The Beast And The Blessed

Thirty: Natalle

Natalie’s P.O.V.

My head turned up to look at Killian when they announced me with a title. I felt his arm pull my hand in closer to his side in reassurance as they opened the double doors leading to the long stairs case. He pulled me forward until we were standing just before the banister as he looked out over his people. I tore my gaze away from him, glancing around the room at the luxurious setup and the people filling it.

I had never seen so much wealth in one room. It made me feel even more out of place and uneasy. As their eyes landed on us, I knew they were thinking it too. An omega, a human on the arm of their Lycant king. It was laughable.

I felt my heart hammering in my chest, and I had to wonder how many of them could hear it. Killian sure could as he turned to face me. I held still with my eyes on the crowd as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple.

It was simple. Sweet. A silent declaration that I was his.

As soon as his lips touched my skin, my heart slowed, and my lungs relaxed, allowing me to take in a subtle but deep and calming breath.

The crowd bowed their heads as Killian looked back to them before turning with me to face the staircase. that curved around the wall of the ballroom. It was extravagant, beautiful…deadly.

I was positive that I would break my neck or, at the very least, humiliate myself by taking a tumble down to the bottom. But Killian held me steady as we descended the staircase slowly. Rather, the king did.

was no more. From the look on his face and his posture, he was back to being the king that I

acknowledged me. I was just the woman on his arm until I bore his mark and the crown of the queen. Neither of which seemed to be

people curled their lips at me, but when I turned to face. them, they had schooled their features and graced me with a soft smile that must have taken years to

cautious around those people. They would not have

of being approached by people for meaningless chatter. It would have been hilarious to watch them babble on to a stone-faced Killian who barely acknowledged them, but we had only made it a few feet from the stairs, and I was

it felt like I had also turned to stone. As soon as the man before us finished speaking, I looked up

his elbow as if he didn’t want to let me step away from his side. He opened his *the respond but closed it again as

May I take a moment of your time?” Her eyes flickered over to me before

from me and dismissed me, the

told me that he was faithful, but even without my heat, I was doubtful that there weren’t deeper feelings there. He was always with her, talking

to tell her no, that she may not have him. Not only was it rude to take him away from his alleged mate during a social function, but beyond the pack dinners, this was our first real

saw the defeat and hurt in my eyes as his face softened, but I held my chin up and nodded in acceptance. I knew before he

cheek.

with his jaw tight. He didn’t get to touch me when he was leaving with her, the witch who had tried to force herself into my mind and held a monopoly over