Chapter 139

“Perhaps you have forgotten, father, but I am the king of this kingdom now,” Caleb growls. “As such, I am the only one who can command or punish the members of my harem. Harper is not just a member, but my favored.”

“She was looking up information about Evan, Caleb,” Hector replies, just as furious.

“I don’t care if she was plotting to stab me in the back, I am the only one to punish her.”

“You are being stubborn and foolish.”

“I am king.” Caleb draws himself up to his full height. His shoulders push back, his hands curl like claws. His front teeth begin to elongate.

Any moment, he’s going to shift.

Hector must be seeing that too. With a sigh, he lets his shoulders drop slightly, removing some of the obvious tension in his body. It was a clear attempt at deescalating the situation by taking on a less aggressive posture against his raging son.

“Fine,” Hector says. “Do it your way. But I shouldn’t need to remind you that it’s Annabelle you should be protecting, not this lowly consort. If Annabelle is to be your wife, you need to treat her with more respect than you would show your whores.”

Caleb’s jaw clenches, as he emits a low, dangerous growl.

I really don’t want to see this become something again, so I rush to my feet and hurry toward Caleb.

In front of his father, who already hates me, I can’t ask Caleb to leave or push him away from this challenge of power, but I hope that he can see the worry in my eyes. With luck, that will sway him enough to remove us from this situation.

“I can explain everything,” I say. “Later.”

“You listen to honeyed words of a liar, Caleb,” Hector says. “I don’t need to remind you of why that’s a dangerous game to play.”

Caleb stiffens. “No. You don’t.”

Without warning, Caleb grabs me by the arm and drags me out of the room. He walks quickly, not slowing, even as I stumble, my legs somewhat bruised from my tumble.

He doesn’t stop until he’s thrown open the doors of his private chambers and tossed me inside. Behind us, he closes the door with a booming slam.

Before I can even catch my breath, he storms toward me. “Tell me exactly what happened before I arrived. Why were you in the library? What were you searching for that made my father enraged? Why did your handmaiden burst into the Hall searching for me, fearing you were in danger?”

I have answers for all of his questions, except for the last one, which I was very relieved to hear happened.

It seems I have reason to thank Bethany yet again. I owe her a thousand times over by now.

I tell Caleb what I can – vaguely. “I wanted to research some of your past so I can better help you in the present. That’s why I was in the library. Your father became enraged when he saw your brother on my screen. And I don’t know how Bethany knew to come get you, but I am relieved she did. I think your father wanted to kill me.”

“He definitely wanted to kill you. If you had been anyone other than my favored, he would have done so without question. You think I am ruthless? You have no idea what life was like under his role. Even as a father, he was vicious and cruel.”

I could believe that. It also made me feel deep pity for the childhood Caleb experienced. My parents might have become terrible, but in my youth, they treated me like I mattered to them.

Considering all that followed, I did manage to have a childhood I could think of fondly. Caleb, it seems, couldn’t share that experience.

“Caleb –”

“No. Don’t you dare take pity on your king. I don’t want it and I don’t need it.”

I swallow down my sympathy and nod.

For a moment, we stare at each other. Over time, the red eases from his eyes and he seems farther away from shifting than before. That, at least, feels like a victory, even if I feel hollow otherwise.

My position here is perilous on the best days. Now, even Caleb’s own father seems out to get me. What if Caleb isn’t around next time?

I can really only hope that Hector loses enough interest in punishing me to leave me alone.

“He wasn’t wrong about everything,” I say, lowering my chin.

Caleb’s eyes refocus on me. He waits, as if expecting me to explain.

“You should be protecting Annabelle, not me. I’m just a consort, and she is –”

“I’m damned tired of everyone telling me what to do,” Caleb huffs.

He takes two steps forward, grabs me by the hips, drags me toward him, and then crashes his mouth down over mine.

He kisses me like he wants to devour me, and I am helpless but to take everything he wants to give me. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life, as his hands grab my ass and lift me up.

He hauls me over toward his massive bed, then drops us both down onto it. He’s on top of me, pushing me down into the mattress with every square inch of his hard body.

“Caleb,” I gasp when he allows me to come up for breath.

His mouth moves to my neck where he sucks marks down the column of my throat.

“Caleb…” This time, his name comes out like a sigh.

“You are mine,” he growls into my skin. “No one else can have you. Not to touch. To torture. To kiss. Only me. Only me.”

He’s lost in his possessive desire. And for a time, so am I.

Lovemaking with Caleb is like a whirlwind, and I’m easily swept away. My thoughts, my worries, all if it is swept aside when I am in the crosshairs of Caleb’s full attention, of his hands and his mouth.

He keeps me occupied for a good long while, and I do my best to return the favor.

By the time we both cross the final precipice of pleasure, we are sweaty and out of breath and holding onto each other as if the world might fall apart if we don’t.

“Caleb…” I say, breathless. We’ve had sex a hundred times before, but each time has felt different than the last. It’s felt more.

This time was no exception.

Spent, he falls down beside me on the bed. His arm stays fixed around my waist, keeping me tucked firmly against him.

We don’t say a word, and for that I’m glad. Speaking might ruin the moment. It could bring back the reality that faces us outside of these walls of his chambers.

Annabelle…

Hector…

The Alpha Council…

Leah…

It’s all too much to bear sometimes.

At least, for the moment, I don’t need to face it.

Turning, I bury my face into Caleb’s chest and pretend that this is all there is.

If I imagine, I can pretend we are at the farmhouse, where we didn’t have any responsibilities other than survival.

Because I know the minute I step out of this bed, and out of this room, everything is going to change again.

Caleb will be King, but I can’t stand to still be his consort.

Maybe this time, knowing the danger I’m in, if I ask again, he will let me go.