CHAPTER 79: HICKEY

The doors opened and I stepped into my chambers, hoping to find Eloise on my bed, but it was empty, well dressed, like no one had been here for a while.

I skimmed around the room, and there was no sign of her, not even her scent.

"Where is she?" I asked the Knight behind.

"Your Grace left for her chambers earlier today."

"Did she state why?"

"No."

But I can guess. Maybe she’s angry with me because I haven’t spent time with her the last few days. I’ve been so consumed with working out everything. I never meant to neglect, but the goddess knew I did.

Fuck.

I turned on my heels and walked out of my quarters to hers. It was already dark, and the moon was up. From the courtyard, I could see the leaves from the trees go dry and pile on the stone pavement.

I got to her door, eyeing the knights stationed on both sides to open the door for me, but quietly.

I stepped into the dark room; the only source of light was the moon slipping through the windows

Eloise was deep in sleep, and I observed her posture amusedly. She had her hands spread out on the bed as well as her legs; the covers barely shrouded her.

She’ll catch a cold if she stays like this longer. I peered over my shoulders to the hearth. The wood burned, but I wasn’t satisfied with the temperature.

I turned my gaze back to my sleeping beauty and in a heartbeat, I got closer. My gloved hand brushing some of her tousled curls from her face.

"Come, little wife," I mumbled, picking her up gently, and she curled in my arms, so small, so perfect.

With long strides, I walked out of her room into the lonely corridor, only the sound of my shoes echoing through the air.

I felt her stir in my arms, and opted to slow my walks so that she wouldn’t wake. However, I felt her breath on my neck peeking from my collar; her teeth biting down on my skin.

I froze instantly. She didn’t stop there; she kept pulling with her teeth like she wanted to rip it apart. This was threatening. As a lycan, my response should be trying to disarm the threat, but goddess help me, this was the cutest thing I have ever seen.

She grumbled, her saliva smearing against my skin, and the blood rushed to my cock.

"Meat shouldn’t be this hard." She pulled away from me. "Why is my meat so hard?!"

Is she still asleep?

Her eyes were closed, her lips pursing as she spoke. "Another taste, too sweet." She attacked me again, struggled, but I think she succeeded in giving me a hickey.

Eloise pulled away again, this time flashing her eyes open. She blinked numerous times.

"You’re not steak."

I laughed loudly, and it rang in the hall.

"My liege?" she gasped as if finally making sense of the situation. "What?" She paused, looking down, and the way her eyes widened like it was a long way to go before snapping her gaze to me.

"What on earth are you doing?!"

I tried to stifle my laugh and speak. "Taking you to bed."

She shot me with an angry expression, and I wanted to kiss her silly.

"I was in bed," she gritted.

"The wrong one." I resumed my walk, and she fought me.

"Easy now, little wife," I scolded, holding her firmly so that she wouldn’t have any ideas like leaping off me. "You’ll fall."

Her chest heaved, but she said nothing to me.

"I know you’re angry at me for neglecting you these past few days. Forgive me."

"I don’t care if you lock yourself up in that study." She gripped my collar and yanked me close. "That doesn’t give you the right to disrupt my sleep."

Noted. My wife gets cranky when her sleep is disturbed.

"Take me back to my room."

"Not today, little wife. Not tomorrow, next month, next year, or the years to come."

I noticed her cheek reddened, but she channeled her anger.

"Put me down or else I’ll scratch your face."

"Make it hurt," I grinned.

She scoffed, releasing my collar. "Have you lost your mind?"

"I’m perfectly sane." I resumed my walk, and she didn’t fight me anymore.

She was more relaxed now. However, I felt something was wrong.

"Don’t you want to stay with me?"

She didn’t reply, preferring to look at the corridors rather than at me.

"Eloise?"

"There was no reason to. I’m no longer in danger."

"Do you think danger is the reason why you should share my bed?"

"I felt safer there," she confessed.

"Don’t you anymore?" I asked as the doors opened and shut behind us.

"Not if you’re not there," she mumbled under her breath, but I heard her loud and clear.

I see...so I was right. She was angry I was absent, but she doesn’t want to admit it.

Those damn walls were up again.

I dropped her gently on the bed, and she used the covers as a shield to repel me.

I smiled, walking to the dresser to relief my collar. A delight drove through me when I saw the hickey.

"Why did you do it?" She suddenly questioned.

"Do what, my little wife?"

"D-Dissolve your court."

"They were an unreliable bunch, a treasonous waste of space. I should have done that earlier and saved myself the trouble." I peered at the mirror and found her looking at me. "They were there as you stood for an unjust trial."

"I’m human," she said as if it were the bringer of all problems.

"Yes," I replied, not too sure of myself.

"Do you think any of it will stop?"

"It won’t, not yet. I’ll shield you the rest of the way until they get it in their heads."

"Because you chose me."

I turned, taking off my black leather gloves. "Always."