Chapter 52

Fifty-Two: Natalie Natalie's P.O.V.

I couldn't fight the smile on my face. Every time I tried, it would sneak back up on me. One burninglook from Killian, and he was right back on me.

Touching, kissing, licking, and biting.

He stayed true to his word and made love to me repeatedly, almost putting the night of my heat toshame. If we had more time, he would have easily done it. I had never known sex could be so goodBut it was more than sex. Every touch and kiss had me feeling things for him that I hadn't beenprepared for, even before he marked me. It was incredible and terrifying at the same time.

I knew he had a history that would prevent him from being open with his feelings or prevent himfrom feeling them at all. But every time his eyes met mine and he gave me a slow and loving kiss,my chest felt warm, and I could feel myself falling deeper.

That was how I ended up sitting naked in the cold bathtub with my knees pulled up to my chest andmy arms around my legs at four in the morning. My cheek rested on my forearms, as I stared overthe lip of the giant standalone tub toward the closed bathroom door.

I took a deep breath, fearful that he would hear my heart thumping away and realize I wasn't in thebed with him anymore.

I needed a minute to think, and I couldn't do that with his arms and scent around me. He wasintoxicating.

When he had held me to his large and naked body, I felt myself settling into a state of bliss that Ihad never known before. It worried me to fall too far for a man that was resistant to be there tocatch me at the bottom.

Yet, even the thought of him made me feel calm and relaxed. My fear was outweighed by myexcitement.

But it was more than just that. While he was fast asleep with a content smile on his face, I was lyingwide awake, excited for our future. I couldn't wait for it to be announced that I was officially hismate in every way and that I was his queen. More than that, was that one day I would carry hischildren.

It was when that thought crossed my mind that my happiness faded. It faded because the peoplethat I wanted there wouldn't be. My parents had been disappointed in me for not shifting, and everafter what my mother said about me when she was trying to provoke Killian to kill her, I knew theystill loved me. Just as I still loved them.

But they wouldn't be here.

Killian would have his sister and childhood best friend, he could even visit his mother whenever hewanted, but I had no one of my own.

It wasn't that I felt alone, but that I missed my people. My parents. I missed them more than wordscould say, but I never had the chance to grieve them. Having this rush of happiness when I waspushing down so much sadness made me feel guilty.

But now Killian was my person. I just hoped that he would reciprocate my feelings for him one day.Otherwise, I was in for a long and heartbreaking journey.

My head shot up as I heard a hesitant knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you alright?” Killian waited a second before he turned the handle, finding it unlocked, andpeaked around the corner. "You're distressed.”

I lifted my head, the sight of him making me softly smile as my worries melted to the back of mymind. I stretched my arms before pushing myself upto my feet. "I'm fine.”

"You are sitting in an empty bathtub alone, my mate, and don't forget that I can now feel youremotions. Something has upset you.” He held out a hand in all of his naked glory, and I placed mypalm over his as I climbed out of the tub.

Killian placed his other hand on my hip as I stepped out before him. My nipples were hard from thecold and rubbed against his chest. He let out a low growl as he looked down at me with desire. Icouldn't even remember why I had pulled away from him and had gotten out of bed to begin with.Because I was worried that I felt more for him than he did for me?

I felt ridiculous just thinking about it with the way he was looking at me. He had opened up to memore than I had expected, and I just needed to be patient. I wore his mark. He was stuck with me,and maybe one day he would grow to love me too.

I felt my mind go still, and all the thoughts settled as I came to terms with it. I loved him. I was inlove with him. It wasn't because of the mark. I had been feeling it before we had mated tonight.

I loved Killian Amery.

"I just needed a minute,” I whispered, lost in his touch. "I'm okay now, I promise.”

I blinked away the moisture from my eyes as he brushed his fingertips over my cheekbone, pushingmy hair back behind my ear. I couldn't imagine what he was thinking at the moment. One glanceover his shoulder showed my hair was in complete disarray from our several hours of love-making."Did I hurt you?" His soft voice was filled with regret as he then wiped the wet trail from my cheek. Iknew that he at least cared for me, and the gesture pulled at my heartstrings.

"You didn't hurt me. Everything is okay."

He didn't seem to trust my word, and I wondered how the bond worked and how strongly he couldfeel my emotions. Killian pulled me into his chest, letting our naked bodies press against each other."Then why are you so sad?"

I leaned my head back, looking him in the eyes before nuzzling the side of my face back against hischest. "I was just missing my parents, but they are together and in a better place now."

I didn't bother to tell him the part where I realized that I was in love with him and was freaking outabout the potential of him never being able to love me back.

The fact that he was here right now and didn't roll over and go back to sleep told me that he didcare for me and could love me one day. His action spoke louder than words, and I needed to makesure I didn't pressure him.

"They would be proud of you,” he whispered against the top of my head before pressing a kiss to it.I nodded in agreement, although I wasn't quite sure I did agree. I hadn't shifted and that was theone thing my parents had been hoping and pushing for. But maybe if they had seen me becomethe queen or a good mother, maybe then they would be proud of me. Human or not. "What else isbothering you?"

I closed my eyes, tightening my arms around his waist. “I'm just uneasy. I feel like everything is toogood to be true and that something bad is going to happen really soon, and I don't know what elseto do to prepare for it."

Killian stilled beneath me, and I knew without asking that he was thinking about the council and thewar. "The worst is yet to come, my mate, but we are in this together.”