Possessive and Territorial

Mineah let out a sigh of relief when he finally moved back, allowing her to breathe properly again. Not that she didn't like how manly he smelled.  He had a sandalwood-like scent on him with a sweet, spicy, and cedary hint that exuded freshness and sexuality.

She deliberately shook her head slightly to snap herself back to reality before she spoke again, "I have you as my husband. I'm sure you'll do everything in your power to protect your wife." 

She then put on her meekest and sweetest smile as she timidly added, "I heard that you protect all that belongs to you. You said it yourself that I already belong to you, I am already yours. Or is it nothing but a rumor?"

King Nikolai burst out in laughter, revealing that one dimple on his right cheek that Mineah found pleasing to the eye, she couldn't help but grin. He looked so much better laughing like this.

"Looks like I married a very interesting woman," he commented, his eyes still staring into hers, holding her gaze as he spoke.

She briefly met his intense gaze before turning away once more to look out of the carriage window as she nonchalantly murmured to herself, "Indeed…"

They were still inside Ebodia's territory, and she could see her people paying their respects as they passed. People stopped what they were doing and gave a slight bow as their royal carriage journeyed through the roads of Ebodia. 

She could see them, but they couldn't see her looking back through the window made of special glass that only allowed for one-way viewing.

Looking up at the sky, the sun was still shining brightly, but Mineah could already feel the cold breeze of the incoming winter. 

She subconsciously crossed her arms together. She was still wearing her wedding gown, and it wasn't thick enough for the current weather.

"Are you worried about the war?" 

Nikolai broke the deafening silence that filled the carriage with an innocent question.

However, Mineah was so deep in her thoughts that she barely heard him. She was honestly still bothered by the fact that she couldn't read his mind. 

She didn't expect it to happen, and she considered this mishap to her disadvantage. Not to mention the strong effect he had on her which shouldn't be the case. It was foreign to her, and it was worrisome.

"You're spacing out, Mine," Nikolai breathed out. 

It was only then that she was snapped out of her thoughts. She could feel his warm breath against her skin once more, meaning that he had leaned forward once more to get closer to her. 

She felt him wrap his cloak around her shoulders, her face unknowingly twitching as she realized how he was calling her by the nickname he had just given her. What a way to always remind her that he now owned her! 

"Mine…" she unknowingly whispered dryly.

"Get used to it. I'm quite possessive and territorial," Nikolai firmly remarked.

Mineah turned to face him, meeting his intense gaze once again, only to shrug since there was still nothing for her to see. 

Maybe she could try using her right eye instead to hypnotize and compel him, but it was too early and risky for her to try it. She had yet to try it on a powerful being like him. 

Unlike reading minds and thoughts, hypnotizing and compelling someone demanded a lot more of her energy, so she didn't like using it unless absolutely necessary, and it had not reached that point yet.

"I'll try getting used to it then," she nonchalantly scoffed at his statement. 

It was fine, she supposed. For now, she'd let him think and do as he wanted. She needed to gain his trust and favor one way or another. She could bear with those petty things as long as she was able to achieve her goal… 

Mineah was the first one to break eye contact as she looked away, straightening her back as she sat. She dragged her gaze back outside towards the carriage window, knowing that Nikolai's eyes were still on her. He was keenly observing her, and she didn't need to read his mind to know how much he was suspecting her.

"I'm not worried about the war," Mineah murmured with a sigh as she finally answered his question. She then turned to him and firmly stated, "I'm confident that our kingdom will win this war with the support of both Valcrez and Cordon. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case."

"Hmm, such a great tactic from your father then, sacrificing his two daughters for the sake of many," Nikolai amusedly mumbled. "I wonder then if it will be an admirable act? Or perhaps it would be nothing more than a foolish one of a father who couldn't even protect his own daughters?"

With his words, Mineah couldn't help but frown as she glared at the Vampire King. She found his words offensive, and she couldn't help but correct him right that instant. 

"I offered myself up of my own free will," she scoffed. "You don't know enough to judge my father like that. My sister and I became sacrificial lambs because Cordon and your kingdom are so greedy that you both asked for a marriage alliance when we have already offered both your kingdoms so much and yet you still demanded a marriage alliance."

Nikolai calmly rubbed his chin while staring intently as he gave her a smirk.

"Darius said that your sister is his mate, so you must expect a werewolf like him to fight till death for his mate… As for myself…" he murmured, trailing off as he looked deeply into her eyes and said with a lovely soothing voice, "Tell me, Mine… What precisely is your curse?" 

Mineah's chest tightened at the sudden change in the atmosphere inside the carriage. She felt like she was being pulled into…

'He's hypnotizing me!' she quickly realized. Alarmed, she did her best not to fight and to keep her eyes on his.