The Beast And The Blessed

Thirty: Natalle

Natalie’s P.O.V.

My head turned up to look at Killian when they announced me with a title. I felt his arm pull my hand in closer to his side in reassurance as they opened the double doors leading to the long stairs case. He pulled me forward until we were standing just before the banister as he looked out over his people. I tore my gaze away from him, glancing around the room at the luxurious setup and the people filling it.

I had never seen so much wealth in one room. It made me feel even more out of place and uneasy. As their eyes landed on us, I knew they were thinking it too. An omega, a human on the arm of their Lycant king. It was laughable.

I felt my heart hammering in my chest, and I had to wonder how many of them could hear it. Killian sure could as he turned to face me. I held still with my eyes on the crowd as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple.

It was simple. Sweet. A silent declaration that I was his.

As soon as his lips touched my skin, my heart slowed, and my lungs relaxed, allowing me to take in a subtle but deep and calming breath.

The crowd bowed their heads as Killian looked back to them before turning with me to face the staircase. that curved around the wall of the ballroom. It was extravagant, beautiful…deadly.

neck or, at the very least, humiliate myself by taking a tumble down to the bottom. But Killian held me steady as we descended the

and his posture, he was back to being the king that I hated, that his people

we reached the floor, people began to swarm us, all wanting to get face time with their king, but very few acknowledged me. I was just the woman on

when I turned to face. them, they had schooled their features and graced me with a soft smile that must have

cautious around those

felt like it had been hours of being approached by people for meaningless chatter. It would have been hilarious to watch them babble on to a stone-faced Killian who barely acknowledged them,

hundreds of Lycans, had all my blood thickening until it felt like I had also turned to stone. As soon as the man before us finished speaking, I looked up at

on his elbow as if he didn’t want to let me step away from his side. He opened his *the respond but closed it again as

news. May I take a moment of your time?” Her eyes flickered

away from me and dismissed

that he was faithful, but even without my heat, I was doubtful that there weren’t deeper feelings there. He was always with her, talking to her, and watching her. Even as I had approached. him tonight,

from his alleged mate during a social function, but beyond the pack dinners, this was our first real outing together. There had been several little changes in his treatment of me today, but even I knew it was too much and too soon to ask him

and I knew he saw the defeat and hurt in my eyes as his face softened, but I held

I flinched as he leaned in again to kiss me. He stopped immediately and pulled back with his jaw tight. He didn’t get to touch me when he was leaving with her, the witch who had tried to force