The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-Five: Natalie

Natalie’s P.O.V.

Killian was shocked that night when he got back to the room and found me curled up in the armchair by the balcony. His eyebrows were raised as he examined the throw blanket I had wrapped around me and the pillow I had taken from the bed.

“Natalie,” He started after I stared at him in silence for several minutes, waiting for him to crack and speak first. I didn’t need to be the king to know that was the first rule in negotiation, not to speak first. ” We need to talk.”

My hands clasped together on my lap, and I stared blankly at him. All my anger from earlier had melted away, and while I wanted to still yell at him, it almost felt like I had no ground to stand on anymore. I was nothing to him. Yelling and venting my feelings would do nothing if the recipient had no interest in them.

His hands tightened into fists when he realized that I would not respond, but I watch with curiosity as he let out a deep breath and relaxed once more. “Only those that need to know about my mother do. You will need to keep what you saw today to yourself.”

My lips pursed out as I dropped my gaze in frustration and nodded as it dawned on me. I was not in the need to know. Whether I was to mate with him, *for him, or rule by his side, I was not one of the people that he trusted to know about his family. If I were to be his mate and queen, he would have told me about it. I would have needed to know. But he didn’t because I was nothing to him.

“Is that an order or a request, Your Majesty?” I said, letting my frustration sink into my words and my bitterness into his title. In the privacy of our bedroom or in public, I would no longer call him by his name. Not until he had earned it and proved that he was more than my king and I was more than his underling.

Killian almost flinched as I avoided his name, and I watched as his shoulders fell a fraction of an inch. If I had blinked, I would have missed it.

information to yourself.” His avoidance of my question answered me. It was an

from the beauty. I had to wonder what it would have been like to have made it to the human city. What would I be doing right now if I were a part of the people and not being stuffed and prepared like a

*was not as glamorous as the silver and diamond pendant they placed around my neck,

would be discarded of when they were done with me. My lips twitched as I acknowledged my own dramatics, and I tensed when Killian moved up to stand next to me. His gaze was not on the city. I could feel his eyes burning a *into my head as I

to call me Killian.” His statement made me scoff as I curled my lip. His name. I was very aware. I had moaned it hundreds of times last night, just before he shattered what was left of

I thought you were more than just a king,” I said, the words slipping past my lips, and I heard him take in a sharp breath, making me instantly regret opening my *. The memory of him. ripping out my packmate’s heart in front of me had me shaking as he stood unmoving next to me. “I

tremor in my voice but didn’t acknowledge it beyond taking a small step away from me. “You are scared of

distance between us meant nothing. He could still just as easily rip my throat out before I could take my next

me. They respect me. It is the others who fear me, the ones who live outside. of my walls. They remain under my rule, but know nothing of loyalty or the lengths my people go to for them.” He sounded so sure, that I wanted to shrink away until I was absorbed by the

the fight that I knew could either end

I hurt you?” His question took me by surprise, and I turned my head to look up at him only to find he had looked away from me and was now staring out at his people. His eyebrows were pinched together, and

my hips had been welcomed and the

distant but I am doing my best. I have given you everything that

I glared at him. “What makes you think you know what would make me happy? You know nothing about me! This is the most you have ever even spoken to

face me, pressing his back against the wall next to the double doors that led to

he waited for me to respond. It was the look on his face that had me the most surprised. I had only seen it a few