When we got in, I took a shower, and Xavier carefully tended to my wound. He told me to take it easy, maybe take a break from training for a while.I agreed, I needed to take it easy.He helped me to bed and pull the blankets over me, we said our goodnights and he left the room.My mind kept wondering to Elliot, I hope he is fine.---The next morning, the first call I got was from Sienna. She said she got back last night. I was glad that my friend was back. Then her voice dropped, She asked me how the palace was holding up at this time.I frowned. “At this time? What do you mean?”She fell quiet, then she asked, “Liora… don’t you know? About the Alpha’s passing?”My stomach dropped. “What?”“The Alpha died yesterday. They’re bringing him home today for burial,” she said softly. “I thought you, of all people, would know. You work in the palace.”I couldn’t breathe for a moment. The Alpha is… dead?I muttered that I had taken some time off, and she seemed confused, but went on to ask
The next morning, when I woke up, Xavier was already outside on the training grounds. The sun shone on his bare chest, making his skin glow bronze as he stretched, every muscle moving with sharp control. He looked like he was made for battle, strong, and focused.I stopped in the doorway, my heart beating faster just watching him.“You’re awake,” he said without looking, as if he had felt me the moment I stepped out. “Good. Today I will teach you to fight.”My throat went dry. “I don’t know anything about fighting,” I admitted, my voice small.“You will.” He tossed me a wooden staff. I almost dropped it, the weight awkward in my hands. He lifted his own with ease, steady and sure. “Show me what you can do.”A nervous laugh escaped me. “I’ll just embarrass myself.”His mouth curved in a faint smirk. “You won’t. There’s more in you than you think. Trust me.”Something in his voice pushed me forward. I swung clumsily at him. He blocked with barely a flick of his wrist.“Again,” he ordere
Throughout the day, Elliot kept calling over and over with different numbers. At first, I ignored him, but the ringing never stopped. It wore me down until finally, exhausted and irritated, I picked up. “Elliot, stop calling me!” I snapped. His voice came low and sharp through the line. “Liora, what do you want from me? You want me to beg? You think I’ll crawl after you?” He gave a bitter laugh. “No. I won’t beg anymore. After all, you owe me, and unless you’re ready to pay back, you’ll drag your ass back here.” His threat made my chest burn with rage. “Maybe I’ll tell my new man to pay you back so you can leave me the hell alone.” Silence. Then his voice darkened, dangerous. “Your new man?” he hissed. “Liora, don’t piss me off. You wouldn’t dare leave me for another man. He is not your mate. I am.” I clenched the phone. My heart screamed no, but the words slipped out anyway, bitter and reckless. “What if I reject you?” The silence on the line stretched, suffocating. Then
When I finally stumbled back to my room, my hands were still shaking. Only when the door closed behind me did the full weight of what I had done hit me.I bit him.My stomach twisted. Elliot would be furious. Maybe worse. He could punish me for challenging his dominance. He could destroy me.I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and scrolled to Sienna’s name. But I remembered that she was still on her honeymoon, halfway across the world. She couldn’t help me.Desperation made my chest feel tight. Then I remembered Xavier’s words from weeks ago: "Call me if you ever need anything."With a shaking breath, I dialed his number.He picked up on the second ring. His voice sounded tired, “Liora?”“It’s me,” I whispered. “Can you… can you come get me?”For a heartbeat, I expected him to say no, to tell me he was busy or asleep. Instead, his voice changed, like he was suddenly alert, like my words had jolted him awake.“I’ll be there right away.”The call ended. I stood in the silence,
For a long, heavy moment, Elliot just stared at me. His eyes were dark and unreadable, his chest rising and falling with a controlled rhythm. Then, as if waking from a spell, he stood abruptly.I sat frozen, the sudden chill in the room wrapping around me like chains.He dressed quickly, each movement was sharp and deliberate, like he couldn’t stand being near me a second longer. The warmth that had been in his eyes moments ago was gone, snuffed out as though it had never existed. In its place was the cold, distant Elliot who had once looked down on me like I was dirt beneath his boots.“I think you’ve forgotten your place Liora, you're getting carried away," he said finally, his voice flat, hard as stone.My throat tightened. “What do you mean?”“I’m not in love with you,” he said, buttoning his shirt without looking at me. “I don’t want your heart. I just need you for sex. Sometimes a man will do anything to get what he wants.”The words struck like claws to my chest. “Elliot…”“I'v
That evening, I sat on my narrow bed, staring at Elliot’s message again and again. "I won’t be able to see you tonight. Ariana is sleeping in my room." My chest tightened. No. Not tonight. Ariana would use that potion on him, trap him, bend his will using magic potions, and if she did, he would be lost to her forever. My hands covered my face. I couldn’t fight her openly. Not yet. But maybe… maybe I could stop him from letting her near him tonight. I bit my lip until it hurt as I unlocked my phone. I had the room to myself tonight because Nina had to go visit her family. My heart raced as I leaned back on the pillows, lifting my phone’s camera. My hair fell loose over one shoulder, my dress slipping low enough to show a hint of my collarbone, and cleavage. My cheeks burned as I snapped the picture. "Do you really want her in your room tonight, I typed slowly, when you could have me instead?" I stared at the words, then pressed send. Thinking of Ariana with that potion made