Ileus didn't know for how long but her approval to marry him affected him at a base level. His wolf was ecstatic, satisfied that he had his mate in his arms, who just agreed to marry him. His chest was thumping hard against his ribcage. He had never experienced this kind of anticipation in his life. The girl was going to prove to be very hot and spicy for him and he hoped that he would match her and satisfy her in every possible way—for he was born for her.
He kissed her like it was the first time. His hands were shaking with the need of exploring her again, with the need of marking her, claiming her so that no one dared to even think of claiming her. "Ana…" he moaned her name again and again as he poured his passion, his anxiety and his crazy love for her in her throat. "Ah gods!"
When he left her, he pressed his head against hers and looked at her with those golden hues. Her lips were so ruthlessly kissed by him that they were red and swollen. "I want you to come with me to Kaizan's room. They are all waiting for us."
Anastasia jerked her head. She didn't want to go back to them. It had been so awkward when she was in their company.
He cupped her face with his hand and brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles as she leaned in. "I want to go and announce it to them about our marriage. It is important because I know that they will carry this message to Draoidh and Silver Vales."
"And they will hate me even more," she said in a low, shaky voice. "Maybe, we shouldn't tell them about it…"
"I understand your apprehensions, Ana, but there is no way I will hide my intentions. Just come with me and we will let them know. To me all that matters is that you are my mate and no one can deny it. I have chosen you amongst all others. No, gods have chosen you for me, and trust me I am honored to be that chosen one."
His confidence was so high that her heart skipped a beat. Her lips kicked up as some of that confidence seeped in her blood too and she felt lighter. The man's excitement was infectious. And when his lips curled too, she saw those fangs again. Her stomach twisted and once again her mind raced with wild fantasies. "Okay…" she replied, feeling totally distracted.
She rose to her feet and he also got up. After straightening her tunic, he held her hand and they walked to Kaizan's room. Aidan and Guarhal were standing on the door, guarding it. They nodded once when Ileus looked at them.
He felt her hands shaking in his, so he stopped right in front of the door of Kaizan's room and smoothed her hair. He said, "Ana, I am there with you, okay?"
She nodded and tried to give a smile. Once again he held her hand and turned the handle down to open the door. She saw that apart from Murtagh and Haldir, two more men were present in the room. Kaizan was standing near the window with his hand on his dagger. Ileus left the room open.
Anastasia's gaze locked with Haldir's for a moment. His eyes traveled to their hands and a muscle in his jaw twitched. The mood of the two men who were with them plummeted when they looked at their intertwined hands.
"So what have you decided?" asked Haldir, as Murtagh watched them intently.
"I will marry her," said Ileus nonchalantly.
"You are going to marry her?" said one of the men with shock in his voice.
Ileus narrowed his eyes at him and replied, "Yes Franco."
"Prince Ileus, we can get Iona if we give her back to Aed Ruad. Iona is Murtagh's future bride. Why are you so hell bent on keeping this fae? She is nothing but a means to an end. If you marry her, it will create cracks in the political circles and people are going to rebel," he said acerbically, his chest heaving with fury. Franco was one of the senior soldiers in the Vokudlak council. "And how many people are you going to face for her? How many are going to die for her?"
Anastasia paled at his sharp remarks. This was the first time she was seeing how politics affected kingdoms, how royal marriages affected the subjects and how people tried to create a mountain out of a molehill.
"Shut up!" Guarhal growled as he strode in the room.
The room was now too cramped. Anastasia felt stifled, even claustrophobic. Suddenly Ileus flicked his finger and the whole room got covered in thick white haze. She coughed as a heavy coppery smell tickled her nostrils. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself and the others in a clearing in the forest. Her jaw slackened as her neck tipped back. With a sharp intake of breath, she stared at the surroundings, at the tall pine trees, at the snow that was now gliding slowly past them to the ground. She grabbed her sweater on the side when she realized that this was Ileus' magic. She looked at him with pride as goosebumps slid along the back of her neck.
A cool gust of wind made her shiver. Ileus unbuttoned his cloak and made her wear it. He made her sit on a fallen moss-covered log after brushing off the snow from it.
He turned back to Franco. "So what were you saying Franco?"
Tension marred the air as Haldir pursed his lips and went to sit on a stump while whisking snow from his cloak. He shook his head.
"You heard me Ileus. I know that we should submit to your decisions because you are the Crown Prince, but we will not submit to your whims." He jerked his chin towards Anastasia and in a tart voice said, "She is your whim. If I were you, I would have used that pretty body and thrown her back at Aed Ruad. That would have been the befitting answer to him! She is not worthy to be our queen. You deserve a lot better."