Semua Bab The Alpha Prince's Forbidden Scent : Bab 11 - Bab 20

The sapphire silk clung to Elara’s skin like a restrictive shroud, a stark contrast to the velvet chains that already bound her. It was beautiful, undoubtedly so, flowing over her swollen belly in a way that almost softened the harsh angles pregnancy had carved into her face. But the beauty felt like a mockery, a gilded cage for a bird with clipped wings.In a way, the silk is not just a physical confinement but also an emotional suffocation. To Elara, the silk is a tangible reminder of her husband's control over her.“Don’t embarrass me, Elara." Damon's voice, cold and sharp, cut through the silence of their bedroom. He stood before her, a dark wolf draped in tailored black, his eyes gleaming with a barely contained ambition. "This is important. The royals are… particular. One wrong move from you and I will make you pay dearly, understand?”Elara swallowed, the words like shards of glass in her throat. “Yes, Damon.”“Damon?” He raised his brow, giving her a chance to correct herself.

She felt his presence before she saw him. The air crackled with a raw energy that made her skin prickle. She turned to find Kaelen standing a few feet away, his eyes burning into hers."Elara," he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her. Just her name, but it held a wealth of unspoken emotion.She swallowed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Prince Kaelen," she managed, the title sounding foreign on her tongue.He took a step closer. "Please, call me Kaelen."The pull was irresistible. She wanted to run, to hide, to escape the impossible situation she found herself in. But she also wanted to stay, to drown in the depths of his stormy eyes, to feel the warmth of his presence."You shouldn't be talking to me," she whispered, knowing how scandalous even this brief exchange was. "I'm…""You're trapped," he finished, his voice laced with a quiet understanding that pierced her soul. "I see it in your eyes, Elara. You deserve better than this."She looked away, ashamed. "

The sunrise painted the sky in hues of bruised purple and angry orange, a fitting reflection of Elara's mood. She had spent the night weeping, silent tears tracing paths down her cheeks into the pillow, leaving damp stains that mirrored the ache in her heart. Morning sickness had joined the party, a bilious wave of nausea that left her weak and trembling. Her face was swollen, her normally bright eyes puffy and red-rimmed, and her usually sleek black hair was a tangled mess. Pregnancy, even in its mid stage, was proving to be a relentless assault on her already fragile spirit.The house l felt suffocating. The scent of dust motes dancing in the weak sunlight only heightened her fatigue. She tried to tidy, to at least clear the breakfast dishes, but the effort sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over her. She collapsed back onto the bed, the crisp white sheets doing little to soothe her aching body. The day dissolved into a blurry haze of lethargy and discomfort. The hours crawled by,

"Elara," he said softly, his voice a warm counterpoint to the chill that lingered in the air from Damon's presence. His touch, light as a feather, brushed against her belly. Two tiny kicks answered him, a sweet confirmation of the life growing within her.A soft smile touched her lips and she stood up. "I'll show you around, Your Highness." "Elara, I didn't want to look around, I wanted to talk to you. I came for you, not your husband.""But Your Highness...""Kaelen, my dear. Call me Kaelen.""Regardless, you're the Prince of our Kingdom, I can't be reckless around you, it might cost me my head.""Elara, my dear, don't say that. You're this Prince's saviour and you didn't even get a reward for that.""Your Highness, I'm not -" he reached out and cupped her face before she could say another word."It's Kaelen." He corrected, caressing her face.She took a few steps backwards, backing away from him; "Kaelen, I'm not sure if this is what friendship is, but even if it was, we're not sup

Elara woke up with Kaelen being her only thought, the lingering echo of Kaelen's words swirling in her mind. He wanted her. Not as a conquest, not as a pity project, but truly, genuinely her. It felt like a dream, a dangerous, alluring dream she desperately wanted to believe. Damon's sneers and callous indifference had chipped away at her spirit for so long, Kaelen's open admiration felt like sunlight after a long winter.Determined to clear her head, Elara decided on a walk. The pack house, usually bustling with activity, was unusually quiet this morning. That was probably because it was barely past dawn. As she rounded a corner, a sight stopped her dead in her tracks. A convoy of sleek, black cars, the kind she only saw in magazines, was pulling up to the front of the pack house. Their polished surfaces gleamed even in the dim morning light.Before she could process what was happening, the lead car's door opened, and Kaelen emerged. He wasn't in his princely attire or anything forma