Adria felt the fear slowly creeping in as he watched her with those harsh eyes that triggered all her emotions at once.
There was something about those blue orbs that seemed to fill her with a certain kind of dread whenever he looked at her. Those cold and scary eyes that she had been trying all evening to avoid and not look at.
"Answer me!" He balled his fists beside in anger, his veins throbbed and his chin knotted in pure rage.
She rolled her eyes in blatant irritation. He was ranting like a child over such a measly matter.
If he really wanted to know what had happened, shouldn’t he at least talk to her politely? What did he really plan on achieving by raising his voice at her?
"Shouting at me won’t get you the expected answer that you want from me, Your Majesty." Came her blunt response to his question.
He stalked towards her, taking steady and unhurried strides as he approached her but she stood her ground.
"What did you say?" He asked, appalled yet amused that she even had the nerve to talk back at him.
"If you want an answer to your questions My Lord, then it’d be best if you learn how to ask your questions politely." She shunned him.
"I would’ve loved to explain to you the reason to my sudden lateness but I won’t because you are not in the right frame of mind to listen neither would you believe me if I told you."
"Besides," She continued "It’s not like whatever I would say at this point would change anything. It wouldn’t because so far, you already have a terrible opinion about me."
"You seem to have a knack for words don’t you?" Cullen sneered at her in disdain "You embarrassed me in front of my council and you have the guts to spill rubbish in your defense?"
He towered over her, his huge framed body caging her in. She looked so small in his presence. So small like an insignificant miniature statue.
His height was not to be reckoned with and the thought that he would crush her if she so much as moved a muscle made her the more restless.
Not to mention that he was also uncannily close to her. She could feel her body responding to the warmth of his body.
If she stays here for more than she had anticipated, then she will be doomed because she might not be able to fight this attraction.
She doesn’t understand why her wolf was so keen with this evil man that has hurt her in so many ways.
Does he also feel the same way whenever he was close to her or is it just her?
Despite his anger, he looked so calm and collected while she was practically at war inside her that she couldn’t comprehend.
Gaining her stance, and completely ignoring her raging wolf inside her, she faced him squarely.
"Whatever I say in my defense is nothing but the truth. If I should say something, anything at all, will you believe me?" She challenged, her chin raised defiantly at him but he remained silent.
"You know that it’s the truth. You won’t believe me and yelling will not get you anywhere in trying to scare me. I might come from a small pack but we are not afraid of mere words being thrown at us." She ranted on while he just stood there, looking at her.
"The feast ended well and everyone is in high spirits. No one has made any comments about my lateness but so far, you’re the only one who seem to have a problem with it."
"So I won’t try to explain myself or change your mind about anything because I have done my part by attending the feast, goodnight." She bowed her head and quietly walked away.
Adria released a breath when she finally got away from him.
She had thought that he would lash and eat her out alive but thank goodness, she was able to salvage the situation and fled away at the nick of time.
"Are you okay, My Lady?" Her maid approached her and she nodded in response.
"I am okay, Calla. I just want to go up to my room and rest. I’ve had a very long day and my feet can’t take any more of this walking." She complained when she felt her feet aching again.
She had been up and running before the marriage even began and after it ended as well. Thank goodness that the feast was over and done with. At least now, she’ll rest happily.
"I understand your plight My Lady but I have to warn you that the night is not over yet."
Adria stopped abruptly and darted her eyes at her. "What do you mean by the night is not over?"
Was there another feast or function that she wasn’t aware of?
"Well," Calla scratched her arm nervously. "I know that you probably don’t want to hear this given that you are already angry from tonight’s celebration but it is your wedding night and by tradition, you are supposed to spend the night in your husband’s chambers to um—consummate the union."
Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. Consummate? Like, sleep with him? Sexually? Hell no!
She shook her head frantically, her heart drumming against her ribcage. She was scared shitless at the mere thought of it.
"I cannot do that tonight. I will not do that."
That simply cannot happen. She doesn’t want to see him let alone spend a second alone with him and If anything, she was certain that he didn’t want to see her tonight as well.
"You don’t have a choice, My Lady." Calla informed her. "If you don’t spend the night with him, there will be rumours that you failed to consummate and there might be consequences. I’m pretty sure that the Lycan King is already waiting for you right now."
"I don’t care." Her hands were shaking now. "I don’t care about any of those stupid rumours because I am not sleeping with that man."
Calla was tongue tied. She didn’t know exactly how to handle the situation and it troubled her.
"My Lady," She began. "The Lycan King is a powerful man and you honestly do not want to go against him. So if I were you, I’d do the needful so that I don’t face his wrath."
"It’s just one night." She continued to pacify her. "After that, you might refuse to spend any other night with him but today, it is mandatory."
Adria stormed off, leaving Calla to trail behind her till they got to her chambers.
The minute she stepped inside, she came face to face with the train of maids that awaited her for tonight’s preparation against her wedding night.
"Let’s get the Luna Queen ready for the King." They announced with a smile.
"Take off her clothes." The maid ordered and they undressed her. Minutes later, her clothes fell to the ground leaving her half naked in front of them.
They placed her in the tub and carefully washed her body clean. They had bathed her and almost scrubbed her skin dry.
When they were finished, They wrapped her in a towel and oiled my skin. They sprayed me with scented perfumes and her hair was combed out and left to fall over her shoulders.
Then, they wore her a bright red lingerie that had lace designs and adjustable shoulder straps with a bow detail and a low V neckline. The garment flowed from a fitted top into a floaty skirt.
The lingerie had a slit that ran from her stomach down to the upper thigh with an opening that revealed her breasts.The finished the look by throwing a fleece robe to cover her up a bit.
"You’re ready." They announced when they were done. Adria snatched her eyes from the see through lingerie to the mirror in front of her.
Fear, dread and anxiousness flashed through her eyes. She couldn’t believe that she was doing this.
She couldn’t believe that she had involuntarily sold herself to be married to this man and to make matters worse, there was no way for her to escape anymore.
Her body was supposed to be for her privacy only and not to be on full display for everyone, especially for him to see.
She wasn’t a whore and even if she was—even whores had their limits. Just how on earth was she supposed to sleep with someone like him?
Never in my wildest dream did I think that this would be my reality someday. She thought to herself.
"Leave now. The Lycan King doesn’t like it when he’s kept waiting." The older maid told Adria the minute she finished her preparation.
Two maids guided her out of the room and led her towards the route that went up to his chamber.
All through the walk there, Adria’s stomach was in knots. She had no idea what waited her inside the walls of his chamber and even if she did, she knew for a fact that it wasn’t going to be pleasant.
They arrived at the door to his bedroom and after letting her in, they closed it shut behind her.
It felt like they just threw her into the lion’s den and left her to whatever fate that awaited her inside.