Page 26 of Royal Protector

Realization hits me like a lightning bolt. She doesn’t know that Antoine Landry is my Mate. She thinks I just want to fool around with him, like a one-time fling on a vacation. I’m relieved, but at the same time, humiliated at her disregard for my happiness, and her disrespect for this pack, who has welcomed us with open arms. They are anything but common.

“I think that is my business, not yours,” I say slowly, and her eyes flash with anger at my dismissal. She stands, and yanks the blanket away from my body, exposing me to her stare.

“This is all you have to offer the world,” she seethes, gesturing at me from head to toe. “This is who you are. Why throw away your body for a few orgasms with a stupid brute, when you represent so much more?”

Her words hit me like sucker punches, and I can’t catch my breath.

She sees my distress and instead of comforting me or taking back her words, she goes in for the kill. “Is this man really worth starting a war between vampires and werewolves? What do you think will happen when they find out that their beloved princess is tainted, a common whore? You’ll be a joke at best. At worst, the vampires will think that the werewolves aren’t taking the tradition seriously, and all our hard work will be ruined. If we can’t honor this one tradition, what else can’t we honor? The peace treaty? Any of our business deals? The next thing you know, we’ll be at war, all because you decided to spread your legs for a week of fun.”

A furious knock shakes the door, and I clasp at my chest as it tightens further. I know who is out there. Antoine is probably standing on the stoop right now, panicking to high hell because he can feel my distress through the Mate bond.

Although I can’t tell if he actually receives it, I try to send a feeling of calm and peace towards him.Things are fine. Things are okay. I’m safe.

Then I duck into the bathroom, not because I don’t want Antoine to see me, but I know Martina will be even angrier if he does. I grab a robe on my way in, just as Martina opens the door to the glowering werewolf outside.

“Good morning,” he says to her in a flat tone, his teeth clenched tightly together. “I was just seeing if Isabella was ready to be escorted to breakfast.”

“Of course,” says Martina in a sickly sweet voice, ever the polite hostess. “However, Isabella will be taking her breakfast with me. We have many things to discuss before today’s events.”

“Very well,” he says after a long pause, and his footsteps sound on the outside stoop before fading away completely.

Martina closes the door and locks it after him. “You can come out now. I have sent yourloveraway.”

“Martina,” I gasp out. She makes the word sound so dirty, like it meansmurdererinstead of something precious. I come out of the bathroom, wrapped in my silken pink robe.

“I will say this just once,” she says, her voice shaking with fury and emotion. “Do what you want with that man. Love him. Fuck him. Whatever it is you need to do to get this out of your system. But then, when all is said and done, you will leave him. He isn’t meant for your world, and you’re too good for his. Now feed yourself and get dressed. You have important things to do today, not stand around moping for that idiot boy.”

She exits my cabin, slamming the door behind her, and leaving me alone and heartbroken.

* * *

Though I wantto do the opposite, I keep my distance from Antoine for the rest of the day, making sure we are never alone together during the scheduled meetings in the hotel. He continues to send me concerning looks, but I attempt to look focused on the proceedings and debates occurring.

I don’t know if I can nip this growing dependency on each other in the bud, but I’m going to at least try. Try and fail, but at least I tried.

Afterwards, everyone in the conferences are bussed over to the vampire’s event center for their celebratory banquet. Despite how awful today has been, I am looking forward to the event, hoping I can enjoy myself for a few hours through Leo’s hospitality.

If you ask any human about vampires and food, they would laugh at the idea. Their legends always state that vampires only drink blood. However, that simply isn’t true. Vampires need blood to survive, but they can eat and enjoy real meals.

Hedonism is the name of the game for vampires, and food is a very big part of their extravagant lifestyle. Add to that mix centuries of traveling the world, and you can imagine the delicious concoctions they will be making for their guests this evening.

Himari and I are led down the hall to a small room to change into our evening gowns, our bodyguards trailing us ten feet behind. She smiles sweetly at me, but says nothing of our conversation yesterday.

In fact, she almost seems skittish around me now, barely meeting my eye other than to greet me. Then, as soon as she is dressed in her dark green evening dress, she leaves quickly, leaving me alone in the barren dressing room.

My red evening gown has a zipper up the back, and I wish Himari had stuck around for that reason alone. But, instead, I open the door and beckon Antoine inside with a frantic wave of my hand. He looks around for witnesses before slipping inside, closing the door behind him.

“You’re talking to me now?” he says coolly, and I wince at his tone. He has every right to be angry that I’ve ignored his attempts at conversation all day.

“I need help with my zipper,” I say, turning and revealing the open back of my gown.

He inhales heavily, and instead of reaching for the zipper, he places his hand on my exposed upper back, sliding his fingers down my spine.

Every inch he travels sends shocks of heat to my core, and I wish we had the time and secrecy for him to slide his hands under the dress completely, to touch me and bring me to the brink and back again. His stiffening cock brushes against my hip, and we both groan.

“Please, just the zipper, Antoine. We can’t do anything else.”

He sighs, but complies with my request, efficiently zipping up the back of the dress. “Now can you tell me what was on your mind all day?”

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