Chapter 10. No Rest

* Ivan *

As I expected her chambers were spacious, elegant, and beautiful, the wide doors opened and the servants bowed their heads after seeing us. An old woman and a young girl stood aside allowing us to get in.

"Welcome back Your Highness, Princess Dorina."

The old woman greeted us with a puzzled look on her face when she saw me beside Dorina. Princess Dorina nodded before speaking.

"Matilda, thank you. Please I need two cups of coffee to my room and brew some tea for my father and mother, they might be coming soon."

The old woman gasped while the young one remained standing and looking at me her eyes wide. "Oh before anything else, Matilda this is Ivan..uhm my husband." She turned to me and added. "These are our servants in this part of the Palace, Matilda and Nathalie also there is the gardener Arthur, and the driver Benny. You will meet them tomorrow when they come."

She sounded casual although I could feel the hesitation in her voice when she referred to me as her husband.

"Your Highness, forgive me for asking but is he..Does the Alpha King know about this?"

Dorina gazed at me when I folded my arms above my chest before she answered the old woman.

"No Matilda, not yet. And that is why he is coming so please go and brew the tea now while I have Nathalie bring me the coffee to my bedroom."

She raised her hand to stop the old woman from saying anything again when she attempted to open her mouth. I heard her utter when we turned our backs, "My Goodness, if the Alpha King is coming. I can't fathom how angry he would be."

Dorina sighed while we walked the large hall to her bedroom.

"There is only one bedroom but big enough for both of us, the dressing room has a wide couch that can be converted to a bed. You choose where to sleep."

I groaned. "I'm good with sleeping even on the floor. The big couch in your living room is fine. Working in my beerhouse has made me capable of sleeping just four hours a day. Sometimes I just snooze at my office chair. So you don't have to worry Princess."

We walk into a princess-like room.. Yeah. Princess-like was an understatement. Her bedroom was twice the size of my entire room above the beerhouse. Canopy bed draped in soft ivory, windows that looked straight out to the moonlit gardens, a fireplace that was already lit even though she wasn't home.

Everything smelled like her, vanilla and something wilder underneath. Like rain on wildflowers.

When I said I could take the couch in the living room, it was a lie. The couch in her sitting room probably cost more than my whole bar and I wasn't about to make this more awkward than it already was.

She didn't argue with me. She just gave me that small, tired smile that didn't reach her eyes and slowly walked away from me.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll just go take a quick shower. By the way, there is a small comfort room in the living room if you like to use it now."

I briefly nodded. She disappeared into what I assumed was the ensuite, a tall arched door on the far left. I was looking around her bedroom when Nathalie, the young maid, knocked softly and entered with two steaming mugs of coffee.

She placed mine on the low table and practically ran out, not meeting my eyes.

I took the hint and stepped out into the hall after she left, finding the small powder room she had pointed at earlier probably for guests. It was still luxurious by my standards. Marble sink, hot water, actual towels that didn't smell like stale beer in my place.

I splashed water on my face and stared at my reflection. This might be a marriage in name only but somehow I felt a sense of belonging whenever she was near. The thought made me groan that I wanted to kick myself straight in the gut.

I could hear the faint hiss of her shower starting through the wall. Forced myself to look away from the thought, from the door, from everything that sound did to my chest.

Focus on the act, Ivan. Her father's coming. The man who could rip my throat out before I finished my coffee .

I dried my face, straightened my shirt, like I care what they think of me, and went back to her sitting room to wait like a proper husband.

Matilda was already there, probably waiting for Dorina to come out, I noticed her hands were shaking. She glanced at me.

"You... you care for her?" she whispered suddenly, fierce and low.

The question made me raise an eyebrow but I had to give the old woman some respect, she cares about the Princess so much.

"More than my own life," I said. And somehow I said it as though I truly meant it.

Her eyes softened for just a second. "Then when the Alpha King comes, you stand in front of her. Not behind."

Before I could answer she turned away, the ensuite door opened. Steam rolled out into the bedroom, carrying her scent stronger now. Dorina stepped out in a simple silk robe, her dark brown hair wet and dripping onto her shoulders, her face scrubbed clean of the road dust. No princess crown, or any armor. Just, Dorina. I gulp down a lump in my throat.

Our eyes met across the room. She looked less tired now after she showered. Fresh and pretty and it made me feel a bit exhilarated to think that she is my wife even if we are pretending. That ceremony we had was real.

"You can... use the bathroom now if you want," she said softly, clutching the robe tighter. "The shower's still warm."

Matilda came back from outside and opened the door wide, with perfect timing, she cleared her throat loudly.

"Princess, the Alpha King and Luna are already waiting in the living room."

We both looked at the old woman.

"I guess my shower could wait until later," I uttered.

Matilda went back without waiting for her answer. Dorina walked fast to the dressing room and in a few seconds she was dressed up in a soft fabric dress with a loose and graceful fit.

"Let's go meet my father."

I followed her to the door and the moment we saw the living room, I felt the strong familiar presence of his father the Alpha King.

They were seated side by side, he looked aged from the last time I saw him. His eyes looked fiercely at me, beside him sat a beautiful woman resembling Dorina classically.

"Dorina sweetie, thank heavens that you are back safely!"

She remained beside me even though I could feel how much she wanted to go and hug her mother. "I apologized for leaving the Palace without telling where I would go mother."

Dorina lowered her eyes. Then he stood up and walked towards us. "So who is this man with you Dorina?"

His voice was loud enough to be heard across the room, even if he was acting calm I could feel his controlled anger deep inside and when I met his gaze the air changed. It shifted with him.

"My name is Ivan your highness and I am your daughter's husband."

The Queen gasped. "Dorina, what have you done?" I couldn't remember any wolf who was able to hold my neck and push me up against the wall.

"Tell me why I should spare your life right now?!"

"Father no!"

Dorina was fast to run and hold her father's hand. I felt his fingers closing around my neck breaking my airways. But I have been to countless enemies, Alphas, and monster rogues. This is no different.

"Father, please let him go! He didn't do anything wrong we love each other, if you kill him I swear I would end my life!"

He hissed before letting me go. "Ugh! Listen to your daughter your highness, maybe then you would know if you have done a great job raising her."

The Alpha King growled in front of me but I wasn't scared. I just realized that he did not recognize me from the past. Perhaps my appearance had changed so much.