CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5 

Katherine’s POV

My heart was still racing and I tried not to show it. Leona’s smirk stayed in my head even after she stopped looking at me. I kept my eyes down and my fingers pressed into the chair because I didn’t want to give either of them the satisfaction of seeing how angry I was.

Stephen came around the desk and stood in front of me. He took his time, like he was already enjoying every second of this.

“Why does it bother you?” he asked, his tone calm but a little cold. “Why do you care who I spend my time with?”

I clenched my jaw. “I don’t.”

“You do,” he said, stepping closer.

“I don’t,” I repeated, louder this time.

He leaned down a little, his eyes not leaving mine. “If you hated me as much as you say, you would not react like this.”

“I don’t react,” I muttered, but I could feel the heat rushing up my neck.

He placed his hand on the arm of the chair, trapping me in place. I tried to keep my breathing steady and failed. His scent filled every inch of space between us and it annoyed me how much it got to me.

“So tell me,” he said, “why does Leona make you angry?”

“She doesn’t,” I lied. “She can have you.”

Leona scoffed behind him but he didn’t turn. He kept his focus on me like she wasn’t even there. His hand moved slowly, his fingers brushing my arm in a way that made my pulse jump.

“Your body disagrees with your mouth,” he said.

“Get away from me,” I snapped.

He didn’t. His hand slid up to my shoulder, then down again and I felt my chest tighten. The bond pushed at me, pulling me closer to him even though I didn’t want to move.

“You’re lying,” he said, his voice quiet. “To yourself.”

I pushed his arm but he didn’t move. His other hand found my waist and held me still. I swallowed and hated the way my voice came out soft.

“Stop.”

“You don’t sound like you want me to,” he said, and I knew he could hear my heartbeat.

He leaned in and his lips brushed my jaw. My breath caught, my fingers curling into the seat. I didn’t push him this time and that made it worse. I tried again, weaker.

“Stop.”

He looked pleased, like that was all he needed to hear. His hand slid up my thigh and I gasped before I could stop it. Leona stiffened from where she stood. She took one step forward.

“Stephen,” she snapped, her voice irritated.

He didn’t even look at her. “Leave,” he said, still staring at me.

She looked shocked for a second, then furious. She stormed out and slammed the door hard enough that the walls shook.

The room felt too quiet after she left.

Stephen’s hand stayed on me. My hands were still gripping the chair but I wasn’t pushing anymore. His face was close, too close, and I couldn’t think straight.

“This is a test,” he said. “I want to see how much truth you can handle.”

“What truth?” I asked, breathless.

“Us,” he said. “What you are to me.”

I finally managed to push him away. He stepped back, slow, like he allowed it. My heart was racing and my skin felt hot. I hated that he looked so calm when I was the one falling apart.

He sat on the desk, arms crossed. “Tell me what you think you know about me.”

I stood, my legs shaking a little, but I stayed strong. “You’re a monster. A killer. You take what you want and destroy anyone who gets in your way.”

He didn’t react.

“And you enjoyed killing my father,” I added, my voice sharp.

He tilted his head slightly. “Is that all?”

“That’s enough.”

“No,” he said. “It isn’t.”

His tone was cold and flat, like he was teaching a stupid child. “You didn’t bother to learn anything. You didn’t study your enemy. You walked into this palace blind.”

“You kidnapped me.”

“You are the Luna,” he corrected. “You belong at my side.”

“I don’t belong anywhere near you,” I fired back.

He looked right into my eyes. “I am the Alpha King. Every pack in this realm falls under my rule. Your father was protecting traitors. Silverveil was a threat and threats must be dealt with. That is my duty.”

“Killing unarmed wolves is not duty,” I said. “It’s evil.”

He didn’t flinch. “You think peace exists without blood. That is why your father failed. He couldn’t see the corruption, he couldn’t see what needed to be done.”

“You are the corruption,” I said. “You are the problem.”

His jaw tightened just once. Then his voice went flat again. “You know nothing.”

My throat burned and I hated that he saw it. I turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears forming.

“I will never forgive you.”

“I don’t need forgiveness,” he said.

I walked out of the room before he could say anything else. I didn’t look back. I didn’t want him to see how broken I felt.

The hallway was colder now. I kept walking fast, needing distance. I turned a corner and almost ran into Alaric.

He bowed his head. “Luna.”

His voice sounded stiff. No warm smirks. No flirting. Stephen must have warned him. There was fear under everything he said now.

I didn’t respond. I walked past, ignoring the ache in my chest.

Further down the hall, three women came out of a parlor room, one of them was Alicia, Stephen's stepsister. They smiled when they saw me like they were waiting.

“There you are,” Alicia said. “We’ve been looking everywhere.”

“For what?” I asked, tired.

“There’s a ball tonight,” another said. “At High Lord Von Graye’s manor. Come with us.”

“No,” I said. “I need to rest.”

They grabbed my arms gently but firmly. “Come on, it will be fun, and you deserve a distraction.”

I tried to stay annoyed but I was too drained to fight. They kept pulling me and I didn’t resist as hard as I should have.

As we walked, I looked back once.

Rowan was standing at the end of the corridor, half hidden, watching me again. He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. His eyes stayed on me until I disappeared around the corner.