Chapter Seven

"I almost came on myself when he whispered those words in my ear. He's like some kind of sex God," Sarah moans, squirming in her chair and I have to force down the urge to roll my eyes.

She's been going at it ever since she made her way back to our table after the dance ended. The prospect of being with someone you danced with on the festival night is very high so i can understand her excitement.

Richard has been attentive to her ramblings while my attention is on someone who isn't even here and might never meet me again.

I scoff internally; who am I kidding? He made his intentions very clear and I'm just anxious that my plans might actually come to fruition this time. My nerves are all over the place.

I feel Richard take my hand in his from under the table and squeeze. The act sort of grounds me and i take a breath, deciding to focus on something else. Like my sister's love life for example.

Sarah notices the interaction and her eyebrows draw together in concern. "Are you feeling alright, May? You've been oddly quiet." She says. "Did the king say something?" She wiggles her brows, the concern replaced with mischief.

I don't resist and roll my eyes, not hiding the smile on my lips. "Nothing that concerns you, mind your own love life."

She places a hand on her chest and gasps, taking in more breath than necessary, "You're in love with the king?" She shrieks quietly, eyes glowing with a happiness I do not understand.

To my utter detriment, my cheeks start to burn and I'm sure they look like ripe tomatoes with how hot they are.

Richard coughs and excuses himself, mumbling something about punch as he walks away.

"It's not as if he won't love someone someday. Prude!" She yells at his back and he raises his middle finger in response.

My brother isn't adverse to such emotions, he just doesn't have time for them with providing for us, so he prefers not to think about it.

"So?" She drags out while poking at my arm with a silly smile on her face.

"It's not what you think." I answer evenly, ignoring the niggling voice in the back of my mind that says otherwise.

"Why the sudden change in tone?" She narrows her eyes at me, "Did he do something? If he did, I don't care if he is king, I will kick his ass to the ninth realm," She growls, slamming her palm against the table.

The sound causes a few heads, well a lot of heads to turn our way. What a pretentious bunch, as if they weren't already paying attention to us since the king held out his hand to me.

"Settle down, foxy. He didn't do anything. I'm just a bit nervous that is all."

She sighs and slumps a bit in her seat, "Well thank goodness because I can't do anything to that man. I mean I'd be dead before I can even get within three feet of him. Plus his my future brother-in-law," She giggles.

She turns away from me, seeming to loose interest in butting into my business, eyes searching and finding the object of her various fantasies.

There's a wide spread rumor that the king and his aide are brothers but I personally don't think it's true especially when compared to another rumor of his creation.

"They're not brothers," I retort, glad that the subject has shifted from me.

"Well they act like one so it doesn't matter," She shrugs, actively stripping Xavier naked with her eyes.

"I'm tired. I'm going back to our room." I say as I stand up, expecting her to follow suit but she hums in reply without moving an inch.

"Well let's go."

"And miss my one chance to be with the love of my life who I get to see once in four years. No thank you," She glares at me.

"Okay, just take care of yourself," I sigh and walk out of the hall. The crowd parts for me, creating a clear path to the door and I take a moment to steady myself. The feeling in my stomach increases, nausea tickling at my throat.

I utterly despise being the center of attention and this is just too much. I finally exit the hall and can breathe a bit easier.

Making my way to the elevator, I see that I'm not the only one that wants to go back to their rooms and sigh at the awkwardness that is to come.

The building is buzzing with noise, people scattered all over, catching up with whatever frivolities they have been up to. The various clans are mingling but to a certain extent; there is always a sense of competitiveness when all the clans are gathered in the same location as the king.

I randomly glancing to my right and freeze in my steps. The king is in a discussion with one of his princes but he is looking right at me.

Prince Dimitri, Alpha of the Leventis clan, also turns to look at me and smirks.

I snap my head forward, heart beating as if wanting to fly out of my chest and into his arms.

My feet move as fast as it can towards the elevator and I release the breath I didn't know I had been holding once it closes, but not before seeing the heated glare he sent my way.

Why is he noticing me all of a sudden? It's like he knows me and has been actively looking for me. Does he know? I mean they say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Oh my, not knowing is killing me. Can I still go through with this?

The image of my mother's decapitated head looking at me in pain flashes through my mind and I breathe deeply. There should be no doubt about this. If this is the only way to get justice for them then I have no choice.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" A man asks.

I look up in surprise, so lost in thought that I didn't see that we already passed my floor.

"I'm fine," I walk out of the lift with brisk steps, shaking off their questioning stares. I'll just take the stairs down.

Thankfully it's just one floor down but it's enough for me to feel like plucking at my skin with the amount of glares I'm receiving but I don't falter.

I can hear the derogatory remarks being whispered in my passing but I hold my head up high. This sort of treatment is all I've known since I was born so It doesn't matter.

"You are special, my little dove. They're just jealous that they can never be as special as you are."

My mother used to say those words to me and they've kept me afloat all these years.

"People will despise what they cannot have." Richard tells me.

"People are just stupid." Sarah would say and I cannot be more thankful for them.

I'm almost at my door and I sigh in relief. I've brought a few novels with me so I can relax on days like these and for my enjoyment of course.

"If it isn't the disrespectful attention whore herself," a familiar voice calls out.

I'm in front of my door. Goodness grief, what I'd give to make them disappear.

I turn to face the woman from the elevator who tried to exert her meaningless authority over me and my sister. This time she has two of her lackeys behind her, probably to intimidate me. Honestly I'd rather avoid trouble and I'm mentally and physically exhausted.

"Goodnight ladies," I reply blandly and make my way into my room.

From the corner of my eyes, I see one of them come at me, presumably to grab my hand and stop me from going in. "Too slow."

I move back a step, making her stumble forward and use my knee to hit her in the face, swiftly followed by a kick to the stomach, causing her to fly back and crash into the other two.

Not wasting another second on such petty things, I take advantage of their moment of shock and walk into my room, locking the door behind me. Hopefully, Sarah doesn't lose her key.