Chapter 89: Heat and Hesitation

Stephanie immediately covered the sheet over her head, her mind scattered. His back was so perfectly sculpted...The image still rang in her head. As the door opened, a guard stood there, his eyes widened as he noticed Zekel was bare-chested and only wearing a towel, though Zekel’s expression remained neutral. "What is it?" Zekel asked calmly as the man scratched the back of his head. "Sorry to disturb, but we... heard noises. I think a lady’s voice, so we decided to check if you did too." Stephanie’s eyes widened as she realized they were talking about her earlier cry for help. Wait... did Zekel know they would be coming? Was that why he took her to his room? Her face flushed lightly as she tried her best not to think about it. Oh no, she had done that without even thinking... Her body froze as she heard Zekel speak. "It seems my door hadn’t been closed fully," he said smoothly. The man nodded, his ears burning lightly as he bowed, almost in disbelief. "Oh, I apologize," he muttered. Zekel simply nodded and closed the door. The moment it shut, he clicked it lock. And just then, Stephanie threw the covers off. "Seriously? The door was open! What did you think that man would think?" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Zekel’s voice remained neutral as he replied, "And did you have a better idea?" Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her eyes trailed down to his perfect chest, then to his abs—defined enough to reveal he was a seasoned fighter. There was a scar across his left ab. Her eyes lingered there before they slid lower... and she gulped. His V-line was now coming into view. "If you want to stare, you can—but at least stop drooling," his words snapped her back to reality. Her hand flew to her chin, only to realize this man had been joking. "Go and get dressed if you don’t want me staring. Besides, I’ve seen better," she lied, not wanting him to feel too special. "Oh really? You’re already getting too comfortable with me. Aren’t you scared I’ll do something bad to you?" he asked, eyes locked on hers as his lips curled up, running so slowly as he sank into her priceless expression. Stephanie’s lips curled to a smirk even though he was making a point. "Oh please, what’s your worst?" she replied—but even she realized how comfortable she was getting with him. She was forgetting... he was a man with desires. "I’ll ignore those words—coming from someone inexperienced, who doesn’t even know how to kiss. Given I’m your first," he said quietly, teasing glint dancing through his eyes. Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. She immediately stood from the bed. Was it that obvious she was inexperienced? She walked toward the door, choosing to ignore him. She knew if she spoke now in her nonchalant act, she might regret it. "Thank you, Lord Zekel. It has been a pleasure meeting you," she said, her voice calm even though she tried her best to hide the annoyance lingering in her tone. Zekel simply watched her in silence. This woman was very unpredictable. And just as she moved to open the door— A hand covered hers. Her heart raced quickly. "Why the formality all of a sudden, hmm?" Her body shuddered lightly as his bare chest pressed to her back. Knowing he had no shirt on only made her heart pound faster. She gulped softly. This man really was making her feel... differently. "I realized what we are doing is nothing more than quenching our thirst for each other—something that will die by tomorrow morning..." She felt his body stiffen at her words. Her eyes dropped to his hand, still covering hers, as she added softly, "I don’t want to be practice for your expertise... I don’t want to be just one of the ladies you’ve used to become a better man for your mate." Her throat tightened as his hand slipped away from the doorknob and he stepped back calmly. She refused to turn around—she knew her words had hit deep. Even she didn’t understand why she felt this way... like she shouldn’t have said that. She quickly unlocked the door and left, not minding that her shoes were still in his room. Her bare feet kissed the cold floor as her breath quickened. He did not follow her. Her eyes welled with tears. ’B..but why did it hurt’ Had she been expecting him to follow her behind? So she could apologize? She knew what she said was rude, but she had no choice, as that was how she felt..partly—and now regret washed over her like water poured into fire. Why does my heart ache like this? Something growled inside her. Why am I feeling pain... when I’m the one who insulted him? I’m not going to see him again—it’s better this way. But the warmth of his lips still lingered on hers. She remembered the way he had slowly let go of her hand... and she had no idea why it hurt so much. "Am I really... in my heat period?" she wondered, her hand clutching her racing heart. * * The Next Day The dining hall was silent as Ariana ate quietly. She noticed the hall was quieter than usual. The longest conversation she and Lady Stephanie had exchanged was a simple greeting and whether they had slept well. Even though Lady Stephanie had said she slept fine, Ariana didn’t believe her—not with the dark circles resting under her eyes. She was worried, yet she reasoned it might be because Stephanie was still adjusting to a new environment far from home. Things like this were very much understandable. Stephanie ate, though her appetite seemed down for some unknown reason. She didn’t even feel hungry. Was it guilt from last night—from what she had said to him? It wasn’t as though what she said wasn’t true, it was partly true. She was sure he would still end up with a mate, and when that time came, she’d be nothing more than a pastime. And that was the one thing she didn’t want to be—or be taken as. Her gaze shifted up, eyes widening slightly when she realized Ariana’s gaze was already on her. She smiled, though it was a weak one. Was her expression that obvious, as though something had struck her? Her fork paused midair. Was he even feeling the same? Was it only her who felt this way? Was she sitting here feeling bad while he was probably out there, having already forgotten what happened? She needed to remember—that was in the past. Even do it was just last night. Was she acting like this just because it was her first time being so close to a man, and that was why her body reacted the way it did? She immediately straightened in her seat, brushing the thoughts away. She should remember who she was—a confident and independent woman. Ariana raised her hands just as Lady Stephanie lifted her head. Ariana slowly signed, "Are you okay, Lady Stephanie? Your eyes look tired." Stephanie nodded. She saw the worry etched across Ariana’s face, and she couldn’t help but curse herself. ’Why would you let a man affect you so much that you couldn’t even sleep last night?’ she scolded inwardly. She now wondered what would’ve happened if they had gone further—maybe she wouldn’t have shown up for breakfast at all. "My Queen, I am fine. Thank you so much for your concern," she replied softly, and Ariana nodded. To her surprise, a maid arrived, setting a cupcake near her plate. Stephanie’s eyes widened, her lips curving into a smile. Ariana gave her a nod, and Lady Stephanie spoke, this time cheerfully. "Thank you so much, my Queen. I definitely didn’t expect this," she said, and Ariana’s smile widened in return. She was glad—the light in Stephanie’s eyes had returned. Later, Ariana and Stephanie walked calmly through the hallway. Stephanie turned to her as Ariana gently signed, "I hope you visit again so we can spend more time together." Stephanie’s face lit up with joy as she nodded happily. She couldn’t wait. She already knew she would come again for the next event. "And maybe when we’re alone, I’ll play some violin or piano for you," she added, and Ariana nodded with a wide smile. They reached the entrance just as it opened. A carriage was already waiting for Lady Stephanie. She turned to Ariana and gave her a deep curtsy of respect, which Ariana returned with a warm smile. "I can’t wait to come here again," Lady Stephanie said, beaming. She quietly entered the carriage. Just as she did, she waved to Ariana once more. As she leaned back against the soft seat, her gaze shifted—and her body stiffened. At the far end, half-concealed by thick, blooming flowers, a figure stood. He wasn’t easily visible, but Stephanie saw him clearly. Her heart stuttered. Her stomach flipped the same way it had last night. To her shock, he moved. Her eyes widened, breath catching as his gaze locked with hers. But how? She was already inside the moving carriage. Then—his mouth moved. And to her surprise... she read it clearly. Her lips parted in silent shock. "We will meet again, Mrs. Zekel."