Chapter 196

As a member of Caleb’s harem, and as his favored, I’ve become accustomed to sharing a bed with Caleb – either his or mine. Yet moving entirely into the same living space as him is an entirely different step. Before, though we often slept together, we would keep our personal effects and space separate for the most part.

Now, those personal effects and spaces would blend into one shared space. I am excited and eager, but not entirely sure how it will work. After all, Caleb seems to sometimes enjoy locking himself away for hours on end. Would he truly want to share so much time with me?

This is certain to be a test to our relationship.

Though I want to collect some of my things such as my toiletries and other important items, Caleb insists on going into my room first. He continues to be protective, I reason, and allow him to do as he wishes. If someone is hiding in wait in my room, I’d rather they have to deal with Caleb first, not me.

Caleb is the one who can rip a person to pieces with his bare hands. I’m just a normal human. I don’t even have a wolf.

Two steps into the room, Caleb scents the air. Then, seemingly satisfied, he turns to me and nods.

“No one is here. Get your things.”

I hurry to obey. Later, Bethany can facilitate the move of my clothes and the bigger items, but for now, I mainly want my toothbrush, my jewelry box, a hairbrush, and a few other knick-knacks I’ve collected.

With them in hand, I return to Caleb, who leads me out of the room and then over to his own room instead.

To the guards, Caleb says, “You will protect this woman as you would me. Is that understood?”

The guards, having already been thoroughly scolded, agree readily. Then they stand aside to allow Caleb and me to enter Caleb’s rooms.

“Thank you,” I tell them as we pass.

They make no outward acknowledgement, though the one on the right does dip his head a bit lower than before.

I’ve been in Caleb’s chambers many times, but I quickly notice there is a difference in how I perceived them when I was just a visitor to now, when I am to become a more permanent resident.

For one thing, I’m now noticing the décor that Caleb has destroyed in one of his rages: broken vases, or framed pictures with cracks in the glass.

Before, we were always in a rush for the bed. Now, looking around the room, I’m seeing the holes punched through the walls and the cracks in the plaster.

My excitement over this mood immediately dims. The place looks entirely ransacked, but I know that’s merely the doing of Caleb during one, or many, of his rages.

Caleb, watching me, looks where I’m looking and sees what I see.

“I suppose I never bothered fixing things,” Caleb says. “It’s never troubled me.”

I turn my head away. “It’s your space. If you are fine with it, I will adjust.”

“No,” Caleb says. Approaching me, he touches his finger to my cheek, turning my attention back to him. “This space now also belongs to you. You can adjust the décor in this room however you like. I never cared for any of it.”

My darkening mood immediately brightens. “You mean it?”

He looks at me flatly. “Do I often say things I don’t mean?”

“You don’t,” I confirm, then push myself up to my toes to kiss him.

With the arrival of Harper’s handmaiden Bethany, Caleb feels comfortable enough to leave her in the guarded room as he seeks out his advisors.

He is incensed about the continued infiltration of rebels within his palace. This is a persistent problem, one that is quickly annoying Caleb, given how often this had led to Harper being endanger.

If he has to personally vet every person who plants one foot in his palace, he will do so. But first he will present this issue with the advisors to see if they have their own thoughts, as their previous efforts to contain this situation have proven useless.

Yet, before Caleb can reach his Hall and call for his advisors, he comes across Annabelle, following her luggage to the elevator.

She must sense him, because she stops and looks at him.

Caleb has half a mind to let her leave without a word, but he forces himself toward her instead. Her embarrassment is his fault, and to maintain a relationship with her pack, he needs to play nice.

He’s burned so many bridges already. Against the rebels, he needs all the allies he can manage. Though, he is no longer willing to marry to secure those allies. He’s hopeful he can manage in other ways.

“Annabelle. Are you departing?” he asks. He tries to be friendly, but that’s not a sort of tone he is comfortable with. He’s certain it comes out as fake as it feels.

“Yes,” Annabelle says. “Soon, you will no longer have to suffer my presence, my King.”

“As you won’t have to suffer mine,” Caleb replies. He’s the offending party here. He’s trying to magnanimous in the face of her obvious resentment.

She gives him a tight, disingenuous smile. “Yes, but do not forget that I did not request your absence from my life, as you have so firmly requested mine from yours.”

“I hope the compensation you received will help smooth any difficulties with your transition,” Caleb says, referring to the high amount of money he paid her to help heal her embarrassment.

“The money will go to my pack,” Annabelle says. “So you will need to confer with them on their feelings.”

The meaning here too is clear to Caleb. Annabelle’s pack might forgive Caleb for his transgressions, thanks to his monetary donation, but Annabelle will not.

She will likely hate him forever.

He can’t blame her. She had entirely wrapped her life around this wedding and becoming his wife, the kingdom’s Luna. And Caleb agreed to it for entirely too long.

That she has hard feelings now that the rug has been pulled out from under her is not surprising to him.

He briefly wishes he could time travel – not to accept Annabelle, but to dismiss her much sooner, before any attachment to him or the position she might fill could be made.

His choice would not change. He knows he will always choose Harper above all others. Even if she cannot become his Luna. He will be a lone king with a dozen illegitimate children before he ever makes another mistake as he almost did with Annabelle.

“Your compensation is generous, however,” Annabelle adds, looking away. “I’m sure my pack will be forgiving.”

“Yes,” Caleb says. That seems likely, given the sheer number of zeros in the check he wrote.

“You need not worry about me any longer, King Caleb,” she says. Though she’s no longer looking at him, she lifts her chin high, as if rebuilding her pride and her composure. “I will no longer be a bother to you now or in the future. If you will excuse me.”

At that moment, the elevator door opens, and Annabelle rushes to board alongside her luggage.

He watches her until the doors close. She does not look at him again.

Despite the things she said, Caleb wonders if she meant her words, or if he just made another enemy.