CHAPTER TWENTY
2000 Words
ELINA
The walk back to Crimson Woods was pretty quiet, and I noticed that Camille was even weirder when she returned after she had guided August, although the strange scent was still on her and it made me wonder if I shouldn't be concerned about the obvious attraction between the two of them, what if she decides to betray me to join August?
"Camille, you know you can tell me anything, right?" I remind her through a mind link, as we enter the Crimson Woods grounds and must transform back into our human form.
"I know, your majesty," she responds simply.
"Is there something you want to tell me now?" I ask her, and I see her gray wolf turn her head towards me.
"I don't know," she replies.
"What do you mean you don't know?" I insist.
"I don't know if there is really something I should tell you, because the truth is that I have no idea if something happened or if it was just my impression," she answers honestly.
"Were you attracted to the Varkolak's beta?" I ask her, and I see in her eyes how she struggles internally.
"Yeah, but it's different, I' have been drawn to guys before, but this was completely weird," she replies, then adds, "I am sorry,"
"You don't have to apologize, I understand what you may be going through," I tell her.
"Really?" she asks, and almost instantly seems to understand what I just said, and her eyes drift to my neck, but Bastian's mark is not visible there, as we never mark each other in our wolf form.
"Wait, you mean you get it because you have already experienced it?" she asks in a strange tone.
"Yes, I think if you feel so different with August, and from what I could see in him the feeling is mutual, then you might be fated mates," I tell her just before we both transform back into our human form.
And just before putting on the clothes that we had hidden in the hollow trunk of a tree, I notice her gaze drift to the mark on my neck, which is now perfectly visible, and she frowns.
"I don't want it," she declares seriously.
"You don’t want what?" I ask confused.
“I don't want a fated mate, I don't want someone to have so much influence over me and my decisions, I don't want my well-being to depend on the well-being of another person, I don't want that bond,” she tells me in a decisive tone.
"Are you saying it because you know my story?" I ask her, and I see the guilt cross her face.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't mean to sound like I am judging you, I am really sorry," she immediately apologizes.
"Don't apologize, I know you weren't doing it, but don't you really want a fated mate? That is something rare these days, not everyone has the opportunity to have one, and although my story is not the best example of it, and although August is on the opposite side of this conflict, I can assure you that he is a good man, and if you decided to be with him, I would understand it, but I ask you please let me know beforehand, don't betray the trust I have in you,” I tell her, and she looks at me in surprise.
"I never would," she tells me vehemently.
"I know, but sometimes we do stupid things for our fated mates," I tell her, and she nods.
"This is precisely why I don't want one," she tells me with a frown, and after a moment in silence, she adds, "Can you teach me how to reject the bond?"
"Well, the two of you haven't sealed the bond yet, so I don't know if it would work for you to reject it," I tell her, and she seems to consider it for a moment.
"Then I will stay away from him and make sure not to give him false hope," she says stubbornly before entering the palace.
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"How did your meeting go?" Zane asks me when I am putting Aiden in his crib, and I feel my heart stop.
"What?" I ask surprised, and he smiles.
"Weren't you going to meet one of the Red Army commanders?" he asks me, but there is something in his tone that tells me that he seems to be hinting at something.
"Yes, of course ... the meeting was fine," I reply, and he nods.
"You came back quickly, I thought you were going to spend the night there," he tells me.
"Well, no, you know I don't like to leave them alone, I preferred to return immediately," I tell him as I tuck the babies up.
"But you haven’t been to the rogue castle in a long time, don't you think your men will be upset if you leave them alone for so long?" he insists, and I frown.
"They know that I am busy here, and their orders are perfectly clear, they are not little children incapable of understanding how these matters are handled," I reply in a slightly harsh tone, as I feel as if I am in the middle of an interrogation.
"Oh, don't get upset, it's just that I am worried that if you stay away for so long, they will start to get ideas that aren't good, and might turn their backs on you, I am just making sure my wife maintains a good relationship with her warriors," he tells me, moving closer to the babies to accommodate the blanket.
"I know my warriors, and I know they would never betray me, I don't worry about it ... and speaking of war, do you want to explain to me why there are troops on the southern border of the kingdom?" I ask him, and he looks at me with a half smile.
"What? Well, it's just a precaution in case they try some other trick,” he replies with a shrug.
"You should have consulted me first, I know they are your men, but this is my war," I tell him, and he tilts his head to the side.
"Well, it became my war too the moment your ex decided to attack them," he tells me as he watches the babies sleep.
"We are not sure it was them," I tell him, and his head snaps to me.
"There is more than enough evidence that it was the Varks, you yourself agreed to declare war on them," he tells me with a slight frown.
"Yeah, well, I was upset about the attack and the babies, but now I think it would be good to investigate this a little more thoroughly before starting anything," I tell him, and he looks at me strangely.
"Are you having doubts about a war against him?" Zane asks me.
"It is not that, but a war brings death and destruction for both sides, as regents, we should be more responsible with the decisions that affect our people, don't you think?" I tell him, and he raises an eyebrow.
"Yes, and that is why we are seeking the alliances necessary to ensure we take as little damage as possible while destroying them," he tells me, and I feel his tone turn slightly dangerous.
"I still think we should investigate the matter further, I am going to go to Howling Creek in three days to find out a little more about the day of the attack," I tell him, and he nods.
"Okay, so I will tell the babysitters to get ready to take care of the babies for a few days," he tells me.
"No, they will go with me, I prefer to have them under my care," I reply, and he looks at me with a strange expression.
"You know they are safe with me, you don't have to worry as long as they are in my care," he tells me, and I feel something strange in the tone of his voice.
It sounds almost like a warning.
Or am I imagining things?
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