Chapter 28

Belle's POV

"Sit on it."  The Prince commands, waist down still buried in the water.

Belle is a shivering mess, thighs parted, eyes half lidded as the Prince had spent the past few minutes stretching her open.

She shifts on his lap, the Prince's big hands splayed across her hips as he helps her, lining up beneath her.

The first sink drives them both mad, Belle's eyes clamping shut, while Dorian's face starts to twist in pleasure, brows furrowed, mouth falling open.

The sight of the Prince so pleasure drunk makes Belle feel powerful.

She swears under her breath, spine arching instinctively, fingers clutching at his shoulders for balance as she continues to take even more of him, skin flushed from head to toe.

She hates how easy it was for the prince to convince her. She'd come here, mind set on telling him about the assassination plan she'd overheard, and then walking right away.

But with just a few words of reassurances and a few press of lips, she's back on top of him, letting him have her again.

Belle shivers as she finally takes all of him, hips stuttering as the Prince bottoms out.

"Fuck...so tight." Dorian pants, pressing his face into the croon of her neck, as they stay still for a minute. "you're...gods..you drive me crazy!"

The sounds of their labored breaths is loud in the shared space as Darian's his hand moves from her waist down, spreading the cheeks, rocking up a little, going deeper with every thrust.

Belle almost whimpers but she swallows it down, body shuddering even as the Prince's own groans grow slightly louder.

This time, it's not rough. It's not driven by his wolf, or by instinct.

It's just them.

Belle and Dorian basking in the pleasure of their bodies.

Belle's head falls back, eyes rolling to the back of her head as she starts grinding her hips in small controlled circles.

"You're mine!" She hears him groan below her, lips mapping every inch of skin..slow and reverent; from her neck, down to her nipples, where he takes his time teasing and swirling. "All mine!' this time his voice is muffled against her skin.

Belle is a moaning mess now, hips faltering from overstimulation. And that's when he takes over; thrusting up faster and harder, until she can no longer keep up and completely falls into his chest, the sounds of their bodies filling the space.

His whispered praises fill her head with so much dopamine,that for a moment she forgets where she is...a loud whine ripping from her throat as her organism hits her with full force.

The Prince follows shortly after, pressing kisses into her skin as their breaths slowly even.

For a moment she completely forgets everything else..

Her name.

Where she is.

Who she's supposed to be.

How she's supposed to find a way home...

All of it, gone by the by the depth of the moment.

They stay like that for a beat, before reality finally, finally comes crashing back.

She pulls back, forcing herself to look at him properly. His green eyes are dark with desire, unfocused.

"Your highness..." Her voice is breathless. "I have something  important to tell you."

The bath-room is earily silent, like even the rippling of water held still.

They're sitting apart now, Belle now on the opposite side of the bath, trying to pretend their thighs touching under the water doesn't send another wave of heat up her spine.

Dorian breaks the silence first, voice rough, like he has still not fully cut through whatever haze he's trapped in.

"What is it?" He's staring intently at her, green eyes mapping every inch of skin like he can't help himself, before they snap back up to her face.

Belle swallows, hesitant for obvious reasons.

Because now that she's actually about to say it, the words feel heavier. More real.

It's now, or never...

Her fingers curl slightly in the water, "I overheard something." She says quietly, "Before...before everything with us."

She meets his intense gaze, before quickly looking away.

"There's going to be an attempt on your life, your Highness."

Silence.

Like the lingering heat and tension from earlier suddenly dissipated, leaving them clear eyed.

Dorian sits up slightly in the water, eyes not leaving hers for one second. But they're no longer affectionate...they're cold. Sharp.

Belle doesn't dare look up.

"Explain." He says, voice resembling the one he uses when he addresses his court.

Belle nods quickly, breath not fully settled yet.

"I didn't catch everything," her voice is honest, "but I heard some of it. They were talking about timing, and suggested that the best time to attach wood be during the coronation, because guards would be distracted."

Her voice drops, fear that the prince would attribute whatever she's about to say next as just part of her jealousy.

"And they said..." She hesitates, "they mentioned something about a girl winning your heart to make the plan easier. I suspect she's one of your potential mates."

Belle physically feels the temperature dropping. She looks up at him to see that he hasn't moved, but his entire body has gone stiff. Eyes calculating like he's trying to connect the dots.

Missing weapons.

Border reports....and now this.

It clicks.

"Did you see them!?" He asks in a sharp voice, and Belle shakes her head.

"No...I only heard voices, I was hiding so they wouldn't see me." She pauses, "But they sounded familiar with the palace and the way things run around here."

Darian finally, since he heard about the assassination, exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his damp hair. His instincts had been screaming at him all morning.

Now he knows why.

It isn't unexpected that there's an attempt on the future king, political hatred ran deep. But for them to get so close? Right under his nose?

Then something else clicks, his eyes snap back up to hers; "Why didn't you report it sooner?"

His voice is harsher than he intended, it makes Belle flinch.

"Why...you said this was before my rut? So why didn't you tell me before?!"

Belle for the first time hates how petty she gets sometimes. The Prince is right, she has had other chances to tell him..

"I wanted to. I tried to..." She says in defense, though guilty. "But knight David sent me away...that night..."

Dorian remembers. The small glint in his green eyes prove it.

He'd pushed her away that night...

STILL.

His expression hardens again.

"Then why didn't you tell the guards? This is not a small issue, you should have..."

"Because I don't trust them." She cuts in, before she can stop herself.

"What?"

Her voice is steadier now, "if this is happening inside the palace...then it could be anyone behind it." Her voice grows quieter, "I wanted to tell only You."

They both go quiet.

Dorian studies her for a long moment, seeing her as something else for the first time.

Not as a distraction.

Not as the body he wakes up craving every morning.

Not the lingering scent that drives him mad.

This time as someone who cares. Who'd been trying to look out for him...

"Are you just telling me out of obligation?" His voice carries the weight of something Belle can't quite pinpoint.

Like someone who's been betrayed over and over again...

Her heart aches for him, even at her own lies. She's not been honest, never told him she's not who he really wants.

Never told him that one day she might disappear and never come back.

The king most likely wants the maid, not her. Yet here she is, taking what doesn't belong to her...letting herself fill in the gap instead of coming clean.

She looks down, small guilty blooming. "I'm not. I'm telling you because I care about you."

It's true. He'd defended her, treated her wounds, touched and possessed her... in a way the man she loved had never done. Not even ones!

But it still doesn't stop her ears turn pink.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, for not telling you sooner." She adds.

Dorian doesn't respond immediately, like he's still processing.

Finally he asks, "Are you certain about what you're saying?"

Belle doesn't hesitate this time. "Yes. Yes, I am."

That settles it.

The prince stands, frame hovering over her, face void of any remnants of their heat. His expression is serious, calculating.

"From this moment on, your don't leave the inner palace without my permission." He suddenly says.

Belle blinks, taken aback. "W-what? That's not.."

"It wasn't a suggestion." Dorian cuts her off. "It's an order!"

His pheromones are starting to sip; anger, calculation...and underneath it is something vulnerable.

"Not only are you a target now." His gaze darkens, "But because I want you." He leans to her height. "I want you safe. And I want you alive."

His voice drops, "Do you understand me?!"

Belle forces herself to swallow, his pheromones wrap around her like vice.

She can only manage a nod, voice too tight to speak.

"You stay where I can find you. Where I can see you." He continues, "And you're only allowed to serve me from now on."

Belle finally finds her voice, "I-like a personal maid?"

Dorian doesn't blink. "Yes." A beat, "And I don't intend to share anymore."