Chapter 30
I was still in my white dress. My skin was exposed in more ways than one and Mr. Bates was watching every inch of it.
My heart was beating in my chest and it wasn’t until now that I realized I still hadn’t eaten.
Trixy hadn’t spoken in hours, I could barely feel her presence so it was just me. Me, and Mr. Bates who wore a stone-cold expression that thawed slightly when his eyes landed on my chest. Something he saw there caused a twinkle to go off in his eyes and my nerves jumbled uncomfortably.
“To prepare you for your duties as the King’s mate, you will need to learn; proper etiquette in social gatherings such as balls and meetings. You’re also expected to learn Lycan history and of course seduction,”
I choked on the air in my throat.
“Seduction?” I asked.
His lips pulled back in a distasteful smirk.
“You’re of course expected to see to the King’s needs, both among the people and in business but also in private. You will be taught to become all that he needs in one, slightly too curvy, package,”
1 dragged my fingers across my collarbone, a tick I had when I got nervous and my nerves jumbled.
Mr. Bates raised his cane and the bottom inches landed with the sound of a whip on my wrist.
My hand was forced down with a throbbing pain and a red line where his cane had hit.
He watched me like it was nothing, his eyes taking in my appearance and then he huffed a breath.
“Let’s begin,”
Mr. Bates explained what I would learn and how, as well as what, we would start with. We began with history seeing as I wouldn’t be in the public eye for some time.
The thought scared me but while Mr. Bates stood with his history books and his cane, ready to smack me if got an answer wrong or got distracted, I was looking around at the windowless room.
I noticed a door in the back and put it in a mental note in the back of my mind.
Anywhere that I could escape would be archived.
After history, we did a full hour on my walk which, apparently, I had no idea how to do.
Straight back, rolled back shoulders, chin up, and ass in.
By now I was exhausted, my body was running on spare energy and the supply was running out.
“I need food, could we take a break?” I was lightheaded and tripping over my feet.
“How so?” Mr. Bates asked, he dragged his words out and cocked his head.
“I-“I was confused by his demeanor, it seemed he knew why, and still he asked me.
*-I’m exhausted, so is my wolf. We haven’t eaten for days.” I felt stupid explaining. It had to be written all over my face that I was on the verge of
collapsing. When I saw my reelection in the big ass mirror it was obvious that I wasn’t well. He couldn’t possibly miss it.
Mr. Bates walked closer, his cane tapped against the floor with each slow step.
“Is your wolf with us?” He asked.
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Chapter 30
“Trixy, I need you to wake up,”
“Trixy, please,”
Not a sound.
I felt the pending threat rolling off Mr. Bates in waves.
“No,” I answered honestly and the confession made me feel weak. She was such a big part of me, connected to me through mind and soul, that I didn’t know who I was without her. But I did know that much of my strength came from her. A strength I didn’t have access to right now.
“Good.” He said lowly and his eyes darkened, “now give me another walk,”
He closed the distance between us. It was the way that his eyes narrowed and his words were laced with a hidden rage. His voice lowered an octave and his fingers tightened around the cane. “Now!” He barked.
I gave him a walk. And then another. My legs were going numb and my wounds were opening up from the rough floors and the fact that I still wasn’t wearing shoes or socks.
Blood stains in the shape of my feet showed the exact steps I walked and I tapped my fingers together softly when I noticed the numb feeling in my hands.
“Again.” He barked.
I stopped and swung back and forth.
“I can’t,” I said lowly.
He tapped his cane and groaned.
“Then let’s move on to our next lesson- seduction,”
I looked up in a flash and saw him stepping closer. Mr. Bates reached out and it all went in slow motion when he lifted my dress, his fingers dragged across my skin and he took a big whiff of my scent in a deep inhale.
“Completely untouched. The king will appreciate that. I am to make it so that you know just what to do to make him happy,” he said as he nestled his nose in my hair and his lips whispered by my ear.
His hand rode up my side and I squirmed in his hold, praying and screaming for Trixy to wake up but to no avail.
I felt his fingers under my breast, his nails scratching just below the crease, and I instinctively slapped his hand away.
He didn’t miss a beat and was immediately offended by my disobedience- his face shifted in anger and I moved away, out of his reach but I could still feel his hands on my body.
“You stupid girl,” he snarled.
Mr. Bates grabbed my arm and pulled me in.
“Please, I need rest,” I begged when the room started spinning.
“That’s good, that means you’re weak,” he nodded his head approvingly.
“Why is that good?”
Mr. Bates grabbed my face in his hand and pulled me closer.
“Because he wants you broken to the bone,” he seethed, his breath fanned my face and he gritted his teeth while his fingers pressed harder into my cheeks, “twisted and squeezed dry of any hope before he himself reassembles the pieces. My job is to crack the shell, he will need no help staining your soul.”
His hand rode up my dress and he pushed his legs in-between mine, spreading them apart.
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Chapter 30
1 squirmed and tried to speak but no words could form in his grip.
Instead, I clawed at his hands and looked at his cane. He was supporting himself on it. I held onto his hand around my face and kicked the cane with one hard kick. It flew from his hand and his body swayed to the side as he lost his balance but apparently, he didn’t need the cane to stand.
With a loud growl, his hand came down on my face and I fell to the floor. He walked over and grabbed the cane and I felt the compact wood come down on my head before it was slammed into the floor. Another hit and his foot hitting my rib was the last thing I felt before everything went dark and the last of my energy left my body in one breath.
