Ch. 15：Bow to the Queen

“We greet the Luna,” Ella and Sabrina returned the next morning.
“Raise your heads,” I muttered. It felt icky saying words that I wasn’t qualified to say but it couldn’t be helped. I was now the official mate of the prince and this evening, I would be meeting with his stepmother.
“Luna, did you sleep well?” Sabrina asked with a knowing grin.
“Y – Yes. Why do you ask?” I looked away from her, knowing what her gaze meant. Nothing happened between the prince and I but remembering waking up in his arms like that had my skin heating. He promptly left the room after that but I swear I saw his cheeks turn pink.
“Oh, nothing. I just want to know if you need a massage.” Sabrina smiled.
Ella went to the bathroom to prepare a bath while Sabrina made a show of picking out my outfit. I had two outfits that she brought in the previous day and the other had already been worn.
Sabrina, I noticed, was a chatterbox while Ella was on the quiet side like me. The girl talked a marathon and even if I did not respond, she kept talking. I drifted off to my own world as they washed my hair.
Today, I would be meeting the woman who could be the strongest opposition to my sham of a mating. The queen supported Scarlett who was betrothed to her late son since birth so I did not expect her to appreciate me coming out of nowhere to take Scarlett’s place. She may try to scare me off and I would have to find a way to stand firm against a woman like that.
“The prince has instructed us to get you a new wardrobe befitting of your new status.” Two other women entered my room after I dressed. Sabrina squealed behind me.
“Can I come, Luna? Can I?” She all but clapped so I agreed. Thus, the four of us entered the royal carriage and set off.
I often heard the phrase shop till you drop but I did not think it was a real thing. The girls dragging me around for dress fittings were more excited about this than I was. After five hours of choosing fabrics and styles, I was ready to faint on the spot. I was used to hard labor but this sort of labor was an unfamiliar one.
“Here, try this.” The woman in charge of my shopping said, handing me a box. I opened it to see a necklace that sparkled.
“This – Isn’t this too expensive?” I muttered, closing the lid of the box. When I raised my head to see what store we were in, my throat dried. Al Shandy. The famed jewelry dealer.
“It is.” The lady giggled. “So you should get it.” She winked and brought another box.
“When His Highness – I mean, I am not certain Killian would appreciate me spending so extravagantly.”
“Why not? You are his mate and he is the Alpha Prince. Don’t you know men like to decorate their women? It makes them feel proud,” the storeowner said, her assistants nodding behind her.
“No, I don’t think –“ I started but the women ganged up against me.
I was Killian’s ‘mate’ and after the show, he put on the previous day, he must be in love with me and would be happy to have me spend his money. If these girls knew that their ‘smitten’ prince was a selfish man who didn’t give a hoot about me, they wouldn’t be advising me to buy diamonds and rubies in his name.
“Here. Take these three. I bet you he signs the bill without checking.”
“Yes. If he has any complaints, we will take them back!” The store owner said. “We have a no-return policy but I’m willing to bet money that he doesn’t even notice!”
In the end, I left the place with a diamond jewelry set, a ruby bracelet, and a gold chain. My things were loaded into a different carriage than I used and then we went back to the palace. At the door to the main palace, Killian was waiting for me with a scowl on his lips.
“You said he wouldn’t notice,” I muttered to Sabrina who was the closest to me.
The expression on Killian’s face almost had me taking a step back. Clouds of anger covered his face as he stepped forward but much to my amazement, the clouds dispersed the closer he got to me.
“I missed you,” he whispered to me, taking my hands in his. “You were gone for such a long time that I became anxious.” He kissed my hand and someone sighed.
My cheeks burned at the shameless way he rubbed his cheek against my palm. This man was as accomplished in acting as he was in slaughtering. Even I felt my heart shiver at his affectionate tone and gesture.
“Come on, let’s go inside. I have something for you.” With that, he tugged me back to his room and when the door shut behind us, his hand fell from mine and the clouds of rage covered his face again.
“How many things did you buy?” He asked with a quiet growl.
“Just – Just enough to –“ I fought myself not to take a step back but I failed. My legs moved on their own, putting distance between us.
“You know you will be meeting my mother today yet you stayed out so long,” he growled. I blinked up at him. “You wasted too much time shopping. I cannot help you prepare since you wasted time buying dresses.” With that, he walked out of the room.
He – He did not even mention the exorbitant amount of money I spent. How could he be more concerned with the time it took more than the money I cost him to buy frilly dresses? Or did he not receive the bill yet?
Not to dwell on the clothes too much, Sabrina came in and helped me dress for the meeting with the queen and then I stepped out of the room, feeling weighed down by my outfit.
Killian’s gaze turned sharp when he entered the room after I was done dressing. I smoothed down my dress with nervous hands as he gave me a once-over. I waited for a comment that never came as he went right into business.
“Do not bow to my mother.” My eyes bulged out of their sockets at his silent command.
“B – But she’s the - she’s the queen!” This meeting would surely include some power play but I did not think I would have to start my meeting with her by disrespecting her.
“In a few weeks, you will be the queen,” he reminded me. “If you are to stand by my side, you are to bow to me and me alone. Do not accord my respect to another person.”
“O – Okay.” I did not fully understand but I was new in all this and no matter what, I could not go against his word. His condition to make me Luna Queen was that I followed every one of his instructions.
“Good. Come here.” He opened his arms and I hesitated for a second. “Don’t waste my time.” I had no choice but to step into his open arms. Flames licked at my skin as I stepped into his embrace and for an absurd reason, my mind catapulted me to this morning.
After rubbing his scent all over me and setting my cheeks ablaze, he took my hand and we stepped out of the room. The Killian I knew outside this room and the one I knew inside it were two different people. His behavior changed so fast that it gave me whiplash.
“Here we are.” We’d arrived at the Queen’s palace and were stood outside her door. “I’ll miss you.” He spoke in a warm voice with cold eyes. “Be good,” he whispered, his face drawing closer to mine.
Like a hawk, he swooped down and captured my lips with his, sucking harshly against my bottom lip. My guts tightened and I made a small sound as he drew back. His cold eyes were amused as he pulled away and I turned to see the Queen’s chambers had been opened, revealing the queen and Scarlett who wanted to bury me with her eyes.
“Careful of the smiling viper. It’s venomous.” His breath fanned against my ear before he straightened, leaving me with a smile.
The smiling viper was the queen who wore a beaming smile as I entered her chambers with Scarlett sitting beside her like a pretty daughter.
“I greet the dowager queen of wolves.” I stepped into the room and the door closed, shutting me in with these women who wanted to tear me apart.
“Bow.” It was Scarlett that spoke first. I turned to her. It was good that years of bullying in Red Lake taught me to school my expression. I was talented at looking unimpressed and it was that look I gave Scarlett who looked on the verge of shifting.
“I bow to no one but the Alpha Prince.” I thought I would die from my trembling heart but the talks of my arrogant must be true because I held my head high and stared the queen in the eye.