Arranged Marriage (MxMxM)

Chapter Thirty-Nine (END)

"So what did that dreadful woman want with you?" William asked as soon as I made it back to our room, those sage eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and worry as he gently gripped my upper arms.

I pursed my lips and glanced off to the side, gently patting one of his hands. "Well...ah...she wanted to produce an heir to the throne using your...ah...seed, seeing as I obviously cannot." I turned my attention back to him, nearly chuckling at the disgusted look on his handsome face.

"That is...oh goodness, now I'm going to have nightmares tonight. The thought of that is horrifying." He shivered dramatically and ran his fingers through his hair. "What on earth was going on in that woman's head?"

"I'm honestly not sure. But," I walked over to our bed and sat down, slumping a bit as a sigh pushed past my lips, "I now know why she raised me in the manner she did. It was for nothing more than a status of royalty for our family. She used me to get what she wanted most."

I felt the bed dop beside me, and William's arm draped over my shoulders as he pulled me closer to him. "I am so sorry, Mel. I can't even begin to understand what you must be going through." Your own mother using you as a pawn for her selfish gains...I knew I disliked her for a reason. I just never understood how truly wicked she was."

I glanced over to him, leaning my head on his shoulder as I stared at him through my lashes. "I am proud of myself, though. Once she got onto her pointless rants about how this was the only way, I told her off, telling her...well, I told her off and goodness, you should have seen the look on her face, William. She looked as if her whole world was crashing around her." I averted my gaze once more and frowned a little. "I've never openly questioned her motives before. I was always so quick to please her so that she would one day love me as a mother should with her children." I snorted and shook my head, my hair spilling over my shoulder at the action. "Such childish dreams, they were."

William's eyes grew soft as he gently tightened his hold on me, the man pressing a sweet kiss against my forehead. "It is not childish to yearn for your mother's love. Mel." He then pulled away from me and cupped my cheek, staring right into my eyes. "Your mother is a horrible, horrible individual, and I don't think she even has a heart." He tucked my hair behind my ear. "Look, you don't have to worry about her anymore, alright? You have a multitude of individuals who love you and cherish you the way you deserve to be, and that's all that matters in this moment of time."

My heart warmed at that as joy blossomed within me, a smile formed on my face. "You don't understand just how much that means to me, truly."

I closed my eyes when William leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against mine, his stubble rubbing against my cheeks as his tongue pushed past my lips, clashing with mine. I hummed happily in his mouth as he kissed me, his hands warm against my face as I pushed myself closer to him.

After a moment, he pulled away from me and pecked my cheek, his thumb rubbing against my bottom lip before he stood up and brushed the palms of his hands against his trousers, nodding to himself. "You know, I was being quite truthful when I said I was going to have nightmares. I mean, your mother is around the same age as Father, so hearing what that dreadful woman wanted of me...: he visibly shivered in disgust and crossed his arms over his chest, "that's just wrong on so many different levels."

I felt an amused smile form on my face as I stood up and made my way over to him, placing my hand on his bicep. "How do you think I feel? My own mother wanting to conceive my husband's child? To think that it is her blood rushing through my veins."

William scoffed. "But you're nothing like her. You're sweet, kind, and put others above yourself, not matter the consequences. You're literally an angel."