جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

ZEVRAN It took all I could to sit still in my chair during the council meeting. The council were all present, sat in order of rank around the large table where the council meetings were normally held. They all conversed animatedly about the topic at hand but their voices all faded into the background.I couldn't help but think about last night like it was imprinted into my mind and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it out of my mind for the longest time. Dahlia was both a seductress and temptress wrapped into a body. I’ve been with countless women but none had nearly made me come undone just from their breathless sounds like Dahlia did. It was all I could think about. Those gasps and whimpers. The soft, flowery smell and feel of her hair, the sweet taste of her lips. It had felt an addict finally getting high after years of abstinence. I could almost feel the soft texture of her skin on my lips now. I remembered how I'd licked and kissed it, given her hickeys all over her body. The

DAHLIAThe first thing I noticed after we got back to Zevran's palace was the stares. From the moment the car drove through the gates, everyone was staring at us both with an interest that hadn't been there before. As we walked past the servants and staff, conversations stopped, glances became more furtive and wary. It was so surprising how fast news travelled. By now, everyone in the country probably knew what had gone on at Blackwell. They now knew that I was not merely a guest at Zevran's palace, but his fiancée. Dora, my maid was complete proof of this. Before, she used to laugh and chat freely with me. Now, she could barely meet my eyes. A reverent distance separated the two of us. I waited till we were alone, before bringing the matter up with her. “How is everyone taking the news?” I asked. Dora seemed hesitant. “I'm not sure we should be talking like this, Ma'am.”I sighed. “I'm still me, you know. Being Zevran's fiancée doesn’t change that. You can talk to me.”This seeme

DAHLIAToday was the first day of the trial between Zevran and Aaron. The trial that would decide if I would remain with Zevran or be forced to go back to being Aaron's wife. I wasn't just nervous, I was terrified. This was something I imagined I'd already moved past from and yet, here it was yet again. Zevran took my hand in his as we stood in the study, rubbing his thumb against the back of my palm. “Look at me,” he said gently. I looked into those brilliant blue eyes, steady and completely devoid of fear. How could he be so calm right now when I was almost panicking? I wished there was a way he could transfer that calmness and steadiness onto me. “You don't need to worry about anything,” he said. “We’re going to win.”I shook my head, swallowing nervously. “You don't know that. It could go either way.”“Don't say that,” Zevran said, harder this time. “It will go our way because I'm going to make sure of it.”“I don't even know why Aaron is doing all of this,” I complained. “He w

DahliaI was called to the stand next, and the moment I stood up, my legs felt strangely weak. I forced myself to walk forward anyway, keeping my eyes on the judges as I took my place before them. Zevran’s presence behind me gave me something to hold on to, even without looking at him. I could feel his steady gaze following me, but I knew that whatever happened next, I had to speak for myself.One of the judges nodded toward me. “You may give your statement.”I took a breath and looked directly at Aaron.“Aaron sold me to a stranger shortly after Lilith returned.” I said without beating around the bush.A murmur passed through the room.Aaron’s expression hardened, but I kept going.“He arranged for me to be locked inside my room because he didn’t want me to escape. He had men come for me after I was drugged, and they transported me through the forest. I was being taken to whoever he had sold me to when the men transporting me were attacked. I managed to escape during the confusion, b

DahliaTwo days later, I walked back into the courtroom with a terrible feeling weighing heavily on my chest.After everything that had happened at the first hearing, I had spent the last forty-eight hours hoping the judges would find something that could prove Aaron had sold me.Apparently, I had been too optimistic.The judges were already seated when Zevran and I entered, while Aaron sat across the room with Taylor. When our eyes met, the faintest hint of confidence crossed his face, and my stomach sank.The lead judge looked down at the papers before him before turning to me.“We have concluded our investigation into your claim that you were sold by Alpha Aaron.”I straightened in my seat.“We found no legal document showing that such a transaction took place. We also searched Alpha Aaron’s financial records and found no payment matching your claims.”I stared at him, barely breathing.“Our investigators also searched the forest where Dahlia claims she was attacked during transpor