Chapter 83: Chapter 83

~ NYSSA

“You’re back!”

I’d barely made it through the front doors of the palace when I was nearly knocked off my feet by Aria.

I didn’t peg her as much of a hugger but to my surprise, she threw her arms around me, pulling me in tightly for a warm hug.

I stood there in shock, not knowing how to react. I couldn’t remember the last time I was hugged just because. It was a… weird feeling, but it was also good. She smelled like cinnamon and mint… a weird combination, but it worked for her.

I wrapped my arms around her as well, letting myself linger for a moment in her hold.

“I wish I could have stayed but…” she pulled back, sniffing the air around me. “Judging by how you smell, I’m kind of glad I didn’t. I would have been interrupting.”

My cheeks warmed at the wink she sent me.

After my conversation with Rowan about giving me time, I’d taken a shower and scrubbed every inch of my skin hoping to get his scent off.

It wasn’t that I was ashamed of it, but I just wasn’t ready for the comments and looks I’d get. I wasn’t sure how the people in the palace would react and the rumors that would begin as a result of it.

“You don’t have to look so frightened,” Aria said, her voice holding a teasing note. “It’s perfectly normal. No one cares, I promise.”

“I’ll leave you two to it,” Rowan said from behind us.

I’d momentarily forgotten that he was there.

His eyes settled on me, holding my gaze for a moment before nodding and walking away. I watched his retreating figure, my cheeks warming as I realized that I knew exactly what was underneath his shirt.

“Let’s get you into new clothes,” Aria said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Unless you’d rather wear Rowan’s shirt and shorts?”

As comforting as his clothes were, they were fucking massive. I couldn’t take a step without the shorts feeling like they were about to fall off my ass and I was practically swimming in the shirt.

“New clothes please.”

As Aria looked around my room with morbid fascination, I realized that she’d never been in here.

“Does it look different?” I asked, snapping her attention back to me.

“Does what look different?”

“The room. It was your mothers wasn’t it? I was told it’s the Queen’s chambers so I assumed—”

“Oh no, it looks exactly the same,” she waved me off. “I just… haven’t been here in a while, not even when my mother was alive. She fucking hated this room. She had her own floor actually.”

“Really? I thought she stayed here.”

“Oh no, Rowan is very protective of everything belonging to our mother. He keeps it hidden away on the second floor. You should’ve seen it, it’s…” she trailed off, mouth clamping shit instantly as if she’d said something wrong. “Forget about it, don’t worry.”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “Did I do something wrong? I didn’t mean to pry.”

“This isn’t about you, I promise,” she assured me. “I think you should talk to Rowan about her. It would be… better coming from him.”

That only confused me even more.

I’d understand it if she said she didn’t want to talk about it because she felt uncomfortable or it hurt but there was something fishy about her avoidance.

I changed into more comfortable clothes and stood in front of her all the while she tried to avoid my gaze.

“Is there something I should know?” I asked, brows furrowing as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Again, I think you should ask—”

“I’m asking you,” I cut her off. “What the fuck is going on?”

She was silent for a minute before sighing. “You have to promise that you won’t get pissed. Things look good between you and Rowan and I don’t want to get in the way of that. I’m sure he’s forgotten all about it, I know I had but you asked and—”

“Aria for fucks sake can you get to the point?”

She exhaled deeply. “The second floor hallway that he asked you not to go into, the one you think belongs to an ex or something…”

I’m ashamed to say that I actually waited a full minute for her to finish her sentence.

It took me that long to realize what she was implying and the moment awareness hit, a wave of shame and embarrassment washed over me.

I couldn’t believe I’d been so gullible and wrapped up in jealousy to assume that. It hadn’t even once crossed my mind that it could be… fuck.

And the bastard played along!

“You’re getting upset,” Aria noted.

“Oh, I’m not upset.”

I was stunned that I’d believed it so long and torn between being impressed that he’d played me so well and annoyed that he didn’t just tell me the truth then. He’d played my cards right in my face and I ate the lie out of his goddamn hands.

“I’ll give it to him, that was smart,” I said finally, smoothing my hands down my dress. “But that’s okay, he isn’t the only one who can play games.”

She leaned forward on her elbows. “What are you planning to do?”

My lips curled into a smile. “Can you give me his number?”

It was so weird that he spent the weekend giving me orgasms and I didn’t even have his fucking number, but then again, there was nothing normal about Rowan and I’d relationship.

Aria punched his number into my phone quickly before handing it back to me.

I stared at it for a long minute before finally typing out my message. If he wanted to be petty, I’d give him fucking petty.

There was one thing I knew for sure about males, whether werewolves or lycans and it was that they’d always get jealous.

I stared down at my text with a smile: The answer is yes. It happens tonight or it doesn’t happen at all.

That’s be enough to send him into a spiral for now.

I turned back my attention to Aria. “I need a dress.”

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