The Beast And The Blessed

Chapter 84

Eighty-Five: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

The tension in the room was so thick that I felt like we were swimming in it. Charlie's glare was locked

on me, and I matched it with as much anger as I could muster.

Killian was fuming as he sat behind his desk, staring at us like a father about to scold his daughters

instead of my mate, who had saved me from his blood-thirsty sister. I wasn't sure what I had done

wrong, but from the curl of disgust on his lips, I had done something.

It might have been because I had thrown his sister through the wall of their mother's bedroom in front

of a dozen people. Perhaps it was because I hadn't told him I was planning on returning to where his

father had tried to talk to me before I did it. I knew he had been worried about me after yesterday, and

he would have said no to me going...which is precisely why I didn't ask for permission.

It was now time to beg for forgiveness.

"Killian," I started before biting my tongue, knowing that the one who spoke first in any argument or

negotiation almost always lost.

He lifted his hand as he closed his eyes. If he hadn't been so angry, I would assume he had been in

pain from me saying his name. But if he was, he hid it well because hatred was all I could see when he

looked at me again. 1

"The fighting stops now. Figure your shit out!" He growled, sitting back in his chair with his hands

crossed over his stomach as he looked between Charlie and me. The relaxed stance was a farce, as

his knuckles were white from how tightly he held his hands together.

I turned to Charlie, seeing her glare had never left me. "I did not...."

"You may wear my mother's crown, but you had no right to go near her! I expressly ordered for my

mother to be left alone!" She yelled, pushing herself up to stand but stopping when Killian gave a feral

growl of warning.

"You..." I tried again, gritting my teeth when she yelled over me again.

"You can be executed for harming a royal family member." Her claws extended, and her nails made

small popping noises as they punctured the fabric over the arms of the chair.

I flinched at her clear separation of me from her family... so much for being sisters. We were bound by

our connection to Killian but nothing more.

As I opened my mouth to speak, I narrowed my eyes as she did the same and growled at her, "Stop Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

talking over me!”

Charlie snapped her jaw shut before glaring at Killian like a pouting child. I shook my head in

disappointment.

"First of all, you do not get to order me to do anything!” Killian growled at me as I stood, and I shot him

a glare, daring him to do it again before looking down at Charlie. "I am the queen here, not you! You

are nothing but a spoiled princess, and that title has an expiration date. Make peace with that now

because I will not continue to put up with your tantrums." 2

Charlie gaped at me, but I could see the fire burning in her eyes. Once I had children with Killian, our

children would become the heirs, and Charlie would no longer get to keep her title as the princess.

"Second, I did nothing to your mother or take her anywhere. If you had used any bit of your brain

instead of feeding your actions from your emotions, you could have asked any of the witnesses there

with me. You're protective of your mother, and I respect that, but you have no right to lash out at me for

something I didn't do, especially in front of others!" I wanted to be civil, but the petty voice in the back of

my head wanted to make sure that there was no question in Charlie's mind about where she stood in

the hierarchy of this family.

"Lastly," I snarled as I placed one hand on the end of each armrest and leaned forward until our faces

were only a foot apart. My magic was swirling beneath my skin, and I felt victorious as she was forced

back against the cushion and was unable to move. "You say you're the princess, so stop acting like

you're the queen. You also say we are sisters, but you don't know the meaning of the word. You don't

even see me as part of your family. Regardless, you were the one who attacked me, Princess.

Attempting to murder the queen is treason. Don't forget your place. If anyone is going to be executed, it

will be you. I'll inform you of your fate once I decide your punishment." 2

She glared at me as her eyes watered, but her mouth stayed shut. I wasn't sure if that was my doing or

if she didn't have anything to say.

I wasn't going to execute her. We all knew that. She was Killian's little sister. He needed her, loved her,

and would always protect her. But it was an impactful reminder of the power I now held because of the

mark on my neck. I turned to Killian.

A small part of me expected him to be proud of me for holding my own against Charlie, but the hatred

was still on his face as his eyes met mine." Charlotte, go cool off." 1

Killian's order surprised me, and I let my hold on Charlie drop. Why hadn't he reprimanded her for

attacking his mate? Perhaps he was satisfied with how I had done it, but the look on his face said

otherwise. Only a moment later, the office door slammed shut, and we were left alone. His eyes moved

from me to the chair I had been sitting in before in a silent order to take a seat.

I almost felt like a stranger with the desk between us as I sat down. This time I stayed silent as I waited

for him to speak. I had won the first battle, but this would be our war.

"You went to seek out the voice after I asked you to leave it alone until after the war ended." His

statement was filled with disappointment, and I bit my lip as the very same flooded through our mate

bond from him. I tried to push to reach for more, but that was the only card he was showing.

Beyond that was a wall, as if he were intentionally holding everything else back from me.

"I knew the two were related, and it felt wrong to ignore it. It came to me for a reason, Killian." I hoped

that he felt my confusion in our bond. The way he was staring at me was not that of a mate nor an

equal. It made me feel about two inches tall, and the confidence I had during my conversation with

Charlie rapidly vanished.

"You disobeyed a direct order from your superior." His rewording of the same statement suddenly made

more sense to me. 1

"Funny, as your mate and queen, I thought we were equals. Are you mad that I could have put myself

in danger or that my new abilities allowed me to go against your command?"

The silence in the room somehow sounded so loud. I could hear my blood pumping through my veins.

Would he really be so shallow as to be bothered by having a mate more powerful than he was?

"I am mad that you disobeyed me. What kind of precedent do you think that sets for the rest of the

council who were under the same order?" His disapproving tone was irritating me further and making

my blood boil.

"You're going to ask me that as if you dismissing Charlie didn't undermine me the same way? She is

acting like a spoiled brat, and I am sick of it! She hurt you time and time again, and now she attacked

me publically. I don't deserve it. Neither one of us do!" I leaned forward in my chair as I spoke.

"Charlie has always had a special connection with my mother. She is very protective of her, and I agree

that she should have some say in what happens to our mother." Killian placed his clasped hands on the

desk as he leaned forward, his glare unwavering. 1

"That doesn't excuse her behavior toward either one of us! Why do you let her get away with it all the

time?" I stood, throwing one hand up in exasperation as I began to pace in front of his desk.

His negative feelings toward me didn't seem to be lessening, and the mask over his emotions only

seemed to be hardening with each passing word." She gets a little more leniency, especially regarding

my mother."

"What about with me?!" I snapped, glaring at him. He was clearly choosing sides. I just hoped he

understood that he was doing it. "She tried to kill me, and you did nothing! You just stood there

watching!"

I watched as his eyes narrowed, and he laughed cruelly.

"You had everything under control. I wouldn't let her kill you." The magical mix of color in his hazel eyes

and the sharp features that made him so handsome suddenly looked sinister.

"Just injure me a little, is that it?"

"No!"

"Well, you wouldn't have let anyone else close enough to touch me if they were the ones who attacked.

Why the hell do you keep Charlie up on a pedestal when she continues to push the limits? What is so

special about her that after she abandoned you time and time again that you would still choose her

over me?" Angry and fat tears rolled over my cheeks as I yelled back at him.

"She was the product of rape! She deserves a little understanding." Killian shouted back, his face red

and his vein bulging as it tried to break free from his neck.

My mouth pressed shut as I stared at him, feeling my anger dissipating.

"My mother gave my father a son, an heir, and thought she was done. When my father said he wanted

another kid, she didn't. No one knew what happened until a nasty fight when I was fourteen, and they

spilled that dirty secret over a family dinner. It was hard for her, and she deserves a little

understanding." He closed his eyes and ran his palm over his face as he leaned back against the chair.

"She was a little kid when that news came out then! She is a grown woman now! There is

understanding, and then there is coddling. She may have wanted to have a say in what happened to

your mother, and knowing what I do now if that were an option, I would agree." I watched as his eyes

opened and felt the disappointment lower in our mate bond. My heart clenches as the lack of emotion

felt like a bottomless void.

"But it's not an option anymore, is it." Killian's eyes hardened as he spoke.

"No, it's not. But I have the feeling you will see her again soon." I said as I turned toward the doorway.

My chest physically hurt as I felt my heart breaking.

I knew there was a difference between the man and the king. But this side of Killian was different.

Where had my mate gone?

It seemed there were more sides to Killian than I had thought, and I hated this one.

He didn't speak as I left the room, and I wondered if that had been our first real fight or our last.