Chapter 6: Back Home

Olivia's POV

I sat up on the bed after I heard the door creak open and close loudly. Damian had walked in, and he had in his hands a box which he dropped off on the bed. I glanced up at him, unsure of what the contents of the box was.

"I bought you some clothes." He replied, as though he had read my mind. "It's just a few, I'll make arrangements for more."

I grabbed the box and opened it. There were two dresses inside, and from the look of things, they were my exact size. I wanted to ask him how he got my measurements, but that would look as though I was undermining his good intentions. I didn't have any clothes here, and had to wear his clothes throughout yesterday. They weren't bad, but I needed to have my own clothes.

"Aren't you going to try them?" Damian inquired, and I immediately froze. I wondered if he meant for me to change right in front of him, or if he had any intentions of giving me a little privacy. We were mates, but even then I wasn't sure I was ready for him to see me naked.

Realizing my reluctancy, he immediately turned around and walked towards the door. "I'm sorry.." he whispered in a barely audible tone, before exiting the room.

I smiled weakly, and my cheeks flushed red as the fine silk slipped through my fingers. Without having to ask I could tell that this gown alone

must have cost a fortune, probably more than all the dresses I had back at home.

The craftsmanship was eloquent, the feel of the fine velvety texture was surreal, and its soft silver color made it irresistible to the eye. I had no idea who had made this dress, but I suddenly felt immense respect towards them.

Slowly, I slipped into the gown while I admired every inch of it. Was this a wedding gown? Or does he intend for me to wear it—

"You're going to get introduced to the entire kingdom as the queen and my bride.." his deep baritone voice announced from the outside, cutting my thoughts short. He seemed to always know what I was thinking, and he always answered when I wanted.

"I'm dressed now." I informed, and only then did Damian walk into the room. His eyes widened expressively at the sight of me in the gown, and my response was to turn pink under his gaze. There was a wild hunger in his eyes, a stare that both complimented my beauty in the dress and outside of it.

"You look... beautiful." He stammered out, and I felt my cheeks burn with excitement.

"Thank you." I replied, lowering my head shyly to avoid his gaze.

He walked closer, no further than an arms length away from me. I could feel his warmth from where I stood, and the feel of his hand against my chin made my heart leap into my chest.

"You're going to be my bride soon, there's no need to be shy around me."

I swallowed hard, my breathing now unsteady as the tension between us thickened. "I'll do my best."

He pulled away reflexively, as though he was fighting back an urge. "We'll be leaving soon. I know you didn't enjoy your first visit at my place, but we have to stay there until the mating ritual and everything is over. I promise you'll never have to step foot in there once we're done—"

"It's fine, I completely understand." I interjected softly. He was probably referring to his brother and Martha, and while those were people that I didn't want around me, I knew that sacrifices had to be made for me to get what I wanted.

"I'll have the chef make breakfast, we'll leave after then"Damian informed before finally turning around and walking away. He was unlike most alphas, and sometimes I couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing, or if it was the opposite.

Most alphas were commanding, and the mere sight of them was enough to send fear into the roots of anybody before them. However, Damian was different, he was cold sometimes, but most times he radiated nothing more than a vibrant aura.

I pushed those thoughts away, it didn't matter right? An Alpha will always be an Alpha regardless of what they acted like.

I slipped out of the dress and headed for the bathroom. And after freshening up, I joined Damian at the dining table for breakfast. It was just the two of us, and while we engaged in little talks, the majority of breakfast was spent in silence. Neither of us wanted to overstep boundaries just yet, and it was obvious.

I prepared in silence as well, my thoughts occupied with what would come after our mating ritual. Would he change? Was all of this a facade to keep the mate he had been seeking for so long from running away? I didn't know why, but there was a part of me that didn't believe that Damian was all roses and sunshine.

I met him in the car, all ready and prepared. Just like me, he seemed to be lost in own thoughts, but the sight of me seemed to distract him momentarily. He didn't say much, he only stole occasional glances at me, and each time I caught sight of it, my heart always seemed to skip a beat.

The ride back to his family home was uneventful, though tension filled the air. My mind flared back to Martha, and I wondered if she was still around, and if she despised me with every fiber of her bone.

We arrived at the palace, and Damian was stolen from me almost immediately. We had been expected, and the elders had taken him away the moment we arrived. He had planted a kiss on my cheeks and had assured me that he would be back just before one of the maids guided me inside.

She was polite, her face calm as she led me to a room that had been prepared for me. The decor was beautiful—richly colored drapes, a bed draped in soft linens, and a large window that overlooked the gardens. I tried to relax, settling onto the bed, but my thoughts kept spinning. Everything felt so surreal, until it wasn't.

I had barely settled down when the door creaked open. I had thought it would be Damian, but I turned to meet another figure. Before me was Martha, her eyes filled with hatred and an anger that threatened to overwhelm us both.