Chapter 31

Thirty-One: Natalie Natalie's P.O.V.

My chest was burning as I made my way around the ballroom. The need to hide away was gettingstronger with each passing moment that Kil*ian remained absent. Every time I walked past a womanwho would send me a side-eye, I had to wonder if she had been sleeping with my mate too.

How many women here hated me not because I was human, but because they had hoped theywould be the one selected as the king's chosen?

Charlie kept catching my eye as she interacted with her companions. Her group was loud andboisterous, having a grand time and enjoying the free drinks and food that were both spread outand being carried around by servers.

I steered clear of them, not wanting to bring them down with my sour mood. Instead, I kept myeyes peeled for K*lian.

I wanted to turn and ask Tobias how long I needed to be present before I could turn in for the night.Instead, I bit my tongue and pushed back what little pride I had left as I watched happy couplesdancing and enjoying the ball while I stood alone to the side, feeling the weight of the tiny tiara onmy head.

When the crowd began to thin as the night went on, I looked to Tobias, hoping he would catch mysilent request, and he did. With a curt nod of confirmation, I turned on my heels and made my wayfrom the ballroom and back to my room.

It was a familiar feeling of foreboding, the same one that had settled deep into my gut before I hadwalked in on Jake *my sister.

Tobias cocked an eyebrow at me in curiosity as I turned to him, and he took his place against thewall across from my door.

“He's not alone, is he?” Something about the question triggered my body to react, and it felt like myorgans were being pulled from my chest. The shaking of his head crushed me, and I put my faceinto my hands as I took several deep breaths to calm myself. It was one thing not to be alone in hisoffice, but to have someone else in our bedroom, our personal space... The broken whisper that leftme tumbled free as the last of my walls fell down. “I can't keep doing this.”

I dropped my hands, feeling exposed and used as my anger began to bubble up and over my pain.Tobias looked confused and opened his *as if he finally wanted to say something, but I had alreadyreached my breaking point.

I spun away from him and threw the door open to the bedroom. My eyes landed on Kil*ian sittingwith Joselin next to him on the arm of the couch. She had one hand rubbing his shoulder as hestared into the distance. They both froze when I walked in, and as innocent as their position was, Iwas deeply hurt that he hadn't even bothered to take her to a guest room.

He brought her to the room that we shared, and where we slept.

Joselin began to speak, but I cut her off as I walked past them.

"Get out, Joselin,” I ordered, not caring that I had no real authority over her.

“I was just...” She started as she stood, I saw her in the reflection of the mirror, and I narrowed myeyes at her as I reached up and took the tiara from my head, placing it down carefully onto thewooden surface.

“I don't really give a *what you were doing. I want you out of my bedroom!” What I really wanted toyell at her, was that I wanted her out of my relationship. I wanted her away from the man whoclaimed I was his and who would be mine. All my thoughts of Joselin being innocent were lost tome the second I saw her hand on him.

“Natalie,” Killi*n scolded, but I turned to glare at him.

“No! Don't, Natalie, me! Do you have any idea how humiliating tonight was for me?” I felt the waterlining my eyes as I met his. “The party is over. All of the guests are gone! You left me there alone, allnight, to be judged and publically humiliated by your pack as the *human who, according to them,is just warming your bed for the time being. Then I come back to find that you brought “her’ to ourroom. It's the only place that I have in this *castle, and you brought “her’ here! You couldn't evenshow me the decency to go to another room?”

The tears fell as I thrust my finger in Joselin’s direction. I was well aware that she could ki* me in theblink of an eye, but I didn’t care.

*held steady as I took a step toward him, but the anguish on his face had me coming to a stop, notwanting to be near him right now. It was all lies. I had no idea what to believe anymore.

“Natalie, that's not...” Joselin chimed in, her voice sounding softer than before but hearing her rightnow. made me want to punch her in the face.

“I really wanted to believe you when you swore you were faithful, *. I was even planning onapologizing to Joselin! But after just dealing with your jealous *buddies downstairs and comingback. to the two of you... I just,” I pinched the bridge of my nose as I closed my eyes and took adeep breath. “I can't keep doing this.”

The room was silent as they both stared at me, seeming to understand that I was past the point ofhearing anything they said. I was hurt, angry, and emotionally beaten down.

My voice dropped to a whisper as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “I figured that even if youdidn't want me, we could be friends. I thought that if we were going to breed and have kidstogether, that we could at least respect each other and give our children a positive environment togrow up in...forget it.”

I turned back to the dresser, grabbing my clothes before making my way past them and out into thehallway.

“Natalie, please. I didn't lie to you. Nothing is going on with me and Josie.” *said with pain laced inhis voice. His endearing nickname for her didn't fit her personality. Josie almost sounded like ayoung, innocent girl. Not a witch determined to destroy my relationship and *with my head. But I letthe door. close behind me as I looked up at my guard.

“Tobias, please take me to a different room to sleep for the night.” No matter how many times Iwiped my hand over my cheeks, the tears wouldn't stop. He looked over my shoulder as the dooropened to my room, and I jumped as Killian let out a loud roar of anger.