Kept Secret

chapter 41

Lia~

The sound of my chair scraping against the tiles resonates through the hall as I fly out of my seat in indignation, "I will never marry you! You are a vile and disgusting vampire who wants to destroy the world with my baby! For you to suggest such a thing is beyond me because I would even consider being married to a tyrant like you!" I gasp as a hand clamps around my throat, constricting my breathing. His eyes glare into mine, cold and unforgiving, just like his soul.

"Listen here you little brat!" He spits out the words, his fangs on full display, almost sinking into his own flesh. The smell of fresh blood clings to his clothes and I would've gagged if I could breathe, "You will not speak to me like that! I own your soul and if you don't marry me and help me take over all the supernatural species as my wife then I'll kill you and snatch that little lovechild of yours out of your womb and use it instead. It'll be a weapon of destruction and when I'm done with it, I'll kill it too. It's your call."

He tosses me to the ground and stomps off, leaving me in a mess of tears and despair. There's no way I would marry him but the thought of my child...my innocent baby in the hands of that monster makes me think that maybe I don't really have a choice. He'll kill us both if I won't marry him but maybe, just maybe I could save us if I agree. It's a hard pill to swallow especially so soon after finding out my true mate gave me such an amazing gift, "You can't marry the king but maybe you can buy our rescuers some time. Remember our mother said that they're on their way, we just have to make sure to delay the king's plans and if you agree to marry him maybe you could keep him busy long enough for them to save us."

As Raeya's words sink in, I realize that it might just work. I will never marry him but maybe I could make a big enough fuss about the wedding to drive him crazy and delay his plans. I'm not sure who is coming for me but I sure do hope they hurry. The grand door opens and I hear the scuffling of feet from behind me, "Your Majesty, are you okay?" A hand wraps around my forearm and halls me up from my spot on the ground. His black eyes meet mine, filled with concern for myself and my baby.

I send him a shaky smile, my mind made up on what it is I have to do, "I'm fine, thank you, Xavier. I not feeling well so maybe I should head back to my cell." He rolls his eyes making me raise my brow at the sight.

"Your majesty with all due respect you're in one of the best rooms in the palace, not a cell. I heard madam Clarissa arguing with the king to get you into that room, saying that being surrounded by our wealth and fortune will manipulate you into becoming one of us." My eyes shoot to his, filled with suspicion. Clarissa doesn't care about me, she wants to use my baby to destroy my kingdom, why would she protect me, and besides, she knows I'd never fall for manipulation, heck she was the one who taught me how to see it coming a mile away. He must see the clear confusion on my face. His rough, calloused fingers wrap around my chin, pulling my face towards his slightly. His black eyes meet mine and my breath catches at the sight of the golden specks floating in the darkened sea.

"You're part wolf." The words leave my lips in a whisper but I know he heard me by the way his eyes widened at the words. His gaze flickers to my lips and back to my eyes in a swift motion, barely lasting half a second but I catch the moment just in time, making my breath hitch.

"Yes I am and thereby am also loyal to you, my queen." His voice is a soft whisper, barely any louder than mine but the words register nonetheless. His eyes flicker between red, black, and gold, an intoxicating combination, a hybrid.

"How didn't I smell it on you?" He seems to be lost in thought, fighting an internal battle before clearing his head and finally answering me.

"A witch helped me disguise my scent when I first shifted and I haven't shifted since. I can't risk them discovering what I am especially with the impending war. The king will kill me if he finds out and he might kill my daughter too."

"You have a daughter?" His eyes soften at the thought of her. I can see pride reflected in his eyes as he seems to be taken by the memories he's made with her.

"Yes, 5 years old. My mate and I were so happy when we found out we were expecting but then..." His body language reflects his misery, his shoulders hunching and eyes lowering to the ground and I'm almost scared to hear the rest, "She died right after the birth. The doctors suspected that the baby was too much for her body to handle but we've never been sure and honestly I don't know if I even want to know. I'm just grateful for my little girl, her name is Lilly and she looks like the spitting image of her mother, I just wish she could've known her."

I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him while processing the information myself. He had a mate but she died shortly after the birth of their now 5-year-old daughter and he has to raise her alone in this dangerous world, "I'm so sorry for your loss but just from what I've seen, your daughter is in capable hands, you seem like you're an amazing father to her."

He smiles sweetly at me, his hand gingerly touching my swollen stomach, "And you'll be an amazing mother. Now let's get you back to your room before they come looking for you."