"I-I wasn't avoiding you. I only needed time to think about this whole thing. Because this thing…the marriage between us, it's overwhelming and I still haven't registered any of it, so I needed a little space." Elena explained, half truthfully. "I just need time to adjust, figure out myself, away from y-you." She added.
King Killian's hand tightened around Elena's waist as he asked, "Overwhelming?"
"No Elena, what is overwhelming is you hiding from me." He leaned in. "It's not allowed, wife. You don't get to hide or run from me." His hand slid to the back of her neck, holding her there, not forcefully but firmly. "You belong beside me, my wife, so there's no such thing as trying to hide."
King Killian had always gotten whatever he wanted. He was not going to tolerate it, if his precious little price tried to make it difficult for him to break his curse. Things could go really bad, and Elena's fear of him could turn into hate.
King Killian wasn't even ready for plan B anyway, so he needed his wife to behave. For her own good.
At this point, Elena regretted even explaining her dilemma to King Killian. He was too cruel to understand what it meant to be overwhelmed. Plus, the cold, dangerous look in his eyes made her even more regretful. She had probably crossed the line this time.
Elena swallowed hard before saying, "Okay, no more running."
Well, Elena might stop trying to avoid King Kiliian but that would not stop her from burying these strange feelings she got whenever she was around him. She needed to be smart about this. She would avoid King Killian and not avoid him at the same time.
"Good." Killian voiced. "Now, for the main reason why I called you here." He continued
"C-can I sit over there now." Elena interrupted, pointing at the chair opposite from her. She wasn't comfortable on Killian's lap.
"No. Stay and relax. You are too stiff." King Killian warned.
Elena did not speak, but her racing heart did all the talking. Any moment from now, she was surely going to melt.
"As I was saying, it's been weeks since we got married, and while a few people in this palace know about it, I think it's time the others do as well."
"So, in a few days from now, we'll both parade the entire kingdom as I introduce you to my people as their Queen. After this, we'll get married here in this palace, following the ancient tradition." King Killian explained, all the while keeping his gaze on his wife. "Do you have any questions?" He asked, his hands now softly trailing lines on her neck.
"No, I do not have any questions," Elena replied after a while of silence.
"Okay, you may leave." King Killian uttered, and without wasting time, Elena rose from his lap. She bowed before him, then left the room.
"Gareth, report to my office now." King Killian mindlinked his beta a few minutes after Elena left and almost immediately, Gareth walked into the study room. "You called for me, my King." He uttered, bowing low before the King in respect.
"Yes. My wife is scared, and although I know she's scared of me, I can also sense that she's scared of something else. Perhaps herself." He paused, stroking his chin with his hand. "Madam Lucile has also noticed how awkward she is around people and it has gotten me curious. So, I want you to go to her previous pack, find out the kind of life she led, and then report back to me."
"My King, do you care about your wife?" Gareth asked, his jaw dropping to the ground. However, he instantly regretted what he had said as the King flashed him a hard glare, one that sent a shiver down his spine. "I'm sorry, please forgive me my King."
King Killian scoffed. He could have asked Gareth to sleep outside for three days for spewing such nonsense, but he needed Gareth to finish with the assignment as soon as possible. However, he would surely punish him later.
"Gareth, you know I do not care about anyone. My wife is not just scared of me, she's also trying hard to not trust me. And I need her to trust me."
"Okay, my King. I will travel to Nightshade pack, first thing tomorrow morning." Garreth voiced.
Although Gareth knew nothing about the King's curse or why he had to marry Elena, he was smart enough to know that his King wanted something from her. And since his King was taking the long road instead of simply collecting what he needed, it meant that whatever he wanted was dangerous. Gareth needed to be careful now, so he doesn't get in the King's bag side this period.
"While you're there, I need you to look into the records of her parents' bloodline, I need to confirm something." King Killian uttered, his gaze fixed ahead as his mind wandered to a certain thought from years ago.
"Okay my King, I'll do just that," Garreth replied with a bow, already making mental preparations for his journey to the Nightshade pack. Now that they had a new Alpha, his mission might be a little hard.
"Do not make any mistakes, Gareth." King Killian warned.
"You know I don't make mistakes, my King," Gareth replied, his tone firm and filled with pride.
After a few minutes of silence, King Killian asked, "Have you heard from Xaveir?"
"No, my King, he left a week ago and hasn't returned since then."
"Hmmm. Xavier would never just leave all of a sudden. It's either he has something dangerous up his sleeves, or he is cooking up a deadly plan."
"One thing we both have in common is that we do not give empty threats. He is definitely going to come for my wife." King Killian uttered, clenching his fist in anger as he recalled how Xavier had threatened to make Elena's life miserable.
"Whatever you do, make sure Xavier doesn't set foot in this palace. And most importantly, don't let him get close to my wife."