Chapter 10

Darian's POV

Darian let out a quiet chuckle under his breath when he saw her trying to hide from him.

Ridiculous.

Did she really think she could escape him? He is an Alpha! Even if she buries herself beneath the earth, he would still find her.

Would still be able to trace her scent.

He walks closer as quietly as he can, hands tucked in his pocket, and just as he had thought...she is injured.

He sees the slight furrow of her brow, the way she flinches in pain everytime she moves.

His expression darkens.

The thought that she is willing to endure that pain just to get away from him didn't sit right.

Is she scared of him now?

It irritates him to even think about as she should be the last person trying to avoid him now. Not after she'd made him lose control like that.

Even when he had reached his hand out to her, he caught it. The hesitance, the way her hands trembled slightly.

But he didn't pull away. He stood patiently, hand never wavering until she finally nodded and took it.

The moment her hand slid into his, he gripped it tightly, ignoring her quiet whimper in protest.

Something about her hands...they were too soft. Small, fitting perfectly in his.

His wolf stirred again in response.

Without warning, he pulled her forward, throwing her hand over his shoulder, keeping it secured tightly, before he slips the second hand beneath her thighs, hoisting her up with unrestrained strength.

"M-my lord." She stammers, shifting in his arms, "y-you don't have to do this."

Darian doesn't reply. Just presses her closer, enjoying the warmth of her skin as he begins to move.

Not toward the maiden's quarters.

No, he turns right the other way, holding her completely still as he slips through a path that leads towards his own chamber.

Belle's eyes widens as she realizes, twisting and turning in his arms, trying to get him to drop her. So far, she knows the King-to-be is still actively searching for a mate, and she knows how it would look like to others, if they saw the king carry her like this.

But Prince Darian just didn't seem to... care.

At one point he stops abruptly, sharp green eyes settling coolly on her. She goes still immediately, avoiding his gaze.

A quiet click leaves his tongue as he draws her even closer, his hold tightening while carefully adjusting her injured leg.

"Stop moving." He breaths, voice dropping low and gravelly. His fingers twitches with restraint, jaw tightening, her movements doing things to him..

Belle complies, trying not to let it show how much the close proximity affected her. She's confused as to why the Prince would even waste his time with something like this.

With someone like her.

What was he hoping to gain?

She looks up at him, and their eyes meet. He's staring intently at her, like he's trying to read through her soul.

It's pulling and scaring her at the same time.

She quickly looks away, but is fast to press herself back into his chest when she catches a few guards still standing watch in the hallway.

Prince Darian is taken aback when she presses against him, fighting back a smirk as he feels her nuzzle deeper into his neck.

If he'd known seeing guards would make her cling to him more, he would've ordered them to line the entire hallway from the start.

A slow grin tugs at his lips.

It doesn't take long for him to reach his chamber, settling her calmly on his dark bed as the door shuts behind them.

He pulls away, watching her with an infuriating calm.

She's beautiful. Annoyingly so.

Her big brown eyes are the prettiest things he's ever seen. Alluring.

Her thin lips, pale and dry..begging to be wetted.

And with the golden strands of hair pouring over her shoulder and back, The Prince is quick to tuck a stray strand behind her ears.

She fights a blush and looks away, shivering a bit from the contact.

Darian hums in approval, going toward the huge cabinet she hadn't noticed until now. He pulls a small bottle out, then a small clean towel and comes back over.

He bends over her, his smell wrapping around them as he begans to inspect the wound.

Then he smells it. Her, again.

Beneath the scent of soap, and the oil in her hair, he can still tell there's something odd pulsing beneath her skin. It makes him pause,

She doesn't smell like any of the Omegas he's been with. Neither like any of the humans.

She doesn't smell like anything he knows at all and it's strange.

Almost like she doesn't belong to this world. And it makes him curious.

Prince Darian doesn't realize he's leaning too close until he clears her throat, putting a bit of distance between them.

He sighs and pulls back, pretending like nothing's happened.

"It's a pretty deep cut." He says seriously, "but it'll heal fast if you don't put too much pressure on it."

Belle can't help but look up at him, his sharp green eyes are focussed, lips pressed into a thin line, brow drawn as he wets the towel to clean around the wound.

"Why are you doing this for me?" The words spill out before she can stop them.

He pauses, slowly looking up to meet her gaze, but Belle stands her ground.

"I'm just a new maid. You shouldn't waste this much effort on me, My lord." She says again, eyes questioning.

He only shrugs it off. "You're my staff, so that means you are under my care, doesn't it?"

She scoffs. "Staff?"

He raises a brow. "Yes." He meets her eyes again. "Or would you rather be something else?"

Her eyes widens as understanding flickers. He is definitely flirting with her...right?

Darian chuckles at her reaction, dipping the cloth into the bottle before pressing it gently against the wound.

She hisses loudly, brows drawing together in pain as she instinctively tries to pull her leg away.

"Shhh.." he soothes, thumb pressing soft circles into her thighs to distract.

She bites her lips and nods. "T-thank you, my Lord."

Darian doesn't respond. He can't. That lip bite, it did something to him.

Instead, his hand comes up to cradle her jaw, guiding her gaze back to him as he leans in slowly, giving her a chance to shift away..

She doesn't.

But she brings her finger up to curl into the front of his shirt, and that's all the permission he needs.

He closes the distance, pressing his lips against hers, slowly at first. Testing. Just a brush of lips that sends jolts down his spine.

His wolf stirs happily beneath his skin.

Belle stills for a beat, before responding. Her lips mirroring his...hesitant and tentative.

She pulls back slightly after a minute, eyes hazy, chest heaving.

But Darian doesn't wait.

He surges forward again, kissing her with all urgency of holding back for too long.

It's rough now, all teeth and tongue, kissing like he's been starving for years, hands tightening around her jaw, holding her steady as he kisses her senseless.

Belle sighs softly into the kiss, melting into the softness of his lips.

He rises and leans over her, deepening the kiss even as her back hits the bed, hovering above her without breaking the connection between them.

Until a sharp knock hits the wooden doors.

Belle gasps startled, but Darian doesn't pull away and the knock comes again, even louder.

"Darian are you in there?" David's voice echoes. "I have something I need you to see."