Mated To Him

Twenty Seven

Twenty-seven

Zaccheus stood on the podium expressionlessly, waiting for his mate to greet him with her warmth. His mind drifted back to the previous night.

He knew his mate was hiding something big from him when he told her he was a virgin. Even though her eyes twinkled with mischief, there was still some sadness and guilt in them, making him restless.

He didn't care whether she was a virgin. All that he wanted was to have her acceptance.

Screw virginity.

He crept inside her room the last night, watching the rise and fall of her chest as her hair covered her face with drool trailing off to her ear. He chuckled lightly, slightly touching her face to remove her hair when she mumbled out his name.

"Mate is amazing," Ryl whispered with adoration, imprinting the image of her face to his memory.

"Yeah," the King replied absent-mindedly, sitting at the edge of her bed.

The King wondered how he was blessed with a fragile-hearted soul like his mate- the complete opposite of him.

She was his strength.

He stood up after staring at her, pecking her forehead, which made her shiver, and he smiled. Even though she was asleep, her body still wanted him.

When he turned to leave, he was held back by her, staring at him sleepily.

"I thought I was dreaming," she yawned softly, smiling at him while he chuckled and pecked her nose.

"I'm sorry for waking you, and I just wanted to see."

"Oh," she wiggled her brows playfully, "You miss me," she teased him, nudging hid shoulder before her eyes widened in realisation.

"We aren't supposed to meet a day or..." she was interrupted by warm lips on hers. All her senses were driven away as they moulded, synchronising together as sparks erupted over their body. He stopped a little and stared into her eyes longingly, "I don't care about the curse. What only matters is me seeing you," he captured her mouth again.

Nadazhda responded to the kiss fervently without missing a beat as his tongue explored her mouth hungrily.

"Me too. I miss you," she kissed him.

He kicked off his shoe and got in bed with her, which made her immediately rest her head on his chest, hearing the rhyme of his heart beating soothingly.

His hand was lost in her wavy hair, playing and twirling it, which made her sigh content.

"Tomorrow is a big day," she sighed loudly while he hummed in response.

"A big day, a new chapter."

"Yeah," her hands trailing and touching his perfect abs.

They were in perfect silence, drowning in each other scent and comfort before the atmosphere tensed, "Tell me about your parents," he asked slowly as her hand stopped touching his chest and scouted a little away from him, which made his heart tug painfully in rejection and frown.

He watched as her lips trembled as she bit her lips hard to stop herself from crying, blinking her eyes uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry," he said in remorse, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, you didn't hurt me. It is just that it's a sore topic for me," he could hear the trembling in her voice as she rubbed her body to protect her from her demons.

"I've been hiding. I think it's time for me to open up," she sniffed, sitting away from him and staring out the window.

"All started on my birthday when I was seven years old, the day my mother died," she stopped. Her nose was red with tears. "My father was a doting husband to his wife and an amazing father to daughter, but when his wife, my mother, died, he became a monster I didn't know." He crawled to her and engulfed her in his warm large arms, whispering soothing words.

"'Papa' as I used to call him, and he hated that," she chuckled humorlessly, "He changed that night. The loss of his wife drove him to be an alcoholic and abuser. I was starved and beaten repeatedly for any single mistake. He called me a murderer because my mother died in my place, and I used to wish that the day should reverse back so that I could have been killed, not her," he growled softly, which vibrated around her body, hating her last sentence, she saw his sullen expression and smiled reassuringly at him. "It was then but not now because I have you now," she pecked his jaw.

"I don't know why I trusted you guys, maybe because we are connected by fate," She said, "every time my father needed money or was in debt, my body was his exchange. He would bring the man or men home whenever I tried to fight, and I would be beaten to the brink of death. His punishment varies, from burning me with his cigarette ashes to craving with broken bottles," she cried while he rubbed her back, having it hard to control his fury for her father and those men.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed loudly, "I'm not worthy of your love," her body shook with tears, "I'm tainted... I'm..." she cried, using her hand to silence her voice.

"It is okay..." he was interrupted by her.

"It's okay if you reject me. I understand," he growled loudly, which shook the castle.

"Don't you dare!" he gritted, fuming. "I'm the one who's not worthy of you," he caressed her cheek, cleaning the tears staining away from her face. It pained him to see her crying, and his heart was bleeding.

"You've not seen my body. That's why you think I'm worthy," she snorted, "I've scars all over my body. I'm a damaged good..." her self-disparagement was muffled by his lips descending on her. Furiously kissing her before he slowed down, conveying warmth.

"I don't care if you've been touched before or I wasn't your first but what I care about is I, spending the rest of my life with you and be your last," he spoke with adoration.

He was brought out of the last night's memories by the trumpet being blown, announcing the arrival of his mate. He could wait to have her because he had promised to kiss all her scars away and make her forget everything.

He felt his mate's heavenly scent and the normal beating of her heart before he saw her, it was only a night distance, but he missed her so much. It was paining to follow traditions even though he had broken one.

He saw her red stiletto walking into where he was before he saw her goddess's face. He was stunned by what was before him, and he felt his finger twitching to tear the cloth as his junior throbbed painfully, wanting to explore her.

He didn't know he was holding his breath until his big warm hands took her cold small ones softly.

They stared at one another for a period, yet short by another trumpet being blown which indicated the ceremony should start.

"The trumpet has been blown," the younger man said, fidgeting his fingers together. He was scared.

"Yes, I heard it," the man replied dismissively, cuffing the cufflinks of his suit.

"We will have to pledge our loyalty, and I hope he won't know," the younger man's voice trembled with fear.

The older man shoot him an annoying glance, rubbing his face tiredly, "He can never know because I've cut off your loyalty to him,"

"How?"

"You can't understand," the man smirked and patted the dumbfounded young man and walked away.

"The time is counting."

I don't know if someone is reading this book. Please kindly comment :)