Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
My heavy breathing normalized, and I willed my whip around my forearm. Arms trembling, I dropped the sword next to me. The clang of metal boomed in the throne room, breaking the unusual silence.
Silence?
I finally looked up to find the fighting had stopped and everyone stood frozen in their spots.
The Queen’s vampires stared at me, awaiting my command, and then the gravity of the situation hit me hard. Their Blood Queen was dead, and the werewolf Queen had taken over the throne.
I didn’t plan on ruling over the vampires, but until I selected a new ruler, I would leave Lucy and her men behind to retrain the vampires, starting a new era. An era where vampires, werewolves, and witches coexisted in peace.
As I looked up, my gaze fell on Torin, walking to the Queen’s unmoving body. He picked up the crown that had tumbled nearby and carried it to me. Torin placed it on my head with a slight bow and knelt next to the throne. He recognized me as his Queen, pledging his loyalty.
My heart exploded behind my chest, but instead of pain, warmth seeped through the rest of my body.
Everyone else in the throne room knelt for their new Queen. The only one remaining standing was Hayden. He walked up to me, smiling, and sent an annoyed glance at Torin but reverted his gaze to me.
He took my hand from the armrest and kissed the inside of my palm, sending tingles through my arm to my shoulder.
“My Queen,” he said once he released me. “I can’t wait for us to return to our kingdom.”
My gasp became lost with my hard gulp. Hayden had reminded me I needed to fulfill my responsibilities as a mate and share a bed with him. My heart raced. A clear understanding of the situation dawned on me as I realized that with Torin’s freedom came the next step—mating with Hayden.
A tinge of fear and apprehension gnawed at me when I caught Torin’s gaze on my mate marks. His expression was unreadable. As if he detected my distress, he glanced at me, but his crimson eyes remained respectful but cold.
The war was over, and it was time for me to pay for my decisions. I would have never mated with a mate who’d violated my consent, partially bonding himself to me. Hayden’s act was unforgivable, and I wasn’t sure if I could just move on and jump into bed with him.
There wasn’t anything else left to fight for. I’d chosen to bear his mark and seal my fate.
Pushing off the throne’s armrests, disconnecting from Hayden, and ignoring Torin, I called Lucy and Adrian over. I gave Lucy orders on how to proceed. No one would be harmed unless they didn’t want to cooperate.
Adrian promised to help uphold the new regulations and seemed the perfect fit for the role. The hunter leader would make sure to emphasize that no human would be compelled from now on without their consent.
Once Lucy and Adrian stepped away, Hayden glued himself to my side as Torin’s brother walked up to me.
He placed his hand over his heart and bowed slightly.
“I’m Robert, Torin’s brother,” he said. “Queen Breanna, thank you for freeing me and my brother. We wouldn’t have been able to do so without your help.”
I had no idea how to respond to that, so I only nodded.
Hayden’s body tensed next to mine. “Did you interrupt our crowning ritual to sabotage it?” he asked in a sharp tone I didn’t like.
Robert smiled. “I wasn’t going to sabotage it.
Just wanted to talk to Queen Breanna about helping me free Torin.
I only recently came back to the States and learned my brother was held captive.
And everything was my fault, to begin with.
” He glanced at Torin. “But then the vampire General showed up, and it became a mess. It was also clear that the werewolves were going to war, so I waited.”
Torin stood, joining his brother’s side, remaining silent…as if he approved of his brother’s meddling.
Hayden, however, sighed in annoyance. “Regardless of your intentions, you trespassed on our territory and broke the rules, for which—”
“It’s time to celebrate,” I said and looked at Hayden, smiling. “We need to go back to the kingdom to bring the good news to my parents.”
Hayden narrowed his eyes but smiled back at me. “Yes, my Queen.”
His answer felt too quick, and suspicion arose inside me as to what awaited me in the kingdom.
Looking at Torin, I was glad that he had eternity to attempt to heal from his trauma. I wished I could tell him goodbye and wish him happiness, but I couldn’t do so in front of Hayden.
This was the moment I had to let Torin go. But as my gaze locked with his intense eyes, my resolve crumbled. As Torin’s expression softened the longer he stared at me, I nudged Hayden to start leaving.
Torin’s crimson gaze burned over me. “I’ll stay behind with my brother to help organize the vampire affairs and prepare for a new ruling.”
His vampire probably didn’t want to retreat yet. Why would he still be in his vampire form? His brother had shifted back to his human form.
“A new King or Queen will be selected. I’ll discuss the matter at a board meeting in the next couple of days,” I said.
Nodding, Torin smiled, but it wasn’t his usual smile—not mischievous or devilish or even arrogant. There was an enigmatic curve of his full lips. It was the smile of a man who had secretive plans that only he knew, causing goose bumps to prickle on my forearms.
Without another word, I turned and walked away into the unknown that was to come with Hayden, leaving my heart behind.
In a flash, three days passed, and we reached the kingdom.
My parents didn’t release me from their embraces for so long that I thought I would never breathe again. They kept squeezing me from both sides.
Back at home, everything felt the same and different. The celebrations started immediately since people felt safer and happier. Throughout the kingdom, people would hug me and chat with me, expressing their gratitude for securing a future safer for their children.
I smiled at them, but whenever I was alone, my smile wavered as I thought about Hayden.
Tonight was the official day of celebrations, and my parents prepared a feast for the entire kingdom.
The morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over my bedroom. I was still groggy from sleep when Hayden walked in, frowning.
"Good morning, sweetheart," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I thought we could all have breakfast together in the hall." His eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not happy you slept alone last night."
I sat up, clutching the soft sheets to my chest as I met his intense gaze. The idea of sharing a bed with him so soon after becoming so-called mates formed heaviness in my stomach like I was being pushed into something I wasn't quite ready for.
"Let me just change, and then we can go," I mumbled, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
As I stood, wearing my pajama shorts and tank top, Hayden's eyes set on me, watching unabashedly as I moved around the room.
My heart sped up, and I couldn't suppress a shiver when his gaze lingered on my exposed skin.
His lips tugged in a small smile as he stared at my mating marks spread over my chest.
I halted at the entrance of my walk-in closet. "Um, would you mind waiting for me outside?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Hayden shook his head, his expression never wavering. "No, this is normal since we're mated. I have the right to watch you."
And I had the right to choose you as a mate, but you took that away from me.
Grinding my teeth, I stomped inside the closet and searched for comfortable clothes.
Hayden moved to stand at the doorway, one arm propped on the frame, and I felt his eyes on me every step of the way.
He didn't push me or touch me, but the weight of his gaze was enough to make my breath hitch in my throat.
Turning my back on him, I undressed, leaving my PJs on a shelf. Naked and exposed, I reached for my underwear, my hand stopping midway. I could feel Hayden’s proximity. He must have walked stealthily behind me, his breath warming the skin of my neck and shoulders.
He leaned in as if expecting me to let him in, spin around, and hug him, sparking something I had no chance of ending with Hayden.
Don’t turn around.
Our mate bond ignited, causing the bumpy skin at the spot Hayden marked me to heat. My entire body flushed, and my core tightened. I sucked in a sharp breath, trying to steady my resolve.
This battle within of constantly fighting my desire for my mate and the bodily reaction that came with it exhausted me, and I didn’t know how much longer I could withstand the sparks, tiny pleasure shocks, and delicious sensations Hayden’s presence and touch created.
How long would it take me to forgive Hayden for violating my consent and bonding us together? Would I ever?
He didn’t have to touch me as his heated gaze caressed every curve of my body, invisible fingers brushing over my skin.
“You can’t tell me you don’t want me, sweetheart,” he whispered. “You desire me as much as I desire you.”
His ragged breath brushed against my ear. It’d be easy to lean back and melt against the man who desperately wanted me. Was it all love, or was there some other reason Hayden hid from me?
No, only my body wanted its mate. Not me. Not my heart.
Whatever Hayden and I shared wasn’t love—it was madness.
As I finished dressing, I tried to regain some semblance of control over my emotions. I took a deep breath and turned to face him, my chin held high.
"All right, let's go join the others for breakfast," I said firmly, not allowing my discomfort to seep into my voice.
He eyed me, sky-blue eyes turning icy.
As we walked down the hallway towards the dining hall, I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for me to adjust to this new life—and if I ever truly would. Would I eventually feel comfortable with Hayden and share a bed with him?