The Princess's Guard ✔️

20

Word Count: 1852

~Kiva

Well. I'm fucked.

"Ark...what-"

"You're sneaking out. Why?" He demands, his deadly calm tone and expression unsettling. There's a wrath deep within him that I may just become well accustomed with tonight.

I gesture stupidly at the door he now stands in front of. "I need some fresh air."

If anything, my stuttering is going to give me away.

His gaze sweeps over me. "You're all dressed up."

I look down at myself, at the nice coat and boots I've chosen to wear out into the snow. It's a conscious choice, admittedly, to try look nice for my mate.

I don't know why I bother, considering he's going to be wearing all black and a hood.

"Please just let me go," I sigh, defeated.

"You really think I'm going to allow you to go into the night, completely alone?" He folds his arms over his chest, tapping his fingers against his bicep impatiently.

I reach out, playfully pushing his shoulder. "I know you don't trust me, but I swear I'm not in too much danger."

He stares at me, unimpressed.

"Kiva..." He says my name like he's both scolding and seducing me.

He takes a few steps toward me, forcing me to match them back, wary of those strong arms and how easily they could stop me from making my daring escape out into the snow.

"You're advancing on me," I note apprehensively.

"Because I'm going to grab you, and I'm going to take you to your room and keep you in there the whole night." He tilts his head to the side, smiling bitterly.

A thrill shudders down my spine at the suggestive implication.

"As tempting as that sounds, I need to go. It's just to talk to Louis," I tell him, plastering on my own fake smile to appease him.

He raises a brow, each step toward me purposeful. "That's supposed to convince me?"

"Ark...please," I whisper, my back bumping against the door.

"Sorry Princess, I have to do my job."

He grabs me, throwing me over his shoulder with such ease it's chilling. I yelp, as he winds his arm around my legs, immediately stalking up the stairs.

"Ugh, Ark!" I protest, thumping on his back.

"Luckily for you, I'll keep this incident away from your father." He continues up the stairs through the dark, his strength both impressive and a little frightening.

"Really?"

He shoulders my bedroom door open, disregarding the snoozing guard half slumped over himself on the floor.

I wince as he dumps me on the bed. He doesn't back up though, forcing me to stay lying down unless I want a face full of his crotch.

"I'll only keep your secret if you tell me where you were heading?"

Bracing myself up on my elbows, I glower at him. "I can't."

"You will."

"You'll kill me," I grumble. What is the worst fate? Being subjected to all my least favourite exercises at training tomorrow or have my father strip away my every freedom?

Not that I have many to begin with...

"I'm sure your father would be far less lenient in his punishment then I will be," Ark states, stalking over to the window.