The Claiming

Chapter Ten

As Alec falls asleep, I rotate the golden band on his ring finger that I picked out for him. I'm glad I made this choice; it matches the ring he gave me perfectly. I glance up at his sleeping face and smile to myself. I've never seen him look so relieved in his life. I wonder how long he's been wanting to kiss me like that.

Thunder growls overhead, and by instinct, I bury myself into Alec's side. He fell asleep with his arm under my neck, so I have no doubt if he woke up now, it'd be tingling like the jabbing of pins and needles. The rain starts to drizzle on the rooftop.

That's when I hear the beep again, but this time it seems louder. I sit up slowly, trying my best not to disturb Alec. It seems as if the sound came from directly across the room, over the dresser. All that's above the dresser is a tiny mirror.

I lie back down close to Alec and hug him from the side. I don't know if he's awake or not, but he places his hand on top of mine, and that's how I fall asleep.

***

"Look at this, Belle," Alec says.

I sit down next to him at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal. "What?"

He pushes a letter between us. "This came in the mail today. It's from the palace..."

I begin to read it aloud. "'Mr. and Mrs. Bentley, it has come to our attention and concern that your marriage has not yet been consummated. According to law, a child must be born in this household within three years of marriage. If no child is produced, the woman will be placed into the Lower District and a new wife will be assigned to Mr. Bentley. We suggest that you promptly consummate the marriage, or a counselor will be sent to your home to be of further motivation.'"

I drop the letter and stand up. "What the heck is that?" I nearly scream. "Who are they to say we have to do that? How can they just try to breed us like cattle? And what if I can't have kids? They're going to stick me in the Lower District! Alec, I can't go there! I can't!"

Alec stands as well and nervously runs his fingers through his hair. He turns away as I continue my panic attack. "I'm not ready for this! I'm not! Maybe Riah was, but I most certainly am not! As much as I love you, Alec, I can't do it yet! I still feel like a baby!"

Alec suddenly turns around. For a moment of brief horror, I believe his face will be angry—angry at me for not wanting to consummate our marriage yet. But instead, he's confused. "Belle," he says, dragging out my name, "how do they know we haven't consummated our marriage?"

All the anger and fear just drops off the surface of my mind. How do they know? How can they possibly know that we haven't—?

Suddenly, it all makes sense. Maybe. If I'm right.

The beeping.

"Alec, I think I know," I say. I start down the hallway to our bedroom, my strides long now that the anger is boiling back up again.

I've read about crazy things like this in stories. The whole time I was reading, I never thought the trick would be played on me.

I throw open the door to our room and immediately march to the dresser with the puny mirror glaring back at me. How idiotic do I have to be to ignore that ear piercing beeping late at night?

I pull at the mirror, but it's stuck to the wall.

"Belle, what are you doing?" Alec asks, just now entering the room.

"This mirror," I say, "It's got to be a one-way. Why else would it be stuck to this stupid wall?"

Alec walks over to me and places his hands on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me down. "Belle, that's a little far-fetched, don't you think?"