Her Unwanted Mate On The Throne

Chapter 13

#Chapter 13 There was never really a point to have a fated mate

Doris covered her ears the second she heard the first moan. Her mind flashed back to that night—she couldn’t shake the images of him from her mind. She didn’t want to imagine him when he was on top of her or the way his lips felt trailing down her skin. It was beyond wrong to ever think of him that way, he wasn’t meant for her and she should be glad of it. But it was so hard to forget when she could hear his same groans through the door. It was as if her mind planted her right back in that moment with him. Her heart raced with fear when the images wouldn’t stop.

The sounds only grew louder and deeper as if each one were banging against her heart from the inside. She pushed harder against her ears to ward out the sounds, her back slid down the wall and she stationed herself as far from the door as she could possibly get.

Please, she begged herself, just fall asleep.

She silently prayed it would all stop. She prayed sleep would overcome her and relieve her of this nightmare. Everything will be fine tomorrow, she promised herself. She wouldn’t remember a single thing if she just fell asleep now. It would all become one horrible dream that will hopefully fade once the morning comes. right?

The halls grew darker as the night wore on, the castle descended into a silence that only sleep could provide. Doris still held her hands against her ears long after they finished. Dry tears marked her cheeks, she could still hear the sounds echo in her heart. Of all the things Melody had done to her, this felt like one of the cruelest.

Doris opened her strained eyes to see a foggy morning outside the tall windows. For a blissful moment, she’d forgotten everything from the night before. It only came back to her when she heard the sound of Melody’s sticky voice behind his door.

“Good morning, your majesty.” Her words were laced with sleep and sweetness, Doris wanted to gag.

“Up already? Perhaps I didn’t wear you out enough last night.” Prince William teased, his voice husky. Doris cringed at the thought of their night and closed her eyes tightly to clear her mind from it all.

Melody giggled, her pitch high and almost forced. Doris hugged her knees to her chest and shivered, longing to escape to her warm bed.

“While I liked the sounds you made last night, you…”

“I, what?” Melody asked with a light laugh. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“You didn’t sound the same as that night.” Prince William responded lazily.

Doris felt her heart stop just as Melody’s laugh halted. Did that mean he never marked Melody? Was he thinking of how Doris sounded? Doris felt her cheeks flame. Had he been thinking of her when he was… with Melody? Did he wonder why she didn’t sound the same as Doris did the night he attacked her? Doris shamefully remembered the lustful moans she made when he kissed down her skin. All she wanted was to get away from him that night, but her body reacted to his touch as if it wanted more. She definitely did not want more, she knew that. The shame still lingered with her long after that night.

A few moments later, she heard Melody speak again with a tone soaked in bitterness. “Weren’t you satisfied with me?”

Doris held her breath, part of her couldn’t help but feel sorry for Melody. She’d spent so long trying to get Prince William’s attention and earn a night with him—only for him to compare her to someone else. One wrong word and Melody could lose everything with him. His emotionless cruelty was sure to return soon but she couldn’t rid her mind of the thoughts—

He mentioned that night… Melody didn’t sound like the one he marked because he marked Doris.

“It was fine, you did well. I think we’re done here.” William said as he pulled open the door. His blue eyes found Doris immediately.

“Your majesty—“ Doris stood quickly and felt the world tip beneath her numb legs when she neared him, she lost her balance and stumbled into his firm chest. He gripped her arms to steady her, she looked up to see his cold face interrogating her every breath.

“It’s her,” Waylon spoke up in his mind the moment William touched Doris. “Our mate. I know it is.”

“You said the same fucking thing last night.” William growled silently, his patience was running thin.

“No, I told you something felt off when she left the room and you didn’t listen.” Waylon hissed.

“How can you be sure it’s her this time? You’ve steered me wrong before.” William spoke with a bite to his words as he watched the small girl in his arms. She stared up at him with wide, terrified brown eyes.

“Can’t you feel it? The electricity passing through your veins when she fell into your arms. That’s the mate bond.”

William froze at his words and realized he was right. He felt the shock in every inch of his body when he held her. He’d never felt that way with anyone before, especially not with Melody last night—

“Your majesty…” Doris said.

“My prince!” Melody’s face turned red as she appeared at his side fully dressed. Her wild eyes flickered between Doris and himself.

Prince William pushed Doris away from him out of instinct, she stumbled but caught herself and curtsied quickly. “My majesty, lady Melody—please forgive me.”

“Did she hurt you, your majesty?” Melody neared him, her face melted into an exaggerated concern as she touched his arm. He shook her off and straightened himself.

“I’m fine.” William said, his eyes flicked over Doris. She wouldn’t look at him now that Melody was here. Her brown hair was unbound around her shoulders and a bit messy as if she’d just woken up. She stood with her hands clasped innocently in front of her, but that wouldn’t fool him. “Is she the one you brought from the library?”

“Yes, your majesty. I apologize if she offended you.”

“She didn’t.” William finally caught Doris’s eye and narrowed his slightly. “But it was a nice try.”

Doris’s lips parted to explain herself—did he think she fell on him on purpose? She took a step forward and stopped when she caught the hatred in his gaze. It felt like a bucket of ice water had doused her, she flinched at the sight. It was much worse than the look Melody gave her every day, that one she was used to. This one had something else behind it, something she couldn’t put her finger on but knew it was there. If he thought she was pathetic enough to fake a fall into his arms for his attention, he was horribly wrong. She wanted a bath just to get the feeling of his touch off her.

But… Why did he hate her so much? Doris supposed there was no point in trying to change his mind about her, he wasn’t going to care what she had to say to defend herself. He’d clearly already made up his mind about her.

Doris lowered her eyes to the floor and clasped her hands in front of herself again.

“Keep an eye on her.” William told Melody before he closed his bedroom door on them both.

His inner wolf growled and made William stumble a bit as it tried to take control of his body. “How could you treat our mate like this?” Waylon’s voice grew, William pushed back against it. “I should kill you and take complete control over your useless body for that—“

“There was never really a point to have a fated mate.” William said to his wolf before he closed their link and silenced him.