Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Gemini’s POV
“The explanation alone is so scary, I can’t imagine being there. And for seven days…”
“Without food or water,” I added, the feeling fresh in the back of my mind.
“I wouldn’t do that even to my enemy, talk less of my mate.” Gavin expressed his disgust at King Asher’s behaviour.
“All of this makes me wonder if he paid that much just to make me suffer even after apologising for puking on him. I wish I could rewind time, I would have avoided meeting him at all cost.” I admitted, my heart heavy.
Gavin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, “It pains my heart so much whenever someone hurts you like this and I can’t do anything about
it.”
We spoke for a little longer and I used the moment to let out all my frustration. I also made him make me a promise.
“Everything I’ve said here is between you and me, Promise me that Mom won’t find out about any of these.”
He held up his pinky finger, his other hand on his chest. “I promise.”
“And you, promise me to stay alive…” He said, his voice filled with emotions.
A stray tear fell from my eyes and I nodded hopefully, “I promise,”
The emotional moment was soon cut short by the soft knock on my room’s door.
“Young miss?” The voice behind the door called.
“Hold on,” I said to Gavin before hurrying to the door.
I popped my head out of the small opening. And there I found a maid with a garment bag in her hand. “Ma’am, his majesty asked me to deliver this to you,”
I frowned slightly before collecting it from her. As soon as I shut the door, I opened the bag and found a stunning blue dress covered in glitter.
“Wow, what is that beauty?” Gavin exclaimed.
“From his majesty,” I bowed sarcastically.
“13 that his way of apologizing?” The irritation in Gavin’s voice was almost too obvious.
The blaring sound of my ringtone blasted in the room. I immediately picked it up to check the caller, “It’s him,” I whispered, answering the call and placing it on loudspeaker.
“I believe you’ve received the dress,” he started.
“Why? What is it for?”
“Meet me at the grand hall by 7 pm, you will find out.”
I couldn’t stop thinking of what he was about to do or what he wanted from me. Several ideas kept dancing in my mind but all of them seemed impossible judging from the kind of person King Asher was.
I gazed at my reflection in the mirror and let out a heavy breath. If I could endure that dungeon, I can certainly endure any other thing.
I rubbed my palm on my dress, let out a heavy sigh and marched out. A maid was already waiting for me outside to escort me to the grand hall.
On getting to the hall, it was filled with a good number of Lycans present. It was comparable to the gathering of five werewolf packs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was their Kingdom alone.
I was completely disoriented as I tried to understand what they were celebrating. The maid that had been directing me suddenly disappeared into the crowd. I stood at the back of the crowd, totally lost.
I felt a cold hand clamp onto my shoulder, prompting me to turn around. “Over there, ma’am. The King requests your presence.”
Following Alan’s outstretched finger, I caught a glimpse of King Asher seated on a large chair carved in form of a howling Lycan. His seat was located by the side of the stage and all eyes were fixed on him. His dominant stature radiated authority, his chilled blue eyes scanning the room
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8:01 PM ·
Chapter 21
before they locked onto mine. I felt a spine–tingling sensation, but I quickly composed myself and moved forward, carefully making my way through the crowd.
The murmurs in the room grew louder as I approached the stage, their expressions showcased curiosity and confusion. As I got closer, King Asher’s lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile.
“I knew it would look good on you,” he remarked as I stopped in front of him. His voice was smooth, but it carried an undertone that made my stomach twist.
“Why am I here?” I asked bluntly, ignoring his comment and the jealous eyes trying to burn my image to ashes. My heart was pounding, but I refused to let him see any weakness.
King Asher chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. “Always so direct, aren’t you? Patience, Gemini. You’ll see soon enough.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from replying to him. A tall Lycan with greying hair stepped onto the stage, his presence silencing the crowd/
“Tonight, we gather to honour our King in his tenth year on the throne,” the elder Lycan announced, his deep voice booming across the room. “But to crown this celebration, we welcome a new bond that strengthens our kingdom–a union that will bring stability and power to our kind.”
My eyes widened, and I froze. A union? My gaze darted back to King Asher, who was now watching me intently.
“What is he talking about?” I demanded, my voice barely above a whisper.
King Asher rose from his chair, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. “Tonight,” he began, addressing the crowd but keeping his eyes on me, “we celebrate the announcement of my second chance mate.”
The room erupted into gasps and murmurs, but all I could hear was the deafening roar in my head.
“Fuck, Elsie! I’m already in a bad condition” I complained as I massaged my head.
“Join me as we welcome Gemini Coleman—“ King Asher said, his eyes urging me to get my ass up.
He presented all the presentable-
A Diamond ring.
A rare gem royal necklace.
A car registered in my name, but the most vital part of the bond remained missing, His MARK.
Of course, he wasn’t going to mark me, After all, he never counted me as worthy.
The cool water cascaded down my head as I replayed the whole scenario. I felt so stupid at that moment as I watched Becca’s jealous gaze turn into mockery when King Asher handed me the ring box instead of putting it on for me.
I wrapped myself in a towel, water dripping from my hair as I stepped out of the washroom. The cool air kissed my skin, sending shivers down my spine. Suddenly, my eyes landed on a figure sitting on my couch, his piercing gaze fixed on me. King Asher.
His unexpected presence caused me shock and as a result, I slipped and was heading for the floor. But before I could hit the ground, King Asher was there, his arms wrapping around me with lightning speed. He pulled me close, his chest pressing against mine as he held me upright.
For a moment, we just stood there, our bodies touching, our hearts beating in unison and our gaze locked on each other. I felt the urge to do something crazy, something I had been craving since we first met.
For someone who so much hated my guts, he held me longer than expected. Arising billions of questions in my head.
The moment felt dreamy, but I couldn’t let myself get lost in this feeling. I pushed away from him, my eyes avoiding his as I tried to compose myself. “I was just about to come see you,” I said, my voice steady, as if nothing had just happened.
King Asher’s expression was intrigued, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he watched me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I walked over to the drawer, pulled out the ring box, the necklace, and the car keys, and handed them back to him.
“I don’t want these,” I said, my voice firm.
He seemed taken aback by my actions but he didn’t let his surprise linger for so long. I took his hand and placed the items in it before heading into my walk–in wardrobe to get dressed.
“You don’t get to reject my gifts,” he said to my retreating figure.
He was still there when I stepped out, a thick frown on his face. “I can’t have it, I’m not in for pretence, your majesty.”
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フロン
K
8:01 PM dd.
Chapter 21
“I’m not the type of woman you want. You made that clear the last time we spoke.”
“I’m not here for this drama,” he said setting the things back on my bed. “Take it or leave it, they belong to you.”
I frowned. “Drama you say? If I had not survived that horrible dungeon you put me in, you would have given these gifts to another woman, and yet you call this drama.” I became emotional as I remembered what I passed through those days and how I watched my life fade slowly.
His expression remained as unreadable as ever, though there was a slight flicker of something in his eyes–something almost human. He crossed his arms, his figure towering over me.
“But you survived,” he said simply, his tone devoid of the warmth I desperately wanted to hear.
My jaw tightened. “That’s all you have to say after what you did? I could have died, Asher!”
“You left me there for seven days! Without food, without water. Even the strongest man’s armour would break after such punishment, talkless of an ulcer patient.”
Asher’s jaw clenched, the cold mask slipping slightly to reveal a hint of frustration–and perhaps something deeper. “You think I don’t know what I’ve done?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you think I don’t feel the bond as you do? Every moment you suffered, I felt it too.”
I blinked, startled by his admission.
He took a step closer, his tone softening but still tinged with his usual authority. “I made a mistake. One I cannot undo. But don’t expect me to apologize for testing your strength. You’re alive because you’re stronger than you think–and because you’re mine.”
I shook my head, “I would never be yours. The fact that you bought me doesn’t mean that I would be everything you want.” I said, my voice firm despite the crack in it. “If you’re tired of me, then get rid of me once and for all. Let’s put an end to this suffering.”
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