CHAPTER 5

UNEDITED

No

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. Ugh, I'm sick of waking up like this. I was taken to the hospital yet again. I slowly sat up from the bed and gazed out the window. It was getting dark.

'Another day passed and I was out,' I thought. My life seemed to be slipping through my fingers. Strangely, I felt better now; perhaps the frequent passing out had aided my body's healing. My right hand was still broken, but it didn't hurt, which surprised me, but I didn't care.

"Finally, you're awake," said a female voice. I quickly turned around, surprised that I hadn't noticed someone in the room. Claire was smiling as she sat on a chair beside my bed. "I was beginning to worry."

I leaned towards her and wrapped my arms around her neck. She returned my hug, saying she was afraid I wouldn't wake up. I rested my head on her shoulder and basked in her warmth.

"You don't know how much I missed you," I said as I drew away.

"Really?" I agreed by nodding. "I heard what happened in the dining room," she said, frowning at first, then smiling. "I can't believe you're my son's mate. Oh, I'm overjoyed." She squealed and clapped her hands.

I raised my brow and looked at her, confused. What exactly is a mate? and her son?

"What?" I asked. She stopped squealing and took my hands in hers, being careful not to hurt my broken one.

"Eros is my son, and you're his mate?" she inquired. My perplexity only grew. She sighed and proceeded to explain. She defined a mate and told me I was Eros' mate.

My heart sank into my stomach. The King's mate. How could I possibly be his mate?

"There must be a mistake," I reasoned. Claire shook her head and looked at me sympathetically.

"No way, darling. You are his mate "she said. "For you, he killed one of his best soldiers. You only kill if they harm you or your pack." I closed and reopened my eyes, hoping it was all a dream. When I saw Claire still holding my hands and staring at me with an expression I couldn't read, I knew it was all real.

This is unbelievable.

"I understand, darling. I know how you feel," she said, "but everything will be fine.""

"How? Everything has to be a mistake. I can't be his mate "I said. She giggled at me, making me look at her.

'It's not funny,' I thought to myself.

"Why do you think you're here then?" She asked. Her question caught me off guard. Why did they bring us here?

"I thought we came here to be slaves," I explained. Claire laughed once more, then looked at our hands and began drawing circles on the back of my good hand.

"My mate, the former king, made a deal with the humans that when my son finds his mate and she's human, we're allowed to take her and some other humans so she doesn't feel like an outcast here," my eyes widened. " I knew he'd found her when I saw you, but I didn't realize it was you until now. I had no idea they'd treat you people like this. The plan was to find a place for humans so you wouldn't feel so isolated here." That plan didn't sound so bad.

My mind was filled with questions.

"How did you know he'd have a human mate?"

"A witch told us when he was younger that he and his second would have human mates. We were initially opposed, but we had no choice but to wait. Now that I've met you, I feel a lot better "she said. Her words warmed my heart. The words of a mother who genuinely loved her son.

'Well, I might as well marry him if it makes her happy,' I reasoned. My brain was opposed, but my heart wanted to make Claire happy even if I didn't want to. She is the only beast here who treated me like the living being that I am.

"A witch told us when he was younger that he and his second would have human mates. We were initially opposed, but we had no choice but to wait. Now that I've met you, I feel a lot better "she said. Her words warmed my heart. The words of a mother who genuinely loved her son.

'Well, I might as well marry him if it makes her happy,' I reasoned. My brain was opposed, but my heart wanted to make Claire happy even if I didn't want to. She is the only beast here who treated me like the living being that I am.

"Let's leave that and talk about something else" I suggested and she agreed. She started talking about yesterday night and how if she was the one in Eros's shoes, she would have made his dead longer and more painful.

I laughed at her as she expressed her dislike for the deceased man. Her company was exactly what I required at the time. She shared some fascinating facts about beasts.

"Wait a minute, you guys have incredible senses of smell, hearing, and sight." She nodded, "Lucky." She burst out laughing.

"It's a blessing and a curse. You humans don't have a pleasant odour." She looks at me as if I were the source of the stench.

"Hey! It's not my fault that I haven't taken a proper bath "I pouted and exclaimed. She laughed.

"You don't stink as much as the others. I was walking down my hallway last week when a strong odour hit my nose. It smelled like urine, sweat, and blood. I wanted to die," she said dramatically, and I laughed, "but you know what was the worst part?" " I shook my head still laughing. "She was trying to seduce some beasts with that horrible stench," I started crying as I was laughing. "I felt like throwing myself out the window." My stomach hurt from laughing so hard.

Her demeanour was exacerbating the situation. It was as if she had travelled back in time and was reliving that moment. She eventually joined me, and we both laughed.

"I'll give you that, you humans are something," I sniffled as I wiped away my tears. Claire is the best. I believe she and Alexa would be more like sisters if they met. Her smile faded and was replaced by a disgusted expression.

"Someone's coming," she said, turning to face the door, and she was correct. A woman in a lab coat entered through the open door. The individual gave us a tight smile.

"I'm delighted to see you in good health, Your Highness," she said. Claire rolled her eyes and averted her gaze. The doctor turned to face me when she realized she didn't want to speak.

She made no attempt to conceal her dislike for me; her expression said it all. When she reached for my hand, I winced and instinctively pulled away. The last time one of them touched me, they nearly broke my arm.

Claire snarled and glared at the doctor, who whimpered, and quickly went about her business. She did some the doctor stuff and then left.

"You don't like her?" I inquired despite the fact that it was obvious she did not.

"The majority of these beasts have no regard for human life. They are under the impression that they can say or do whatever they want and get away with it." She explained "They are afraid of Eros, but not as much as they should be. I'm glad he did what he did yesterday; now they know their place"

In response to her words, I nodded. She turned abruptly to face me.

""They will try to bully you because you are human. Please be strong. Find your inner beast" I cocked my brow, slightly giggling. "You have the power to silence them; you just have to find it," she patted my head. I nodded, leaning into her touch. She scrunched her face up and drew her hand back.

"Ugh, your hair stinks," my jaw dropped.

"Hey!!" I laughed, and she did as well. We laughed for a long time. Claire's company was a pleasure to be in. She made me feel valued and loved, two things I never got from my parents.

Claire eventually went back to her room, but not before forcing me to promise to pay her a visit. I promised, and she left with a smile on her face. I smiled at the closed door, already missing her. After the doctor said I could leave whenever I wanted, I returned to the slaves' sleeping quarters, only to be greeted by suspicious eyes and glares from my fellow humans.

Okay??

My roommates were all sitting on the floor talking when I walked in. Alexa leapt to her feet and dashed over to embrace me. I smiled as I returned her hug.

"You really need to stop fainting," she joked. I could hear the fear in her tone, but I chose to ignore it. Sam and Khalid hugged me after we parted ways, and we all sat on the floor.

"How's your hand?" Sam asked, pointing to my bandaged right hand. I raised it with a shrug.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, which is strange because it's still broken," I explained as I lowered my hand. "Anyway, what did I miss? how are you guys?" I changed the subject.

"Well, someone has been getting a little somethin somethin," Sam said, casting a sidelong glance at Khalid. He blushed and playfully punched her shoulder, making her laugh.

"I already knew about that," I chuckled. Khalid scowled and pouted.

"Have you heard?" Sam inquired. My head shook "You're the centre of attention in this palace. What happened last night spread like wildfire. Everyone is envious of you because you bagged the King" She stated. Oh

"Is that why they were staring at me?" I mumbled.

"Probably" she shrugged. "But don't worry about it. Everyone was jealous when they found out Khalid and the second were fucking"

"Oh my God, please stop bringing it up. And his name is Callum," he blushed.

"Just because you're on first names doesn't mean we are, too." Sam ruffled his hair. He moved forward and pretended to bite her, but he didn't.

I frowned as I considered how humans no longer liked me because I was the King's mate. It hurt to know that my species would turn on you for the smallest of reasons, but sadly that's how we are. When I sighed, everyone stopped talking and turned to look at me.

"What's the matter?" Alexa inquired, resting her hand on my shoulder. I told them what Claire had said. I even mentioned the witch. Khalid's face shone brighter than I'd ever seen it.

Hearing that he would be with Se- Callum for the rest of his life filled him with joy, but it did the opposite for me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Eros. I mean, I find him attractive, but still.

At the very least, Khalid had the opportunity to get to know Callum. #

"You're the Kings mate?" Alexa was taken aback. In response to her question, I nodded.

"Holy sh*t!" exclaimed Khalid. "That explains why he actually killed the man," I looked at him, puzzled.

"Everyone assumed you were just really good in bed, and he was furious that someone else touched you."

"Excuse me?" They all nodded when I looked around. So, they think I'm some kind of whore.

"But he killed him because he touched something that belonged to him, his mate. According to what you said about mates and beasts, they are extremely possessive and territorial, so even if he sees you with a female, his beast may lose it," Alexa explained.

"Oh my God, he's like a walking time bomb," Sam exclaimed, amused by this new discovery.

"My question is how did he know you were his mate before we got here? You said they brought us here so you wouldn't be lonely, correct?" I nodded "So, when did you two meet?" Alexa asked. I thought about it then it clicked.

"Holy crap," When I first met, he was my doctor, when I told him I was pregnant for Trent. I looked at Alexa.

"Remember when I said I was going to the gynaecologist?" she nodded.

"Yeah, Trent was out of town, and you said your period was late" She said then her eyes widened" No way, was he there?"

"He was the doctor," I said, looking at everyone. Their eyes widened. "I didn't really think about it then. I knew it was him but I just didn't pay attention to that" I sighed and ran my hand over my face.

"All right, let me get this straight. You told your doctor, the King, that you might be pregnant with another guy's child," Sam asked and I nodded.

"Well, it's okay as long as you're not pregnant and the guy isn't here, right?" Khalid said. I nodded to the not pregnant part, but Trent was here. I sighed again

"Don't tell me, He's here?"

"You must warn him. Tell him to back off, anything to keep him alive," Sam said. "Newcomers are in the corridor opposite the second wing."

I got to my feet and dashed to the door. I dashed up the stairs and was about to turn when I collided with something. A hand encircled my waist and held me steady. My gaze shifted from the person's chest, which I had hit, to their eyes.

Oh no!

"You should slow down," he said quietly. I inhaled deeply and nodded. I drew away quickly, but his hand remained on my waist.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, curiously, his eyes scanning my body. I focused my attention on the ground. I couldn't look him in the eyes now that I was aware of the mate situation. I nodded instead of speaking.

I'm not sure what happened, but I managed to free myself from his grip and continue on my way. I needed to talk to Trent. I didn't want him to suffer as a result of my actions, given everything that was going on.

I opened the first door in the hallway, hoping to see him behind it, and there he was, dressed in his uniform.

His head shot to the door, where I was.

"Issy," he called as he approached me. He pulled me into a hug, which I returned. I missed his hugs, but it didn't feel the same as it used to. As I drew away, I smiled.

"Hey, how are you doing??" I inquired, holding his face in my hands. His attention was immediately drawn to the bandage.

"What happened?" he wondered.

"Nothing," I stated. " It no longer hurts "He obviously did not believe me, but he did not question me. One of the things I loved about him was that he didn't push me.

hm loved.

I was brought back to reality by a growl. I jumped and turned to see Eros, who looked beyond pissed. Trent attempted to shove me behind him, but Eros growled, stopping him.

The other people in the room hid behind the largest objects they could find. He entered the room slowly, his grey eyes fixed on Trent.

"Y-your high.... highness," one human attempted to say, but his fear overpowered his words. He was now closer to us. I stood motionless in front of Trent. I wasn't scared of him or him hurting me, I was scared of what he would do to Trent

"W-Wait, he didn't do anything wrong," I reasoned. He was now in front of me, his height towering over mine. I looked up to meet his gaze, but he was still fixated on Trent.

"Eros," I said. I noticed his eyes shift to mine for a brief moment. "Please, he did nothing wrong," I begged.

"Move Isabella!" He growled. My brain begged me to run, but I knew if I did, there would be blood everywhere. My hands were trembling, and it was becoming difficult for me to stand on my own two feet.

"Your highness," I heard someone behind him say. It was Callum and two other men behind him. Callum came in, and despite the small space between us, he managed to squeeze between us, his back to me. Eros growled, threatening Callum.

I was trembling so badly that it was becoming very obvious. he rested his hand on my shoulders.

"Issy, you're shaking," he said. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and he was there, every time he would panic and try to calm me down. All of the growling stopped, and I could feel eyes on me.

"You're scaring her again!" yelled Callum at Eros. I looked at Eros, who appeared to be ready to kill. When he looked at me, his eyes were no longer grey, but black, even the white part was black. I could see hair coming out of his skin and his canines were longer than usual.

He growled once more, but this time it was much louder than I'd ever heard. The whole building shook, the lights flicked and things fell. I close my eyes and hold on to something to prevent myself from falling. When I looked back at him, He was already out of the room before I knew it. I looked over to Callum, who cursed and began yelling commands at the two men.

"Tell everyone to evacuate the forest now, no guards, everyone in the palace now," he yelled at one of them. "You return the queen to her room and lock her in there, and if you dare to harm her, I will throw you outside and let his beast have you" he threatened.

Fear took over the man's face and he quickly approached me and led me to my room. Trent was hesitant at first, but eventually let me go. The man returned me to my room, where Sam and Alexa were hiding behind some the beds.

"Lock the door and do not open it unless the second comes," he said before leaving. They were as surprised as I was and waited for me to explain what happened. I went to hide next to Alexa. We faced the door, leaning again the wall. The bunked bed was able to keep us hidden

"He saw us together" I said.

"That growl shook the entire fucking palace," Sam exclaimed, scared.

"How did he notice you?" Alexa inquired.

"I met him on the way," I explained, feeling stupid. I practically led him to us. My head was starting to hurt and my shaking didn't cease. I closed my eyes and placed my head in my hands. The smell of my bandage didn't help my situation

'You're okay,' I assured myself. I'm not sure how long we waited, but I heard shuffling and turned to see Sam approaching the door.

"Don't Sam!" I yelled quietly. She didn't respond and just kept walking, as if she was in a daze. Something was yelling at me to stop her, begging me to do so. My shaking became more severe as I began to pant loudly.

It felt like the walls were closing in on me, and there were so many eyes on me. I felt extremely dizzy, as if I'd just spun around a few times. No, I'm sick of I was just sick of being terrified. I'm sick of it all.

Alexa tried to move, but I held her tightly, causing her gaze to shift to me. "Hey Bella, relax. Deep breaths. In and out, please bell, you're having a panic attack" I tried, but my lungs felt clogged. Alexa did her best to calm me down, but she was failing miserably. My brain felt as if it was going to shut down.

Don't…open the door...please" I sobbed. Alexa nodded vigorously and yelled at Sam not to open the door, but it was too late; she had already done so, and there he was, standing at the door. His long hair was wet and the water or whatever it was, was dripping on the floor, and his grey eyes were still dark. His torso was revealed but also covered with something that my mind couldn't make out.

His gaze fell on me, and instantly I was out.

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