06.

ERENDINA.

The gulp in my throat is loud when my father beckons at me as my eyes shift to his.

That sinking feeling is back, and it’s pulling me under as several thoughts of what he could have told my father races through my mind.

“Eren?” Dom’s call of my name draws my attention back to him, and there’s worry in his eyes as he asks, “Are you okay?”

I force a smile. “Yeah. Father wants me.”

“Oh.” He turns to look at the mentioned man before returning his eyes to me. “Is everything okay?”

I’m about to find out.

I only give Dom another smile before moving ahead. My steps are hesitant, my feet dragging sluggishly, and sweat breaks out in my closed palms as I approach them despite my unwillingness.

I turn to my father, refusing to meet the man’s eyes. “You called for me?” I manage to let the words out without a tremble and Dad nods, a small smile touching his mouth as he extends his hand to the side. “Wanted to introduce the two of you. This is Emilian. Late Alpha Richard’s second son and Wendy’s brother.” My brows shoot up at his last words and when I look at him, a grin welcomes me.

“Princess Erendina? It is a pleasure seeing you in the flesh. I’ve heard many stories about you.” His words are innocent. Keen even. But not his eyes. There’s something about the way he tilts his head that leaves me unsettled.

“Erendina?” Dad utters my name when I don’t respond to his greeting and I swallow as I take the hand that’s in the air. “Pleasure meeting you.”

His head tilts to the side even more as he says, “I have to say you feel almost familiar. Like we’ve met before.” My heart skips a beat at that, nervousness striking my insides at the knowing look on his face.

He knows. It was him.

“You have?” Dad voices, interest laced through, and silence falls between us. I part my lips to speak. To refute his claim, but nothing comes out. My throat is too dry. My chest is too tight. My heart is beating too loudly and the hand that’s not holding Emilian’s is almost shaking. It feels as though one wrong word and everything would come crashing down.

“I think I remember.” I hold my breath, waiting for the revelation. A second ticks by. Another. And another. Then… he laughs. The sound of it echoes around me as he lets go of my hand. “You bumped into me in the hallway.” He says, and I let go of the breath I’m holding as I give an awkward chuckle. “Ah right.”

He winks at me before turning to my father, and my eyes narrow as I watch him.

He doesn’t know. That voice belongs to him, but he doesn’t know. My secret is safe.

“If you’ll excuse me,” I say, giving a smile to my dad before turning away. I feel his eyes follow me, but I don’t turn back to meet them.

I make my way back to Dominic, but pause when Wendy reaches him before I do. She takes his hand and pulls him along, the sound of her giggles too loud as they slide through the crowd of bodies.

I bite the inside of my cheek, irritation churning at me at knowing this is how it’d be from now on. He’s hers. Forever. And I’d have to watch this happen every single day from today.

I want to claw the thought from my head. I want to claw him away from her. She doesn’t deserve him. Not like I do. He should be with me.

It suddenly feels too hot in the room and all I want to do is escape. Perhaps go to my usual spot and have that man fuck the memories and images of today from my mind. Even if it’s just for a moment, I just want to forget. But I can’t. Not right now. I still have hours to get through before this dreaded ceremony is over.

I blow a breath and release my fisted hands. My eyes roam across the room in search of a distraction, something to keep my mind off Dominic for the rest of the ceremony.

It isn’t intentional, but my eyes land on his. It’s hard not to when he’s staring so intensely at me. He’s still with my father, but it’s me he’s watching. When I cock a brow, he throws yet another wink and raises the glass he’s holding.

I frown, looking away as I turn in another direction.

I don’t know what it is about him, but the look in his eyes each time they meet mine leaves a weird sensation in my gut.

I glance back at him, and he’s no longer gaping.

I nod as I watch him laugh at something Dad says.

It’s alright. He doesn’t know. No one does. No one would ever know.

•NIGHTFALL•

Dominic’s wedding ceremony felt like it was never going to end. Watching his wife parade him across the room looking all too happy while I had to pretend to be pleased for the new couple has worn me out. And knowing what they’d be up to tonight feels even worse than the last past hours.

I place my hands on my stomach and breathe loudly with my eyes concentrated on the dots of my ceiling, trying not to let the images of what would be happening in Dominic’s room occupy my thoughts.

I fail only within seconds.

Fuck. I can’t do this. I should be more careful, but I can’t stay here.

I move out of bed and walk to the floor mirror sitting next to it. I put my hair in a ponytail before snatching the scarf that sits on the top of the shelf. I make my way out of the room and stride down the hallway to my escape exit.

I’m almost near the room when I’m snatched from behind. I’m pushed into the wall with a hand holding both of mine to my back and another closing over my mouth.

What the…

A body presses into mine, and I hear the sound of steady breathing before the words come. “Hello Princess. We meet again.”

That voice.

I thrash against the grasp and after a few seconds of fighting, I’m released. When I turn back, dark grey eyes stare back at me and I scoff. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, his eyes roam my frame. When I notice his gaze is locked on the scarf I have in hand, I clear my throat as I hide it behind me. “I asked you a question.”

He looks back at me and smiles. “Where are you going so late?”

“It’s none of your—”

“To where I found you?”

My mouth opens, and I blink at him. “What? What are you… what are you talking about?”

“I think you know.” He mumbles and takes a step forward. I take one back, but he follows. With each leg I put back, he puts one forward till he has me crowded against the wall.

“What are you…”

“You remember me. Don’t you, princess?” He smirks and there’s that look again. One that leaves me heaving because it feels like he knows something. And whilst I couldn’t tell what before because he pretended not to recognize me earlier; I do now.

It’s him. It was him.

“You were at the whorehouse, weren’t you?” He whispers with eyes full of intent, and I shake my head. “I don’t… I have… what are you—”

“You don’t have to deny it. I saw you. I know you were in there. I know what you did, Princess.” He leans in even closer till his breath is caressing my skin and his gaze is wicked as he says, “I know your secret.”

I’m left frozen on the spot, unable to say anything in response. I just stand there, a tightening in my throat as what I’ve always dreaded most comes to life.

Emilian laughs and backs away by two steps. “The Princess of Sert. The almighty Erendina Arden. It will be bad if this gets out, won’t it? I’ve learned you have quite a reputation. They all think you’re pure, don’t they? The kingdom. Your father.” At the mention of his name, I’m snapped back into consciousness and my head jerks repeatedly as I rush forward. “No. No, you can’t. You can’t tell—”

“Your father?”

I nod twice with my body quivering from the mere possibility of it. My father is a strict man and what he commands most is respect. Finding out about what I did—what I’m doing—a threatening stain to his reputation would anger him, and I do not like my father’s anger. “Please. Please, no one must know.”

He draws a hiss and taps his chin as if in thought. After a while, he opens his mouth. “Okay. I’ll keep your secret.”

My eyes widen. “Really? You’d—”

“Under one condition.” He holds up a finger and I stagger back when he starts to close in. He cages me into the wall again and his lips stretch back as he moves his finger to my face. I suck in a breath when he traces the skin beneath my lips, my heart pounding from the touch. It’s small, but it’s telling something. So are his eyes as they drop on mine.

My breathing stutters, heat crawling up my skin at the way he watches me and the way his thighs press into mine. His head pushes forward and I’m about to speak when he moves away from me completely.

He slips his hands into his pockets and lifts his chin. “On your knees.”

“Excuse me?”

“Get on your knees. Undo my pants and suck my cock for starters,” he says the words so casually. They’re more a command than a request and I fail to hold back the snort that leaves me. “Why would I…”

Once again, he doesn’t let me finish. “You. Your body—that’s the price for my secrecy.”