WREN
My eyes were red and puffy as I walked to Kael's room the next morning. It
took a while to force my tears to sty in, and another while to try to make myself
presentable.
I'd informed the Matron after I stormed out of Caius' room last night, that I
would need a half day off. She'd glared at me, and told me not to exceed noon by even
a single second.
I took it as a rare mercy, and drowned in painkillers as I cried myself to a 2-
hour sleep. It was public knowledge that mate rejections hurt the person being
rejected in blinding ways, but it was agony. The physical and emotional pain was
devastating, and I had to place my hand on the wall a few times to regain my bearing.
It was exactly noon when I stopped in front of his door, and knocked.
The door opened and I stumbled forward.
"Where have you been?" The dark prince asked, brooding. I gritted my teeth
against my pain, and forced a gentle smile as I started to arrange his room.
He wouldn't mind me doing it whilst he was in, I hoped.
"I had a rough night," was all I said. I heard him lay on his bed.
"Is that why you've been crying?"
I ignored the question, arranging his footwear. Asides that and the plates of
his breakfast, there wasn't much to clean up. Kael Blackthorn, it seemed, was a clean
man.
I stopped at the foot of his bed, eyes on the linen.
"Would you like me to lay your bed or it's fine?"
He didn't say anything for so long, I had to look up. Then there was a sharp
pain in my chest and I grunted, one hand on the bed and the other on my chest,
soothing.
I coughed as tears filled my vision, and a hand came over my back, guiding
me to sit. I did, for lack of better alternative.
And when the pain calmed, I wiped my eyes and sat up.
"I can smell him all over you, you know."
I tensed up, and looked over at him. "What?" It was such a scared whisper.
When we'd just started dating, Caius bought me an expensive scent blocker. With
werewolf scents so strong and easily transferable, it was the only way to hide that we
were together.
I used that cream today. Excessively because I didn't want to smell him either.
I took a sniff of my shirt, and Kael scoffed.
"You're an Omega and you do not have a wolf. With the royal blood, my father
and I have the highest sense of smell in the Pack. The scent blocker dampens it, sure,
but it's still there. At least for me."
All of a sudden, I was so grateful I rarely saw the King. What would he say if
he smells his nephew on me?! A mere maid?!
I clear my throat and stand. "You room is cleaned, your Royal highness. If
you'll excuse me, I'll return to my other chores."
There was a slight tilt of his lips. "I asked my aunt to relieve you of any other
duties."
I froze, meeting his eyes and swaying because of it. "What? I'm not—I'd have
nothing to do then. Our pay is based on performance, and—"
"As my chamber maid, you make more money than any other maid in this
Castle, but for my parents'. And I didn't do it for you, so keep your appreciation," he
said dryly, and I flushed at my lack of.
"Why did you do it then?"
He levelled those dark grey eyes on me and my gaze latched on to the strands
of hair that had loosened from his bun. "So I could have access to you. 24/7. And my
first order is that you remain in this room until I tell you otherwise."
"Wh—"
"It's a small price to pay for relieving your workload." His voice was hard,
leaving no room for me to dare to counter him.
So I sighed softly, and sat on one of his couches.
We stayed in silence for so long, I think I drifted to sleep. But then his deep
voice pulled me out of it.
"Are you his mate or his mistress? I smelled him on you all through yesterday,
too."
"Why do you care?" I all but snapped. I didn't want to talk about Caius
Blackthorn, didn't want to think about it.
"I don't. I'm just curious. I heard my cousin was a player."
I stared at him for long, and his eyes softened. As if inviting me to speak. It
transformed his face from menacing to less menacing, and it was such a strange look
for the heir.
Fuck it.
"He's my mate."
"I don't see any mark, and your scent is still strong for an Omega.
Still...intriguing."
I know he meant to say inviting. You see we were made to appeal to them, too.
I didn't know what my scent was like, I'd never asked, but I had the sudden urge, as I
watched his nostrils flare, to ask him.
"Was. He was my mate."
His face remained passive. "He rejected you."
I shut my eyes when pain flooded my body again. I suppose the thought of it
was enough.
"That must be agony," he hummed.
Agony? He had no idea.