Your Protector ✓

|14|

Penelope

I think I might be in love. I never thought that I would ever fall in love. It seemed impossible after everything I've been through. But, people change. People change other people. Elik changed me.

It's all I can think about when I woke up today in a great mood. I follow him around as he does his daily duties. He goes to a meeting and let's me follow happily, holding my hand tightly in his as we walk down the long stretching corridors of the palace.

Even though it's beautiful here, I can't help but be a little jealous of Posy and Torint. They moved out to the countryside to continue their life together.

Torint gave up his life as a soldier to start a family with his mate. I find myself glancing up at Elik from time to time, wondering if he would do the same thing for me. I don't want to pressure him into anything. We haven't been together long, and I don't want to rush things if he's not comfortable with it.

I mean, why would he want to give up his career? Why would he want to give up living in this enormous palace? He would probably laugh in my face if I asked him to live in the middle of nowhere with me. He's a strong General, and his rank is noble. Why would he leave that behind for me?

As amazing as this place is, I don't know how long I want to be here. There are men literally everywhere that I look. I mean, it makes sense, it's a planet with only guys. That's why we're so special, I guess. I don't feel special, especially compared to someone like Jane. She went through the same crap I did, and she's happily eating up the attention of the Rytarians, and she's been spotted canoodling with the Emperor himself.

I wish I could be confident, but I'm becoming better every day. As long as I'm progressing, I should be proud of myself.

As we walk back to our apartment after a long day of running errands, I notice something strange going on. I grip Elik's hand a little tighter.

People that we pass stare at me, because of course they do, they never stop staring. They also stare at Elik. This stare is a different one, they seem to be suspicious. He even earns a few glares here and there, and I look back at each passerby with confusion. I glance up at Elik, and his facial expression remains passive, as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

He continues leading me until we're right back where we need to be. Hidden in the privacy of our own apartment from everyone else. Elik closes the door and moves to the bed, peeling back the covers for me.

It's sort of a routine of ours. He knows I like to lay down after a long day, he's only taking care of me. And yet, I don't slip into the comfy bed like I usually would. Instead, I put a hand on his arm and look up to him with concern.

"What is it, sweet one?" He's genuinely confused, and his words are so gentle but so heartbreaking.

"Why do people look at you like that, Elik? It's driving me crazy." I murmur, hating every single one of them. They're judgmental eyes and venomous glares. I've never been violent, but I felt like chasing them down and hurting them. Me of all people, as if my fist could even reach their faces.

Elik sighs, and presses his lips together. I have a feeling it has to do with his past. I told him he could tell me when he's ready, but curiosity is getting the best of me.

"If you still don't want to tell me, I understand. I just hate that you have to deal with this, that's all." I shrug, holding both of his hands and looking at his strong fingers.

He pulls me down with him onto the bed, forcing me into his lap as he smothers himself in my hair. I sit still for a moment, letting him collect himself as I wait patiently.

"I was only a small child when it happened. I have very few memories of my mother. I remember the sickness that took our females, and how everyone panicked as they started to die." He shakes his head, "My Mother was the last female alive. She was sick, and they tried to take her away."

I gasp, putting a hand to his chest to comfort him. I can't imagine how traumatic it was to live through that, especially as a little kid. Elik continues.

"She was in a lot of pain. My Pa was going mad because of it. Soldiers came to our home and dragged her away. He fought them, but they would not listen. They took her to the palace, and after a few weeks, they let us visit her."

I watch the tears form in his eyes. It's something I never thought I would see happen. Elik is so tough. I don't hold his tears against him. Men have emotions, they're allowed to cry too.

"They had all these tubes coming out of her, trying to keep her alive. She looked so frail, and had no life in her eyes. She smiled when she saw Pa, but then she started crying. She begged him to end her life, saying she could not take the pain anymore. She said they were trying to artificially impregnate her in hopes of making more females. It was cruel." Elik chokes on the words.

"My Pa told me to leave the room. When the doctors ran down the hall and the screams and shouts started, I knew he had fulfilled her wish. He killed her, out of love and mercy. She wouldn't have lived much longer, and it would've been so painful to keep her like that. He loved her too much to let her suffer."

I run a hand up and down his arm in hopes to comfort him. It just gets worse every time he opens his mouth. He somehow continues.

"They arrested my Pa. He was put to death, and I was sent to the academy to become a soldier. Ever since then, I've been cursed with the story of how my Pa brutality murdered my Mother because he didn't want anyone to have her, unless is was him. They're all lies. I was there that day, but not many believe me. They choose to hate me because it's my Pa's fault that the last female was killed. It is just the way things are." He sounds so resigned, like he doesn't really care. He's not even that upset about the way others treat him.

That's fine. I'll be angry enough for the both of us.

I wipe away his tears, and then mine, because I'm crying like a baby from hearing his story. We both have traumatic pasts, we both chose to stay silent. We are alike in so many ways.

"I'm so sorry. That's awful." Elik's dark eyebrows scrunch up in confusion.

"You did not do it. It isn't your fault." I feel like laughing at his innocent comment. He takes a lot of things too literally. It's cute.

"I hate that that had to happen. The universe sucks sometimes. You didn't deserve that, no one does. I don't care how they see you. You're perfect to me." I declare, and the grin that grows on his face, it's so worth it. It's hard for me to talk about how I feel, but Elik always makes me feel safe enough to speak my mind. He tucks a piece of hair behind my hair.

"Oh how you humble me little female. Thank you."

I answer by snuggling into his chest, content to stay here forever, but that's not possible. The world is always waiting, and I'm always procrastinating facing it.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next one will be up on Wednesday. Love y'all