Chapter 6 The Hand On Her Thigh

• —Christian—
• The nonarch is strange. An abomination. An anomaly. A system cheater.
• We shouldn't be keeping her godforsaken secret. I shouldn't be against her dying. I shouldn't be watching her every expression and wondering what her thoughts are like. And I most certainly shouldn't be worried about how pale she looked after speaking to the elder late last night.
• I was on my way to Elijah when I saw her, her legs hurrying away as soon as the elder left. Her entire face was pale and slightly surprised. The reaction was slightly alarming and it made me curious. It made me want to know what she spoke of with the elder.
• Fiona walks in, her eyes unsure and landing on Elijah—it almost felt like an instinct and it made my palm itch—before moving to Elder Zach who was on his feet.
• She is a mystery. She carries this air around her. It is weak. She is weak. A mere human disguising as a wolf to save her life. Yet, I cannot help but feel that her weakness is a mask. A cover. A shield from the rest of us.
• A bloody art of perfect lies.
• The way she walks is…I cannot describe it. It is ethereal, almost like she is floating. She carries herself well if one ignores the lack of confidence in her eyes. That silk dress is perfect. Her body is perfect.
• Fiona takes a seat, sandwiched between Elijah and I and as much as I don't want to, I lean sideways subtly and breathe her in. The scent of her is still unique, weak but strangely calming and satisfying. It takes me back to the first moment I saw her.
• On those flights of stairs, her gaze fixated on my car, on me. Her eyes unblinking, the glow in it unsure of what she was seeing, what she was feeling. It took a while but the fear settled in, she bit the corner of her lips, her gaze evading mine before rushing away. Denying me the chance to imagine what her scent was like.
• I don't know why Elder Zach wanted her in this meeting but one thing I know, Fiona is an art. A force on her own. A being to be reckoned with. Something even she might not be aware of.
• Something I was suspecting Elder Zach might already know.
• “I don't see why the nonarch need to be here.” An high lord says on the huge screen across from us, casually turning an energy ball in his hand.
• “Indeed.” Chloe agreed, not even hiding her disgust of the lady. The witch never likes when we get female non-monarchs given that Xander whom she was fucking would fuck anything with a pussy as long as it was calm and willing.
• “Relax. This decision is about the nonarch herself.” He turns around and smiles at Fiona who returns it with a warm one but I can see the slight shaking of her leg under the table. I can see how she is digging her fingers onto her palm.
• I can taste her fear and anxiety on my tongue and it makes me uneasy.
• “Besides…” I began earning a light glare from Chloe. “...if we do not let the nonarch participate in choosing the new treaty ground, how are we to bite off the rumours from the humans?”
• “I cannot believe those animal eating bastards compared you all with the demons in The Antique.” Xander argued, pretending to be disturbed.
• “We all know you are happy.” Elijah hisses.
• The Rogue shakes his head, his grin almost splitting his face into half. The Times had released a news article two months ago commenting on how nonarchs are bound to die during our treaty celebration. They spat on our tradition and said we were the descendants of the demons in the neighboring country. Made an exception for the Rogues by calling them the only neutral party. The only party that doesn't hide behind fine fur and retracting fangs.
• Which is an insult to me. I have fine fur and I do not, and have never retracted my fangs. The wolves are the hypocritical ones even though Elijah would argue differently.
• Xander has made it his mission to make sure he pokes it in our faces at every fucking meeting whether online or offline.
• “For all we know you could have paid The Antique.” The head high witch adds turning around to finally face the camera, her stoic, unlikeable face taking up every inch of her screen.
• “Me?” He tuts his tongue. “If I could afford that much bribery, the Rogues would be ruling this country.” It was a slight insult to the witches but nobody commented on it except for a tiny scoff from Elijah.
• “Let's not forget the main issue. We cannot continue to instill upon Elder Zach for too long.” Elijah, the always perfect, always calm Alpha speaks, making sure his opinion and neutrality on the matter is obvious.
• “Fine.” High Lord Fardry talks. “I was thinking about the Wolf ground.” He looks at Elder Zach. “It has been there for a long time. Perfect and huge enough. Besides, it has once been used in history.”
• Fiona stiffened beside me as Xander and I passed each other a look. If they choose the wolf ground, Fiona's secret would be out which in turn would put us all in trouble.
• “I don't like that place.” Elijah disagrees.
• “I am sorry but hasn't the wolf ground been closed off for over a century?” The lady finally speaks, silencing the room with her voice.
• She commands respect and silence without even meaning to. I wonder if it is something in her blood as an Alpha's daughter.
• “So…?” Chloe leans back, casually passing her a glare. “What are you trying to say?”
• Fiona smiles. A shy harmless one. “A lot has changed in a hundred years. I wouldn't expect your highness to know as you are older in age but our generation doesn't do well with ancient equipment. The bathtub, the washroom…” She rubs her arms. “I get irritated very easily.”
• Chloe looked like she was about to say something but got interrupted by her own mother on the screen. “Fine then. We shall have it at the New Ground.”
• “The rogues are having their annual free vacation there.” She interjects, making the high witch squint at her.
• “I am sure the King doesn't mind shifting.” She looks at Xander. “You can have the witch's new ground.”
• “The whole country is looking forward to it, your highness. It is the first for the Rogues.” Fiona insists.
• Silence engulfs the room again, Elder Zach slowly rubbing his beards and watching Fiona with an interesting gaze.
• “She is right. I cannot let my people down.” Xander responds.
• “I still think the Wolf Palace is the best option we have at the moment.” Elder Zach suggests. “We can get renovations done in the main wing within a week if the lady is still against it.”
• Her anxiety is getting the better of her as her legs are bobbing up and down. She pressed her hands against them trying to stop the shaking but it didn't help. Her breathing is getting heavier and if she continues this way in a room full of such powerful people, someone is bound to smell her fear and call her out on it.
• I don't intend on getting caught today and neither do the other kings so I do the best thing I can think of. I place my hand across her thigh giving it a light squeeze, a form of physical assurance. The smoothness of her dress material mixed with how soft her skin is has me clearing my throat.
• It wakes something in me. Something feral. A feral instinct to explore. To know what she feels like. To hear what her voice sounds like when she sings, when she calls my name, when she speaks her mind, when she moans.
• I clench my jaw, the quick image of soft skin amidst silky sheets bringing me to the brink of transformation. It awakens my wolf. The dark entity rearing its head high sniffing around for the source of change.
• He pushes me to grip her thigh even harder and Fiona lets out a squirm drawing attention to herself. Her hands are clasped together. Her face is turning red and my cock is straining against my pants.
• She has a dangerous allure to her. An allure, I hope she is never aware of. One I pray I can resist as I slid my hand up on her thigh a bit letting it rest there. Letting her fumble with her words as she is now plagued with the anxiety of my palm on her thigh.
• “I… I would like to suggest the Lycan palace. Given that the Lycans are hosting this year's treaty.”
• I am not sure if Fiona knows the phrase ‘Jumping from frying pan into fire’ but it is what she just did.
• She especially has a better chance at hiding her wolf secret at the Wolf ground than hiding it at my palace.
• Not to add that the suggestion itself is considered an abomination by the Elders.
• It amuses me as I gently tap my fingers against her thigh if she made it because the lady herself is a taboo like we are?