Calhoun was in disbelief as he realized that the werewolf he had tried to kill was Julitta, his woman's closest friend. The thought of Diana's potential hatred towards him had he succeeded in killing Julitta weighed heavily on his mind.
He couldn't help but imagine the repercussions of his actions and the impact it would have on his relationship with Diana. The guilt he felt for even attempting to harm someone she cared about was overwhelming.
As he processed the situation, Calhoun couldn't help but feel grateful that he had not succeeded in his attempt to kill Julitta. He knew that the consequences of his actions would have been far worse than the guilt he currently felt.
Diana was equally surprised and then she remembered that Calhoun had fed Julitta with the potion that was to turn her into a werewolf.
As the realization dawned on her, she slowly stared at Calhoun who held an expression that displayed the confusion that seemed to match the one on her face.
"You remember too, right?" She whispered. "The potion."
"Yes." Calhoun agreed. He suddenly remembered. He was the one who had fed her the potion. He stroked his chin. "I don't seem to understand why she's in her wolf form, the full moon isn't out yet."
"For a new wolf, she might remain in this form until after the full moon," Felix said. "Alpha Marjun said that to my father once."
"You don't say," Calhoun said. "So we have to keep her chained until after the full moon? That's after the first banquet?"
Felix nodded. Calhoun turned to Diana, silently asking her for her opinion.
"Um, well... I can't say anything for now cause she is in this form and um, I know nothing about this. So if keeping her chained is what's best then we can keep her that way."
Calhoun nodded. "She agrees. Evander, get stronger chains and keep her in position."
Evander went about to do what he was asked to do and Calhoun saw Diana try to leave so he followed her quietly. Diana hadn't initially known she was being followed until they had reached his favourite tower. Calhoun noticed how she stared at the distance and he felt his heart ache softly.
"You miss the place?" He asked softly. "It's okay if you want to go back. I didn't mean all I said earlier. But if you feel choked up in here, and there's nothing I can do to change that, I won't mind if you go."
"Calhoun..."
"No, it's fine. You don't have to try and please me." Calhoun said. "I know you and I love you."
"You love me, Calhoun?" Diana asked, turning to face him.
Calhoun nodded once. "I do, and you know it. You never needed me to say it because I feel like somewhere deep down, you always knew I loved you."
"I just want to understand why you always use love rather than love," Diana said. She kept staring into his eyes without taking it off. She wanted to see the depths of his soul and Calhoun felt like he couldn't hide anything under her gaze.
"Because that is for the past. In the past, I loved you, Diana. In the present, I love you. And in the future, I can only keep loving you."
Diana refused to allow her emotions to show on her face, she kept a stoic face and secretly, she rubbed her sweaty palms on the back of her skirt.
"I understand Calhoun. I have one last question for you."
"Which is?"
"Why did you say all those to me, earlier?"
Her eyes widened after she asked the question and Calhoun almost smirked. He now understood the tactics she was using. She wanted to use her gaze to weaken him. Well, he was Calhoun and he was an Alpha. He could not easily be weakened.
"Diana, I love you-"
"I got that part right," Diana interjected.
Calhoun chuckled. "Okay. I was saying that I love you, and I know you love me too-"
"Don't get so cocky," Diana murmured.
"And I know that I acted wrongly in the past. But I expect you to understand that that's how I was raised. My mother taught me to never show my emotions. So even while I did all those to you, it was my way of telling you that I enjoyed having you around."
"Diana, I am a man of expression. I like to speak out about my discomfort. But I was not sure of what I felt. Also, I felt that you were probably afraid of me and hated me and wanted nothing to do with me-"
"It's not like it would have changed anything. If you wanted to chase me, you would have done it regardless of how I felt." Diana said, rolling her eyes.
"Hm." Calhoun hummed. "Perhaps you're right? Or perhaps not. Either way, I would have gotten what I wanted."
"Of course. Maybe your pride was the reason I could never fully trust in your feelings for me."
"No, Diana." Calhoun shook his head. "It was your pride that stood in the way."
"Don't even start-"
"I am not arguing with you, allow me to speak."
"Go on."
"My reason is, you felt I did not understand you. And when you travelled, you built some respect for yourself, and you started to think that I could not respect you."
"That's not true-"
"Allow me to speak, woman!" Calhoun growled.
Diana glared at him and he glared back. After a while, she huffed and looked away.
"Look Diana, you have failed to see that you never truly knew me! Everything you knew about me, you heard from someone else. Why do you think Patricia fell in love with me and was able to get me in a romance with her, although unsuccessfully?"
"It's because she didn't choose to know me based on what she heard, she chose to know me based on who I truly am."
"Diana, do you even know who I am?"
Diana rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. "Of course, that's easy. You're Calhoun Montego, the King of Wisteria kingdom and the alpha of the pack as well."
"Then do you know that Calhoun Montego is not an Alpha nor a king?" Calhoun asked softly.
The softness in his voice touched her and she sighed in defeat. "He... He doesn't exist."
"He does," Calhoun argued.
"I thought you were not arguing."
"On this matter, I will argue. Because I want you to be with me."
"What if I don't want to be with you? Will you force me?"
"Diana, you want me to not force you to be with me. You want me to say if you don't want to stay, you can go? Is that what you want?"
"Let me tell you now, I can tolerate anything but if you leave my sight again, I won't just remain here in Wisteria and look for you, mm-mm."
"I will search for you till the uttermost parts of the earth and when I find you, I'll bring you back with me."
Diana fought the smile that threatened to bloom across her face. "What if I don't want to return?"
"I will stay there with you," Calhoun answered in a heartbeat.
"Will you truly lose everything? Your throne, your position, your reputation, just to be with me?"
Calhoun nodded.
"Why?"
"I have said this so many times but I feel as if you just like to hear it so you keep asking me questions that would require me to say it. Diana, I love you!"
"Calhoun, oh!" She exclaimed and fell right into his arms. The reaction was too sudden for Calhoun and he took some time to process the fact that she was in his arms, willingly and not because he had done anything to put her in a mood. They had mated twice since she returned but it didn't change anything between them.
Calhoun wrapped his arms around her, lovingly. "Promise me you'll stay."
"I will, I promise."
Calhoun moved her backwards and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It was very brief and she smirked.
"Next time you want to kiss me, make it long." She said, Calhoun saluted her and she giggled.
"Alright, I heard you and the men whispering about something in the meeting room, what is it about?"
Calhoun scratched the back of his head. "Well, I was going to tell you anyway."
"Shoot then."
"Felix and Evander said they were stopped by the court officials." He stated.
Diana's nose scrunched up to express her distaste for the news. "Ugh, what did they want this time?"
"They said, people have been reporting me, claiming I hire innocent girls to be my slaves and then I force them to mate with me and when they try to speak up, I silence them. They claimed that you were the only one who managed to survive and that's because you ran away from me.
Also, they said that you returned and I've been trying to capture you."
"Me?" Diana asked, looking surprised. "I swear, I didn't tell them anything. I would never go to them, I don't even like them. Besides, I know that you are capable of killing all of them so why report you to them?"
Calhoun chuckled. "I'm not suspecting you, Diana. I didn't even think that way. All I'm saying is that they are planning to stop you and question you one day."
"One day? Did they specify the day?" Diana asked.
"Nah, but we want to give them a day for the interview."
"Huh? How?"
"The banquet, Diana. We shall invite them. They will meet you and possibly question you about it."
Diana scoffed. "I'm not afraid of meeting them. Let them come. Even if they want it right now, I'm prepared for them."
"Hmm." Calhoun hummed. "Why so prepared to defend me now? I thought you hated me?"
"Hated you? I could never hate you, darling. I love you, remember." Calhoun reminded. "Now, just tell me why you're so willing to defend me."
"Well mister, it's because I also love you," Diana confessed. "And no more misunderstandings. It's only going to be peace between us from now on. Agreed?"
"Pfft. What's the fun in not arguing with you?" Calhoun asked, rolling his eyes.
Diana scowled. "You brat!".
"Alright, alright! Don't hit me, please. I will only be at peace with you. I agree. But can we still argue once in a while?"
"No." Diana huffed.
"Yes?"
"No! I said no!"
"You said yes? Wow, darling-"
"Don't play games with me, Calhoun!" Diana warned.
"Um, I can play games with you? This is getting more fun!"
"Calhoun!" Diana scolded. "are you sure you're okay?"
"Pfft! You look so beautiful when you're pissed." Calhoun complimented, rubbing her red cheeks.
Diana smirked. "Cheesy compliments will get you nowhere."
"How did you know I had an aim?" Calhoun asked, faking surprise.
Diana shook her head. "How can one not know? You mated with me even while I was mad at you. How can I not know that with the way you compliment me, you want something else?"
"Alright," Calhoun said. "I will prove to you that I want nothing other than your heart. I won't pass any cheesy or nasty compliments to you, and I will be on my best behaviour. No lip kiss, no sex, no intense hugging, no bathing together-"
"No sleeping together?"
"Hell no! We sleep as a family, with our son in our midst." Calhoun refuted instantly.
"Oh alright, that's even better." Diana agreed. "But, all these for how long?"
"Mm, for as long as it will take you to believe that I have no ulterior motives," Calhoun said. He snaked his arms around her waist and drew her close to him.
"Wait, I thought-"
"Yes, yes. I didn't say when I was going to start." Calhoun said, smirking evilly. Diana suddenly felt unsure of her decision to starve him of sexual attention for so long.