AKARI - Empire's Skirt
1328 Words
It took me a few seconds to process the man’s request.
“Vodka?” I blinked, confused as to why that was his first question to me, everyone else bothered with flattery but he acted like he didn’t care about anything else but what he wanted.
Then why was he here?
“Are you daft?”
“Excuse me?” I almost gasped at his unexpected question, my eyes widened a fraction as I looked at the man who stood by the door, almost the same height as the 7ft frame, his thick muscled arms crossed over his chest and his brown eyes narrowed, hollow…almost like the man felt nothing.
I knew that was a farce though.
No one on the face of the earth truly felt nothing, I could attest to that.
“I asked a question, you don’t seem to understand it, thus my initial comment,” Elias eyed me like I was beneath him, his lips pursed into a thin line and a raised brow that signified his patience for an answer. The tapping of his foot and the look in his eyes said otherwise though.
I felt a hint of annoyance at the man's haughty attitude.
Oak blew out a heavy breath like he'd expected something like this would happen and Flynn on the other hand seemed to be enjoying every second.
“No,” I said through gritted teeth, managing to maintain my composure, tucking a stray lock of wet hair behind my ear as I took a step back.
“I am not daft, Mr. Elias, and I’d suggest you refrain from the use of such words when you converse with me,” my smile didn’t drop as I spoke, and neither did Elias's sneer.
“After all, you are but a mere guard hired by the empire to do their bidding and I am a Luna,”
That got to him, I could tell when I saw that tick in his jaw right above the scar that cut through his bottom lip.
“A fallen one,” Elias replied.
“Still a Luna, nonetheless,” I gritted my teeth, feeling the increasing urge to punch the werewolf where he stood. “You being a wolf like me makes it easier for you to understand, I have brought down men bigger and stronger than you to get to where I am,”
“You mean in between the empire's thighs and then under their skirt?” He countered and it felt like any second from then, steam would blow out of my f*****g ears.
The bastard was taunting me!
Never in my ten years of being Luna had I encountered such disrespect from a man…a wolf beneath me!
He was neither beta nor alpha, he had a warrior's scent, which suited the bastard!
An annoyingly sexy one!
But still without status!
“Ahem!” Oak cleared his throat, walking up me to and blocking my view of Elias.
“Pardon my friend's manners, he is not used to conversing with others of…nobility,” Oak apologized, though the look in his eyes showed he was enjoying the show just like Flynn who had already walked up to Elias and patted his shoulders with a wide grin.
Be calm Akari.
If you let loose your emotions, you will make a mistake and everything you’ve worked for will go down the drain.
Breathe.
Breathe. I inhaled deeply, yet again my lips curled up and I nodded at Oak with an understanding expression, then I tilted my head slightly until my eyes met with Elias' again.
“I will show you where the vodka is if you’re patient,” I said in a much calmer voice, my voice as soft as silk, determined to weaken any strong negative emotions harbored against me, “After all, I have only just taken a bath, I’ll need to get dressed appropriately,” I added as I gestured down at the now soaked robe I still had on. “Except, of course, you all will prefer to watch?”
Each man had amusing reactions to my offer.
Oak took a few steps back, standing at a safe distance, Elias coughed and Flynn nodded, his pearly whites and bright emerald eyes just begging for a proper invitation.
He wanted to stay.
I swallowed thickly, I hated how much the thought appealed to me the more I read his expression.
“I would love to!”
“Shut up!” Oak countered with a shake of his head, grabbing Flynn by his arm and pulling him out of the room.
“Sorry about intruding on your personal space, we trust you will meet us in the living room once you’re finished?” Oak stopped to ask with an apologetic look in his eyes as he held on to a chuckling Flynn.
The Lycan was funny but he was also a man who didn’t lie about what he wanted. And he made it obvious that he wanted me.
I wondered if that would come in handy when I planned my next move.
“It’s alright, I don’t mind,” I sighed, watching as both men left the room and Elias still stood by the door.
His cold eyes were on me rather, his brown gaze rested on my exposed skin and the room seemed to heat up under his scrutiny.
“Finish quick and show me where the vodka is,” He said, his tone dripping with authority even as he openly stared at my body with a dark look in his eyes.
The f*****g asshole!
I didn’t let his sour attitude sway my smiling mask, instead, I nodded and made a move to untie the sash holding my robe together. That got his feet to move and he closed the door gently behind him.
I let out a long and heavy sigh once the men were out of the room. I didn’t realize just how much tension their presence had created until they were out of sight.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed something I had forgotten about. The human guard.
He was dead but was still there, dead eyes wide open as if staring at me with mockery in his gaze.
I cursed under my breath for the nth time since I was dragged back into the godforsaken mansion, ignoring the corpse that was in my room because I knew the currently sleeping maids would handle it by morning.
After drying my hair and putting on my night clothes, I pulled open my curtains and stared out the spell-shut windows. There was a balcony I couldn’t reach, a whole world I couldn’t see.
The moon was still high and bright and I could feel the strength of my wolf just at the tip of my fingers, desperate to come out and run wild and free into those woods.
To think I had felt the wind on my cheek only an hour ago. Now I was back here, stuck, still awaiting my fate.
If the Emperor hadn’t found witches who destroyed the connection I had with my wolf, I would’ve ripped those three men to shreds but…not before knowing exactly how they each tasted.
“Soon…” I whispered as I stared out at the lush gardens and woods that surrounded the estate, my prison.
Soon I would be out of the empire’s fists, gain my freedom, and rebuild myself only then can I take back everything they had taken from her.
Only then can I have my revenge against Damien, the prince of the empire.
The man who ripped my heart out and stepped over my love.
Then f****d my beta.
Then ruined my life.
Soon.
I closed my eyes and a dark smile graced my lips.
But first, I will win over my new guards.
Just as everyone had advised in the past.
I will finally put my beauty to use.
And I knew just the thing.
- Writer
