Patience of a Gordon

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

I only watched from the bed as the angry lumeleopard paced back and forth, determined to wear out the floor beneath him. I sighed, wishing he would calm down.

"Kallimale, come here. Worrying about our safety isn't going to change their perspectives of us," I murmured, beckoning Kai over with a finger.

He looked at me for a moment before he joined me on the bed, immediately pulling me into his lap. "I'm not worried for my own safety, südame. I don't care what they do to me," he said and I frowned, already growing frustrated with him.

"I care, Kai! If they hurt you, I won't last much longer. So if you really cared about me, you would care about yourself first," I said, grabbing his hand and linking his fingers with mine.

He turned my face slightly, and I felt him nip my nose, a method used by the leap to scold loved and little ones. "Don't you ever question whether I care for you. You are my süda, my elu. I do put myself first, Ivy, but that means worrying more about you because you're the only thing keeping me here," he said fiercely and my anger evaporated just like that.

"I'm sorry for snapping," I said softly, placing my lips on his shoulder before running my nose along his collarbone.

Kai's affection for me was the only thing I was sure about when it came to us. I knew he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for me, which scared me more than he realized. I didn't want it to ever come to that, and it was the reason I'd been so irritated.

"Ivy, I can't lose you, ever. I can't stand the thought of knowing you could be harmed because I didn't do enough to keep you safe. I would do anything if it meant you were happy," he said, his lips against my ear.

"You won't have to, ilmetja. I don't plan to go anywhere," I said softly, twisting around in his lap so that I could stroke his jaw.

However, based on the faraway look in Kai's eyes, he hadn't heard a single word I'd said. He was off in his thoughts but came back to me when I pressed my lips against his chin.

"Ivy, will you make me a promise?" he asked suddenly, a determined glint within the serious waters of his eyes.

I hesitated, knowing better than to just agree with him. "What is it, Kai?" I asked, seeing that he'd caught my hesitation to agree.

Fortunately, he answered me instead of arguing. "Promise you won't participate anymore. You can stay here while I let the public see our kind has changed," he began and I simply looked at him, so he continued.

"I'll do whatever the Prince wants me to do without a fight. I'll obey and nod when he speaks, as long as you stay here."

I pulled away from Kai, wanting to scream at him, but it seemed like that's all I had done recently. We were continuously snapping at one another, but it wasn't doing either of us any good.

I knew Kai believed he could behave, but I knew better. His dominant behavior was a part of him, something that wouldn't allow for him to bow down to the Prince. He had the characteristics of a leader and didn't seem to realize they were permanent.

The second Prince Gordon said something he didn't like, Kai would snap. If Prince Gordon didn't bow down, and he wasn't likely to, then Kai would hurt him. The guard in return would kill Kai as they had been itching to do ever since he'd entered the palace. Not only would I lose Kai, but any hope for the redemption of our kind would shatter.

"Why do you make a promise you know you can't keep?" I asked him quietly, attempting not to yell.

Kai stood up and walked over to me, lifting my chin to meet his eyes. "Südame, he and I may argue—"