I woke up with a slight headache.
Dizziness washed over as I looked around the tent and tried to rember what happened. Everything ca crashing back to , and I lay there for a mont with my hand pressed to my temple.
My stomach grumbled. I had no idea what ti it was because there was no clock in the tent, and I couldn’t see the sun, but I knew I had slept longer than usual because I felt so hungry now.
I wondered if the guards would bring sothing to eat if I went and asked them.
Just as I was pondering what to do, the tent door opened, and Ethan walked in. He was carrying our baby in one hand and had a container in the other. He also had so sort of a package tucked under his arm.
He brought food for sure because as soon as he walked in, the tent was filled with the delicious sll which made my mouth water.
"You’re awake," Ethan said with a soft voice and I felt it was yesterday once more.
Did he have to start the day the sa way as the day before? It really didn’t end well for .
However, he was more gentle this ti. I thought maybe he felt bad about everything that had transpired, but I was in no mood to accept his apology. I was still a prisoner here, after all.
I reached for the baby, and Ethan handed him to . The little one was happy to see , but he was also obviously hungry. Ethan turned his head to give so privacy while the baby latched on, and then I covered him with a blanket.
My stomach rumbled again, loud enough for him to hear.
My face flushed.
"What’s that?" I looked towards the container, trying to cover for my embarrassnt.
A small smirk appeared on his face. "I guess I’m just in ti," he explained. "It’s wild ga and so fruit. I hope you like it."
He set a plate down on the cot along with a fork and a knife.
It was a nice gesture, and I did appreciate it, but I didn’t want to be too excited about it. "Thanks," I told him. I was going to have to wait until the baby was done eating first. My eyes glanced over the bright berries and the savory at, as well as the fork and the sharp knife.
"How are you feeling?" Ethan tried to start the conversation.
"Fine," I said. That was all he was going to get out of .
"Good." He nodded.
Then neither of us spoke, and it was uncomfortably quiet in the tent.
Once the baby was done eating, I carefully laid him down on the bed, fixed my shirt, and then picked up the plate of food so that the knife was nowhere near the sleeping child.
Ethan moved closer to , and cleared his throat. "Hey, I have sothing else for you."
I arched an eyebrow. "Is it a ticket out of here?" I asked him. "Because I would like my freedom."
He just stared at , his brows furrowed above his crimson eyes. Letting out a loud sigh, he said, "No, Rosalie. We’ve been over this. You can’t leave right now. It’s not safe."
I would scowl at him if it would help my situation, but I knew he wasn’t going to budge.
"What is it, then?" I asked him, wanting to argue but not wanting to yell while the baby was next to us.
Ethan handed the package he had under his arm. I saw that the wrapping paper was actually an old paper bag. It was resourceful, I guessed.
I unwrapped it, and found a beautiful crown made of white wildflowers.
I looked at him puzzled. What was this for?
"Happy birthday," he said. He had a sheepish grin as he waited for my reaction to his gift.
"Um...thank you," I responded flatly. However, I had to admit it was very pretty.
Did he make it for ? I just could not picture Ethan going to the field and picking wild flowers one by one...
Seeing I had no more comnts, he spoke again. "I know today is also your coronation."
’Yes, I am aware, and thanks to you, I can’t attend it!’ I spouted in my mind, but I bit my tongue so that we didn’t end up in another fight. I’d had enough of these.
He took the crown out of my hand and set it on top of my head, taking a few seconds to arrange my hair around it.
I didn’t stop him because I just didn’t have the energy to fight with him any more.
Then he took a step back, to my surprise, kneeled down with one knee and picked up one of my hands.
He looked up to my eyes and said sincerely, "Your Majesty, may your reign be guided by the Moon Goddess. May your land be blessed with joy and prosperity!"
It happened too soon, and before I could react, he ended his sentences with a kiss on the back of my hand.
His lips were a little cold against my skin, but his breath was warm.
My heart just skipped a beat.
However, I imdiately reminded myself that no matter how nice he acted, he was the reason why I couldn’t go back to my people. Therefore, I pulled my hand back and dropped my face.
He looked up at again, and from his expression, I knew my reaction probably hurt him.
"Look, Rosalie, I know it’s not that big of a present. I’m sorry if you don’t like it..." His smile had completely faded by the ti he finished speaking, and I just couldn’t help but feel bad for what I did. I heard myself say, "It was a nice gesture, Ethan, thanks."
I despise myself. What was wrong with ? Why couldn’t I just keep my stand strong around him?
His expression didn’t change much and he nodded. "You’re welco."
Again, the silence took over the tent.
I took a few bites of the lunch he’d brought and imdiately I could feel the appreciation of my own stomach. The food was delicious, and it tasted especially good when I was so hungry.
However, I slowed down, because he was just sitting there, staring at ...
"Ethan," I swallowed a bite, "Um...you’re making really uncomfortable just watching ." I had to point this out honestly. "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"
I was so disappointed in myself. Why did I even bother to ask him?!
His eyes lit up at my invitation, and he leaned forward. His warm breath blew in my ear, and I heard him whisper seductively, "Yes... I’m hungry."
What the!!!
"You...you..." My eyes widened, and I couldn’t believe his mind totally went sowhere else. "You get away from !" I raised my voice.
How dare he! After everything he did to yesterday, how could he still act like nothing had happened? What was I to him? His prisoner? His sex slave?!
I stood up and moved away from him as soon as I could, worried he might proceed with sothing I was totally not in the mood for.
Luckily, he didn’t chase after and let get away. It seed that he found so amusent watching , but then he said, "I have sothing for the baby, too."
He held up a small leather rope with a few beads on it and a small wooden pendant. I saw that it was a little wolf. "I made it for him. Co take a look."
I didn’t move, still keeping my distance from him.
Seeing how wary I was, he chuckled, "I won’t force you to do anything, not on your birthday anyway. Co over."
I hesitated for a mont, but reached up and held the wolf in my palm. It was expertly carved.
"It’s beautiful," I admitted honestly.
My praise lightened his mood for sure. He let out a small smile, and bent over to tie the leather strap around the baby’s wrist.
It was his first gift from his father.
"Thanks a lot, Ethan," I told him. Then I put down my plate. Although I was hungry, I was also too irritated by the situation to eat much. Besides... I really wanted to find a way to make him leave in a rush. "But I really think that you should just go now. I want to be alone."
He looked at for a long mont, standing near the bed, practically hovering over . "I thought we could spend so ti together today for your birthday."
I glanced over my plate, and my brain was running quickly. Yes, I needed him to leave the tent soon.
A sarcastic chuckle ca out of my mouth. "Seriously? You think I want to spend ti with you for my birthday? Ethan, I’d rather be alone. I haven’t forgotten what I’m doing here and that you won’t let go."
"I’m protecting you!" he said, his voice a bit too loud. The baby squird a bit, and I told Ethan to shoosh. He grumbled at and folded his arms across his chest.
I scooted the plate with what was left of the food and the knife on the floor, pushing it underneath the cot enough that he’d forget about it.
"Ethan, you can tell yourself that you’re protecting all you want to, but we both know that’s not true. You’re just keeping here because you don’t want to leave. You want to see the baby, and for now, you think you want to see because of the mate bond. But at the end of the day, nothing has changed—except for you’re sohow even more cruel and thoughtless than you were before!" I kept my voice down, but my words were pointed.
"Thoughtless?" he asked bitterly.
The baby whimpered at the sound of his father’s voice. I gently picked him up and held him against my shoulder. "You can’t really think that the fact that you brought so flowers and a piece of at is going to make everything else that has happened between us all better, can you?"
"I think that you should understand that I’m doing my best to make ands!" he shouted. The baby started crying.
"Now, look what you’ve done!" I said through clenched teeth. "Get out of here, Ethan!"
"Give the baby!" he demanded.
"No!" I yelled back. "He’s crying, so now I have to feed him again. Unless you’ve suddenly learned how to breastfeed, I think I’m the only one who can do that. Leave, so I can quiet him down!"
"You’re just unreasonable!" he yelled.
"Like you are! Get out of here, Ethan. I don’t want to see you! That’s my birthday wish! Get out!!"
Ethan just continued to glare at for a long second before he turned around and stord out of the tent, practically knocking the flap of the door off as he went through.
Once he was gone, I took a deep breath and latched the baby back on to feed him, but I felt awful.
Yes, I had angered him on purpose, but I felt bad about that because he had been trying to be nice. Deep down inside, watching him get hurt still made my heart ache.
But my plan worked. Ethan was gone, and the knife was still here.... That could co in handy.
The baby reached up with his chubby little hand, and I saw the wolf pendant his father had given him close up. It was perfect.
I had a feeling my son would treasure that gift forever—regardless of what role his father ended up playing in his life.
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