinned her under him.
Exton knew he needed to stop. There was so much going on between them. He didn't want to mark her or mate with her with Azazel still in her. And he knew Gemma felt the same way...her eyes were shut tight. She didn't want him to see her eyes.
Exton stared down at her as she waited for his lips. Her lips were swollen and wet, slightly parted as she counted each second for him to kiss her again.
"Gemma," Exton said, his voice hoarse.
"Hmm?" Gemma didn't open her eyes.
"We need to talk,"
Gemma's brows furrowed. "Now?"
Exton couldn't help the chuckle that left him.
"I don't want to talk," Gemma complained as she peered her eyes open. "I want to continue what we were doing."
"Why are you doing this?" Exton asked, his voice void of any hint of humor.
"You've done it with other girls," Gemma teased. "I think you know why I'm doing this."
Exton kept his calm, "No, Gemma. Why are you telling her to do this. This isn't you."
Gemma narrowed her eyes at him.
"Get off of me," she demanded as she pushed him off herself.
Exton rolled off of her and got off the bed. He turned to face her as she sat up, her dress still rolled up, exposing her thighs.
"This isn't me?" Gemma snickered. "So now you're going to tell me who I am?"
"No, Gemma," Exton pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I'm not telling you anything. I'm asking you why...why are you doing this?"
Gemma sat still on the bed and stared at Exton. All her heartache and frustration surfaced to the top.
"You lied to me." She accused him. "You lied to me for months. I trusted you and you lied to me every single day."
Exton flinched as if her words caused him physical pain.
"Not once did you consider how I would feel. Everyone in my life thinks they can do whatever they want and I'll follow them like their lap dog. I am a person too. With emotions and thoughts and ideas. Not once did anyone stop to ask me what I wanted. Who gave any of you the rights to my life?"
Gemma wiped away the hot angry tears that rolled down her face. "I felt like a glass doll. Passed one from one person to another. No one cared enough to see what Gemma wanted. No one wanted to know. You all just shoved and pushed me into the image in your mind of what I was supposed to be."
"No, Gemma. That's not true." Exton tried to reach for her hand, but she pushed him away.
"You hated me at first," Gemma pointed out. "You hated me! Every chance you got you wanted to make me feel like dirt. You casted me as the wicked witch in your mind."
Exton shook his head. He knew it was no use. Everything she was saying was true.
"And then when it suited you, I was suddenly worthy of being a mate." Gemma spit. "I am not your toy, Exton. Grow the fuck up. You are so used to everyone bending at your will, doing everything you say. You're a rich brat. You never had to work for anything in your life. You are so entitled and you treated me like an object. You kicked me around and didn't want me until someone else took me from you."
Exton bit down on his jaw hard. He could see all the hurt swim in Gemma's eyes and he knew this was all her, none of it was Azazel.
Gemma glared at him as angry tears soaked her cheeks.
"I love you," Exton said after a long pause. He didn't know what else to say.
Gemma laughed as she wiped her eyes.
"Get out," she said to him.
"Gemma, please."
"Leave, Exton." Gemma growled lowly. "Before I kill you."
So you're a tough guy, like it really rough guy...Thoughts?