Chapter 34
Ruby’s POV
I finally made it over there.
I couldn’t stand being there any longer from the start. The air in that cursed room was suffocating me with lies and false concerns. My dress Bustered around my ankles as I walked briskly through the halls of the manor house, ignoring the muttered greetings of the pack members who dared to acknowledge me. My pulse pounded in my ears, my mind muddled between anger and exhaustion.
And then, suddenly, a hand seized my wrist, pulling me into the shadows of a secluded corridor. A gasp caught in my throat, but before I could scream, another hand covered my mouth.
Crimson eyes gleamed down at me.
Killian.
The tension drained from my body, but the shock remained.
“You’re… You’re still here?” I whispered as he removed his hand from my lips.
The man’s lips quirked unimpressed. “Of course, darling. Did you think I’d leave before seeing the aftermath of my handiwork
1 blinked at him, still trying to process his sudden presence. The dark playfulness in his gaze made my pulse quicken.
“By the way, did you enjoy my gift? I’d like to hear it directly,” he continued, tilting his head.
I exhaled sharply, a humorless chuckle escaping from my mouth. “Enjoyed? I think very satisfied‘ is a more accurate description.”
Killian chuckles, his fingers tracing a slow, idle pattern along my arm.
“And here I thought you might be too shy to admit it, Luna”
I narrowed my eyes. “How did you even get that footage!”
His grin widened. “Magic has its advantages. A little manipulation here, a Giule surveillance there and suddenly, the truth will reveal itself at the most opportune moment
I shook my head in disbelief, but the small smile on my lips showed my gratitude. Later, as the weight of the afternoon fell on me, my chest felt tightened, and without warning, the emotions I had struggled to suppress came rushing back.
I didn’t want to cry. Not in front of him. Not in front of anyone.
But the betrayal, the exhaustion, the sheer injustice of it all–I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears welled up in my eyes, and my breath hitched as the first sob escaped my lips.
Before I could turn away, strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a solid chest. His warmth was overwhelming, his scent intoxicating.
“Stop wasting your tears on those who don’t deserve them,” Killian mumurs, stroking my hair.
I clenched my fingers into the fabric of his suit, trembling as I tried to compose myself. The Lycan king’s voice was softer than I had ever heard, his Touch was gentler than I expected. I had even thought this was the most sincere of all.
I couldn’t remember the last time poncone hugged me like this; calming me, worrying about me, and making care of me. Yet, this man whom almost everyone fears the most gave it to me. There was no disgust for me who was just a civilian with the title Luna of a pack. It’s far different
from ham
I don’t know if it’s truly sincere or just his best manipulation. But I choose to take it for granted. Today I was already at the height of stress.
“Ruby, my dear…” he called.
1 kept crying like a dummy, while he seemed unbothered.
“If you cry,” she whispered, brushing her lips against the top of my head, “you’ll ruin your perfect appearance.”
A watery laugh escaped me, even though tears were still streaming down my cheeks.
“Is that all you care about, Your Majesty!”
1/8
Chapter 34
“Not really. Sex is still number one.”
I snorted, not too surprised to hear that. I was starting to dare to comment on it.
“How typical”
That drew a roar of laughter from the man, I automatically smiled a little between my pathetic sobs.
He pulled back to cup my face, his thumb swiping at the dampness under my eyes.
“Ruby,
listen to me.
With that request, I obeyed.
“You’re beautiful. Ruby, Strong. If Alicia could see you now, she would be so proud,” he whispered right into my face.
The mention of my daughter’s name made my breath hitch, my chest feel heaving for an entirely different reason. He says it with such conviction that I want so badly to believe it.
“Killian…” I whispered, my voice quavering
His crimson eyes burned into mine, a deep emotion flickering in them that I didn’t expect. Before I could think about it again, he looked down, his lips brushing against the corner of my eye where another tear had fallen. Then another one. And another again.
The heat of his breath hit my skin, sending shivers down my spine. My hand pressed against his chest, intent on finding a handle.
When our eyes met again, I felt it–that magnetic pull, that inevitable force that pulled us together.
Killian took away my pain with a kiss.
His lips move to mine slowly at first, coaxing, tasting, until something deeper takes over. The gentle pressure of his mouth turns into something more demanding, more consuming. I felt myself sinking, my fingers curling around the collar of his suit, holding him as if he was the only solid thing in the world crumbling around me.
The corridor is too exposed, too risky, but Killian doesn’t seem to care. His hands trailed down my sides, his grip strong yet respectful as if I was the most precious thing in the world to him. The kiss deepens, turning hungrier, more possessive, and I feel my back against the cold stone wall. 1 bite my lip to stifle a sound as his lips trail down my mouth to my jaw, then down, brushing the sensitive skin of my neck.
Oh my, it’s so hou
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could stay still
As if sensing my thoughts, Killian breathes into my skin.
“I have to go,” he muttered, though he made no effort to move away, “I have a meeting with Nathaniel. Formalities and all.”
My dazed mind struggled to process his wards.
“Nathaniel!”
He hummed in affirmation, his fingers still idly tracing circles on my hips.
“I have to make sure… our partnership remains beneficial. But don’t worry, darling,” he told me
Killian leans in, planting a final ki cn my lips. “To the best revenge partner you could ask for. And at the end of this story.”
Those bloodshot eyes burned with promise.
we will both be watching your fake family burn to ashes”
I sluvered, not from fear, but from something far more exhilarating And then I nodded, breathless and obedient.
Kalian grinned. “Good girl.
And just like that, he was gone, leaving me on the cold stone alone. I brought a hand to my chest and there my heartbeat had quickened, my lips were still tingling, and just like that my world had changed forever.
“Oh my goodness, I’m really savoring this. What should I do!”
