Chapter 56


    Fifty-Seven: Killian


    Killian’s P.O.V.


    It was one thing to sleep with someone for fun. Some people like hiding in the trees, or going behind a


    building. Some even like having sex in front of others. It was natural to enjoy sex and instinct to want to


    im one’s mate. Humans were normally more conservative and ashamed, but our beasts didn''t care


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    about modesty or privacy.


    I had thought that whatever this was with Charlie and the bear shifter was a passing fling. I had hoped


    that she would find someone who would love and cherish her. Someone who would care enough to at


    least rent a room or stay in one of our guest rooms. I had hoped that person would respect her enough


    to put aside their pride to give her a roof over her head and a warm ce to sleep.


    She didn’t need to be sleeping in the forest right now. Not when there were vampire sightings right


    outside and now in the city.


    My re scanned over her neck, and I saw her smile fall when I failed to respond. She bore no mark,


    which meant there was still time to make her see reason. She could reject him and find someone else


    to mark her, a man who would put her and her safety first.


    "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," Damien said with a bow. I let out a deep exhale through my


    nose as I noticed he did not bow as deeply for me as he did for my mate. He waited for me to


    acknowledge him so he could rise, but I remained silent.


    Charlie cleared her throat loudly, and I turned to her. Her bright green eyes somehow managed to


    make my mother''s look dull, an impossible task if I had not seen both pairs of eyes for myself in my


    lifetime. The anger in them was growing with every passing second, but I kept my emotions masked.


    "Let''s sit, shall we?"


    The bear stood, his eyes finding Natalie instantly, and I watched curiously as he waited for her to ce


    her hand on the back of her chair before he moved. His hands stayed at his side as Charlie looped her


    arm through the crook of his elbow and pulled him to the empty seats on the other side of the table.


    I stood, watching as he pulled out Charlie’s chair next to mine before taking his own seat. Joselin and


    Natalie joined them, leaving me standing on my own at the head of the table.


    The feeling of my human mate''s small foot nudging the toe of my shoes made me look at her. She was


    so beautiful but so disappointed. Her mouth was curved downward, and her eyes had lost their shine


    as she expressed her dissatisfaction with me wordlessly.


    I wanted to make her happy, but more so, I wanted to kill him.


    His actions toward my sister had already proven that he is unworthy of her, but the way he kept eyeing


    my mate was pushing myst nerve.


    "It is the duty of a mate to protect and honor their partner." My words carried across the table, but my


    gaze was on the stranger sitting at my table. His ck eyes nced from me to Charlie before he


    settled back on me. I could see his arm tensing, informing me that he was clenching his fist under the


    table.


    I dare you. Take a swing.


    "It is the duty of any man to protect and honor their woman, mate or not." His words made Charlie


    tense, and she looked down at her te.


    The servants were prompt and tapped on the door twice before entering the room silently and cing


    the first course in front of each of us. I nced down at the bowl of soup, knowing they had made it for


    Charlie, as it was her favorite.


    I hadn''t ever favored it, and I was positive by the way Natalie wrinkled her nose that she didn’t either.


    Seeing her unhappy with her meal made my mood darken even more.


    Natalie cleared her throat softly as she picked up her spoon to take a bite.'' Damien, we are happy to


    have you here. I have heard wonderful things about you from Charlie."


    My head snapped over to her, and for a moment I felt like a little kid pouting that she wasn''t on my side.


    But Natalie held my re head on until


    I looked away. She was the only person that I would ever submit to, and she knew it. That woman had


    a hold on me so strongly that it was almost immoral.


    ’Thank you, Your Majesty." He dipped his head toward Natalie before taking a bite of the soup. The


    corner of his lips curled up as he ced the utensil back down and smiled at my little sister with a


    knowing smirk.


    ’Tell me, Damien, do you feel you have upheld your duty to Charlie?" I raised one eyebrow at him,


    challenging him to argue what I already knew, but he remained silent. "From where I am standing, we


    have had several sightings of vampires on the border of town and now in town, and yet you are having


    the princess sleep in the elements, exposed to the danger of war."


    "Killian!" Charlie scolded loudly, and I turned my re on her. “That is my choice! It is not on him."


    "No!" I agreed. "It''s on both of you. We have plenty of empty rooms in the castle and several in the inns


    around town. Yet, you both stupidly chose to expose yourself and risk your life... ''he'' is choosing to risk


    your life than put out a few coins to stay in the city!"


    "I think what Killian is trying to say is that you''ve been home for a bit now, and it would have been nice


    to meet or at least know about Damien a bit sooner," Natalie said softly, but Joselin snorted beside her.


    "I think what he is trying to say is that he doesn''t like you fucking his sister." Joselinughed as she


    stared Damien down across the table from her, jumping as my fist crashed down loudly against the


    table.


    "Silence!" I ordered, my voice echoing through the room. Joselin hid her smile behind her hand, and


    Natalie red at me as I stood up. I could feel her anger pulsing through our bond. The need to


    apologize to her was strong, but my anger was driving me.


    I didn''t want Charlie to be mated to the bear, but I didn''t have a say in it. She had already made her


    choice, and by the look of it, he had chosen her too.


    "Killian, I am safe with him. I promise." Charlie leaned forward, cing her hand atop mine, and I felt


    myself rx. "If it would put you at ease, we can stay here tonight."


    It did make me feel better. I needed to know she was safe.


    "Fine." I snapped, ignoring the victorious look on her face as she took a spoonful of soup and


    swallowed it with a smile. I would fight her on staying longer tomorrow.


    The servants knocked once, moving cautiously like gazelle being led into a lion''s den. The tension was


    still thick in the air as they removed the mostly untouched bowls of soup and ced down our main


    entrees.


    I wanted to dive into the stuffed chicken breast but turned to Natalie first. Her lips were pursed together,


    and she refused to make eye contact with me as she picked up her utensils and began to cut the meat.


    From the corner of my eye, I watched as the bear waited for Natalie to take her first bite before he dug


    into his food. My own te sat untouched, but Joselin and Charlie shrugged before throwing customs


    to the wind and enjoying their meal.


    There was no doubt about it that I was in trouble for snapping at my mate in front of others, and I had to


    figure out a way to fix it as soon as possible.


    Joselin nced up from her te to me, raising an eyebrow as if to ask why I wasn''t eating. I turned to


    re at the bear, who caught onto the silent conversation before looking back to my best friend.


    She turned to him with a smirk, and I was tempted to throw my fork at her when she opened her mouth,


    knowing nothing good woulde of it." Don''t mind him, really. He''s just pissed because he didn''t get


    to finish earlier when I interrupted them going at it."