Their Hidden Princess Chapter 107

After Valentin’s outburst, he barely spoke during training the rest of the week. When he did, it was to correct my form or to keep Maximus and Thorne from ripping each other apart. The two loathed each other and spent most of our training sessions making snide remarks at one another. Never me and never Valentin. Something about us was off limits.

It made the last days of the second week of classes utterly exhausting. So much so that when it got to Saturday, I let myself sleep in until half past ten before dragging myself and Loren to the library to study. It was hard trying to do so. My mind kept drifting to my fated mates. I didn’t know how I was supposed to sleep with all of them.

Maximus I had at least already done the deed with. As much as my mind didn’t want to recognize the sexual activities we’d partaken in across campus, it made my life a little easier. The problem with Maximus was he wasn’t into sharing and I didn’t exactly blame him.

I didn’t really want to be shared.

Well, maybe.

Valentin seemed okay with the idea of sharing but was too busy putting himself down to build the bond up between us. He’d told me the story of the war. Nothing about his actions made him seem like the monster he thought he was. Sure, he lost my aunt but that wasn’t his fault. He was the only one who knew my true situation. Yet, he would not allow me any closer to him than arm’s length.

Which was different than Thorne, who seemed to follow me around like a shadow.

But Thorne broke our bond. He wanted nothing to do with me that wasn’t his “duty” or whatever. He confirmed that by sneering at me as he and Petyr walked through the library. I lost Kairos’s anger but gained Thorne’s anger.

Who would’ve thought?

Which left me with Kairos. Kairos who hated my guts when I first arrived on campus as a wolfless human. Who tried to kill me because I was wolfless and then continued to make my life hell up regardless that I got a wolf. That was, of course, up until a week ago when he’d stepped down from our fight then fucking kissed me.

I huffed and blew my stray hair out of my face. Loren seemed to notice the sudden change in my mood. She jerked her head up to look at me and frowned.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Just thinking about of—” I gestured vaguely to the table where Thorne and Petyr were sitting. “Them. And what it means.”

Loren nodded and set down her pen. “Well now, it’s almost like four, isn’t it?”

I put my index finger to my lips and shushed her, eyes darting back to Thorne’s table. I’d told Loren about my kiss with Kairos when I’d gotten back to my room. She was aware of most of my secrets at that point. Except for the big “savior of the wolves” one.

“Yes,” I said under my breath. “Not that it makes it any easier.”

“Have you talked to him?” Loren said.

I twisted my face in disgust. “Kairos? Hell no,” I scoffed. “I’m not entirely convinced that the whole thing was some rouse to piss me off and keep me from showing my strength.”

“He was the one who told Lunerly he thought you were in trouble,” Loren mused. She shook her head. “You should’ve seen him, Zora. He looked distraught when he was standing outside our door. I don’t think I could replicate his look if I tried. And that’s not because I’m a bad actor; he truly cares about you.”

I grumbled under my breath and leaned back in my chair. I dropped my pen dramatically and crossed my arms over my chest. Loren watched me as I chewed the inside of my cheek, lost in thought.

For all of the things Valentin and my professors explained about fated mates, I was still wary. I was half convinced that none of these men actually liked me and it was some of the old ancient magiks making them feel that way. Immediately after I thought it, I felt Mona rolling her eyes in the back of my mind.

You know that’s not how it works, she drawled.

So you’re telling me, even without these weird signs that we were fated, we still would’ve fallen in love? I scoffed out loud. Good try. Its all magiks. These people dispise me.

Have you asked them? Mona pointed out, swishing her tail.

I grumbled under my breath again and looked back at Loren, who was raising her eyebrows. I sighed and rested my elbows on the table, throwing my head into my hands.

“I mean, what am I suppose to do? Go on a date with Kairos?” I sputtered.

Loren only shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to just talk to him.”

I groaned and slammed my hands over my eyes. I huffed a breath then slammed my palms to our table and stood up. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll go to his house now.”

“It’s a Saturday?” Loren said. “He’s probably hammered.”

“Great,” I shrugged my backpack up onto my shoulders. “Maybe he’ll be less guarded.”

I snuck out of Thorne’s gaze and left the library. It was pretty close to Kairos’s house so it only took me fifteen minutes to get there. I looked down at my watch as I arrived to a house glowing with blue and pink lights. A dull thrum was coming from the inside. It was almost midnight. I huffed one more breath, mainly to psych myself up, before I walked into the party.

The house was set up much like it was at the other parties that had been hosted there. Although, this time, there was far less people. The music was still obnoxiously loud and the entire room smelled like spilt beer. Everyone turned and watched me walk in, looking entire out of place holding my backpack to my shoulders and wearing a ratty grey hoodie.

I walked through the place, following deep, booming laughter and wound up in the kitchen. Kairos was in between two of his buddies who were laughing like they’d heard the funniest joke in the world. Kairos, himself, looked miserable. He caught my eye as soon as I walked in and straightened up.

“Smith,” he greeted, plainly.

His buddies immediately stopped laughing and smirked at each other. Then they looked at me and my heart dropped to my toes.

“Can I—” I started.

“Yeah,” Kairos pushed off the counter he was leaning against and walked past me. He jerked his head and I followed along sheepishly, hangs clenching at my backpack straps.

He led me upstairs and into his room. He held the door open and I stepped in. He shut the door gingerly behind himself and then it was just the two of us. The muffled noise of the party was making the floor jerk.

Suddenly, I was a bundle of nerves. I cracked my knuckles to distract myself. I glanced up and met Kairos’s eyes. Immediately, fire licked my lower stomach again.

“Nice room,” I threw out. I mentally smacked myself for sounding so stupid.

Kairos looked around and shrugged. “S’fine.”

“So, um,” I started. “I—”

“Where’s your entourage?” Kairos cut me off.

I stared at him. “Sorry?”

“Wolfham? Blythwitch?” Kairos mused before sitting on his bed. “Shocked they didn’t come to defend you from the big bad wolf.”

“I can hold my own,” I said back, voice gaining its strength. “Not that you let me show you.”

Kairos jerked his head up from staring at his feet. We lock eyes for a moment, the wordless statement of anger, yet a truce that lingered between us. I let out the breath of air I didn’t know I was holding in.

“The other day,” I murmured. “What happened between us.”

“You’re my fated mate,” Kairos said matter of factly. I stared at him for another moment. Finally, he just shrugged. “I know it. You know it. There’s nothing to discuss.”

“There is,” I protested. “I have Maximus and Thorne and—”

Kairos stood up abruptly. He stalked over and crowded me into the corner. I gasped, my heart coming up to my throat. Then my back hit the wall, my backpack digging into my back. Kairos was back to leering down at me with hungry eyes.

“Let’s get this straight, Smith,” he said, voice barely above a whisper. It started the fire within me once again. “I don’t share. You are mine and mine alone to claim. Whatever you had with Wolfham, is not my business. Whatever you do now, is with me.”

I whimpered and it seemed to light up the bond between us. Next thing I knew, Kairos’s mouth was on mine and we were tumbling towards his bed.