Ivan's Queen

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - Hope

A month has passed and all my personal belongings have been transported to the castle. Ivan and I, along with some guards, had traveled back to Berlin around the same time my family arrived there also. He explained the situation to my parents and let me make the decision of whether I wanted to stay at home or go back to the Lycan Kingdom with him.

It was tough for me to leave my family and home behind but I knew that I made the right decision by coming back with Ivan. We are mates and I want to give us a chance. And thankfully, we've been making progress.

Ivan and I have fallen into a routine now. Every morning, he disappears at the crack of dawn but returns to have lunch with me. We have it in his office where he completes some paperwork with me before leaving again. He returns in the evening and we spend the rest of our day relaxing.

Although he spends his time reading a book, I can always feel him watching me while I paint or draw for hours on end. We haven't talked all that much, he isn't much for conversations. However, the times where he does speak, I discover many things about him.

For example, his favorite color is dark green and he loves his father's cooking which he made me swear not to tell his mother. He tries to commit to water sports at least once a week but work makes it hard. He doesn't like messy surroundings which I noticed myself when he would tidy up after himself almost immediately.

Another thing that I've noticed that I don't think he realizes he does is that he doesn't like people getting near him. If he feels uncomfortable with the closeness, he inconspicuously moves away. The only people that I've seen him not do this with are his family, close friends and me.

I've discovered all the little quirks and traits of Ivan Romanov but I have yet to discover what made him the way he is, reserved, quiet and cold. Ayla let on that after he returned from the Great War when other species tried to take over the throne, he was never the same man who was full of life. Something had changed him.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when I hear the door slam shut and footsteps making their way to the kitchen. Ivan rushes in with his dark hair sticking up wildly and a panicked look in his eyes that disappears as soon as he notices the plate of pasta I hold out to him.

"Thank you!" He sighs contently before taking a seat beside me.

"No problem." I chuckle as I run my fingers through his hair so I could smooth them down. "Do you need to get back after lunch?"

"Yes." He nods before taking a sip of water. "I'm visiting the villages again to see if there's anything else the people need and to check up on the houses being built for them. I might be back late tonight so don't wait up okay?"

"Okay." I nod, understanding that the people who have been wrongly attacked need a lot of help and support right now. "Let me know if there's anything I can do."

"I will." He replies, finishing his food and rushing to the sink before cursing when somebody honks the horn from outside.

I smile and shake my head in amusement before taking the plate from him. "Go, I can do it."

"Thank you!" He quickly puts his suit jacket on before running out of the kitchen with me following behind.

"Ivan!" I call, watching him turn to me in confusion. I hold out the important files he needs to take with him, giggling when he face palms himself.

He walks up to me and takes the files out my hand before opening his mouth to speak but growling in annoyance when someone honks the horn again. Unable to control my laughter over his frustration, I squeal when he cheekily pokes my side in a playful manner. He rolls his eyes when someone yells for him before running out the door and shouting orders to someone.