The Beginning of The End
Chapter 74

Who knew dancing the night away was so fun? I'd do it a thousand times if I could, and I'd do it all with Maddox. He's the perfect partner.

He's considerate and gentle, he guides me without ever getting angry when I fail to make the right steps, and soon, I'm dancing like a pro with his guidance.

I haven't been this close to anyone in so long, yeah, we've had sex, and done stuff to each others bodies, but that's a different kind of closeness.

This is much better.

It's like a heavy weight has been lifted from my chest, I can smile again, laugh with

ease.

This kind of passion is slower, softer and infinitely more exciting.

I want more. I want it so much more than anything else and my mind is a mess of emotions.

I shouldn't want it, not with Maddox King of the hellhounds. But I do.

I want it so bad it hurts every muscle in my body and my nerves are screaming for one more touch, for one more gentle caress.

I want to keep dancing, and I don't want him to let go of me, maybe not ever.

"You look happy." Maddox says in a soft voice, just loud enough for me to hear over the music. "I have never seen you so relaxed."

"In this moment I am happy, I have the chance to be happy as we dance and I'm taking it." I smile. "It's been a long time since being relaxed was as easy as this." He watches me for several thuds of my heart, "I want you to always be happy." My chest shatters, and my heart suddenly forgets how to beat at a normal pace. My lungs forget how to take in air.

My legs forget how to hold up my body.

My arms forget how to hold onto him.

I step back, chest heaving up and down as I struggle to remember how to calm down.

He can't mean it.

It's a joke.

"Elora?" He says, concern flashing in his eyes.

He's messing with me.

It's all a sick, deranged joke.

He's trying to trap me.

"Elora, breathe." He says, grabbing me by the arms. "You need to breathe."

I look into the black portals of his eyes, using them to ground myself, I love so wild in

his eyes. My hair is a mess and so is the dress I'm wearing, covered in mud from my ankles down. My feet bare.

My eyes are the worst, they're wide and crazy.

I have crazy eyes.

But then again, I spent enough time with myself to know when I'm not all there mentally, and right now, my mind is lost.

It's in a battle it surely can't win, a battle of truths and lies.

Is he telling the truth? Did he mean what he said?

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on novi L5s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!

Or do those words mean nothing to him?

They mean so much to me, no one had wanted me to be happy before, not even my parents, they had expectations, and they were kind enough. But there was always something I didn't do right.

I always failed them in ways I never understood, and I'm failing them now.

"Do you mean it?" I ask, "do you want me to be happy?"

Maddox looks shocked, confused, bewildered. He doesn't understand why I am asking,

and I don't either, not really.

But I have to know.

He doesn't answer. He just stares at me.

"Did you mean it?" I ask again, my voice more desperate, deeper, higher.

Fuck. I can't calm down.

I can't breathe or think, I can't feel anything apart from the panic seizing my chest.

"Of course I meant it." He says with a shake of his head, he pulls me close, once again moving to the best of the music. "I want nothing more than to see your smile every singe day, and I want to hear that enchanting laugh of yours whenever you are around me." He says. "I want to make you so happy that the smile I know is hiding behind your scowl is real."

My breathe hitches, my heart missed a beat. Or several.

"You really mean it, don't you?" I say with a voice so soft I'm scared he didn't hear me.

"You are my fate Elora." He says, curling my hair behind my ear as he sways us to the beat. "You are everything I ever dreamt of in the one made just for me." He leans close, his breath fanning my cheek. "I think I'm falling in love with you, that's why I was so angry when you didn't want to avenge Ryker." He says with a sharp laugh. "I saw it as betrayal when really it was just your fragile, gentle heart telling you not to."

I stare into his eyes, words failing to make their way into my mouth.

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on nov L5s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!

I've forgotten how to blink, how to speak. I've forgotten ever being angry at this man. He's falling in love with me?

I never thought I'd replace love, not ever.

"I know you are not ready to say it back, Elora, and you don't have to." He smirks, "I have enough love for the both of us to share, and I'm going to make you the happiest Queen is all of Arden."

I frown slightly, "Arden?"

"That's what this realm is called, my sweet fate." He pulls me to a table and sits me down, "and it isn't anything like earth. You will be safe here, with mine and Ryker's people." He shrugs a little. "They just need time to adjust to your presence, just as you need time to adjust to theirs."

My heart is so full it might burst.

I know that he means it, I know deep inside of myself that he is telling the truth.

And I want to love him back, I want to know what it's like to fall in love with someone

so unconditionally that you can't bare to be apart.

But I can't, I'm not ready.

I don't know if I'll ever be ready.

"You're right." I say. "Everyone just needs time to adjust."

Maybe I'll eventually forget my hatred, and let it go, along with the vengeance I wanted for my family.

Maybe there are more important things than revenge, and one of them is sat in front of me.

"How about some stew and bread?" He asks, holding my hand. "This place makes the best all meat stew."

I nod, and smile. "That would be lovely."