*Kiara's POV*
I felt a light tickle under my feet, but I ignored it and let my consciousness slip back to dreamland.
Another tickle; this time I frowned and flattered an eye open. I immediately glanced at the window to see if the sun was up. There were promises of a full dawn, but it wasn't exactly high sun morning yet.I was a sleepy person. I love to sleep. Why will Carlotta wake me so early?
"Carlotta....." I drawled as I rubbed my eyes open,sitting up.
Carlotta came to my bedside with a glass of water. I accepted it from her, almost confused about what to do.
"I will say good morning, but I'm not sure if it's going to be a good one." Carlotta said, gesturing that I drink the water.
"What is going on?" I asked, looking at the water suspiciously.
"He is here."she said with her hands neatly folded in front of her. I noticed the neutral air around her and assumed it wasn't a serious matter.
"Who?"
I placed the glass on my lips and drank the cool, refreshing drink,suddenly realizing how parched I was.
"Adriel Valerian,"she responded, and I instantly choked.
I stared at her in shock as a weird mix of horror and excitement rushed through my body.
"What do you mean he is here? ..Here where?"
"I went to the garden to go get fresh jasmine flowers to prepare your tea,but I heard the cleaning maids gossiping; they were actually charmed by him and talking about his looks." She clicked her tongue in disgust before she continued. "I asked for the truth in the story, and they told me he was looking to see you, but your father called him in his office."
My breath quickened with every word she uttered.
"What? " was all I could make my strained voice utter.
"What if he is disproving every single lie in there?" Carlotta said ,cautiously taking the glass from my shaking hands.
"Then I'm ruined." I exclaimed, jumping out of the bed."He can't; he just can't."
"This is why I don't like lies. My reputation will be forever stained." Carlotta lamented and turned to go to the bathroom. "I might even get fired,"she said, throwing her hands in the air.
I knew my case was worse; my engagement would be broken; my father might put me under house arrest for the rest of my days; and I would be considered the shameless hybrid princess for the rest of my days. Who let herself be touched that way,especially on their engagement day? I dropped to sit at the edge of the bed with my fingers pressed to the sides of my head. I felt like my life was crumbling with every passing second. This was really not a good morning. It was almost as if a panic attack was on its way; I hadn't had one in years.
"I don't know why you are being dramatic; I might get fired from the only job I know; you can't get fired from being his daughter; and also, this was all your idea; I should have never let you convince me—" Carlotta paused when she came outside and saw me hyperventilating.
She rushed to me,getting worried sick with every step. "Are you okay?"
She placed the back of her hand on my head. "Do you want me to call a doctor?"
"No..." I said getting up.
"Maybe the bath will calm you down. A good bath always makes everyone feel better."
"No," I repeated, nervously pacing around the room. "Do you know what will make me feel better? Finding out exactly what they are talking about,instead of sitting here, and waiting for my life to crumble completely ."
I glanced at the big wooden door and decided it was what I would do. I headed for the door despite Carlotta's advice to the contrary. She didn't want me to go meet them in my nightgown. It was uncultured. I knew that, but there wasn't time for a full bath and dress session. I had to find out now. I rushed down the stairs barefoot in my pink silk long nightdress. The maids glanced at me and threw each other looks. It seems like I just made myself the topic of the day.
"Good morning, Princess." They greeted each other in unison with a bow.
"Good morning to you." I answered gracefully, trying to train my voice into calmness.
I glided across the room, watching the women clean diligently. I stared at both staircases, wondering which to choose. My father had an office on the top floor of each of those stairs. Choosing the wrong one could mean missing the conversation all together. It meant being left in the dark while the world happened around me. Rage fueled me when I thought of the thousands of things that could be happening in the office at that moment.He could be telling my father we met, that he proposed marriage…. Each scenario would end up making me unhappy.
I noticed the maid in charge of the floors,Matilda. If she was sweeping downstairs, It meant she must have already cleaned up the stairs.
"Matilda, where is my father? I will like to speak to him."
Matilda stopped sweeping to look at me,her eyes scanning me as she spoke. "He is hosting guests at the moment,Your Highness."
"Where is he?" I pressed.
Matilda did a sort of light chortle. "A male guest"
I took four careful steps towards her as I felt my patience decrease to a dangerous level. I looked her in the eye to make sure I had her attention. "Matilda, What was my question?"
"You asked where your father was."she answered, lowering her eyes.
"Did you answer my question?" I asked quietly.
"No."
"Then redeem yourself." I said, dragging on every word. Anxiety and rage weren't a good combination.
"The Alpha is at his East Head Office," she muttered.
"Good job." I said, patting her shoulder as I walked past her.
I tried to count, or at least pretend to be calm, but every step I took seemed like I was on my way to impending doom. The rush in my pace wasn't making it easier to be calm. I released my hair from the tight bun from the night before. It wasn't helping me think straight. I arrived at the door in a few seconds and immediately threw it wide open. I did it quickly before my smart inner self could get a chance to talk it through. There was a little downside to taking advice from my dumb inner self, though. Every action I took came with a certain dose of regret.
My father's eyes shot at me,looking annoyed. But thank goodness it wasn't at me. Unlike me, he was in full Whitman Royal attire, which made me wonder when exactly he got up this morning. He looked at my nightgown and gave me a disapproving look, which I accepted with a repentant head bow.
It was when I smelled the smoke from the tobacco that I noticed another presence. His presence,and when I did,I could notice no other. Not even my father's, and my father was the most feared Alpha. He had his back turned to me,sitting comfortably as he faced my father and nonchalantly polluted the air. The black hole energy that had drawn me into this webs seemed to have gotten even bigger. It spread around the room like the smoke he puffed. Only difference is ths smoke he seemed to have floating in the void threatened to corrupt me forever.
"Good morning." I said, dragging my eyes away from him.
"Morning Bella,"my father said,his tone sour. It really wasn't a good morning for anyone.
"I didn't know you had a visitor." I lied easily, slightly infuriated that he ignored me.
I noticed Adriel cock his head a little bit when I spoke.
"Well," my father said, raising my engagement comb in the air. I hadn't even noticed it on his table yet "Adriel said he found the comb in the sand on his way to the Hybrid Foundation and assumed it was yours. So he came to return it."
I noticed my father used 'Adriel said' meaning he didn't believe him,but that was what he was told.
"I knew mating season was over, and the only person who was announced to be getting married recently is Kiara,and let's be honest, which other princess is most likely to lose their comb on that path?" Adriel said,his voice deep and his words unrushed.
I had forgotten how beautiful his voice was. No, I hadn't forgotten. I just thought my mind was making it sound better, but that wasn't the case. It was indeed a ravishing sound to listen to. My eyes were pinned on him as he spoke, silently begging for a look. Even an indecent one at this point.
"Hm,"my father said, stretching his hand to give it to me. He didn't believe a word, or at least didn't want to believe it.
"And you decided to come here just to hand deliver it?"
I went and received the comb from my father,skillfully avoiding Adriel's gaze.
"No."Adriel said sternly, then resuming with a lighter tone. "I came to see Kiara." I prayed the ground would swallow me up.
The silence in the room was ominous, and I swore that if he said a word about anything inappropriate, I would deny it with every fibre of my body.
"We haven't met since the unfortunate incident at the ball," he said, finally turning to me. "I came to check on you."
"How nice of you." I said this through gritted teeth as my hands danced around the comb. "You shouldn't have."
His eyes ran down my body slowly, and his face stretched into a suggestion of a smile.
I was suddenly aware that I was in a nightgown. His eyes on me said a million words—naughty words. The raw suggestiveness should have infuriated me, or at least not sat right with me. But I felt a warmness lit within me—a burning desire I knew I wouldn't be able to control if it turned to flames.
"How do you feel, my lady?" Adriel asked me, captivating me with his grey eyes. I didn't know if he spoke of my health or of what the inappropriate thoughts in my head were doing to me. His voice made it sound like he asked about both.
"I'm..." I paused to collect my thoughts. "I feel good."
"I think that's all for now,"Kiara,my father said curtly. "You may leave."
I was both happy and sad that I had to go,but for once, I believe that what he had done was for my own good.
"Excuse me," I said, bowing.
My eyes met Adriel's again as I raised my head to leave. "Have a nice day, Kiara."
I stared, particularly at his lips, as he pronounced my name. Leaving a velvety touch to every syllable,he always pronounced my name that way. Like one had to be delicate with it,every letter was too precious to miss.
I turned to take my leave with my heart beating ten times harder than when I stepped in. I closed the door behind me as I stepped out. I noticed the comb in my hand and remembered that I had plans for today,that I had my wedding to plan, and that I had a fiance.
I had forgotten completely about the existence of all those things. But that wasn't the worst; the scariest thing was that a dormant part of me didn't want these things to exist anymore.