Gregory grabs my arm roughly and tugs me towards his chest. A loud piercing growl vibrates the whole ball room. One moment I'm being dragged towards Gregory's chest, the next I'm being pushed back into Cam's chest. Gregory has been flung across the whole hall, slamming the far wall with force you could hear multiple bones break at impact. Then the sweet scent of lavendar, honey and morning biscuits assault my senses. I can barely contain a moan as my body instantly responds to his arrival. Don't have to tell me, I don't have to see to know it is him. Kieran, was standing with his back towards me, growling, heaving profusely, in the direction he threw Gregory.
I see Callen running full speed pushing people out the way trying to get to us. Kieran lets out a surge of his aura, his anger palpable. Most of the guests who haven't run away have dropped to their knees by the force of his aura. Only the Alphas remain standing but bowing in submission struggling not to succumb to his power completely. I stand completely unaffected. Instead of a domineering need to submit, I feel a soft caress, a warmth, as if my body is answering the call of his power.
Seraphina, who's on her knees by the king's feet. Reaching out, trying to touch him,but he steps back as if disgusted.
"Your Highness what happened" Callen finally approaches, head bowed in submission.
Kieran releases his hold and everyone gives a sigh of relief. Cam quickly comes to stand behind me, "You need to calm him down." I quickly turn, my face morphing into confusion. "What?" Not understanding why she would tell me such a thing. She explains, whispering, "You're his mate, you need to reassure him you are okay before he goes over there and kills Gregory. He's a perv, yes but do you want his blood on your hand?" Acknowledging her reasoning, the male is disgusting and should be castrated but he shouldn't die because of me.
Seraphina now on her feet runs to the king and wraps her body around his arm, pushing her breast up towards him. "Oh my king, darling ! Thank you, you helped me." She rubs her hand across his chest.
"Ah shit" Callen says out in resignation as if he knows what's about to happen.
And before Emma pushes me to rip the skank off her mate, Kieran grabs Seraphina by the neck and drags her back a bit. Growling, "How dare you touch me! Who the fuck do you think you are, to be able to touch me?" Squeezing her throat tighter, Seraphina gasps, scratching at his arm for leverage as he lifts her up. "MY KING PLEASE!" Luna Vasti Screams out! " Your Highness, that is your mate! The one you said you were interested in!" Alpha Jered Interveened.
Kieran looked at him with pure disgust.
"What?This is not the she-wolf I spoke about. I have found my fate, and it will never be this fake" he takes a whiff of her and it makes Emma bare her teeth "Used up, excuse of a daughter of yours. How dare you assume I would belittle myself for this filth." Luna Vasti squeals a cry.
Cam shakes me out of shock, " Dammit Sam, he's going to kill her! She's fucking turning blue and is about to pass out!" She's right but do I want all these people to know what I am to him. Won't this bring more conflict for me? Cam and Dirge ? This isn't the quiet life I imagine for myself. Goddess but I can't let Seraphina die even if she deserves it.
'She deserves it, let mate protect us. Let him take her life in our honor, a mating present.' Ignoring Emma and her murderous tendencies.
I slowly walk up to Kieran, ignoring all the stares that direct my way.
Alpha Jered hisses at me "Fucking brat, stay out of the before you make it worse!" I ignore his accusation.
Putting a hand on Kieran's arm, the one holding onto Seraphina, who is about seconds from passing out. If her lack of fighting is to tell. I look into Kieran's eyes filled with a blazing fire, sensing his wolf is riding him. I give him a sad smile and whisper, "take me home. Please." He looks at me for a second before dropping Seraphina, whose mother and pack guards rush to drag her away from us. Kieran grabs me by the waist with one hand, staring into my eyes, warming me from the inside out. Holding my face with the other hand, I lean into it as he caresses my cheek. I reach out and hold on to his shirt, the whole world disappearing, it's just him and me. Nothing else, no one else matters. He is my world, in just a few hours he had captivated me in such a way I cannot put into words. Something shifts inside my chest, it's painful but in a pleasurable way and I gasp. By the way his eyes widened. I know he felt it too.
The mate bond souring, communicating between us, enjoying our proximity. Leaning down, he kisses me, soft and slow. A kiss of a promise of forever. I melt into his arms, melt into the kiss unable to form a single thought. A smile playing across his face as he whispers,
"Of course, little wolf. Anything for you, my mate."
The ballroom slowly comes back into focus, whispers rippling like a disturbed hive, but I barely register them. Kieran's thumb brushes just under my eye, grounding me, steadying the storm he unleashed for me. His aura shifts,still powerful, still lethal,but now wrapped around me like armor instead of a weapon. I feel Emma settle, purring with vicious satisfaction. Callen steps in close, murmuring something I can't hear, already handling the fallout. Kieran leans his forehead to mine, breathing me in like he needs proof I'm real. And in that moment, I know nothing about my life will ever be quiet again.