CHAPTER 123: I WANT TO BE YOUR QUEEN

"You didn’t feel anything for him? Not once?"

Drevon sighed heavily. "Maybe I did, but I just couldn’t recognise it, not even in his last moment, but there was one thing I did know."

"What?"

"I know he was family." He smiled, but it was quick to fade. "Family can be complicated, but it’s still family. It’s still blood."

"I understand that very much," I said, recognising my past.

In some way, we were two individuals who were more alike when it came to the rift of family and bonds.

"Love, warmth...those were never the foundations of my family. Neither was yours." He looked at me and took my hand, kissing my ring. "But we can break that cycle, Eloise."

My eyes trembled at his words.

"I didn’t just fall in love when I set my eyes upon you... I made a decision that day. I do not mean some alliance or the triviality of seduction." He placed my hand on his chest. "I decided to open my heart to a wondrous creature, and in that moment, I realized I could be more than just a ruthless Lycan Monarch, son of an Alpha, beast, devourer, dominator. I could be more for my little wife."

Something cold ran down my cheeks, and I realized silent tears were streaming. I was so caught up in my past, letting it feed off my present, and told myself I cannot love because of the years of unlove I had endured. I thought there was no hope for me.

But here was this man... he didn’t just randomly get a fancy, he opened his heart, for a human.

His thumb brushed against my cheeks, and I just broke down then. The feelings were too much, so much that I felt like my insides dissolved.

"I-I’m sorry... I know I should say something back just as romantic, but—"

He chuckled. "You don’t need to."

"I-I..." I sobbed, closing my eyes.

I felt his hand at the back of my head, and my forehead pressed against his chest. I clutched his jacket tightly.

"You’re home now...the doors are shut tightly." He wrapped his hands around me. "You can cry as much as you want."

And I did.

~•~

I used my knife to cut through the soft steak before bringing a little bit to chew. From the corner of my eye, Drevon was watching me.

"Are you really going to spend dinner together just watching me eat?"

"It’s very fulfilling knowing you have a full appetite."

I huffed, cutting another round of meat, and stabbed my fork into it, moving it to his lip. "Go on, while I’m still being nice."

There was a sheen in his eyes as he leaned to the fork and seized the meat with his teeth. I tried to ignore how he deliberately maintained eye contact, earning a response that made my body go hot.

"Oh, right..I almost forgot. I want to be your queen."

Drevon choked, and I quickly grabbed the goblet of water and shoved it into his hand, and he took a drink from it.

"You should chew, not swallow. What are you, a baby?" I clicked my tongue, tapping his chest.

Drevon coughed, but it was more of a sneer, in between trying to gather himself.

"Eloise, perhaps a warning before you say something like that."

I fluttered my lashes innocently. "What did I do? The timing was perfect."

"Of course it was..." he said with a touch of irony in his tone, dropping the goblet on the table. "Why the sudden interest?"

I shrugged. "No reason."

He tipped his head and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Don’t look at me like that. You were the one who wanted to make me Queen before."

"But you said you didn’t want it, and I respected your wish."

"I’ve changed my mind. I need power."

"So you want to become Queen, not because you want to rule my side, but power?"

I pushed off my chair and sat on his lap, placing a finger beneath his chin. "Do I sense dissatisfaction from your tone?"

He smirked. "I’m just wondering why the sudden thirst for power."

"Revenge," I replied bluntly.

"Interesting..." he said, amused, even though I expected him to be disappointed with my reasons.

"If I become Queen Consort, then naturally, your brother’s position as the crown prince will be threatened. It will be an eye for an eye."

"Eloise, I thought I told you that Damon is mine to handle—"

I place a finger on his lips. "Shhh... I’m not finished. After that happens, the noble house will recognise my strength and they will no longer oppose you."

Drevon took my finger off his lips and gave a kiss before he said. "That’s where the problem is, my sweet wife. I do not need their support; I have my armies. If given a more irrational choice, I could have annihilated them because of their accusations against you. Sloane wouldn’t just be left on a simple warning; her house will meet an early end."

A chill shot through my spine, but I tried to remain composed. "Then why didn’t you do it?"

"Because of my sister. She told me not to do it to lessen the chaos. But it’s not completely over, is it?" He looked away, a dark smirk twisted on his lips. "They crawled their way up like insects and agreed to side with my brother. It’s only a matter of time until I get my hands on them for their treasonous actions.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. I understood why Drevon held such animosity toward the noble houses. They were the ones present when my trial was made.

I could feel his rage, although hidden beneath and locked, I could feel the pressure. He had let it out for a split second, and suddenly, it was gone, and his dark smirk turned softer.

It made me wonder how much control Drevon had not just over his beastly part of him, but also over his anger.

I made a mental statement to myself that I’d never see him angry. Because I don’t think I can handle that.