Chapter Twenty Two: Sleeping Together

Two days had passed without any issues, or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

The routine was starting to feel normal, which was the most dangerous thing of all. 

I woke up, let Calani paint dress me up, and sat through meals where Eilis and I played the part of the devoted couple. 

But the moment the sun dipped below the horizon and the private wing doors shut, the performance ended. Eilis would disappear into his study or his own quarters, and I would be left alone in the massive, cold bed that was supposed to belong to both of us.

I was walking through the gallery, trying to keep my head down, when Denis caught up to me. I was somehow jealous of how Denis manages to look happy almost all the time. 

And today he also looked to be having the time of his life, his face split by a casual, boyish grin. He had a way of moving that didn't belong in this stiff, cold palace, he swung his arms and leaned into spaces like he owned them.

"You know, Raven," Denis said, falling into step beside me and leaning his shoulder against mine. "For a pair of newlyweds, you and the Prince are being awfully shy. I thought it was supposed to be a bit more... enthusiastic."

I adjusted the weight of the red silk skirts, trying to look bored even as my pulse spiked. "We’re busy, Denis. Eilis has a kingdom to help run, and I’m still learning the names of every Lord who wants something from him. It’s exhausting."

I grimaced, I couldn't even think of a better lie.

Denis chuckled as he reached out and snagged a small plum from a decorative bowl on a side table, tossing it up and catching it. "Is that the excuse we’re going with? Because the girls in the kitchen are taking bets, and right now, the odds aren't in your favor. They’re wondering if Southern brides are made of glass and might break if touched, or if the Prince has suddenly developed a passion for late-night paperwork."

I felt a prickle of heat crawl up my neck. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means people have eyes, Raven," Denis said, his tone dropping into a casual, gossipy whisper. He nudged me again, his grin turning a bit more knowing. "He leaves your room every night before the candles are even half-burnt. Most wolves can’t keep their hands off each other for the first moon.”

He took a bite of the plum, talking around it. "But you and Eilis... you’re like two statues at opposite ends of the hall. People are starting to whisper that the 'Princess' is so cold she’s driven the Prince to sleep in his study just to get a bit of warmth. They think you're rejecting him.” 

He gave me a playful wink, completely unaware of the ice that had just settled in my stomach. "Just a bit of advice from your favorite court expert: if you want the rumors to die down, you might want to tell your mate to actually stay in the room. The pack likes to know their future queen is actually... well, you know. Managing her household. Don't let them think you're a decorative piece of furniture."

He laughed, patted me on the arm, and headed off toward the kitchens, leaving me standing in the middle of the hall. The air felt thinner than it had a moment ago.

I spent the rest of the day in a haze of dread. 

I waited until the moon was high and the castle had settled into its nightly hush. I was already in the bed, sitting up against the headboard with the furs pulled to my waist, when the door finally opened. 

Eilis walked in, looking exhausted. He had shed his heavy tunic and was down to his undershirt, the white linen clinging to the broad lines of his shoulders. His dark hair was a mess, like he'd been running his hands through it all night.

He didn't look at me at first. He headed for the small table to pour a cup of water, the silver pitcher clinking against the glass.

"Eilis," I said. My voice sounding small.

He turned, his gold eyes finding me in the shadows. "You're still awake. It’s late."

"Denis spoke to me today," I said, my heart beginning to hammer against my ribs. "He says people are talking. The servants, the guards... everyone. They know you leave every night. They know we’re sleeping in different rooms."

Eilis set the cup down, his expression hardening. "I thought privacy would be a mercy for you. You aren't exactly comfortable in my presence, Raven. I was trying to give you space to breathe."

"It’s not…," I hesitated, my grip tightening on the furs. "Denis said the pack is noticing. If the whispers reach your father, he’s going to come in here to see for himself why his son isn't with his mate. People expect us to... to be together. They expect to smell you on me." I was rambling but I didn't know how to put the words together without sounding like I didn't want it.

Eilis walked toward the foot of the bed, "So what are you saying?"

I swallowed hard, the fear of the "beast" rising up in my throat like bile. I dreaded the idea of him losing control, what if the wolf suddenly took over in the middle of the night while I was asleep and vulnerable? What if it really did and wanted a repeat of the claiming night. I shivered, but still, I couldn't risk it.

"You have to stay," I blurted out. "You have to sleep here, in this bed, next to me."

Eilis went still. He stared at the bed, then back at me. "You want me to stay?"

I didn't answer, instead I said, “if you don't stay, the rumours continue. If the servants don't see your scent on these sheets, or if the guards see you leaving again…” I trailed off. 

I shifted over, making a space on the far side of the bed, as far from him as I could possibly get without falling off the edge. I was shaking, and I hated that he could probably see it. 

Eilis watched me for a long beat. I could see the internal struggle in the set of his shoulders. "Fine," he said, his voice a low growl that made the hair on my arms stand up.

He moved to the other side of the bed and sat down. The mattress dipped heavily under his weight, the movement pulling the sheets taut and making me slide an inch closer to him. I quickly scrambled back to the very edge, my heart leaping. He didn't look at me as he pulled back the furs and lay down.

He stayed on his back, staring up at the dark canopy above us. He was so close I could hear the steady, slow rhythm of his breathing. I lay down too, but I remained stiff as a board, my eyes wide open. I didn't dare close them. Every time he shifted, the linen russeled. 

My heart was thumping so hard I was sure he could feel the vibration through the mattress. I was waiting for the beast to realize I was there. 

I stared at the shadows on the ceiling, trying to regulate my breathing, trying not to let him smell the pure, unadulterated terror coming off me.

"Go to sleep, Raven," Eilis said into the dark. "I'm not going to hurt you and the wolf won't take control if that's what you're scared off.” 

I didn't believe him, but I didn't have a choice. I stayed awake for hours, watching the moonlight shift across the floor, until finally, my eyes grew too heavy to hold open.