Page 24

Cyrus

R age is something I have become very accustomed to lately. With Annalise openly by my side and at my beck and call, it’s much easier for my inner beast to rear its possessive side. Now is no different as I watch the imposter from across the sea speak to her again.

He’s clever. He approaches her when I am not around. The marking of her was to test me and my control. Due to the seal, my scent lingers on her constantly. And yet, he’s pushing that boundary. He’s a threat, and if I weren’t king, I would have already killed him by now. But I cannot act recklessly. I must now think of the consequences of my actions.

And I cannot start a war with a country I know nothing about over a woman who is still finding her footing as part of our society, even if she is my woman.

“They are ready,” Felix calls to me, signaling the gathering of my council.

I continue to watch the exchange between Annalise and the beast, my gaze narrowing when he attempts to step closer to her once again. He has not only arrived in secret when he knew we weren’t expecting him, but he has openly set his sights on Annalise.

“Send the halfbreed to retrieve Annalise immediately,” I growl as I turn away from the window.

I know Annalise. She is a calculating human, and I do not trust her one bit, especially around this king. She may be loyal to me out of fear, but if he offers her an opportunity to escape, I don’t doubt she’ll take it. The only assurance I have is our son being under my roof and in my care. She wouldn’t leave without him, or rather, that’s what I want to believe.

The way she fought for Ciel initially and the way she reacts anytime he is taken from her has captured my curiosity. She despises what he is and yet acts oppositely. And the more I see the two of them interact, the more it feels genuine, lowering my guard once again as she did before she let me leave, thinking I would meet my end.

She could leave with this king and return once she convinces him to wage war with her by his side, knowing all of my secrets.

“Fuck,” I grumble to myself as I make my way through the palace halls.

The halls are empty since all the nobles in attendance have gone to the market held within the gates. The tradition was put on hold years ago when the war erupted between hunters and beasts. And now that the effects of the war have finally died down, a new threat has revealed itself. I’m positive it’s due to Annalise’s residency across the sea. The timing is just too perfect. She somehow led this beast to our world. And just as we didn’t know of his existence, he didn’t know of ours, making his presence all the more threatening.

I push open the doors to see the council gathered and waiting. Each member rises as I enter the room with Felix trailing behind me. I don’t bother with pleasantries as I take my seat at the head of the table.

“I hope you have good news,” I say to the scout who has finally returned.

From the time I arrived to find Anna, I had scouts strategically placed around the area. My forefathers spent their reigns expanding our kingdom in the direction of the mountains, using them as a natural barrier from invaders. This is how Annalise’s father, the human king, was able to use the region as his stronghold. It was well out of my reach and long dismissed as inhabitable.

But when the opportunity to see the world across the sea presented itself, I knew it would be smart to gather as much information as I could. While there, neither Dimitri nor I sensed the presence of any beasts. This beast’s arrival has sparked many questions that I’m hoping the scout can answer.

“The land across the sea spreads for miles inland, with only humans as its inhabitants. The beasts, however, live within the walls of their own kingdom, cut off from humans entirely.”

“So they found beasts,” I clarify.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I lean back in my seat, contemplating. How could we have missed them? Do they live so far inland and never travel outside that we couldn’t pick up their trail? Or was I too blinded by my desire for Annalise to notice?

I look at Felix.

“Where’s Dimitri?” I ask.

Felix looks taken aback for a moment but composes himself.

“You sent for him to bring the Duchess, Your Majesty.”

Right.

For once, my mind is a mess. My desire for Annalise is clouding my decision-making. I can feel myself losing control of my humanity, my beast’s instincts threatening to take over. I release a breath.

“Leave us,” I say.

Everyone but Felix stands to leave the room, and I wait until the door has closed to speak.

“When you encountered him, did you sense anything off?” I ask.

Felix shakes his head.

“His scent was different, but I only assumed it was because he wasn’t from here. It isn’t distinct, which would be a defining issue in a war against them if it came to it. His people seem to be blocked off from the rest of the humans, so we have no idea what kind of traits these beasts have or what state their kingdom is in,” Felix says.

A bitter laugh escapes me.

So that’s why this king is so confident. He knows his being here is just as much a mystery as my being there. Except he has been able to scope out my lands himself, whereas I wasn’t even aware of the wall hiding his people. This can turn into something good or something very ugly. And if he keeps hovering around Annalise, it won’t be long before it turns into something vicious.

“Send word that I am declining the invitation to this weeks ball. I will hold a private dinner for this king with a select few in attendance before announcing his arrival publicly,” I say.

Notifying the masses of a king’s existence when I don’t know the extent of his presence would be foolish. Instead, I’ll host a small dinner with only important members of society to gauge his threat level properly.

A light knock sounds at the door, and Felix rises to see who it is.

“Dimitri has arrived with Annalise,” he calls to me.

I gesture for Felix to allow them entry, my mood somewhat calming as she enters. Each time she enters a room dressed as nobility, I find myself becoming enamored with her all over again. Her dark hair is pulled out of her face, falling past her waist allowing me the perfect view of her smooth skin and high cheekbones. Her brightly colored amber eyes roam over the room until they fall on me, and she bows in greeting, although she only saw me hours ago.

“You both may go,” I say, keeping my eyes focused on her.

I listen for her heart rate and to my irritation, she has somewhat mastered keeping it at a steady pace. Last night, however, was a different story. She knew I would be angry about the king approaching and touching her. Her words to me send a fresh rush of arousal to my cock.

“I am yours… I will never be anyone else’s.”

She didn’t mean those words. It was just calculating cleverness rising to the surface once again when she felt threatened. Nothing more.

I wait until Felix and Dimitri have left to speak to her.

“Did you enjoy the market without me?” I ask.

“It was difficult to continue to enjoy,” she says softly.

Her scent shifts, the undertone of fear pulling my attention. Her gaze is wide as I watch her. I silently make my way across the room, standing over her. I can faintly smell the beast on her once again. But I wait for her to tell me herself. I watch her in fascination as she calculates her next move, considering whether or not she should tell me, her intellect rearing its head.

“The beast that Felix said is a king knows who I am… who I was,” she says softly.

Her expression meets mine, and I angle my head to study her better.

“Does he?” I ask.

“He’s seen me before selling produce. He followed me through his kingdom. And he noticed the trinket I was wearing,” she whispers.

I visibly frown, and she notices, her fingers beginning to tremble. She’s terrified. Contrary to my usual feelings, I don’t like her feeling that way because of him.

I gently grip her chin, using my thumb to lightly caress her cheek.

“You’re frightened,” I say.

I listen carefully as her heart shifts out of rhythm.

“Do you think I am displeased with this information?” I ask, studying her.

I am quite pleased. This is the Anna I remember before she ran away from me. The woman who continued her mission into enemy territory to prove her loyalty. I smile as the memory dances across my mind, and the sound of her heartbeat slowing fills my ears.

“You’ve done well not keeping this information from me,” I say.

I don’t know why I relay this to her. I told myself I would never trust her or give her this kind of praise again. She is mine to control and keep by my side through force. But as I watch her reactions to my words, it seems that my body is taking on a mind of its own.

“What else did he say to you?” I ask gently.

“He only showed to the market to see me again, and that he was fascinated with what you’ve accomplished in your rule,” she whispers.

My rage spikes to an inferno at her words. But I force myself to keep a calm facade as she looks up at me with a cautious gaze. A gaze that pulls me in without her even trying. I suddenly find the walls I had crumbling as I study her. It was the same feeling I had at the market when I spoke to her of my mother, and once again, the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

“I want to show you something.”