Hayley
It was the first time I had woken up without needing to hear loud bangings on my door. I hadn't been splashed with dirty water, and hadn't been handed a mop the very second I opened my eyes. So this was freedom? It felt good, and I wanted to enjoy it even more.
I didn't realize that there was someone lying next to me until I turned around and met Damian's smiling face. I was startled for a second, but soon calmed down after recognizing his majestic features. I had no idea we had shared a bed, he hadn't been around when I fell asleep, and I didn't notice him slipping back into the bed.
"Good morning." He whispered with a smile.
"G..good morning." I replied shyly before pulling the sheets over my face. I wasn't bold enough to let him see me squealing in delight. It hadn't been a dream, I was really married to the strongest and kindest Alpha in the land. Looking back now, I couldn't be happier that Zion had rejected me, it had been embarrassing, but I never would have met Damian if not for that.
"Don't be shy, we're married now." Damian said with a chuckle before finally getting down from the bed. He hadn't touched me throughout last night even though we are married now. He was a real gentleman, and I found myself falling for him every passing second.
"I'm sorry I have to leave so soon. I would have loved to stay and have breakfast with you, but there's something urgent I must attend to." Damian informed me as he got himself ready for a bath.
I stared at him with curiosity in my eyes, "where are you going to? Is something wrong?" I asked. I knew that if he was leaving on official purposes then he'd be leaving with Ethan. The two of them were the only people I knew in this entire kingdom, and I couldn't imagine how I'd go about my day alone in this giant house.
"We've been getting reports about attacks on some parts of villages. I've sent some guards, but they either get abducted or beaten up badly. It's clear they won't stop unless I intervene personally." Damian answered in a rather serious tone. Although the reputation he had outside didn't make it easy to believe, it was clear that Damian was not a fan of violence, and clearly didn't want to do any of this.
"Can I come with you? You could show me around the place on the way." He turned towards me, a look of confusion and disapproval clear on his face.
"Absolutely not, what are you thinking? It's too dangerous for you." He remarked and I lowered my head in disappointment. He reached for my cheeks and rubbed them comfortingly. "I know it's going to be hard to stay on your own when I'm gone, but I promise I'll be home soon. If you want a tour around the kingdom, I'll definitely do that, but not now."
I pulled away from his hand, his reasons were valid but I still wanted to come with him. There was nothing for me to do in the castle, they wouldn't let me clean, and they definitely won't let me cook. All there was to do was sit around and stare at the clouds, and I was not cut out for that.
"I still want to come with you. I can handle myself, I promise. And if things get out of hand, you'd protect me, won't you?" It took everything in me to voice out those words, and I was glad I overcame my fears and spoke up.
After seeing my resolve, Damian broke into a mild laughter before reluctantly agreeing to my demands.
"I'll take you with me, but you'll remain with the guards outside the troubled areas. I don't want you getting caught in all of this madness." He instructed, and I nodded to his conditions before smiling shyly. I was proud of myself, and I was happy to have a husband who cared. I was glad I hadn't ended up with Zion, I had been blinded with the zeal to escape being a slave that I completely overlooked his shitty attitude.
Without wasting any more time, I got straight to preparing myself for the day. As promised, Ethan had arrived with more than a dozen new clothes, each of them prettier and more expensive than the last. I was overwhelmed, but I didn't break down in tears. I was a queen now, the Luna, and Luna's were not supposed to break down in tears, especially not over expensive clothes.
We had a quick breakfast before finally heading down to meet the waiting drivers. Upon arrival, every eye turned towards me, including Ethan's. He hadn't expected me to come along with Damian, and from the look on his face, he wasn't exactly on board with the idea.
"Are you certain it's safe for her to come along? You know the culprits might be working for Conrad, bringing her along might not be the best idea." Ethan whispered, but I could hear it all. He wasn't exactly trying to keep it a secret from me, so it didn't matter to him whether or not I was listening.
"It's fine, she'll be alright." Damian said in my defense before easing up the atmosphere with a smile. Ethan turned towards me, a look of disagreement in his eyes. I didn't falter, my expressions remained indifferent, and only then did he realize that I was not going to yield to his unspoken persuasion.
The guards led first, and finally Ethan, Damian and I got comfortable in the last car. Ethan was driving, and I could still catch his disapproving glances now and then from the side mirror.
"She's going to be fine, Ethan, I promise." Damian voiced out the moment he caught a glimpse of Ethan and I exchanging glances.
"You'd be too busy with work, how on earth can you be certain?" Ethan inquired, his eyes still focused on the road ahead.
"It's because I trust you to take care of her. I'll be able to handle the issue on my own." Damian answered, and Ethan and I turned towards him with shock visible on our faces. We both had the same words for him, and wasted no time in airing our thoughts.
"No you're not!"