Chapter 19
Celeste’s POV I stood at the top of the stairs looking down at the men as they got ready to leave the castle in search of my mate for the ninth time in two months. There was a single horse among the men, and I knew who it was meant for.
I could hear footsteps, and without looking back, I already knew who it was and my mouth formed a thin line.
“A shame you won’t be able to join us in search of your mate,” Devina said.
I turned my head to the side for a brief glance and scoffed when I saw a sly smirk on her red lips. Devina had a green cloak over her brown shirt and black trousers.
“I don’t need to,” I muttered, even though deep down, I was dying to go. not only to look for the missing king, but also to see what lay beyond the palace walls.
finally fulfill one of my greatest wishes.
“Of course you don’t!” Devina snickered. With a flip of her cap, she walked down the stairs to the men.
A man was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs and took the bag that was on her shoulders. He strapped it to the side of the horse and also helped her climb the horse.
I watched them and wished that she would just fall off and get kicked by the horse, breaking her perfect face.
My eyes moved from Devina to Beta Derek, but he was already staring at me. I clenched my jaw tight and balled my hands into fists behind me.
Stupid man, I thought. If only he had allowed me to go with them, I wouldn’t be stuck in the castle, bored to hell. Not even Fallon seems to interest me anymore.
Beta Derek gave me a slight nod, and I returned it with a nod of my own. With that, the soldiers started shifting into their beast form, and the gates were pulled open for them.
I stood there, watching them ride and run until they were out of the gate and it was finally closed. With a heavy sigh, I turned back and entered the castle.
On my way back to her room, I bumped into Delta Leo. I muttered a quick excuse and stepped aside, but he grabbed my arm tightly before I could go.
Since the day I saw him in the library with the mysterious man, and with the look he gave me that day, I have tried to stay clear of his path, but it seems like my luck has run out.
“What are you doing?” I asked him, looking at each side to see if there was anyone around, but there wasn’t, and I muttered a silent curse.
Leonardo wouldn’t do this, of course, if there was a single soul in sight. In fact, I felt like he planned the whole “leaving me thing” just so he could have this moment with me.
“We need to have a little chat, Dear Kingsmate.” He whispered into my ear and shivered in disgust as his lips touched my ear.
I took in a shaky breath and slightly turned my head to look at him. “Well, I am not interested in having a chat with you,” I said with confidence, but I could literally hear my heart beating so hard in my chest and my body had a little quiver to it. “Now, let me go,” I added, giving him a deadly glare, and all he did was laugh.
Dammit! Where are the maids and guards when you need them?!
Leonardo looked around, and when he saw that there was no one around, he dragged me by the arm and I hissed as his long nails dug into my arm when I tried to free myself from his death grip.
“Dammit! Let me go! ” I hissed and he quickly turned around and pushed my back to the stone wall and inserted four of his fingers deep into my mouth so that I began to choke on them.
“Shut your trap or you’ll get more than a choke.” Leonardo gritted out, moving the hand that was wrapped around my arm up to my neck and tightening his grip so that my eyes began to water.
I quickly nodded, and he pulled his hand out and ripped my spit on his leather jacket while I was slouched over, massaging my throat and taking in deep breaths.
He pushed the door to the library open and let go of me. I rubbed around the red mark that had started to form around my arm.
I glared at the back of his head as he locked the door and turned to face me. “Sit”, he ordered, but I stood my ground and watched him slowly stalk towards me.
Leonardo grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to the sofa. I was in shock and could not even react.
“Now,” he said, taking in a long breath and bending his back so he was eye-to-eye with me, and I gripped the edge of the sofa so tight. “Did you tell anyone what you saw on that day, hmm?”
I rolled my tongue across my lips and his green eyes darted down to my lips for a second before moving back to my eyes.
“Answer!” He growled out, smacking the space between my ears, and I jumped up a little in fear at how loud it was.
“N-No” I quickly answered in a shaky voice and gripped the sofa even harder so that it began to tear.
Delta Leonardo stood straight and walked around the sofa before finally stopping behind me.
“If my mate finds out about what you did to me-what you’re doing to me, he will have your head for it!” In a raged voice, I growled.
Leonardo chuckled and placed his head on my temple. “Would he now?” he asked Huntley, and I held my breath that he might do something.
God, this man is so fucking terrifying.
“I wonder how he would react to finding out that his beloved mate was fucking another woman while he was away.” Leonardo gasped in fake concern, and my heart literally stopped beating.
My mouth was moving but no words could come out. How did he find out? I made sure the doors were always locked and that I and Fallon were in the bathroom when plesuring each other. I quickly sputtered in a shaky voice, “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
Leonardo snorted and put a few strands of my hair behind my ear. “Of course you don’t.”
He finally moved from behind me to stand in front of me once more, but I couldn’t look at him in the eyes this time. I feared that he might use my secret against me if he saw how afraid I was.
“So, let’s come to a compromise,” he stated, and that did catch my attention, and I couldn’t help but look at him.
He had a smug look on his face as he stared me down, like he was a god and I was a mere commoner.
“You tell no one about what you say and I…” He bent a little to place his right hand on my shoulder and his lips closer to my ear. “I will keep your dirty little secret from the King,” he added, and I quickly nodded with my eyes closed. “Good,
” Leonardo whispered in my ear. “But before I go,” he added, and I felt his palm sliding down to my left breast.
He released a sigh and folded the mold between his palms, and that was when I snapped.
What the hell am I doing? Letting a disgusting man touch me just for a damn secret?
Who am I kidding? Even if Micah finds out, he won’t care because he wants me! He wants a mate and wouldn’t dare harm me because he knows he would lose me.
I slapped Delta Leonardo’s hand away from my breast and glared at him. “Get away from me, you disgusting fuck!” I screamed at his face, and he was taken aback by my outburst.
I guess he wasn’t expecting that.
I got up and pushed him away from me. He stumbled and fell on the rug-covered floor, and that was when the door was finally pushed open and a maid was standing there with a broom in her hand.