Chapter 15


    Fifteen: Natalie


    Natalie’s p.o.v.


    I had never woken up to Killian being in bed with me before. He had always been an early riser. He


    woulde to bedte at night and be gone before I opened my eyes.


    This morning was different. Maybe it was because he didn''t get any sleep the night before, or maybe it


    was because he knew I was still mad at him. But as I woke up with my head on his bare chest, his


    hand started running up and down my spine.


    I turned my head, cing my chin against his peck as I looked up at him. He refused to meet my stare


    and instead, kept his gaze on the ceiling. I smiled with my lips pressed together to save him from my


    morning breath as I scanned over his features.


    The way his eyes and jaw were rxed made me happy, and my cheek slid across his chest as I


    turned back and closed my eyes again. I wasn''t going to fall back asleep. I just wanted to enjoy this


    moment of peace before things went back to normal, with him hating my existence and me feeling so


    alone in the crowded castle.


    The silence didn''tst long as Joselin''s familiar knock sounded through the room. Killian tensed


    beneath me, and my arm instinctively wrapped a little tighter around his waist. He was the king. If he


    wanted to stay here with me, he had the power to tell her to go away.


    I held my breath as I felt his hand stop moving, and I tried not to vocalize my disappointment as he sat


    up, forcing me to lift myself off his chest.


    Within a minute, he was dressed and out of the room, leaving the door open and Joselin standing in the


    opening as he brushed by her. He didn''t say a single word to me before he left, but it was his actions


    "You look happy," Joselin said as she entered the room and made her way to the closet. ’Did he


    actually apologize?"


    Iughed to myself as she tossed some workout clothes at me. "In his way,


    I think he did." 1


    Her white eyes widened as she ced her hands on her hips. ''Seriously? You got him to apologize?"


    Her head turned as she noticed all the pillows on the floor, and her mouth dropped open with disgust.


    "Oh, gross!"


    I could still feel his fingers running up and down my spine, and I let my head fall back against the


    mattress. She didn''t need to know that we hadn''t done anything. Even if we had, it was none of her


    business. That was between him and me.


    "I''ll meet you in the gym in a few minutes, Joselin," I said as I pulled the nket back and got out of


    bed. She wasted no time going back to the hallway to flirt with Tobias, closing the door behind her.


    I nced at the pillows before picking them up and cing them back in their proper ce at the head


    of the bed.


    Things weren''t great between US, but he put in an effort. Even if it was as small as just staying in bed


    with me this morning, it was a step in the right direction. I couldn''t have been happier.


    Joselin still kicked my ass as we began training, but I felt stronger than before. When he entered the


    room an hourter, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing. His presencemanded the


    entire pack without a single word, and it wasn''t until he sat off to the side that we all resumed.


    I smiled, lifting my hand and waving at him, but he didn''t respond. He had nevere down here


    before, and having him watch me work out made me blush with embarrassment. The way his eyes


    burned into me, made me second guess whether he was trying to decide if he still wanted me here or if


    he wanted to send me back.


    There was also a small part of my mind that had me feeling the same way I did the night of my first


    pack dinner when he had his hand on my thigh. It was exhrating.


    Every hit I threw at Joselin, and every dodge, was more fluid than before. Each strike was also harder


    as I gave every bit of my energy into my sparring session. Each time I nced up, his eyes were still


    on me, and I would push myself further.


    Joselin smirked at me knowingly, but I brushed her off. She could report back to her bosster. Right


    now, I wanted him to see me kick ass. If he could just see for himself that I was already stronger than


    when I got here, then maybe it would help to win him over. Maybe then he would be able to respect me.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    I spun around with a kick aimed at Joselin''s side, taking her down quickly. The small cheer I let out was


    unintentional. The room went silent, and my arms dropped as I spun around to see if Killian had


    witnessed my first victory against the witch. My eyesnded on his back as he rushed out of the room,


    and all of my energy drained as he left without a word or a single nce back.


    "I''m sure it was something big to make him leave like that," Joselin said as she moved up to my side.


    "He couldn''t take his eyes off you the entire time he was in here. I can’t imagine he would leave in such


    a hurry without good reason."


    I shrugged as I turned back to her. "It doesn''t matter. Let''s go again."


    Even I could hear the defeat in my voice. I took a few steps back and lifted my hands toward Joselin,


    encouraging her to make the first move. "I think we are done for the day."


    "I can keep going!" I insisted,unching at Joselin in the emotion-driven way she had scolded me for


    countless times before. She swung around, taking me to the ground in one swift move. My back


    mmed into the mat, and I let out a groan as she stood over me.


    "We are done for the day, your highness. We can pick this back up tomorrow." She insisted as she


    gestured to Tobias to approach. He moved away from the wall he was on and came forward slowly like


    I was a scared, injured animal.


    I wanted to growl in frustration but settled for clenching my hands into fists. She was cutting my training


    short by almost two hours. Without this, I was just going to go back to my room and wait for the next


    meal. I had nothing else to do and no one else to spend time with. The first few days, I had spent my


    time exploring, but it grew tiresome, and I knew it was frustrating the staff.


    Every time I entered a room, everyone would stop what they were doing to bow or curtsey. They then


    waited until I left to resume their activities. I had even tried sitting in one of the rooms with other people,


    and the silence was deafening. After only a few minutes, I gave up and left, hearing them all start


    talking as soon as I passed the doorway.


    Killian surely didn''t want me in his office. Joselin made herself scarce with her other work when she


    would get done with our training, and Tobias stood behind me silently at all times.


    The wolves around US all started whispering and talking animatedly, but my human hearing could not


    pick up what they were saying. It was the looks of panic and anger that had me moving closer to Tobias


    on my own.


    "Sorry, your highness. Until we have more information on the situation, we need to get you to safety."


    Joselin''s hand shot out, gripping my forearm tightly. I gasped in pain, trying to pull away, but the room


    around me swirled, and I felt like the air was being sucked out of my lungs.


    The familiar walls of my bedroom spun around me as Joselin released my arm, sending me to the floor


    as I failed to gain my equilibrium. My words of protest were caught in my throat as I began to heave. I


    scrambled toward the bathroom, making it just far enough that I could be sick in the sink.