Chapter 47

Xerxes's POV

I opened my eyes to someone struggling in my arms, it took me a moment to realise that Katarina was awake now. Like someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over me, I sat straight. I hadn’t realised when I slept beside her. Maybe this was one of the side effects of mating with her.

Mating.

I had marked her.

My eyes instinctively moved to her slender neck, two puncture marks of my ownership decorating her nape. This spreading purple with yellow blotches was only the surface wound. The real one was within her, that feeling of betrayal, that breaking of trust that was so essential to true love. For what we love, we protect, right? But I failed her. I could feel it in the way she look at me. So broken and despaired.

Katarina looked around warily, breathing heavily as I immediately helped her sit. Her angry eyes snapped at me as she slapped my hands away. My eyes narrowed as I felt annoyance resurfacing.

“W-why did y