•unedited•

                                                                              •Chapter Nine•

He brings a washcloth up to my neck and presses down then pulls it away and rinses off the blood. "This might hurt" he whispers then brings up another cloth he presses it gently to my neck I let out a soft gasp as the liquid stings my neck. "I'm sorry he did this to you..." his ruff voice chokes out.

"Who was that?" I ask sitting up straighter when I feel The prince's hand on my back.

"My cousin Nico Meier the son on my uncle," he says rinsing the blood-stained rag under the water then applying a bandage to my neck.

"He lives here?" I say turning to the prince.

He nods then turns to wash his hands.

"Do you have any idea of what he did to my neck? Because it felt like teeth about to bite down--" I get cut off by another deep guttural growl and instantly shut my mouth.

"Enough questions, you shouldn't have even met him... what did I tell you about leaving the office," he says his eyes back to their dark emotionless stare.

"Not too" I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat up I move my gaze down to my hands laying on my lap.

"Speak up don't mumble it's not polite" he booms his intimidating form towering over me.

"You told me not to leave the office, sorry Prince Meier," I say moving my eyes to look into his.

He nods and turns but stops mid-turn his head looks over his shoulder, "it's Xander..." he registers my confused face, "my name, now get back to work you should be healed by the end of the week." And with that, he leaves out the door to who knows where.

Absentmindedly I nod and hop off the cot I was sitting on and rush out of the room into the hallway, this time not stopping I fast walk back to the office and settle in my swivel chair.

Xander, it has a nice ring to it, I smile to myself and pull out another page getting ready to work through the stack by the end of the day.

➰

I lay my pencil down exhausted because of everything that happened today. Xander came back to his office around 2 and it is currently 5 and he still hasn't left. I knock on the door and wait for a response.

"Come in" Xander's monotone voice calls out, I don't waste a second before I open the door and walk-in. His eyes are on me the second I enter and follow as I walk over to his desk and plop the finished stack of papers out on his desk. He thanks me and I turn to leave, a hand grabs my wrist and warmth instantly spread up my arm throughout my whole body, "wait..."

I turn back to Xander my eyebrows raised in question, "Yas, Prince Meier?"

A frown is etched on his face and it deepens when I call him that, "I told you to call me Xander, Prince Meier sounds too formal." His grip loosens on my hand.

"Right Xander..." I pound his name into my head so I don't mess up again.

"Anyways, you'll be attending a royal ball."

"I will?" I ask surprised.

He nods, "as my assistant of course so that you're there if I need you"

Makes sense I think to myself I nod.

"You are dismissed," He says in a bored tone, I bow slightly before walking out of the room and closing the door behind me, I lean against the door for a second taking in my thoughts, I am going to attend a royal ball?

I start my car and begin driving down the winding road ahead passing through the gates and back home.

I get home and am instantly greeted by the door by my grandfather he gives me a warm smile pulling me in for s hug, " how was your first day at work?" He asks.

I shrug dropping my purse on a chair, "actually pretty eventful" I say turning around to show him my bandaged up the wound.

His eyes widen then move up to meet mine they're filled with concern, "who did this?"

"Apparently Xander's cousin.," I say.

"Xander?" My grandpa asks amusement filling his voice.

"The prince" I clarify.

He nods and smiles appearing on his lips, "wow first name basis already soon enough we'll have a family of little Royals running around." He jokes I can't really tell if he's being entirely serious or just joking.

"Stop!" I shout shoving his arm playfully.

"Go get some rest it's been a long day for you," he says pushing me slightly down the hall.

I enter my bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed staring down into the palms of my hands trying to recall all the events that happened, so many but so little explanations for all of them. I let out a long sigh and fall back onto my bed and pulling a pillow over my face screaming into it.

Awhile later I eat a nice meal with my grandfather then we say good nights and I head up to my room, I fall asleep quite easily but it doesn't last long until I jolt awake in bed panting my breathing an uncontrollable mess that can't seem to fix itself.

Nightmare again...

I swing my legs over the side of my bed and press them onto the cool hardwood floor, I pad my way down the hallways into the kitchen I pour myself a cool glass of water chugging the contents, with a satisfied sigh I place the empty glass into the sink, I turn around and am instantly met with a man standing behind me.

He steps closer and his body touches mine warmth spreads through my chilled core, I let out a small gasp and glance up into his eyes they stare down at me with lust evident in them. He leans down his breath fanning my cheek, his head lowers more until stopping directly over my wound he takes in a deep breath and my breath hitches in my throat, is he going to do the same thing as Nico did before?

He presses his lips to the exposed skin just above the bandage, it sends sparks of electricity through my body igniting my center, "This is mine, no one touches what's mine..." he growls against my skin, goosebumps appear and I feel self-conscious he presses another soft kiss on that spot before pulling back up to eye level.

My eyes become dreary and blurred I feel myself falling closer to sleep, "who are you?" I mumble trying my hardest to keep my eyes open.

"Sleep now, no more questions" he whispers pulling me into his embrace, I fall into his arms sleep taking over my body becoming and a heavy bag of sand in his grasp.

The funny thing is I couldn't tell if that was a dream or real and who was I kidding it seemed too impossibly good to be true.

➿➰➿

Sorry for the late updates I've had a lot going on with school and stuff but here it is!

Ignore spelling and grammar mistakes.

Anyways, love you all♥️♥️

Vote and comment?

~TJ