Chapter 10
The next morning, Orionn woke before his wife.
She lay sound asleep on the far side of the bed, turned slightly away from him, her breathing soft and even. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to watch her. In sleep, she looked younger. Vulnerable. Nothing like the composed queen who had faced the court the day before.
He turned away before the thought could linger and headed into the bathroom.
When Orionn stepped out of their chambers, Nathan was already waiting in the corridor, arms crossed, a knowing smile on his face.
"I knew you'd be here," Nathan said.
Orionn didn't slow his stride. "What do you want?"
Nathan fell into step beside him. "So… did you do it last night? The advisers and council members are already gathering. They're waiting for the presentation of the sheets."
Orionn nodded once, curt and dismissive.
Nathan stopped short. "Oh my God. You actually did it. I didn't think you had it in you."
"Stop it, Nathan," Orionn said coldly. "Don't get on my nerves."
Nathan chuckled, raising his hands. "Alright, alright. I won't push. But I really like your wife. She's lively. Bright. Exactly what this palace needs."
A ray of sunshine, Orionn thought mockingly, his mind drifting unwillingly to the night before. To her sharp tongue. Her fear. Her defiance.
As they continued toward the council chambers, Nathan added more seriously, "There's news about the mermaid uprising. It's spreading faster than expected. Damon will be here soon to brief you properly."
Orionn nodded again, already filing it away.
Melody woke slowly, her body heavy, her mind fogged.
For a moment, she didn't recognize the room. Then memory rushed back all at once. The palace. The wedding. The bed.
Her chest tightened.
She sat up just as the door creaked open and her personal maid, Amah, stepped inside.
"Good morning, Your Highness," Amah said brightly. "It's time to rise. Everyone is waiting for the sheets."
Melody's eyes widened.
"Oh no… the sheets."
Heat flooded her face, creeping down her neck and chest. The humiliation hit her all at once.
"How was it…?" Amah began carefully.
"I don't want to talk about it," Melody said quickly, cutting her off. "I'm going to the bathroom."
She fled before her maid could finish the sentence, her stomach twisting painfully. Facing strangers was one thing. Facing her father was another entirely.
Standing beside Orionn later, Melody felt exposed in a way she had never known before.
The presentation of the sheets was a tradition she had always heard whispered about, spoken of with reverence and expectation. But standing here now, her body rigid, her heart pounding, she felt stripped bare without a single garment removed.
A maid entered, holding the blood-stained sheets.
Melody's breath caught in her throat.
The men inspected them closely, murmuring among themselves, their gazes flicking from the cloth to Orionn with approval. Pride. Satisfaction.
She swallowed hard, nausea curling in her stomach.
Her eyes found her father.
King Akornus stared at the sheets with clear fulfillment, his expression one of triumph, as though her worth had been proven beyond doubt. My daughter has done her duty, his look seemed to say.
Shame burned hotter.
She turned to Orionn.
He stood unmoved, tall and unreadable, as though this grotesque display had nothing to do with him. As though she were invisible.
Was she the only one dying inside?
Though nothing had truly happened between them, the humiliation clung to her skin all the same. Orionn's calm only deepened it.
He felt it through the bond — her embarrassment, sharp and suffocating — and he despised it.
When the maid finally stepped back, Orionn leaned closer and spoke quietly, "You can go."
Melody flinched.
"I said you can go," he repeated, his voice firm. "It's over. You're no longer needed here."
She didn't wait for permission again. With one last glance at the room, she turned and walked away.
Orionn's attention shifted immediately to Melody's father as the man approached him.
"I stayed to ensure my daughter kept her end of the bargain," King Akornus said smoothly. "You did well putting her in her place."
Orionn's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
"I leave my daughter in your care," the king added as they parted, his tone laced with possession.
Orionn nodded once, already done with the conversation.
Waiting in the hall was Orionn's father, the former king, wearing a smug smile.
"You did well, son," he said. "As expected."
Orionn kept walking.
"You know," his father continued, "your wife is quite pretty."
Orionn stopped.
"She is not one of your playthings," he said coldly. "She is my wife."
The former king laughed lightly, raising his hands. "Relax. I simply admire beauty."
Orionn's alpha power surged, heavy and suffocating.
"You are no longer king," he said, voice iron-hard. "I am. And you will do as I say."
His father stiffened, instinctively bowing beneath the dominance.
"Stay away from Melody," Orionn ordered.
He turned and walked away, leaving his father behind in silence.