A DREAM?

Alexander went quiet, so quiet that I wondered what was running through his mind. His eyes held no emotions, unlike earlier. It was cold, and staring into it made the hair on my skin rise. I looked away to the window covered with curtains.

It was impossible to continue holding his gaze that made him the person rumors described him to be. He had turned into a completely different person, different from when he walked into the room. All I could see was the man who murdered that boy in front of me, and tore at my flesh.

I looked around the room in discomfiture, just so I wasn't looking at him.

My eyes returned to his face immediately when he picked up my hands that rested on my thighs. His eyes had grown warm, and a smile tugged at his lips. "I was?" He asked playfully, and that annoyed me.

"You don't believe me?" My tone was sharp, a tone I should never use on a king, but I was blinded by my annoyance to think of the consequences that lay ahead.

"Why did you come up with such a conclusion, Penelope?" he squeezed my hands gently, and I frowned. "I never said I don't believe you."

"You didn't have to. Your tone said it all," I retorted.

He pinched my nose gently, startling me. "I believe you, Penelope. Your words mean more than you can imagine to me, so it's plain stupid not to believe them." He tugged some strands of my hair that came to my face behind my ears.

Blood rushed to my ears, and my face at his contact, and I felt my wolf purr as he rubbed my ear lobes softly. His eyes came to my lips, but he looked away immediately.

"We just have different interpretations of what happened," he said bluntly.

Different interpretations?

I didn't know how to react to his response, and I frowned. I could remember everything that happened to me vividly. Why do they make it seem like I'm crazy and all those things never happened?

Was it a dream?

I looked at myself, remembering the beautiful lady's touch, the feel of her warm blood against my injured leg.

There was no way it would have been a dream. It was too real to be a dream.

I let out a soft sigh.

I don't know how, but I was in my room after being pulled by those scary hands. How can any of this possible?

Alexander straightened my brows with his thumbs, and I was forced to look at him. "Frowning will give you wrinkles, Penelope," the playfulness in his voice had disappeared. "Wrinkles will make you look less when standing beside me."

I gaped at him tongue-tied. How can he say something like this when I'm in a state of crisis?

"You can talk to me instead. I'm here."

I licked my dry lips. "Draven said I was in a trance, and I was awake but somehow, I wasn't. Is this true?"

Alexander's chin hardened. "Let's leave the past in the past, Penelope, and talk about more pressing issues. What matters is that you're fine now."

"You said I could talk to you. I want to know what happened, Alexander, please," I pressed, feeling frustration bubble up inside me. "Nothing makes sense and it's driving me insane."

He sighed deeply. "I've told you all you need to know, Penelope. I found you wounded beside the building, brought you here, healed you, and now you're awake. There's nothing more to say."

"Draven said I'd been in a trance for four days," I repeated, hating that he was obviously trying to conceal something from me. Why, was what I couldn't figure out. He had asked me questions regarding this earlier and he seemed interested. His sudden nonchalance now was just depressing. "He said I was awake, but somehow I wasn't."

"I heard this the first time, Penelope, and I just gave you an answer," he sounded exhausted.

"No," I said weakly, "you're giving me the answer you want to, not..."

The truth. I wanted to say this, but I held myself.

"Everything," I said dryly.

He stared at me coldly. "I'm the king, Penelope. I can tell you what I want to. Don't make it sound like it's not acceptable."

I pursed my lips to his sarcastic response and decided not to push further. Questioning him further was just pushing him to the edge of his patience.

Alexander massaged him forehead gently, taking in my silence like it was peace of mind. I felt bad a little, watching him act that way, but it was quite understandable, given the exhaustion that was written all over his face.

Draven's words about him leaving for two days filled my head, and I felt even worse for adding to his exhaustion. For someone who left his comfort zone because of me, it was inhumane to add to the person's exhaustion. From his appearance, I could tell how tough those days had been.

I noticed his slightly dirty fingers. There were remnants of dried blood left in them. Did he get into a fight?

"Tonight is the full moon, Penelope." I snapped back to reality. "You'd been in a coma for four days, I'm sure Liam has briefed you on that." I nodded, and he continued, "The annual ball starts this evening, and guests will start arriving soon. I don't want you wondering around. Which means you can't leave this room till I tell you to."

His words bothered me, but I kept quiet.

"You should rest till then. Amaris will be here shortly to tend to you," he ran his fingers through his hair, and when he stood up from the bed, my stomach growled angrily. Both our heads snapped to my stomach.

"Some maids will bring food to your room," he said, and I nodded.

He walked toward the exit, but stopped halfway through the room like he remembered something. Taking a quick look at my face, he walked to the door, without uttering a word, and closed it behind him.