Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"Are you talking to me, your majesty?" I asked him, blinking at him with confusion clear on my face.

"I don't see another maid here," he said with an eye roll.

Melody tensed from beside me but didn't turn around to face him; she stood frozen in her place.

"Bring me some tea," he ordered as he went back into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

I stared at the closed door with confusion clear in my expression. Unsure of what to do.

"You heard him," Melody said, a growl deep in her throat. "Don't defy the prince's orders. Get him some tea."

"Yes, my lady," I said as I made my way down the grand stairs.

I turned slightly to see her still standing there; she was gazing at his door with uncertainty on her face and fresh tears soaking down her features.

What was happening?

(William's POV)

"Our mate is returning!" Waylon exclaimed; he was growing eager as Doris' scent became more potent as she neared his chamber.

"Calm down," William growled to his wolf.

He heard the soft knocking sound coming from his chamber door and he jumped up from his bed to answer it. Doris stood at the doorway with a small tray; on the tray was a small teacup. She peered up at him and bit down on her bottom lip; her cheeks growing red as they locked eye contact.

"Try not to scare her away this time," Waylon said with annoyance in his tone.

"Shut up," William hissed back.

"Your tea, your majesty," Doris said, she almost looked as if she was about to cry.

He rolled his eyes and stepped aside for her to enter; he pointed to the table on the far side of his room. She looked over at the table and without saying anything she walked over to it to place the tea.

He shut the door and walked back over to his bed, watching her intently as she placed the sugar in his tea as he liked it and placed the small napkin next to the cup. She cleared her throat before straightening her stance; glancing over at him her eyes widened as she noticed he was watching her.

She curtsied; William couldn't help but be surprised that she didn't fall over.

"Don't intimidate her," Waylon warned.

William rolled his eyes again.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Doris asked.

She was acting innocent; like she didn't want him. Like she wasn't speaking to Martin about him. She could hide it all she wanted, but William could see through her innocent girl act.

He strides toward her slowly and her eyes widened as he approached. Taking an unsteady step backward, she swallowed hard.

"Tell me, Doris," he said, his voice low and filled with seduction as he was only inches from her. "What made you speak to Prince Martin the other morning?" He found himself asking, eyeing her features carefully.

He noticed small speckles of sweat building on her forehead as she grew more nervous by the moment. Her body trembled as he stood close to her; the smell of roses radiated off her hair and filled him with a sense of comfort and yet he felt hungered for her body.

"Mate..." Waylon nearly cried.

"He asked for me to see him for a personal matter," Doris said, her voice hardly audible.

She was lying; according to the guards, she had gone to see Martin on her own to speak about William.

He stifled a groan as he knew she was lying.

"I should be going back to Lady Melody now..." she said, her breath getting caught in her throat and losing traction as she spoke.

He scoffed as he reached his hand out, rubbing the back of his thumb down her narrow features. She was the one that stood outside his door the other night when he returned from his evening out. He was drunk, but he remembered the feeling of her features.

"I don't think you'll be returning there tonight," he said between breaths.

"Uh..." she stammered nervously. "If you still need me tonight, I can wait for you in the hallway. Like I did for Melody before?"

"No," he said, taking a step closer to her. "You're going to stay in here."

Her breathing grew shaky and for some reason, he felt the strong urge to laugh.

"Don't," Waylon growled. "You're frightening our mate."

He reached an arm out and took a hold of her wrist; she gasped in shock and attempted to struggle away but he was too strong for her. He pulled her towards his bed, and she fell on top of it. This time, he did laugh.

"Clumsy," he muttered as she attempted to sit up, but he used his arm to push her back down.

"Your majesty!" She cried as he climbed on top of her.

He moved his hands up the sides of her blouse; her thin body wiggling uncomfortably underneath him and her breathing growing even heavier as he moved his way up her breasts. She flinched as she heard the ripping of the fabric and her breasts coming loose from the blouse.

"You should be happy to finally be here," William whispered. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?" He asked, seduction lacing his voice as he breathed into her ear. "This is why you went to see Martin as you did."

Her body stilled for a moment as his other hand began working its way down her legs and toward her inner thigh. Her body trembled under his touch; he saw the goosebumps coating her soft skin.

For a moment, he thought she had stopped breathing altogether.

"You have it wrong," she said, her voice quavering.

She was lying to him again. This is what she had wanted, she couldn't deny it anymore. She wanted him and he was finally giving her exactly what her body was asking for. She should be pleased with him. He couldn't grow his erection for Melody, even as she went down on him. But with Doris, his erection was growing strong and pressing against her hungrily.

She turned her head away just as his lips were nearing hers.

"Please unhand me," she whispered. The same words she said the other night; but this time he wasn't going to let her go as easily.

He positioned himself between her legs as he continued pressing down on her body; she struggled against him.

Why was she being so difficult?

"You are hurting her," Waylon argued. "Ease up."

William rolled his eyes and positioned himself so her arms could at least get free and so she could breathe a little better. Perhaps if he made her more comfortable, she would feel better.

He removed himself from her limbs and kept his weight on her torso to keep her from going anywhere.

"I'm allowing you to give in to your desires," he said to her. Her eyes widened at his words; before long he felt pain coursing through his as her knee dug directly into his groin.

He rolled over onto his bed in pain, holding onto the area that she kneed as she jumped to her feet. Her body shook and her maid's uniform nearly fell to shreds around her body.

"What the fuck?!" He hissed as he tried to figure out what just happened.

"My apologies, your majesty. But you wouldn't listen," she said, her voice quavering as tears filled her eyes.

"You wanted this!" He told her fiercely; the pain was subsiding, and he was able to sit up.

"No," she told him. "I never wanted this."

He stared around her face for a long while.

Was she serious?

"I told you not to frighten her," Waylon scolded.

"I'm sorry if you thought otherwise," she said after they both stayed silent for a short while.

He was wrong. She didn't want him. This wasn't making sense. She was his mate; that much was obvious now. So, why didn't she want him? He couldn't help but feel a ping of hurt as she attempted to cover her naked body from his eyes.

Had he gone too far?

Tears ran down her flushed cheeks and she sniffled; she used her trembling fingers to wipe the tears off her face.

He took a step closer to her and she recoiled instantly.

"Please, don't touch me," she said, there was a hardness in her voice that made him stop right away.

"Okay," he said, putting his hands up in defeat. "I won't touch you."

"You promise?" She asked, biting onto her bottom lip. She was chewing it hard enough for it to bleed. He grimaced at the image, but he nodded once.

"I won't touch you," he repeated.

"May I return to Lady Melody?" She asked.

"Don't let our mate leave. We need her," Waylon urged.

William agreed that they shouldn't let Doris leave, but not for the same reasons as Waylon. Lady Melody couldn't find out about this. He needed Doris to calm down for the night before she returned to her lady.

"You'll stay here for the night," William answered. He pointed to the couch. "Sit there for the night."

She took in a shaky breath and nodded slowly as she went to the couch and unsteadily sat down. She stared at her lap for a long while; she looked utterly exhausted. He felt a surge of annoyance at the fact that she looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"Our mate should be sleeping," Waylon said. "It's not good for her to be awake this long. We both know Melody hardly lets her sleep."

He glanced back over at Doris and noticed her eyes were closed; her body was leaning towards the pillow, and she looked as though she was about to completely fall onto the couch and fall asleep. He shook his head in dismay, thinking about throwing something at her to wake her up.

He grabbed a pillow off his bed and went to throw it, but then he heard her light snoring as she completely fell asleep.

He sighed and dropped the pillow.