The eyes of Keial were different today, and as I stood in the middle of the room.

I felt a droplet of sweat drip from my forehead.

Why hasn't he said anything in a while?

I've been standing here for five minutes, and all he's done is to tell me to 'wait for it' whatever that meant.

I was wearing clothes given to me by Keial, he reasoned that black looked good on me, and not wanting to embarrass myself, I shut my mouth and accepted the gift.

They were the nicest clothes I had ever worn, a black tunic with specks of gold, matching with black trousers and boots I could see my face in.

Everything about it felt odd and uncomfortable.

I wasn't used to this kind of treatment.

Yet, I had to get used to it, for the sake of our ongoing bargain.

Suddenly, I saw Keial drop his pen down and then raise his head to look at me, his stoic, focused face changed, and his eyes filled with a look I had never seen in him before.

"Felix, come here." He patted his leg, before moving his chair back.

I blinked and stared, my heartbeat rising as I stared at his leg, then his face to see that this wasn't an option.

What was this all about? Ugh.

"Yes, si-" I stop when his eyes harden at me warningly and swallow hard.

"Keial."

I felt awkward, and now he wanted me to sit on his lap.

What the hell was he playing at?

I walked over to him and before I had a chance to go over why he was suddenly acting so weird, Keial reached out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me down until I sat on his lap, half straddling him.

"Hmm." His eyes swirled with amusement as his strong hands rested on my waist.

"That's better, now I can work with ease."

I blushed and looked away, how can he say things like that without being embarrassed?

Keial leaned his head forward until he rested in the crook of my neck and to my shock, his long rough tongue licked me, sending shivers down my body as I tried not to let it affect me.

"We're being listened to." He whispered huskily into my neck, then brushed his lips up my neck until my head was tilted back and his lips rested on my chin.

"Let's give them a show, hm?" His voice filled with playfulness, as his hands went to squeeze my ass.

His eyes shined golden and amused, and even though he just said someone was outside his office door and listening to us, he seemed to welcome it, rather than go see who it was.

Keial's hot breath made me feel like I was in heat each time it touched my skin, not to mention his skillful hands caressing my body.

Every action was completely natural, but I knew that there was nothing normal about our relationship.

"Kiss me." His hand gripped my hair and tilted my head down, as his commanding golden eyes locked on mine.

I could only groan out, as Keial pressed his rough, powerful, and skillful lips against mine in an urgent yet passionate force that made me melt in that single motion.

His hands were trailing up my tunic as his hot mouth, his hands sent images of our lovemaking in the forest, as his powerful thrusts made me lose my mind, and the loss of all muscles in my body.

"Focus." Keial's roughly commanded, his eyes hard before he pressed his lips and captured mine again, this time more forceful like an animal was devouring me.

I couldn't breathe.

Keial knew what he was doing, he was an amazing kisser, he took the lead and skillfully kept me at his pace, whilst I forgot where I was the moment his hot tongue invaded my mouth, and his masculine scent filled my senses.

"You're bad at kissing, but the way you grind your hips on me is making up for that." Keial pulled back and said, as his eyes went to my hips.

I felt my face go hot as I shifted myself against him, suddenly more self-aware.

Was I really grinding my hips? I didn't notice at all.

"Don't stop, I like it."

Keial smiled up at me and made my heart skip a beat, and at that moment, I started to panic, because looking at his handsome, yet intimidating face, I knew this wasn't real, but a part of me had almost wished it was.

I had to stop thinking like that.

This was nothing but a business arrangement, it wasn't real.

*****

"Hey, Felix, I didn't see you last night, did you go back to your room?" Ash asked as he sat down next to me outside.

He had a piece of cooked chicken leg in his hands and he was biting into it as I looked away from him and into the forest, watching the other pack children play.

"Yeah I uh, I was tired after... everything." I smiled forcefully as he hummed out.

"Well, I hope you realize I ate your portion of the bear." He laid back on the grass and rested on his folded arms.

"I can only stare at it for so long before it starts talking to me... telling me to eat it."

I snorted then laughed out at his serious tone and looked at his face. "It's fine."

We sat there in silence for a while, until some voices caught our attention from behind us, and when we both turned around, I felt my stomach clench painfully tight when I looked at him.

It was Keial, but he wasn't alone.

He was with a beautiful woman with long raven hair that went down to her back, and as I stared at them standing next to each other, I couldn't ignore that they looked perfect together.

Like a beautiful painting.

"I heard the King is looking for a wife." Ash leaned in and whispered in my ear, making me flinch.

He... what?

A... wife?

"It's just talk, but a friend of mine told me he has been meeting with ladies of wealthy prominent families, and princesses from other regions, so who knows." He shrugged.

My stomach clenched again, and as much as I tried to ignore it, I hated that I felt something when I looked at them together.

He wasn't mine, and if the King married or not, it wasn't any of my business.

Good riddance... I guess.

"Good for him, soon he'll have an heir and we'll have little princes or princesses running around the castle ." I smiled, whilst ignoring the sudden pain in my stomach.

"Maybe more than one or two." Ash snorted, making me pull my gaze away from Keial, to Ash.

"What do you mean?"

Ash looked at me like what I said was funny before he got up to his feet and then started stretching his arms.

"Well, the King isn't known to settle with one partner, it's hard to ignore his good looks and that obvious scary yet enticing charm of his, women flock to it and he gladly accepts them into his bed, it's no secret."

"And the fact that he's a King, with money and power, he could have anyone or anything he wanted." He adds, making me frown.

"I admire and wish to be just as strong as the King one day, but I'm sure in a few years, he'd need to build another castle just for his offspring."

As I looked at Ash, I wanted nothing more than to argue that he was wrong, but deep down I knew that he was most likely right and that I should just shut my mouth.

In the end, Ash had been here much longer than I had and knew Keial much more than I did.

Turning around again to look at Keial and the beautiful woman, I saw that she had linked her arm wrapped around his and had started laughing at something he had said to her, making me turn back around and stand up, next to Ash.

Stop it Felix, no good will come out of watching them.

It wasn't my business who he messed around with.

We were using each other for our own end goal, that was all, I shouldn't care who he sees or doesn't see.

I wanted freedom and my name cleared, and he wanted to delay the inevitable, that was all.

That was our 'relationship'.

"Let's go." I put my arm over Ash's shoulder and dragged him along with me back to the castle.

"I feel like having a drink all of a sudden."

"Fine by me." Ash grinned, as I forced a smile.

It was all fine by me...