Page 15 of Mated

The other guests stayed silent, but retreated, giving the fighters room. I covered my mouth with a hand, watching the brutality of what was happening. A part of me wanted to try and stop it, but common sense said I’d only end up getting hurt, or worse.

I was a mere human that would get crushed.

“You dare talk to the Queen in such a way. A way?” Draxus growled and bit the other male in the throat, black blood gushing out. Draxus was pushed off, but he was right back on the other male, using his barbed tail to slam into the creature repeatedly.

The other male bared sharp teeth but then chuckled, “I just took note she is a pretty little thing.”

Gasps echoed through the chamber, and I realized these creatures, these guests, were appalled that anyone was speaking to Draxus–their king–in such a way.

With a roar that shook the walls, Draxus lunged again, this time slamming into the other male, taking him back to the floor hard enough that shards of stone cracked around them. The creature beneath him writhed, black blood pouring from several cuts, bites, and open wounds.

Draxus reared back and drove a fist into his jaw. The room vibrated with his rage. And then he lifted the barbed tip of his tail, poised to strike, but this time aimed for the creature’s heart.

“Draxus,” I said, my voice steady despite the shaking in my bones. “Please,” it’s all I said. I didn’t want to see anymore, didn’t want to witness any death. My king… my mate froze.

The chamber went still.

He turned his head slowly and looked at me, his chest heaving, his claws, and face bloodstained. The male beneath him was alive, but unmoving. I finally stepped forward, my heart pounding.

“No more,” I whispered and reached for his hand, not caring that it was covered in blood.

Draxus looked back at the male beneath him and bared his teeth, nostrils flaring,. I knew he was having a hard time stopping himself. Draxus took a step back and I knew it was hard as hell for him to do. The other male coughed, rolled to his side, and dragged himself back with the little dignity he had left.

Draxus stood tall once more, looming over the room like the god of death himself.

I moved to his side, the train of my dark gown dragging through a puddle of blood I didn’t flinch to step through. No one moved. No one spoke.

Then, slowly, one by one… they knelt… for me and Draxus.

Draxus turned to me, and in that moment, I saw something in his eyes I hadn’t before—not just pride. Not just deep and dark need.Devotion.

He stepped before me, his towering form shadowing mine, his voice low in my ear as he said, “You’ve never been more beautiful than you are now… tamingyourbeast.”

This kingdom was no longer just his. It wasours.

9

QUEEN ELOWEN

As the evening waned, the court started to disperse and find pockets of conversation between each other. But the tension still coiled through the hall, thick enough you could have cut it with a knife.

Draxus kept me close to his side as we made our way around the room, but my gaze was locked onher.

The human woman I had seen earlier.

The only other one like me in this dark, dangerous yet utterly beautiful underworld.

She was smaller than me with light strawberry blonde hair twisted in chignon, and soft curls framing her face. Her dress was a soft blue with floral applique details, and she wore delicate flowers in her hair, ones that I knew hadn’t come from this dark underworld.

She stood tucked to the side of the corridor, near one of the pillars, the beast who had accompanied her earlier just a foot from her. I noticed he kept checking on her, but her body language told me she wasn't afraid or uncomfortable being here or around him.

I stepped away from Draxus, but he reached out and gently curled his claws around my wrist. “I’m going over there to talk to the woman.” His pupils dilated and constricted as he looked at where I was talking about, and he must have felt it was safe enough because he let go, leaned down, and dragged his tongue along the side of my face.

Marking me and staking his claim in front of everyone.

I blushed as I walked away and toward the woman.

One of the guards moved as if to follow me, but I held up a hand. “If Draxus deems it safe for me to go alone, I’m safe enough to do so.”

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