Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
ESTEE
T he threads of my embroidered bodice burn against my heated skin as I stand with Drea in the crowded ballroom, awaiting King Theo’s arrival. The more time passes, the stronger the fire building in my stomach grows—a sensation so severe I keep glancing at my arms to make sure they aren’t actually smoldering.
A sheer cape hangs over my shoulders, and the added material makes me want to tear it from the carefully sewn seams. A center opening in the fabric exposes the top of my chest, but that does nothing to keep me from feeling suffocated.
The maroon material of the skirt sways around my ankles as I fidget until Drea grabs both my hands and growls at me. “Stop.”
I raise an eyebrow, smirking. “Someone’s found her confidence.”
She blushes, dropping her gaze. “Sorry, but you’re driving me nuts.”
I chuckle, though it’s brief. Drea looks stunning—her simple silk gown drapes effortlessly over her curves, the light grey fabric soft and fluid, unlike the overly embellished nightmare I’m trapped in. She looks comfortable, while I’m about two seconds away from ripping this dress to shreds.
But before I can voice my envy, Drea stiffens beside me. A low growl vibrates from her chest, and when she looks up at me, her doe-like eyes are wide with shock but also a certainty that I don’t understand.
“Mate,” she whispers, her voice breathless.
I blink. “What? I’m not your mate.”
“Not you,” she hisses, her gaze darting around. “He’s here. I can smell his scent… Gods, it’s so sweet, like chocolate.”
Oh no.
I’d hoped—really hoped—that Drea would be returning to Polaris with me, but now? If she’s found her mate, who am I to stand in her way?
Before I can say anything, a large figure barrels through the crowd—a warrior clad in black, medals gleaming across his chest. His eyes, dark brown and glowing with intensity, are locked on Drea.
Well, I didn’t see this coming.
Neither of them speak. Drea turns toward him, and in an instant, he scoops her into his arms, kissing her with the kind of passion that makes it clear they’re no longer aware of the hundred people in the room with them.
Her hands move over his dark, shaved hair, and when he gropes her backside, I decide I should intervene.
I step forward, grabbing his arm firmly. He snarls but doesn’t turn toward me. That’s fine—my nails extend into claws, and I dig them into his skin, piercing through his sleeve.
He pulls Drea to his side, and this time, he spares me a glance, his hand twitching as though ready to reach for my throat.
I shake a finger at him. “I wouldn’t recommend that.”
Drea steps between us, panting. “Estee, I’m so sorry.”
I don’t look at her. My gaze is still fixed on her mate, whose burly form practically radiates with possessiveness. “Mauling this incredible woman in public doesn’t equate to cherishing her. I expect you to respect Drea—mind and body. Whatever the two of you do in private is your business, but here?” I glance around the room briefly. “This isn’t the place.”
The warrior bows his head, grumbling. “Yes, Your Highness. My apologies. It was unintentional.”
I flatten my lips even though I’ve seen the way Isla and Asher are with each other. Desire between mates is typically the furthest thing from rational in the beginning. Still, I want better for Drea if I’m already going to lose her as my companion and friend. “See that it doesn’t happen again.”
His face flushes with shame as Drea giggles softly, her cheeks red but eyes sparkling. “I’m sorry,” she says again, unable to suppress her smile. “This is…unexpected.”
That’s an understatement.
“Why don’t the two of you excuse yourselves?” I suggest, my tone gentle. There’s no reason for her to stay here, not when she’s found her mate. I’m not selfish enough to ask her to stick around for my sake, not when her future’s standing right beside her, practically drooling.
Without hesitation, Drea nods, and they rush off, disappearing into the crowd. Women from Polaris watch with interest, but I ignore them as a trumpet sounds. Great. Now I just have to survive this ridiculous display, feign a headache, and retreat to my room until it’s time to sail back home tomorrow.
I’ll take seasickness over this any day.
“His Majesty, Alpha King Theo Northcroft,” the announcer bellows between the trumpets.
I shouldn’t care. I shouldn’t even be curious, but I find myself staring at the vaulted doorway, waiting. This man didn’t exist to me when I last lived in Lunara three hundred years ago, and I told myself I wanted nothing to do with him, yet here I am, wondering what kind of king he is.
King Theo steps through the doorway, a gold crown resting atop brunet hair that’s disheveled, as if he couldn’t be bothered to properly clean-up for the occasion. His dark eyes scan the room before landing on me, and I swear a flicker of disappointment crosses his face.
Well, screw you too, buddy.
I keep my head high, my back straight, refusing to let his reaction affect me. There’s a faint flutter in my chest, a sensation I can’t quite place, but it vanishes as quickly as it appears. Relief washes over me. My future isn’t set in stone. Whatever fleeting connection passed between us isn’t enough to bind me to him.
But then, King Theo nods to the man beside him—the one who introduced him—and steps back into the shadows beneath the archway.
What the hell is going on?
“The king has found his mate,” the man, whom I assume is an advisor, announces. “Everyone may make their way to the dining hall except Princess Estee Blackwood.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
There’s no way. There was no connection. I felt nothing. Well, I mean, there was a twinge, but as I just witnessed with Drea and whoever that guard was, I should’ve felt a hell of a lot more than that if he was truly my mate.
Murmurs and whispers swarm the room as women side-eye me while they walk toward the exit. Hell, some even glare, and I almost offer to switch places with them, but something tells me that won’t help my situation.
The room empties, and I’m left standing there, with no clue what I’m supposed to do.
Maybe he asked me to stay behind because he thinks I’m some sort of royal liaison, and he wants to find out more about the one he’s identified as his mate. Yes, that would make more sense.
That has to be the reason.
The advisor comes forward and bows before me. “Princess Estee, I’m Jerome Graves, First Advisor to King Theo. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to his office so the two of you can have a private conversation.”
“He doesn’t need to ask for my permission to claim his mate,” I state without moving, even though he’s gesturing for me to proceed toward the archway. “Any of these women are free to stay here with him. King Asher won’t stop that from happening.”
Jerome pales, and his throat bobs. “Princess Estee, it’s you that King Theo believes to be his mate. Can you not feel the connection as he does? Are you unwell?”
Motherf— I was right the first time.
I guess I’m about to have an awkward conversation with the King of Selaris.
“Show me to his office,” I demand, leaving no room for further conversation. This has just become a royal matter, and even if Jerome is the top advisor, I’m not discussing this with anyone other than Theo. Well, maybe Asher and Isla if I need to bring them into whatever’s happening here.
He nods and turns on his heel before leading the way. We move through the now empty space and into the arched hallway. My jaw is locked tight with frustration and my eyes fail to focus on anything other than the back of Jerome’s head.
My intuition knew coming here was a bad idea before I even boarded the ship. I should’ve listened, but… Damn my sister for making me love her so much that I didn’t want to disappoint her.
One foot in front of the other. I curl my fingers into my palm and take a deep breath before slowly letting it back out.
Okay, Estee. Think . What’s really happening here?
Why would King Theo think I’m his mate when I hardly felt anything after seeing him? Or why did I hardly feel anything if he truly is my mate? Is he trying to attach himself to me as a way to gain something from Polaris? Gods, I might actually kill him myself if that’s true.
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my thoughts from getting out of control. Thinking clearly is a must, and I need to rein in my emotions. As of right now, King Theo isn’t my mate. He’s just a desperate man who’s up to something, and I need to figure that something out.
Yes, that’s it. Another mystery to solve. While this isn’t as dire as figuring out who killed Isla, and then me, that doesn’t mean this won’t escalate depending on what’s really going on here.
If my sister can figure out who murdered us, surely I can learn why Theo thinks he can get away with calling me his mate. I mean, he’s never met me, but I’m sure he’s heard of me. I chuckle to myself. Maybe this will be fun, after all. A princess bringing a king to his knees.
That thought finally has my grin returning.
With my little pep talk taken care of, I pay more attention to my surroundings. Jerome is leading us up a set of stairs. Though, I have no clue if we’re heading to the first or second or even third level by now. Oh well. It doesn’t matter. I’ve got this.
After two left turns on the next floor, Jerome knocks on a large arched door before grabbing the metal knob, this one diamond-shaped with intricate carvings that are too worn to make sense of. The advisor waits a couple of seconds then opens the door and steps aside.
“Your Highness.” Jerome nods, gesturing for me to enter.
I hesitate before squaring my shoulders. This doesn’t change anything. I know what’s in my heart, and I’m not going to let some desperate king rewrite my future. Whatever King Theo thinks this is, he’s about to learn a hard lesson in being wrong.
Because if he believes tying himself to Polaris through me is going to get him anywhere, he’s in for a rude awakening.