The Consort

Chapter 42: Quarrel

Sighing, I smack Heloix's hand away, frustrated with his continual nitpicking.

"You're burning them." He comments, hand returning to its position next to my head as he points a finger at the black edges.

Smacking away the limb once more, I let out an exasperated groan and rip the oven mitt off my hand before throwing it onto the floor in anger.

"Then you do it." I snap.

Heloix's thick arm wraps around my stomach and pulls me back against him, preventing my escape. I reach down and push his arm away, not in the mood for his antics. He has spent the past two days hinting that I make him some cookies, but the second I give in and start baking them he finds it appropriate to lecture me on all the ways I'm doing it wrong.

"Don't be like that." Heloix pouts, letting me remove his arms from around me.

I sigh, feeling a bit guilty for being so snappy.

"Then stop correcting me."

Heloix hums slightly, his arms grabbing my shoulders and turning me around to face him. He looks worried as he stares down at me, his lips pulled into his mouth and eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong? You've been pouting around our home and acting grumpy since our union. Are you embarrassed?" He probes.

I shrug in response, not having a good answer to his question. I've just been feeling off, my mind racing ever since Heloix and I slept together. It didn't take long for word to spread throughout the castle, and now all the humans give me dirty looks and are curt whenever I try to start a conversation. Even John, who I thought was beginning to warm up to Heloix a bit, has been distant.

"No, just not been in a good mood. Must be my period starting." I lie, not wanting to share my feelings with Heloix.

He furrows his eyebrows at my words, tilting his head to the side in question.

"Your period doesn't start for another seventeen days." He's quick to point out.

I snort, annoyed that he's calling my bluff. I don't want to hurt his feelings by sharing with him my worries and regrets. I'm glad that we had sex and that I shared myself with him, but a small part of me is ashamed and wishes we had been more discreet. At the end of the day, this is still the man who idly sat by and watched as his humans were raped and beaten.

I've been fortunate enough not to see that side of him since arriving here, but that is not the case for most of the slaves. They judge me for what I've done, and now I feel like an outsider. I don't fit in with the Beasts or humans, and it's put me in a bad mood.

"How do you know when my period starts?" I ask, glaring up at him.

Heloix sighs quietly, his hand leaving my shoulder to pinch at the bridge of his nose.

"I'm your mate." He answers simply.

"That doesn't answer the question." I retort, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What do you want me to say?" Heloix finally snaps, his voice loud as he loses his patience with me. "I can smell whenever you get it Addie. It's regular, and over time I've learned your cycle."

I drop my head to the ground in response, feeling guilty for pushing him. Heloix sighs quietly and bends over to grab the oven mitt off the floor, his hand snatching it up and holding it out for me to take. My shoulders roll forward as I grab it from him and slip it back on my hand.

"They're going to be undercooked," I warn, turning back around to face the oven.

Heloix's arm wraps around my stomach once more, his front pressing firmly against my back. There's pressure on my shoulder as he rests his chin on it, peering into the oven and watching as I take the dessert out.