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"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." – Lao Tzu
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-His highness, the crown prince Alexander Hemsworth-
My whole face throbbed. I could barely see through my right eye.
The curtains were wide open, showing the stars against the dark night. I slowly turned to my right, praying that he had gone away. It was empty and cold.
A shaking breath left my lungs. The dreadful moment of looking at my reflection didn't happen as I summoned Lorel.
He rushed into the room with a large coat and a scarf to cover up my face. The moment he saw my face he winced, it must have been really bad.
A familiar face came right behind him and gasped when he saw me.
A small omega boy.
"Your highness, what-"
"You have three rules, hector. Don't ask any questions, do not open your mouth and do as you are told. " Lorel turned to the boy with a stern look. "Now help me dress his highness."
Hector hurried alongside Lorel to cover my body as much as they could, they made sure that my hair would hide my swollen face and put makeup on top of the wide bruises.
The effects of the drug had worn off, I could feel my body aching and burning. But most of all, I was extremely tired…
The only thing I just desired was to go sleep in my bed, peacefully.
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I was rushed to the other side of the palace, put in my carriage as quickly as possible and sent away like a dismissed prostitute in the night.
Inside the carriage, a doctor, his apprentice and Lorel tended to my wounds.
I could only breathe through my mouth, perhaps my nose was broken. They gave me numbing creams and everything to dull the pain, but it wasn't enough.
It never was.
The pain from within was far greater than simple pills could subside, far greater than pitiful glances from my allies, far greater than the fleeting kisses and caresses of a man and caresses a man I truly adore could reach upon my broken body.
Yet, my thoughts went to my people whose destiny was far more ruthless than mine under this regime. All this pain was in the end necessary.
The ride was silent, and though people cared about my health, today I felt alone, more than ever. I wanted to sleep, I wanted to be comforted or maybe just caressed…
Once I set foot on my property, the same old song would begin, servants would rush toward me before I even entered my house, take off my clothes to burn them.
Some maids would run to prepare my bath and tools to clean myself, my entire body.
The moment I was almost magically set in my bathtub and cleaned up like a rag doll, passed before I could even blink twice. The doctors already summoned, tended to my injuries with great care and then shooed out of my bedroom after getting paid for their silence.
Lorel had sat me down on my bed, in my nightgowns, my hair in a carefully tied braid. He gave me a tea cup, took it from my hand and forced me to drink it.
I instantly felt drowsy and confused.
I didn't have to ask anything because he had already given me the box with the letter.
The careless letter that my husband had written to me. For me…
I took the box that Captain Morlon had given me and fell asleep with the tiny clothes my heir would probably soon wear…
The only real comfort I had, a mere dream of a man who was chained to me by a contract and a child that had yet to exist only to either find me pathetic or despise me for birthing him into such a flawed world.
I laughed at myself for desiring such a stupid thing, me an alpha, the heir to the throne not only married to another alpha but also pregnant, living happily on the throne.
Tomorrow it will be over, it won't ever happen again.
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I heard the muffled noise of people at my door arguing. Once I was fully awake I recognized the voice of Captain Mormon.
What was he doing here and why now? I rushed toward a mirror to see my face. My right eye was still swollen shut, my cheeks colored by a deep blue, my lips still opened by the ruthless biting. He could never see me like this.
But before I could even hide or order him to be thrown outside of my estate, he barged in.
I turned to look at him. My domestics tried to push him back.
"Your highness, what is all the-" He stopped his track. My domestic bowed and left in a hurry. He took a few steps and got closer to me. Once in front of me, I lowered my gaze.
No sound left either of us as he took my chin and lifted my head.
I tried to explain but nothing came to my mind as his gaze burned on my face. I could feel his soft breathing on me. I looked up at him, his eyes would not let me decipher what emotion he felt.
Maybe disgust or confusion.
He pushed one of my hair strands behind my ear, and opened his mouth.
But only an exhale left it.
He slowly took my hand, and led me to the bed to sit on.
"Alexander…" He caressed my face. I winced and he retracted his hand. His gaze lowered, I quickly tried to hide the biting marks with my nightgown but he stopped me.
I sighed as he unbuttoned it, and let it fall on the bed. My body was ravaged by a mix of bruises, biting marks, hickeys and even small open wounds from the whip.
He didn't seem to be able to form his sentence as he put my shirt back on and pushed me to lie down.
" Did you see a doctor?" He asked. His deep voice, afraid to even ask me this simple question. I slowly nodded and closed my eyes. I felt him lay down next to me and carefully put his arm around me. I snuggled closer to him, happy to feel some warmth.
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"Your highness, wake up." The deep voice of a man woke me from my slumber.
When I opened my eyes, the captain was next to me. I felt myself blushing once I saw his bare upper body. The physique of a true alpha.
He got closer to me and that's when I realized that he had me in his embrace. I tried to put some distance between us but he firmly held my waist with his arms.
Then, with the burning sensation on my face, right around my eye. Recollection of what had happened earlier this morning came to my mind.
I pushed myself away so hard that I almost fell off the bed.
"Your highness! Please calm down!" He scooped me up and laid me down carefully on the bed. I wanted to flee again but this time, he had me pinned by both hands into the bed, his body between my legs.
The shame I felt was that I couldn't even maintain eye contact with him, turned my head to the side and shut my eyes to avoid any tears to form.
"Your highness, calm down and explain to me. What happened?" He whispered in my ear, making my heart beat faster. Lips caressing my ear before kissing it as if to soothe me. His hands were not as harsh. The grip on my wrist loosened and his fingers intertwined with mine.
His body on top of mine, his breath in my ear, his caresses. It would warm my stomach and make my heart go wild. I had been in this situation before, but I had never felt safe.
In the air, I could smell and feel his pheromones trying to calm my mind and body down.
"Everything is alright now, your highness. Now tell me who did this to you. Who dared hurt my alpha?" As he nuzzled his nose in my neck. He carefully bit my ear, not to hurt me. But I did feel the possessiveness in this act alone.
I felt wanted.
I let myself free from his hold and embraced him close.
Hold me Hassan and never let me go.
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I don't know when or how but it seemed I had some sleep again. I woke up, my face on his hard chest. His large hand on my hip.
A small kiss on my forehead.
"Why do you bed so many people when you have so much love and care to give, Captain Morlon." He didn't respond immediately. A loud sigh later he cleared his throat and tried to explain.
"As you may know, I have always admired the love my parents held for one another. Through the hardship of life and criticism of society, they would never let anyone get in-between them. Unfortunately, it seems the gods didn't intend for me to have the same blessing." He chuckled, it rumbled under my ear. I looked up to him.His hand still on my hip, caressing my body gently.
"I am a good knight, a good brother, perhaps a good son. But I am not a good husband, and she knew it. I loved this woman with my entire being but it wasn't enough. I wasn't her mate." Sadness. It was all over him. I felt a bit jealous but didn't say anything.
"I'm not even that interesting to be honest. Hence why you chose me to give you a child, I'm a filial person, loyal to the core and a good soldier. I only obey, that's why she left." My finger touched his chin and he finally lowered his gaze.
"You are a good man in a world built on lies, you lived in a loving environment when most of us were raised in brutality. You are a man everyone wants to have, including me. Not your loyalty, but this truthful bluntness you have. I have loved it since the first day I met you." I don't know what came over me but after that it only seemed natural. He held me to his face and kissed me. I let him in my mouth and his tongue attacked mine. He bit and pulled my upper lip letting me moan against him.
After a few minutes of longing kisses, he finally let my swollen lips breathe. He held my hand to put a soft kiss on my knuckle.
"Now your highness, you have to recover. We will have all the time in the world to let our bodies express themselves. For now, let us have supper." His lips were still on my hand as he looked at me in the eyes. My heart please, calm down.
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To be continued...