Page 36 of Midnight Deception

“Lord Maliki, Laelia, may I cut in?”

I step away from the other male before he has the chance to speak and smile widely at Atlas, grateful for him stepping in. I’m not worried about myself, but I am concerned about losing control in the ballroom full of witches. Atlas seems taken aback by the relieved, grateful look on my face, but he offers me his arm.

“Yes, of course,” I answer breathily, desperate to get away from Maliki.

He whisks me away, leading me into a dance, my body following his effortless lead. I can feel the lord’s stare on me, and as we spin, I catch his scowl. It’s only after Maliki finally stalks off the dance floor that Atlas glances down at me. The whole conversation plays out in my mind, and the reality of what just happened hits me. Maliki threatened me. I knew there were witches here who wanted me dead, but hearing it said straight to my face is something different altogether.

My arms shake from the adrenaline, anger, and fear, but I’m doing my best to stop it from showing and keep my movements fluid.

“Are you okay?” Atlas asks quietly.

“He threatened me.” Voice tight, I dip my head once, even though I’m feeling anything but okay right now.

Atlas curses under his breath, his grip tightening on me. “You need to stay away from him. He’s dangerous.”

A humourless laugh escapes me. “I didn’t exactly seek him out tonight, did I? I couldn’t turn him down in front of everyone,” I bite out, and Atlas clams up, his jaw tightening, so I huff out a breath and give him a peace offering. “He thinks I put a spell on you, and that we’re not actually mates.”

The reactions I was expecting never appear, and I frown in confusion. I thought he’d be angry at the suggestion that he could be tricked like that or decide that Maliki is right and he’s under my spell. The silence stretches, and I examine Atlas’s face. His expression finally gives him away, and my eyes widen at the realisation. “You knew?” I accuse, already knowing I’m right, my chest tight. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

My emotions are a mess, and I can’t decide if he betrayed me or worked it out himself. Heknewthat his sect would be after me since they believe I targeted one of them, and he didn’t warn me. Did he not say anything because he wants me to be harmed? He can’t stand the thought of being the mate of a half-blooded werewolf, yet he can’t cause me harm himself because of the bond, so he’s letting his racist buddies do the dirty work for him.

He looks torn as he attempts to keep us dancing, but I’m distracted and not paying attention, so it’s not an easy job.

He looks away, unable to meet my gaze. “Because I didn’t think they’d approach you!” he barks, and I swear I hear a hint of guilt that he’s attempting to cover up with his outburst. “I thought you’d be safe because of Kano’s and Luna’s presence.” The anger drains from his voice at his confession, knowing that he was wrong.

I study every inch of his face, looking for any signs of deception. Do I believe him?Yes. The answer pops into my thoughts without a second’s pause. I believe that he’s trying to keep me safe, and he thought he was doing the right thing. This is an unusual situation and not one either of us wanted to find ourselves in, but I need him to tell me if I’m in danger, so I know to watch my back. This is a conversation we’ll need to have, but at a later date, because what I need to know is more important.

“Do you think he’s right?” I ask, my chest tight as I wait for his response. “Do you think that I’ve placed a spell on you to make you believe that we’re mates?”

His answer will fully dictate what happens next. If he could believe something like that about me when he can feel the bond in his chest, then going forward as a bonded couple is going to be impossible. He told me he can feel me through the bond, so Iknowhe’s experiencing it. You can’t deny something like that… unless he hates me so much that he’ll take any lie or excuse to find a way out of this.

He doesn’t answer me immediately, looking as though he’s deep in thought as he continues to lead me around the dance floor. “If you’d asked me the day we took you, I’d have said yes. My hatred blinded me to what was happening before me.”

My heart is in my throat. “And now?”

He finally meets my gaze, his confusion and frustration replaced by a surety that makes my heart skip a beat. “Now I know the goddess put us together for a reason.”

We’ve come to a stop, the other dancers moving around us with only a curious glance, but I barely notice, our gazes locked on each other. My heart speeds up, not from fear or anger, but from the slow lust that begins to fill me. He stares at me with a hunger that brings a blush to my cheeks, and I feel his own desire rising. We’re in a room full of people, yet everything falls away, and I could almost be convinced that it’s just the two of us. My skin tingles where he touches me, and he eyes the long length of my neck like it’s a snack he’s desperate to taste. I feel our connection rising to the surface and trying to take over, pushing us to complete our bond.

The music suddenly quietens, shocking me out of my lustful staring. Glancing around in shock, I remember where we are, and then I realise how close I’m pressed to Atlas. Even if I hadn’t felt his desire through the bond, the hard press of his cock tells me he was just as into it as I was. I’m mortified at everyone seeing us getting caught up in our bond, but Atlas doesn’t seem concerned in the slightest. His smug smile is proof of that.

The sting of a burning gaze has me turning away, and I follow it to the queen. She is standing with her hands gripping the arms of her throne. Pure anger is written across her face that she doesn’t even bother trying to hide. Everyone around us starts to clear from the dance floor, but I stand my ground and stare back at her, knowing this little show of power she’s about to put on is designed to remind me thatshe’sthe one in control here. Atlas attempts to guide me back to our companions, his expression tight, but I hold my ground.

“Don’t. Not in front of witnesses. It’s not worth the fallout,” he murmurs into my ear, his hand stroking the length of my arm. It surprises me so much that I startle and turn to look at him, which I’m sure is exactly why he did it.

When my eyes lock with his, I swear that the affection shining back at me is real. That can’t be right though. He might have mellowed towards me over the last couple of days and find me attractive, the bond pulling us together, but genuineaffection? No, not possible.

His fingers continue their path down my arm, taking my hand in his and gently tugging me to follow him. I’m still stunned by the change in his attitude, so I’m mute as I walk behind him to where our companions wait for us. Star jumps up to greet me, snapping me back to reality. My hand burns where he’s touching me, and using my wolf as an excuse, I pull away and give Star a pet, cooing to her in a low voice.

“You know she’s not a dog, right?” Kano asks quietly with a smirk, still a little wary of my wolf’s presence.

Star replies for me, snarling at him half-heartedly before turning back to me with an adoring look, her tongue lolling out as she presses her nose into my hand, demanding more attention.

A strange ripple passes through the room, and at first I think it’s magic, but it doesn’t have the feel or scent that I’ve begun to recognise when magic is being used. As one, everyone turns to the head of the room where the queen is waiting for us to give her our full attention. She’s no longer glaring. In fact, she’s not even looking in our direction, wearing a beatific smile on her perfect lips as she addresses her subjects.

“Thank you, everyone, for attending this evening. You all look wonderful. As you know, this is a very special night for us in our annual calendar as we celebrate our goddess.” Her arms spread wide, and she tilts her head back as if praying like a devoted follower. I notice other witches in the room muttering their own prayers or looking up in a similar gesture.

I don’t doubt that many of them are devout to their goddess. In fact, I can almost feel the energy of their prayers, as though it’s manifesting into something physical. However, what I don’t believe is that the queen is devout in any respect. I’ve not known her long, but even in that short time, I’ve learned that she believes she is all powerful.

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