Chapter 27

Dorian's POV

"Now can we speak properly?" He turns to both women..

His mother's face is clouded with disappointed.

And Kayla, he expects her to be remorseful,but she's not. She's standing composed, a hint of confidence in her shoulders like she knows something he doesn't.

He can immediately sense something isn't right...otherwise why would she dare claim that they had spent a night together in front of so many people?

He turns to address his mother first, completely ignoring her.

"Mother, I appreciate you looking out for me... but if you want to question me next time, you WILL do it privately."

Queen Skyler exhales irritatedly, like she can't see why Dorian is mad.

"The rumors were spreading fast, selected families were getting worried...was I not supposed to do something!!?"

Rumors? Dorian looks at her incredulous.

Of course there will always be rumors, it's a royal court for crying out loud.

His gaze doesn't soften, "People will always talk! You should've asked me first!"

"And you should not have given them reason to speak at all." She sounds genuinely exasperated, and Dorian almost caves, because she's right about that.

He'd lost control...touched her in public.

But no, she STILL should have asked him about it first!

"you're an Alpha, I know...." She continues, voice firm. "...but your actions reflect on the crown. You cannot afford carelessnessly, especially so close to your coronation!"

His eyes flickers go Kayla for a beat, she looks slight amused. It makes him grit his teeth at the entire charade. A guest shouldn't even be knowing about his business like this!

"And I don't care if it was Kayla," she adds, following his gaze, "You should have found better ways to handle yourself.'

"What I do in private is nobody's business!" He glares at his mother. "Is there a rule that prohibits me now?"

"You're about to be crowned--"

"I don't care!"

This time Kayla flinches slightly, but she quickly masks it. The Prince seems to really agitated now.

"I am the head of Moonveil! If there's questions about my conduct, then you WILL go through dutiful process."

Queen Skyler doesn't have a response this time, chest rising and falling in quiet anger. He's right, no matter what she thinks.

But still...

She holds his gaze for a few minutes, before finally looking away. "Very well, Your Highness!" Her tone is sarcastic.

She gets up immediately, Kayla helping to straighten the edge of her cloak as she walks past them. Then she turns to look down at her, a silent message passes, before she turns and walks away, leaving them alone in the hall.

The silence stretches for a beat, before Dorian slowly turns to glower at Kayla.

"What in the goddess' name is wrong with you?!"

Dorian knows Kayla has always been confident. Where the other chosen women will lower their heads, Kayla would glower.

That was what had made him pay a little attention to her in the first place...

But he certainly didn't expect her to still look this smug, even after she'd watched him call his own mother to order.

His irritation could be tasted on the air now, "I asked you a question, woman!"

Kayla still doesn't respond at first. She takes her sweet time wiping a streak of painted on hickeys, before inching closer until they're face to face.

"You know... you should be thanking me," Kayla purrs.

Dorian blinks, taken aback. "Excuse me?!"

She leans closer, like she's about to say something scandalous.

"I know who exactly you've been sleeping with, Dorian." She says with a slight grin, voice almost sing-song. "I think it's better they think it's me, than her." Her eyes meet his green ones, "don't you think so ..Your Highness?"

He walks into his bath-room to find a handful of maids changing the water, the hem of their clothes slight wet as they added scented oils.

"We're almost done, Your highness." The head maid apologizes while they all bow.

Dorian doesn't even look at them. He flicks one of the older maids toward him...one that has worked with him for years without complaining.

"Go get me Isabella, she's a new maid" he says, voice almost a whisper.

The woman looks like she wants to ask questions, but when she meets the Prince's expression, she presses her lips into a thin line, duty clouding her curiosity.

"Yes, your Highness."

Before Belle finally comes in, the bath water has been totally changed, Dorian already seated calmly in the middle of the huge marble tub.

She knocks softly, almost inaudibly. And Dorian would've ignored it if not for her scent that hit him.

"Come in." He says, eyes pinned to the door as it slowly opens, Isabella shuffling in with eyes pinned to the floor, refusing to look at him.

But he still notices everything; the slight hesitation. The stiffness in her shoulders. He catches the way her eyes roam the room briefly, turning slightly pink, before she bows.

He finds the embarrassment endearing.

"You asked for me, your highness."

"Come closer." His voice is low, as he sits up, water droplets kissing his beautiful tanned skin that Belle tries and fails not to oogle at.

"I would rather not." She says, still not looking at him. "...your highness." she adds, but it doesn't sound respectful, even to her own ears.

Belle's POV.

"I would rather not." Belle says still not looking at him. "...your highness."

She hates how she can't seem to tear her eyes away from his beautiful body. It's illegal he even looks like this...

"Is that so?" He muses, coming to rest on the edge of the tub. His hands are folded, chin on his folded arms....The Prince looks almost childish like this, green eyes staring up at her pleadingly.

She glares, resolved not to fall for it, words tumbling out before she can stop it.

"I believe… you have other people to call for this sort of thing."

Belle winces at how bitter the words sound.

That gets the Prince's attention, and before long he's standing, water cascading down the hard muscles of his torso.

Belle is grateful he's at least wearing underwear.

He stands in front of her, tilting her chin to meet her eyes. "Now just where did you hear that?!"

Belle's heartbeat is loud in her ears, and she hopes the Prince can't hear it, even though it's likely his Alpha ears picked up on it since the moment she stepped in here.

Her body reacts instantly at the proximity, the contact...heat pooling, thighs pressing together before she can stop herself.

But it's not her fault...nope, it's definitely his pheromones.

She pulls her chin from his grasp, looking away.

"I don't know."

He exhales, not angry, just tired.

"Because of those rumors? We both know it isn't true--"

"Not that."

"Then what?" He leans in, "Are you jealous of someone or something?"

Belle shifts back slightly from his heat. Because hell yeah she's jealous! Jealous and angry at the realization that he's been using her as a plaything all this time.

"I just..." What right does she even have to say this? "I heard," she says quieter now, "that you don't… usually.... lack options."

She finally meets his eyes, watching his conflicted green eyes, finally settle. "I don't want to be part of your-'options'."

"You talk too much," he murmurs, but doesn't look away, holding her gaze.

He doesn't brush it off either.

"I..."

"I don't know where you heard that, but they should've told you I don't sleep with 'options' twice." His hand holds her waist, pulling her close.

"You're not like that to me, Isabella."

"That's not a good reason."

"It is!" He argues, "I'm an Alpha. I'm not going to deny I might have had other... escapades once in a while." Something about the Prince explaining himself to her, it makes her heart stutter.

"But ever since you, I haven't met with other women." He leans in, giving her a minute to pull back...she doesn't.

So he closes the distance.

This kiss is soft, gently, tentative, reassuring.....tongue pressing at her lips, asking for permission. And when she lets him, he kisses her with all intensity of a man being given his favorite food....

Still not rough... just intense.

He pulls back chest heaving, "I want you, Isabella." He meets her hazy brown eyes, "Only you."

Belle sighs, angry at her traitorous heart for even reacting...

....Because she believes him.

Even when she shouldn't.