CINDE, The Kings Mate (boyxboy) ✓

Chapter Twenty Three

Veldore briefly introduced me to the Lady Cassus he had been conversing with before stowing me away from the ever slimming crowd that had gathered in the sunrise of the grand hall.

I knew what was coming before it came.

"What did they say?"

I smiled. "Nothing too bad."

His eyebrows dipped towards his nose slightly as he looked down at me and glared.

"So calling one a poltroon is no offence?"

I cringed, right, the alpha's hearing, of course.

I had not intended to lie, only it hadn't really offended me as much as it might have had I not felt so in control of the situation. And then there was the fact that I felt rather worried for their health around Veldore. Not that I was impartial to a small beating of the three however I was more convinced Veldore's claws were intending to do a little more... Life risking damage to them.

It was simply the fact that they were human, in a sense, and therefor my moralistic side insisted on defending them.

His anger was obviously too easily roused and considering I was about to sneak out to the part of the forest I had nearly been molested by his brother it would probably be in my favor to make sure his anger was not already swallowing the ground before I'd even set foot out of the grounds of his castle.

"It did not bother me." I shrugged. Intent on avoiding the subject I gave him a small glare. "You were testing me?"

He shrugged. "Was I wrong to?"

He took my hand as he tugged me forward back into the shadows of the ballroom.

"I do not need to be tested." I insisted.

He looked down at me, his gaze lingering on my, there was a silent blue in his eyes this time. I found it hard to pull myself away from his stare and found myself sinking further into them every time I tried.

He sighed and with no forewarning slipping an arm around my waist and another around the nape of my neck, dipping me forwards to meet his warm soft lips.

I relaxed in his embrace and my body brooked into his, my shape fitting like a key in a lock in his hold.

Every time we kissed I felt so secure wrapped up in his love I could just ignore every thought running through my mind, any words or hits send my way. Just savor the taste of his lips on mine as his tongue slipped in between the parting in my lips and teased my tongue, gently tugging at it and circling it with tender ministrations.

It was hard to focus on my breathing when we kissed and I ended up trying for every breath of air I could snatch when our lips broke apart, my lips burning with a slow ache for more of his touch.

He sighed and buried his face in my neck, something he had to visibly crouch somewhat to do so.

A silent shiver ran through me as he rubbed his cold nose affectionately over the tender flesh he had so recently marked.

"Cinde I do not mean to be disagreeable. In this time it is important you simply keep in mind that I do love you. If I ever seem to indicate otherwise it is by the force of another reason."

I nodded stone faced, worried he might be able to sense the guilt slipping through my fingers.

Here he was declaring his love for me and here I was plotting an escape plan to fulfill a promise that may not even be so important after all.

I was acting spoilt yet even Veldore's declaration could not change my intentions.

"I love you too." I breathed, a simple set of words carried by the vague chilling breeze. I did not need to look to know Veldore was smiling, it was the atmosphere that spoke more clearly than his expression.