Elena
My mind was a mess when leaving the crow’s presence, and I ran right into Eric- again. This time, he caught me before I could fall and as my cheeks colored, he grinned down at me and told me that I was as clumsy as a baby bunny.
“I’m a grown woman, not a baby bunny.” I argued as I got out of his arms but he only laughed with a shake of his head.
“It doesn’t matter the age, love. You can still be a baby bunny at forty,” he insisted and I wanted to argue but decided to drop it. He glanced over at me with an arched brow.
“Where were you coming from?” He asked and I shrugged.
“Was summoned by the crow.” I explained because nothing else came to mind and his eyes lit up.
“Oh, you’ve met my uncle?”
“That’s your uncle?” I asked, mind slowly returning to the fact that he’s cousins with the king. He nodded with
a hum.
“Oh, yes. He’s more like a father though, because he raised me after my father, his younger brother died.” He explained and I felt sympathy for him for a few moments. But I suddenly felt weary, remembering the king’s warning to stay away from him.
The crow is clearly dangerous. Is this man as dangerous as the men who raised him?
“I know he can be a lot. If he’s pressuring you to do something you’re not comfortable with, just outrightly tell him, okay? He’ll not do anything against one’s consent no matter what.” He suddenly blurted out and my eyes widened in surprise. After finding out that he was brought up by that man, I thought he might be in on the man’s plan- whatever it is, but that seemed to be the complete opposite.
“Thank you for this, you just keep surprising me… and no, he’s not pressuring me to do something.” I responded, making sure to say that last part just to be safe, because the crow might be keeping his plan from Eric and I wouldn’t want to be the reason the plan leaks, knowing that the crow could order for me to be
killed in Blaze’s absence.
“You hungry?” He asked and I shrugged a little. It’s currently twelve pm. I had breakfast with Maya and the king this morning, and that was more like a joke because I didn’t get to actually eat anything, so I feel pretty hungry right now.
But I also didn’t want all my encounters with Eric to be centered around food, like I was such a glutton.
“No, I’m not,” I finally responded but when he arched a brow at me, I chuckled softly and averted my gaze because it felt like he could see right through me.
“Wanna quickly head out with me? I have a favorite spot. They have the best street food you’ll definitely fall in love.” He suggested, his eyes gleaming with excitement and I tensed up for a moment, my mind returning to the king’s warning yesterday, asking me to stay away from Eric because he was dangerous.
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Chapter 22
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So far, Eric was the sweetest person ever, and I’m starting to feel like Blaze gave me that warning because of his own beef with Eric and not because he was actually dangerous. I’m also quite hungry as it is, and I’m also bored as hell here in this large castle.
“Cmon, say yes. If you refuse, I’ll cry because I hate when pretty girls hurt my feelings.” He leaned forward a little, his forest scent drifting into my lungs. “I’m an easy crier.”
I laughed before I could stop the laugh then I nodded as I smoothed my hands down my dress.
“Sure, why not? Let’s do it.”
“So you really grew up in the palace?” I asked through a mouthful of food and Eric nodded vigorously, his cheeks bulging with his food as well. Eric hadn’t been lying, this street food is to die for. Right after we began to eat, we also began to tell each other about ourselves.
“Yes, but I don’t live in the palace permanently anymore, but I still come to visit frequently.” He explained and I nodded as I sipped on my coffee
I was curious as hell. I want to ask lots of questions. I want to ask won’t be and blaze doesn’t get along, but I don’t want to come off as too obvious.
“The palace is actually way bigger than it might seem. Theres a lot of spots to hide in, and I even began to smell girls once I was old enough to know what lust felt like. I got grounded each time I was caught but it never deterred me.” He explained through a laugh and as I watched him speak, his eyes sparking with genuine excitement, I wondered why Blaze said he was dangerous.
This man right here is a ball of sunshine.
“I can imagine you being a stubborn child while growing up.”
“Not more than Blaze, that’s certain. Blaze was a menace.”
This time, the curiosity within me multiplied by folds and I leaned forward.
“So, he used to bring a lot of girls home?” I asked and he snorted.
“Nah, that’s my thing. Blaze had always been sensitive to scents so he never had a whore phase like a lot of boys do. He never troubled anyone in that area, but he was just something else entirely.” At the end of his sentence, he was no longer smiling and even appeared a little tense, making me silently curse myself out for the question because it seemed to have ruined the mood just now.
Great. Just great,
“I’d like a tour of the palace, can you give me one later someday?” I asked as a means to change the subject and that instantly worked like magic. His eyes flashed as he leaned forward.
“It would be an honor! I’m surprised no one has given you one though, Blaze has always been a terrible host, I’m not surprised that ever changed.”
Chapter 22
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I nodded as I downed the rest of my coffee, and when I attempted to say something else, someone tapped the side of our table and when I glanced up, I was shocked to see a man holding a phone in my face, a few people standing behind him just as the one with the phone began to speak.
“You’re Elena, right? The one that cheated on her mate and betrayed her pack. Please tell us how it felt for you to do that while still bonded to your mate. Did it not make out feel bad? Or guilty? And what would you like to say to the internet concerning all the claims against you online. You’re yet to address it or deny it, this is live from the channel…”
These people were from the press, that was clear enough at this point, but I suddenly felt disoriented. I rushed to my feet, sending my chair flying back.
“No comment.” I muttered as I turned to leave but the man blocked me, holding the phone in my face.
“But the public wants a statement…”
The man began just as he grabbed my arm. Eric was by my side almost immediately, pushing the man away and pulling me into his side, his arm around my shoulder.
“She said no comment, the fuck are you touching her for?”
“We apologize for that, but we’ll still like a statement. Some women are coming out to support you and claim that they’ll now follow in your footsteps, while some women say they see the mate bond as a form of bondage. The men on the internet are all enraged and blaming you for all this mess, what do you have to say about this?” The reporter was very fast and I was starting to feel claustrophobic. So many people were now staring at this unfolding scene and some were recording as well.
Eric roughly shoved the reporter away as he pulled me through the gathered crowd. I kept my head down, feeling so humiliated that I might cry.
“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Is this the new person you’re now fucking?”
“My good sir, she’s gonna cheat on you like she did her mate. I advise you to leave this woman, she’s soiled goods that a lot of men have tasted.”
“Shameless whore.”
Different words were thrown at us as Eric kept pulling me forward. I might have been unable to move if I was alone right now, but Eric seemed to be pushing the crowd away effortlessly, his grip firm on my wrist till we got to his car, then he sped off once we got in.
I was frozen in the front seat, staring into space and unable to comprehend what just happened. Eric was silent as he drove. I thought that night my ex–mate chose to betray me would be the most embarrassing moment of my entire life, but today seem to have overthrown that day.
What was Eric thinking now? Is he already regretting going out with me today? I knew he was aware of my soiled reputation online, and that resource knowing that, he never brought it up, and instead acted oblivious while politely flirting with me and just treating me with respect at the same time. Then this shameful thing
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Chapter 22
had to happen today of all days, when I’m with him.
Why couldn’t it happen when I was alone? Was he mad at me? Does he hate me right now?
I didn’t realize when I bursted into tears.
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Elena
