ARIA.
I stood by the door, waiting and trying not to be affected by the yells and cries from the other side of the door. Lyall had asked me to leave so he could speak to Sheila. I was going to be called back in later.
Leaning against the wall, I shut my eyes tightly and tried not to cry as she yelled curses at me and called me a whore.

"She was the one who seduced you, right?" Sheila yelled. "She's so beautiful. I am sure no man can resist her if she advances. I see it in her eyes. It's in her body. In the way, she talks and walks and stares like she wants to rip off your clothes, Lyall! Tell me she's the one who initiated this!"
"I already told you she's nothing but my breeder, Sheila! Why don't you want to hear me out? Do you think I want to do this?"
My chest squeezed harder each time he spoke about me in that manner. How could a man, who had chased and kidnapped me several times, talk about me in that manner? How could he call me nothing but his breeder? Did he have an idea how terribly that hurt? Tears streamed down my cheeks and I turned away from the door, not wanting him to hear my sobs because I knew he was going to feel it either way.
"Yes, you want to!" Sheila's voice broke. "After everything I did for you, Lyall. You know what we went through together! You know why we got married! You're my best friend! Why would you do this to me?!"
"But I already explained!" He yelled back, his voice riddled with frustration and anger. He sounded like he was tired of talking to her about this. I could feel the intensity of his voice from here. I could hear the frustration in his voice too. "Didn't I? I already did."
"That's not it!" She screamed and this time, something crashed to the ground. It sounded like glass shattering. The wood split as she kept screaming. I covered my hand over my ears as the breaking continued then feet shuffled and Lyall spoke.

"Stop it, Sheila!" He yelled. "Stop breaking things. Let's talk like adults!"
"No! You betrayed me! You don't love me."
His voice softened into a whisper like he was holding her against him. He had never spoken to me in that manner. Ever. The realization hurt terribly.
"I am sorry, Sheila. You're right. I should have run this through by you but I didn't. I should have spoken to you about this but I didn't. It's all my fault! All of it! I'll make it up to you, I promise. I don't care how long."

"Let me go," She spoke in a low tone. "I don't want to see or speak to you until I am done processing all of these. Get that? I don't want to. Just let me be! We will talk about this when I am calm enough. I don't know what to feel right now."
I immediately moved from the door and went to stand meters away before it swung open. Sheila stepped out and stopped to wipe her tears. And like she knew I was standing close by, she turned to look at me before sniffing and turning away. She walked off and I heard the sound of a door banging shut before I leaned away from the wall.
I waited a few moments for Lyall to step out but I decided to give him space. Lifting my gown, I decided to walk back to the servants' quarters. Just as I passed through the door Sheila just walked out of, fingers gripped my wrists and I was pulled into the room and pushed against the door just as it clicked shut.
Lyall stood above me, breathing heavily as his hands traveled up my body. I fought the immediate need that built up between my legs and pushed him off me and when he tried walking back to him, I left an imprint of my hand against his cheek.
"Don't." I began, my voice shaky. "Don't come close to me, Lyall. I want to be nowhere near you."
"Don't tell me you're mad too." He hissed.
"I am!" I cried, my voice trembling. "Who wouldn't be, Lyall? How would you feel if I denied you in front of someone else? How would you feel if I said the same thing you said about me to someone else, huh?! Do you think I don't have feelings too? Do you think I am a rock or what?!"
He facepalmed and sighed. "This is my wife, Aria! This is Sheila! I already broke her heart by lying to her! I can't do more than this to her. She'll break into pieces and I am not ready to watch that."
"And yet you act like this when no one is around. Like you are ashamed that I am your mate. Like you don't even want me! Like you don't even give a fuck about the bond I share with you!"
"Sheila was there for me during my dark times!" He yelled in anger. "She plunged me out of it and made me stable! You did none of that! Do you think it would be easy for me to just tell her that we are mated? Can you be rational for once?"
I gasped in shock, shaking my head as I backed away from him. "So I am irrational now? I mean, I've been the one acting all lovesick and having the other kidnapped, right? And you get to be the one who is rational? Fuck you, Lyall!" I turned to my feet and unlocked the door.
"Where are you going?!" He snapped.
I turned to him with a sad smile on my face. "Back to the servants' quarters, where I have always belonged."
"Do not move an inch forward." He commanded. "Don't even try to defy me because I am your King. Don't!"
"I don't care, Lyall. Whatever you choose to do, I do not care!" I yelled at him and just before I unlocked the door, my body was planted off the floor and soon, my feet dangled in the air as his arms wrapped around my waist.
He pulled me back into the room, lifting me in his arms and pushing me into his desk as his fingers buried into my thighs. He pulled my dress up with full force, pinning me down when I tried to pull away from him.
"Don't fight it," He growled into my ears as the heat of his body warmed my skin. I didn't want to fight it. But I was so mad at him that I didn't want him touching me. My body said one thing but my mind wanted me to leave. "I know you miss me. I know you've been wanting to kiss me and touch me even when she was there."
"Let me go, Lyall!" I cried out. "I don't want this! I don't! I can not allow a man who denied me to touch me! I have respect for myself if you can't give that to me at le—"
My words died in my throat as his lips crashed into mine in a flaming kiss. Tears streamed down my cheeks as he kept kissing me. I fought hard against him, turning my face away and hitting him on the chest but he grabbed my hand and pinned it to his side before whispering into my ears.
"I am going to leave you if you tell me that you don't want this to happen. Just tell me you don't want me touching you ever again and I'll leave you. I'll walk away and never look back. I'll look for someone else to be my breeder and make Sheila happy at least."
Silence prevailed. His eyes searched mine and as the words bubbled up in my throat, I could feel the pang of pain in my chest. This was going to change a whole lot but I knew it was for the best.
"I don't want you touching me ever again, Lyall."
He moved away immediately and nodded, raising both of his hands in the air. "Consider your wishes granted. You can leave."
I slid down his desk, putting my dress back in order and turning to him with a sad look on my face. He raised his brows at me and I sighed before turning and making my way to the door.
Those few seconds of walking to the door entailed a whole lot. I did a lot of thinking. Walking out of this door meant whatever we had was going to end. My wolf kept thrashing against me, against my will to walk away, she wanted me to turn back to him. I knew I couldn't walk away. My feet couldn't move further.
Before I knew what I was doing, I turned back immediately to see that Lyall had his back against me. And as I walked towards him, I called out his name and he turned just as I threw my arms around him and kissed him.