Chapter 52

Fifty-Two: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

I couldn't fight the smile on my face. Every time I tried, it would sneak back up on me. One burning

look from Killian, and he was right back on me.

Touching, kissing, licking, and biting.

He stayed true to his word and made love to me repeatedly, almost putting the night of my heat to

shame. If we had more time, he would have easily done it. I had never known sex could be so good

But it was more than sex. Every touch and kiss had me feeling things for him that I hadn't been

prepared for, even before he marked me. It was incredible and terrifying at the same time.

I knew he had a history that would prevent him from being open with his feelings or prevent him

from feeling them at all. But every time his eyes met mine and he gave me a slow and loving kiss,

my chest felt warm, and I could feel myself falling deeper.

That was how I ended up sitting naked in the cold bathtub with my knees pulled up to my chest and

my arms around my legs at four in the morning. My cheek rested on my forearms, as I stared over

the lip of the giant standalone tub toward the closed bathroom door.

I took a deep breath, fearful that he would hear my heart thumping away and realize I wasn't in the

bed with him anymore.

I needed a minute to think, and I couldn't do that with his arms and scent around me. He was

intoxicating.

When he had held me to his large and naked body, I felt myself settling into a state of bliss that I

had never known before. It worried me to fall too far for a man that was resistant to be there to

catch me at the bottom.

Yet, even the thought of him made me feel calm and relaxed. My fear was outweighed by my

excitement.

But it was more than just that. While he was fast asleep with a content smile on his face, I was lying

wide awake, excited for our future. I couldn't wait for it to be announced that I was officially his

mate in every way and that I was his queen. More than that, was that one day I would carry his

children.

It was when that thought crossed my mind that my happiness faded. It faded because the people

that I wanted there wouldn't be. My parents had been disappointed in me for not shifting, and ever

after what my mother said about me when she was trying to provoke Killian to kill her, I knew they

still loved me. Just as I still loved them.

But they wouldn't be here.

Killian would have his sister and childhood best friend, he could even visit his mother whenever he

wanted, but I had no one of my own.

It wasn't that I felt alone, but that I missed my people. My parents. I missed them more than words

could say, but I never had the chance to grieve them. Having this rush of happiness when I was

pushing down so much sadness made me feel guilty.

But now Killian was my person. I just hoped that he would reciprocate my feelings for him one day.

Otherwise, I was in for a long and heartbreaking journey.

My head shot up as I heard a hesitant knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you alright?” Killian waited a second before he turned the handle, finding it unlocked, and

peaked around the corner. "You're distressed.”

I lifted my head, the sight of him making me softly smile as my worries melted to the back of my

mind. I stretched my arms before pushing myself upto my feet. "I'm fine.”

"You are sitting in an empty bathtub alone, my mate, and don't forget that I can now feel your

emotions. Something has upset you.” He held out a hand in all of his naked glory, and I placed my

palm over his as I climbed out of the tub.

Killian placed his other hand on my hip as I stepped out before him. My nipples were hard from the

cold and rubbed against his chest. He let out a low growl as he looked down at me with desire. I

couldn't even remember why I had pulled away from him and had gotten out of bed to begin with.

Because I was worried that I felt more for him than he did for me?

I felt ridiculous just thinking about it with the way he was looking at me. He had opened up to me

more than I had expected, and I just needed to be patient. I wore his mark. He was stuck with me,

and maybe one day he would grow to love me too.

I felt my mind go still, and all the thoughts settled as I came to terms with it. I loved him. I was in

love with him. It wasn't because of the mark. I had been feeling it before we had mated tonight.

I loved Killian Amery.

"I just needed a minute,” I whispered, lost in his touch. "I'm okay now, I promise.”

I blinked away the moisture from my eyes as he brushed his fingertips over my cheekbone, pushing

my hair back behind my ear. I couldn't imagine what he was thinking at the moment. One glance

over his shoulder showed my hair was in complete disarray from our several hours of love-making.

"Did I hurt you?" His soft voice was filled with regret as he then wiped the wet trail from my cheek. I

knew that he at least cared for me, and the gesture pulled at my heartstrings.

"You didn't hurt me. Everything is okay."

He didn't seem to trust my word, and I wondered how the bond worked and how strongly he could

feel my emotions. Killian pulled me into his chest, letting our naked bodies press against each other.

"Then why are you so sad?"

I leaned my head back, looking him in the eyes before nuzzling the side of my face back against his

chest. "I was just missing my parents, but they are together and in a better place now."

I didn't bother to tell him the part where I realized that I was in love with him and was freaking out

about the potential of him never being able to love me back.

The fact that he was here right now and didn't roll over and go back to sleep told me that he did

care for me and could love me one day. His action spoke louder than words, and I needed to make

sure I didn't pressure him.

"They would be proud of you,” he whispered against the top of my head before pressing a kiss to it.

I nodded in agreement, although I wasn't quite sure I did agree. I hadn't shifted and that was the

one thing my parents had been hoping and pushing for. But maybe if they had seen me become

the queen or a good mother, maybe then they would be proud of me. Human or not. "What else is

bothering you?"

I closed my eyes, tightening my arms around his waist. “I'm just uneasy. I feel like everything is too

good to be true and that something bad is going to happen really soon, and I don't know what else

to do to prepare for it."

Killian stilled beneath me, and I knew without asking that he was thinking about the council and the

war. "The worst is yet to come, my mate, but we are in this together.”