Chapter 76: Rushed
Kael came to a sudden stop in the doorway, the tray in his hand almost slipping from his grip as he took in the scene before him. The food that he had urgently asked the Pack cook to prepare and send over, forgotten in an instant.
The little omega was sprawled across the bed, her face pressed into the sheets, her hips tilted up in a careless posture that made her dress ride high over the curve of her backside.
The sight caught him off guard, holding him there with an intensity he had not expected. And even more unexpected was the memory it brought forward to his mind.
Only last night, he had applied medicine to those same curves, his hand smoothing oil over the hand imprints he had left on her a**...
Now, seeing her in that same posture, unknowing and unguarded, the reminder dug deeper than he cared to admit.
For a fleeting, selfish moment, he regretted using the medicated oil. It would have been satisfying to see that reddened skin.
His wolf stirred at the idea, liking it and his body betrayed him with its own insistent reaction. He almost sighed at his own physiological reactions.
Was this what he had been reduced to? Had it truly been so long since he’d had a woman under him that he wanted this one who was barely past her first heat?
His wolf growled at him, reminding him that she belonged to him, mate or no mate.
The sudden thought of his wolf unsettled him. No. That was not right. If his wolf started to see the Omega as belonging to them, then... it would make the current situation messier than it already was.
Kael shook his head sharply, forcing the unwelcome thoughts down and cleared his throat to let her know he was here. How could she not have realised that until now?
The reaction was immediate. Emira jumped as though struck as she twisted on the bed to face him.
Her wide eyes met his, and the fear etched across her face was enough to smother the last lingering thread of desire within him.
The expression hit him like a cold wave.
She was afraid of him. Of course she was. And why wouldn’t she be?
Most people wore that same expression when they looked at him-fear, dread, unease. It had always been the case even when he was younger.
There was a time he’d tried to suppress his aura, for Ramona’s sake, but she had feared him so much that she was unwilling to look past that. And so, when he’d left the pack to go on the missions to eliminate rogues and other threats to peace, he’d stopped trying to hide himself.
Added to that, Emira... she had more cause than most. He had almost choked the life from her only moments ago.
Without another word to her, he walked forward, placed the food tray in front of her and turned to walk back out.
Unexpectedly, he heard her call out to him," Your Highness."
He paused and turned around, his expression stiff. What did she want now?
And then, he watched her take a deep breath, smile up at him and ask, "Won’t you... share the food with me?"
Did she really invite him to join her for a meal? She’d caught him off guard with her sudden invitation.
Unexpectedly, he felt a sudden burst of anger at the question. Did she think he was a fool? That she was scared of him and he would want to stay for a meal? Was she trying to manipulate him into getting something she wanted.
He reached out with his senses, to read her feelings. He’d expected a hint of greed and fear but as his thoughts grazed her feelings, he stilled. There was fear, yes. But something of a determination. As if she really did want him to join her. She was trying to overcome her fear? And there was no reluctance to his presence that would make his throat go acrid... like he had sensed Ramona’s
His first instinct was to refuse, to shut the door behind him and let her eat alone. But before he could voice the refusal or give in to the strange temptation to accept, he watched her move.
She stood up and hurriedly walked to the small table in the corner of the room, and pushed the table to the centre, placed the food tray onto it and then stepped back with a ’here it is’ gesture.
He felt his frown deepen. She was actually waiting for him. Expecting him to go and sit with her.
And then, as he continued to look at her, he watched her face fall as she bowed her head," Forgive me. I... I shouldn’t have assumed. I overstepped myself."
Her words trembled with genuine fear, as though simply asking him to eat at the same table had been a crime in itself. Kael let out a deep breath and walked to the bed and sat down.
He watched her stare uncertainly and with another irritated sigh, patted the space next to him to let her sit and eat.
He’d bring a chair for her next, he thought to himself as she came to sit next to him and hurriedly picked up a plate of meat for herself.
Yet, even with the food set before him, Kael found he could not bring himself to eat. Somehow, the little omega’s scent had somehow become sweeter and it held his attention far more than food ever could.
He turned his head and instead watched as she lifted a piece of meat to her lips, nibbling at it in small, careful bites as though she feared it might be finished too soon.
Her expression was unguarded, touched with such innocence and quiet bliss that he stilled. When had he last seen someone look so content over something so trivial? Almost never.
With another look at her, he turned his head and ate his own food, silently.