4. His Unmerciful Gaze

Silas's Pov:

The first thing I felt was the weight of the thick, silk blankets that draped over me, pulsing with a wonderful, addicting scent. It was cedarwood, tinged with that undeniably good Alpha pheromones.

I opened my eyes and my heart immediately leaped into my throat. Memories of last night came rushing in like a waterfall.

I went into my heat last night. And…..the King was there, I remember him carrying me, the way I had felt bliss in the arms of my mate, something I never dreamt of feeling.

“Oh, thank God, you’re not dead.”

I gasped and pulled the duvet up to my chin at the voice of the person I didn't know was in the room with me.

“I was beginning to have nightmares of what Zenith would've done if his Omega had died in his bed.” She said casually, as if she wasn't even talking about death.

She was sitting in a velvet chair by the window, her boots propped up on a stool. She was beautiful in a sharp, dangerous way and her eyes looked like they could see right through my ribs to the secrets I held.

“W-who are you?” I stammered and looked around wearily. Where is he? Where is the King?

“I'm Elara, Zenith's cousin. And don't worry, your mate is currently scaring the life out of his board members in the meeting room.” she said, hopping to her feet and walking toward the bed, when she got close to me, she tilted her head and sniffed the air.

“Ugh, you smell like you’ve been rolled in his laundry. He really went all out with the scent-marking, didn't he?”

He what?

Elara laughed, probably because of the horrid expression on my face. “You should've seen the way he carried you through the halls, growling at anyone who even dared to breathe in your direction. I’ve never seen him so feral, Zenith is usually as emotional as a rock.’

I clutched the blanket tighter to myself, I couldn't remember what she was saying, the only thing I remembered from last night was when he entered the cell and took me in his arms, all my memories were foggy from there.

The image of the King carrying me was impossible to wrap my head around, it was terrifying. Didn't he order me to be thrown in a cell because he thought I was a criminal? What if he comes back now and decides to take me back there.

I didn't know I was shaking until I felt Elara's hand on my leg. I looked at her and her expression softened.

“The cells must've been terrifying for you huh? But don’t worry, his wolf is currently ready to tear the throat out of anyone who tries to take you back to those cells. I doubt he'd be able to do anything to you without his wolf going out of control.”

She inched closer on the bed, her eyes narrowing as she looked at my pale face. “But here's what I don't get. You're a male Omega, that's enough that you're the king's mate. But you went into heat yesterday……… It's strange.” She said cautiously.

I froze, my breath hitching. I can't tell anyone about my body, not now and I don't think I ever will either. I looked at her again and immediately looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. If she looked too closely, she might just see what I'm thinking.

“I'm just sick,” I lied through my teeth, my voice trembling as I spoke.

She looked at me as if she didn't believe anything coming out of my mouth. I didn't blame her, I wouldn't believe myself either.

“Maybe,” Elara said, her voice trailing off as she watched me. “But you’d better find a way to talk to him when he gets back. Because Zenith isn't a man who likes being confused.”

On cue, the door slammed open and he barged in.

“Get out, Elara.” Was the first thing he said.

His sudden presence was so overwhelming it feli like all oxygen has been sucked out of my soul.

Elara didn't move at first, her eyes darting between me and her cousin. “Zenith, we were just-”

“I said out.” he growled and the sound settled deep in my bones.

With a final, worried glance at me, Elara got up from the bed and walked towards the door, she whispered something in his hair before walking out.

And I was left alone with him. The King, my mate.

He looked at me with jagged disgust, his lip curling as if I were a disease.

“Get off my bed,” he spat and I scrambled to get off, my limbs tangled in the heavy silk sheets and I couldn't stop the way my heart slammed repeatedly against my ribs as I practically tumbled off the mattress. My bare feet hit the cold floor as I stood there, trembling, feeling smaller than I ever had in my life. He looked at the spot where I’d been lying as if he wanted to burn the fabric.

“That scent,” he started, his voice holding a dangerous edge as he took a slow step toward me. “Male Omegas don't have heats. They're biologically incapable of it because they can't conceive. So tell me, omega, why does my room smell like a whorehouse?

The blood drained from my face and I looked at the floor in shame, humiliation draped over me like a blanket. I've been insulted many times, and I never cared, but this one, this one hurt.

My fingers clutched the hem of the shirt I was wearing as I tried to find something to say. “I’m not….. I’m just sick.”

He was in front of me in a heartbeat, and the sheer heat radiating off him made my skin prickle. “You’re fucking lying.” He spat in face and I flinched as if he'd struck me.

I shook my head fervently. “I'm not-”

“Look at me!” he roared and I jerked my head up at the command, my eyes were wide and watery due to the fear that was currently pulsating through me. “You're lying about your body, and you're lying about the case. My men found the evidence in your jacket, you were caught red-handed. Confess now and tell me who sent you, and maybe I’ll make your death quick.”

Oh Elara, you were so wrong about your cousin.

“I don't know anything about this!” I sobbed, the desperation finally breaking through. “I was at the clinic and was just walking home! Please, you have the wrong person!”

The truth, which seemed like a lie to him, seemed to be the final straw. Because his face contorted into a mask of pure fury, and before I could even blink, his hand shot out and his fingers clamped around the back of my neck.

“I am tired of your games,” he hissed and began to drag me toward the door. I stumbled as my toes dragged on the rugs as he hauled me along like a disobedient animal. He opened the door and pulled me into the hallway, and I immediately closed my eyes at the lights that were harsher compared to the ones in the room.

“Zenith?” Elara caught up with us along the way, I immediately looked at her with pleading eyes, begging.

She rushed forward, her hands reaching out to grab his arm. “What are you doing? Look at him! You’re hurting him! That is your mate, Zenith! You can't treat him like trash!”

“He is a traitor!” Zenith snarled, not slowing his pace as he marched me toward the stairs, his grip on my neck tightening until I could barely draw a breath. “And if the Moon Mother thinks I’ll let a spy into my heart just because of a biological fluke, she's as delusional as you are!”

I stumbled as the heavy doors of the throne room were thrown open once again and I was thrown to the floor.

I hit the floor hard. The cold floor pressed against my palms, and for a terrifying second, I was back in the moment of my arrest. The same chill, the same shame, the same crushing weight of fear of being accused of something I didn't do.

“Zenith, enough!” Elara stormed in after us, and stood just a few feet behind me,. “You are losing your mind!”

Zenith didn't even acknowledge her. His eyes remained locked on mine, dark and scary. I glanced around and saw there were a few people in the room, seated, looking at me silently.

“Lucas.”

He called and I heard footsteps responding, I looked behind me to see a massive Alpha guard stepping forward from his post. The sight of his huge frame alone scared me.

“Next time I ask him a question, and he doesn't give the right answer, whip him.”

The silent room went even more quiet, if that was possible. I could hear the frantic rhythm of my own heart, a beat of pure terror. I looked up at him, my vision was already blurring with tears, searching for a single spark of the man who Elara described to me, but I found nothing.

“Who sent you?” he asked.

My mouth went dry and my tongue felt like lead. “I- I told you….. I was... I was at the h-hospital... nobody sent-’

“Whip him.”

Before I could even gasp, I heard the sharp, lethal crack of leather unfurling through the air.