A Scarlet Crown (Scarlet #1)

23. "I'm a Werewolf King, not Poseidon"

Zoe Wees - Control

"Come, I want to show you something," he says to me, "We can't do this if there's no trust," he says as I look at him with skepticism.

I mentally sigh and follow him out the castle's gates and doors. This is the first time I've ever been outside with him in public, People may have seen us at the ball, but this is different. It's not a formal situation. It hasn't been planned.

People greet us as we walk through town, and I feel weird and awkward next to him, like this. He exudes a confident, commanding presence, but what about me? I'm uncomfortable. I can tell some of the pack members dislike me, but they're forced to respect me, which I don't like.

Respecting me in front of Caelum and, more than likely, talking trash about me later. I understand that I am human and therefore cannot be like them, but it is not my fault, I didn't ask to be his mate, and I didn't ask to be Queen. It was simply hurled at me.

Before this, my life was much simpler, but it was also much more dull. Almost as though he senses my discomfort, he leans down and says, "Just keep your head up and walk like a Queen" My gaze shifts to meet his. I mumble, "I don't know how to walk like a Queen."

This isn't like the ball; I'm not dressed up and I don't have a crown on my head. Caelum has some she-wolves drooling over him, but they know better than to approach him and throw themselves at him, Caelum being Caelum, would most likely threaten them or become angry, which no one wants. Him in a good mood is a good thing, even though it does not last long.

"Wolves can smell uneasiness, forget everyone else is here. It's just you and me" he advises.

We arrive at our destination after some time, and on the way back, I'll ask if we can go around the town. We're in the middle of the forest, with trees all around us, and I'm beginning to wonder if we've gotten lost or taken a wrong turn.

"Are you sure this is the correct place?" I ask, my eyes darting around the area, puzzled.

"Yea, this is the right place" he nods.

I feel the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose "Caelum, we're in the middle of the forest with you in a suit and me thinking we're lost"

He rolls his eyes and walks deeper, leaving me standing there, I guess we're going further. I catch up to him and find him staring at a big boulder, he walks around the bolder and I follow him, on the other side there's a bunch of green vine leaves hanging, he moves the vines and stands before us is a wooden door, he smirks at me and opens the door, him being the gentlemen he never was, he walks in first and the door starts to close. "What a gentleman," I taunt as I keep the door open for myself.

When I'm on the other side of the door, green grass and different types of plants surround a waterfall, but it's not like any waterfall I've ever seen. It's powder purple in color.

I'm astonished by the waterfall "It's purple" I say surprised.

He takes off his jacket and shoes and confirms, "Yes, it's purple "I turn away as he begins unbuttoning his shirt. "What are you doing?" I shout.

He says, as if it's obvious, "I'm taking my shirt off"

"Yea, I know that. Why though?"

"Please don't tell me you expect me to get into the water with my suit on?"

I hear shifting and he says "Turn around"

"No, get dressed"

"I am dressed, now turn around"

My hands are still covering my eyes when I turn around, I slowly take my hands away, revealing him to be dressed in black sweatpants and a black t-shirt. I furrow my eyebrows "Where did you get those clothes from?" I ask and he shows me a duffel bag "I come here a lot, so I make sure there are clothes somewhere" he says.