Chapter 18 - Her Fragrance.

-Alaric-

The hibiscus fragrance was from her hair that was hidden beneath her veil, while the lavender was from her skin, from her bare neck that the tip of my nose was slightly touching.

I drew closer and breathed in more deeply.

Oh, Moon! This is heavenly.

Certainly, I had smelled both lavender and hibiscus before, but there was something about this one that was unique and intoxicating. There was an underlying fragrance that these scents only enhanced.

Hers.

Her natural scent.

My wolf stirred again and purred within me.

Well, I wasn't the only one affected. My wolf was too.

“Your... Majesty! I am sorry.”

She jumped off me with a start. I quickly shot out my hand, caught her arm, and prevented her from falling.

My wolf whimpered at the loss of contact. My arms itched to wrap around her back just like earlier, while my nostrils yearned for more of that fragrance.

She looked back at my Beta, who seemed to be very engrossed in whatever paper he was reading. She heaved a deep breath, as if she were thankful he hadn't seen her.

I shook my head, a small smile on my face.

No way in hell was Ilan that focused. I knew he had seen her falling into my chest. He was just pretending not to notice, and I was glad he did because it seemed I didn't want her to be any more uncomfortable than she already was.

She straightened up, took the cup, and brought it to my lips.

“It's bitter. You might–”

I took the cup from her and was about to gulp it down when Ilan's words stopped me.

“Wait.” He said it, and we both turned to regard him.

Within just a few strides, he was already standing before me. Aurelia bowed and took a step back.

“What is it?” I asked my Beta with a frown. He wasn't smiling either.

He turned to her, and I didn't like the way she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

“You will have to taste every cup of herbs you have here.”

“What?” My frown deepened. “Ilan? Why would you...? That's not necessary.”

What the hell was wrong with Ilan? It was bad enough that he was making her uncomfortable, and now–

“Yes, my lord.”

Her quiet tone cut me off.

“You don't have to –”

She took the first cup, poured a little of its contents into another empty cup, brought the cup beneath her veil, lifted it slightly, raised her head, and drank it.

She did the same for the other five cups.

And at the last cup, her veil was lifted slightly more than it had been before, and I caught a glimpse of the corner of her lips.

I leaned forward to see more, but she let her veil fall and set the cup down.

She bowed. Ilan nodded and went back to his seat without sparing me a glance because, if he did, he would know I was staring daggers at him.

I knew he was doing this for me, but I didn't want it.

Would it be strange to say I seemed to trust my caregiver?

I mean, she had fought off rogues to keep my body safe even though she wasn't powerful enough to do so. And if she wanted to harm me, wouldn't she have done so all these times she had taken care of me?

She stepped closer and took the cup. She pointed it at me.

Instead of taking the cup, I reached out and wrapped my hand around her smaller one which was around the cup.

I felt her hand tremble beneath mine, and she began to pull away, but I held on and gently pulled her forward, bringing the cup to my lips as I drank it.

Damn it!

The feel of her hand against mine was so soft, so smooth. A small smile touched my lips as I looked at how her hand was completely covered by mine.

Now, we were on the last cup, and I tried again to hold her gaze, just as I had tried to do during my last drinks, but she avoided it.

I missed her gaze. The calmness in them.

I missed the fierceness that rimmed them too.

Should I beg her for it? I think I should.

Alaric Loentius Valerian... what the hell is wrong with you?

I scolded myself mentally.

Since when did I feel this way?

Was this craziness? Or was the sword that pierced me soaked in some kind of charm?

But then...

I fucking couldn't deny that I preferred this.

Fuck! Fuck?

Damn it...

I took a deep breath. Now, even in my thoughts, I was beginning to sound unkingly. Words that I had been taught that I should never think of… here I am using them in my thoughts…. but that was what this female did to me.

I stared up at her as she packed up the cups, preparing to leave.

“You know,” I stated.

She halted what she was doing and bowed to me.

“You haven't told me your name.”

‘But I did. Have you forgotten so soon?’ Ilan's words echoed in my head.

Oh, goddess!

I rolled my eyes.

I stared in the direction of my Beta. His gaze was fully on the paper he held, pretending to be reading while he was here mentally speaking to me.

‘I said her name is–’

‘I wasn't asking you, Ilan. For Moon's sakes, get the fuck out of my head.’

‘Hmm?! Loen! Did you just–’

I cut him off immediately and blocked him mentally from reaching me.

She took the tray, and her gaze found mine briefly.

“But, Your Grace, I am sure you know my name by now.”

“Well, I didn't say I didn't know. I said you haven't told me.”

“Oh.”

She nodded slowly.

Damn...

I wanted to see her expression, see her face while she talked to me.

“My name is Aurelia Dossla, Your Majesty.”

“Aurelia.” I repeated it in a whisper as I held her gaze.

Instead of averting her gaze, which I was already preparing to mourn the loss of, she batted her lashes and slowly looked down from me, not away, but down.

That expression...

That expression was one of being shy.

She was shy.

Oh, Moon!

My heart began racing again. It was thudding so hard.

I didn't know when I got to my feet. It was as if I was being moved by a force, a force I had no interest in stopping.

I reached for her face, the exposed part. My fingers trailed from beneath her eyes to her eyebrows. I circled around them more times than I could count.

“Do you know you have such beautiful eyes?”

My voice came out gentle, in a whisper that I could almost not hear myself.

“So much grey. It seems I am staring at a raging storm, and then again, it shows me what a calm storm can be.”

It was subtle, never intended to be heard, but I heard it anyway.

I heard her slight intake of air.

I smiled.

“Aurelia, you have such beautiful eyes.”

I stepped closer, but she stepped away, grabbed the parcel I got her, and literally bolted out of the room.

A big grin etched across my face.

“I never knew you were poetic.”

“Oh, please shut up, Ilan.”

I hissed, but my smile not once disappearing.