billion book
47
The world around Naya began to spin, a dizzying, sickening spiral that threatened to overwhelm her. She staggered back, her knees weak, the breath knocked from her lungs as if she’d been struck in the chest.
“No,” she whispered, her eyes wide and wild, her hands reaching out as if to stop the flow of time itself.
But she wouldn’t dare step out of the bathroom, what was she even going to tell Rhys? That she was a werewolf and the man who he just accepted into his kingdom was the same man that massacred her pack? Rhys would kill her and Magnus.
Her heart began to beat as she forced herself to remain still. She had to do something about it, but what could she do? Convince Rhys to stop?
No man could ever talk to that man? Even if she did manage to talk to him, what would her excuse be for not wanting Magnus?
The fear that gripped Naya’s heart was as sharp as a knife, cutting through her resolve with every passing moment. She was a werewolf, hiding in the very heart of vampire territory, and now the man she hated most was coming.
Her body trembled as if the very air around her was charged with electricity as if the walls themselves might close in on her at any moment.
“There has to be a way,” she whispered, her eyes darting back and forth as if the answer might be written on the walls of the bathroom.
“I have to persuade Rhys to accept Magnus, but how?” She began to think fast, but first of all. She was not on good terms with Rhys.
“I’ll get going now and Rhea..” Vlad began but Rhys waved him off.
“Yeah, yeah. I know she’s coming..” he said lazily as Vlad chuckled before leaving the room.
With the sound of Vlad’s footsteps retreating down the hallway, Naya’s heart began to race even faster, the urgency of her situation pressing down on her like a tangible weight.
She knew she had to act and act quickly, but the options before her were few and far between.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the bathroom.
“Rhys?” She called nervously as Rhys turned to face her.
“Morning pumpkin..” he said, his voice holding no emotion.
Before when he called her that, his deep baritone voice usually sent butterflies down her stomach but now he just sounded plain. He was pissed at her.
The first thing to do was make Rhys let go of his anger.
Naya breathed in as she forced her legs to move, she walked slowly as she approached Rhys, hugging him the moment she got to where he stood.
“I’m sorry..” he muttered, burying herself in his warm embrace.
Damn, he smelled so good, he didn’t even smell like he just finished smoking.
As Naya leaned into Rhys’ embrace, his warmth surrounding her like a balm for her troubled soul, she couldn’t help but be struck by the irony of the situation.
She was using whatever he felt towards her for her, the very thing that had drawn them together in the first place, to try and protect herself from the danger that lurked around her and her sister if Magnus ever came to Shadowvale.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered again, pressing her face into his chest, her lips brushing against his shirt.
“I didn’t mean to disobey you. Nor did I intend to try and defile good orders…” She apologized again.
“Huh?” Rhys’ brows furrowed as he held Naya’s shoulders, breaking from the hug.
Then he slowly placed his hand on her forehead.
“Did you hit your head somewhere?” He asked curiously, quite surprised that Naya was apologizing, she was always ranting.
Naya’s lips twisted into a small, sheepish smile, trying to play off Rhys’ confusion as though it were all part of her act.
“Maybe I did,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she pretended to regain her bearings.
“Or maybe,” she continued, her voice taking on a softer, more vulnerable tone,
Maybebe I just realized how much you mean to me. And how much I’ve taken you for granted.”
Her words were a carefully crafted lie, her tone a perfect mimicry of the gentle, loving woman Rhys wanted her to be.
“Look I’m sorry okay. I’ve always been rude to you and you still take things easy with me and that’s something you would never do for a person..” she pointed out.
And it was still a mystery to her, if he claimed he didn’t even like her, then why?
Why hasn’t he chopped off her fingers like he did to Walter? She did not want that though.
Naya’s words rang with truth, even if they were just a ploy to win Rhys’ favor. She knew, deep down, that he was different from her. That there was a spark, a connection between them that went beyond the simple predator-prey dynamic of their relationship.
Rhys’ expression softened at her words, his brows unfurrowing, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“You are a stubborn woman, Naya,” he murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement.
“You keep testing me..” he deadpanned, picking a strand of her hair.
She wanted something. One thing about Rhys was that he knew how to study people and from the way Naya was acting, he knew she wanted something from him.
She wouldn’t just wake up one morning and start being nice.
His lips curled up wickedly, he was going to play along with whatever ploy that was going on in that head of hers.
Naya, sensing Rhys’ suspicion, tilted her head to the side, a subtle, playful gesture that held just the faintest hint of coquettish charm.
“I’ve been thinking,” she began, her voice lilting and sweet, a siren’s call to Rhys’ heart.
“About all the things we’ve been through together, how we meant and all that..”
Her hand reached up, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw, a subtle reminder of the intimacy they shared the last time.
“I realize that maybe, just maybe, I’ve been a little too ungrateful.
“I’m so sorry Rhys…” she pouted, lifting her legs as she leaned towards him, planting a kiss on his cheeks.
Fuck! Naya screamed in her head. That was not part of the plan.
As Naya’s lips brushed against Rhys’ cheek, a shiver ran through him, a tremor of desire that he couldn’t quite hide. For a moment, his facade of suspicion seemed to falter, replaced by a glimmer of something else, something primal and dangerous.
“Naya,” he breathed, his voice low and sensual, his hand sliding around her waist to pull her closer. “What are you doing?”
It was a loaded question, one that held all the potential for both a trap and a seduction.
“Showing you how sorry I am..” she uttered, pulling out of his hold.
“I’ll leave now…” she flashed a smile at him.
She was about to walk away when Rhys suddenly grabbed her wrists.
“Now tell me Naya, what are you up to?”
…..
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*PREGNANT AFTER ONE NIGHT WITH THE LYCAN KING
*ENSLAVED BY THE RUTHLESS VAMPIRE LORD