Creatures of the Dark

(( Sure ))

Belle had let him know that dinner was ready, and she waited for him as she hummed a soft song to her bump. “Your daddy will be here soon little one,” she promised her bump, just as there was a knock on the door and Belle answered it Elliotts friend pushing herself into the house.

“Where’s Elliott?” She demanded. “And who are you?”

“Belle, his wife…he’s in his study can I ask what you want?”
_____

Damian eventually came back to their room to check on her, careful not to be seen right now he just wanted to make sure that she was okay.
_____

Rose had made everyone dinner and she was sat at the table with Gabriella, Saul and Azriel. Thorin had even joined them.

“So you’re his granddaughter?” Gabriella asked and Rose nodded. “Gosh Thorin she didnt get her looks from your side of the family.”

Azriel sat beside Rose, still reeling from the information he had learned twenty four hours ago, gaze fixed and intent on Saul and his mother. His hand curled around the glass of wine in front of him.

Saul laughed quietly at Gabrielle's comment, offering Rose a toothy grin. "You are the perfect fit for a Princess."

____
"Don't treat me like I am stupid, hiding." Alessia mumbled, voice hoarse, deep bruising still in a ring around her neck from where she had been grabbed. "Or lurking in the shadows like you will leap out. You are either being a coward or intimidating, which one is it?"

---

Elliott glanced up when he heard the voice downstairs, the distraction causing him to slice deeper into his palm then he had intended. "Shit."

“I’m here because he is willingly hurting himself and you’re letting him.” She told her.

“How would you know that he was hurting himself?” Belle asked.

“Because once upon a time, I was his mate, not some little reject like you.” They both looked up the stairs at hearing Elliott and Belle was pushed out of the way by her. “Elliott?” She threw his office door open.
______

“Probably the first one, didn’t know if you would want to see me.” Damian told her
______

Rose gently rested a hand on his knee as she smiled her thanks to Saul. “Thank you, so how do you know my grandfather?”

“I used to be his kings guard.” Saul told her. “Well before he became king anyway, he’s also my closest friend besides Gabriella.” Saul explained

Elliott's head jerked up, eyes widening when he spotted her - paling as if he had seen a ghost. "I- What? How?"

____
"It would depend which... which you you are." Alessia swallowed.

___
Azriel lifted a glass to his mouth, sipping it.

Rose glanced to Azriel before Gabriella caught her attention. “Whilst we are here in presence of family for both sides, I have this.” She pulled something from her pocket and set it out in front of Rose and Azriel, it was a document defining that the co tract for them to marry has been voided, they now didn’t have to marry each other. “It will annul everything so you will be free to find people you love, you both just need to sign it.”

Rose looked to the document then to Azriel, in truth she didn’t know if she wanted to sign it, after all she had developed some feelings for him so she was waiting to see what he wanted.
____

She walked straight to him pressing some bandages to his wrist. “My darling are you alright?” She asked looking him over. “Your new ‘mate’ hasn’t been looking after you has she?” Her voice made Belles wolf snarl, but Belle was careful not to let out a sound she just stayed in the doorway there being no room for her at the moment.
_____

“I’m Damian…he’s locked back in my head…Alessia I’m so sorry I didn’t think he would get out like he did.”

"He is Damian too, and I am.... nothing to him. Less than dirt."

____
"Get off me." Elliott growled, flinching away from her and side stepping so he could get closer to Belle. "You are meant to be dead Anastasia. You cheated three days after I proposed and then dropped off the face of the planet."

___
"Is there a reason you never allow me to rest, mother? Without having to think of politics or.. violence." He pushed the paper away from him. "I am tired."

“Azriel I thought you would be happy you have been fighting this marriage since day one.” Gabriella told him. “I thought you would be happy with your freedom.”
_____

Belle walked to his side almost immediately, she could t shift because of the baby but she was still ready to at least hit her for touching her mate. 

“Elliott I made a mistake, we can go back to how things were before, please Elliott.” She told him. “If you’re staying with her for the baby then don’t worry. I will give you everything you could want.” She promised. “Just reject her and be my mate again.”
_____

“I can’t speak for him but just know that you are everything to me and I’m sorry that he made you feel that way.”

"What difference is there between the two of you?" She mumbled, gripping the blanket that rested on her shoulders. Fear lacing her voice.

____
"Get out of our home, Ana." Elliott demanded quietly. "'Leave, immediately. I don't want to see your face again, and I want you no where near Belle."

____
"'I am tired and you have lied to me my entire life so I have no interest in explaining anything to you further than that."

“Azriel and I will discuss this when we can but Azriel has told you that he is tired so we would like to eat and then he can retire.” Rose told them. “So let’s eat.”
_____

“But Elliott, I still feel your pain and I know you feel mine.” She told him. “Only true mates are that connected.” She reminded him. “You’ll come to me soon Elliott, and when you do I’m staying at the Holdpar Hotel, room
316.” She told him. “I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

Belle watched her leave and she looked to Elliott not really sure what to say she was surprised that the woman had the audacity to come back and she was pissed that she tried to move in on her mate.
____

“He’s the part that allows me to rule without much competition and I’m the one you’re normally with, the one who loves you and married you.”

"Fucking psychopath." Elliott grumbled quietly. "Feel my pain my ass, tried to kill myself after she betrayed me. Driving so fast I didn't see Damian crossing the road... she's such a bitch."

____
Azriel offered Rose a grateful smile.

___
"'Do you?"

Belle nodded. “I agree…now what happened? I heard you from downstairs.” She went to look at his wrist.
______

“Of course I do.” Damian told her.
_____

She smiled back as dinner was served it was something new for him to try. “It’s not what you’re used to but I think you’ll like it.”

"'The noise... I just cut deeper than I had meant to, I was caught by surprise. It's fine."

____
"You weren't there when I woke up, this is the first time I have seen you. So, forgive me if I struggle to believe it."

____
"What - what is it?"

“I thought I’d killed you, kinda started a spiral.” He admitted.
_____

She nodded. “Sorry about the noise.” She told him. “Did you get far with getting it out?”
_____

“It’s pasta arabiatta.” She told him. “With cheese.”

"You did." Alessia swallowed. "I needed you when I woke up, y- you weren't there. N - no one was. The kids haven't been ei- either. It's like the waterfall all over again." She sobbed then.

___
Elliott shook his head, inspecting the hand - the skin already healed around the mark. "I night have done, without the interupption."

___
"It looks... heavy."

“Surprisingly not as heavy as you think.”
____

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” He told her. “May I join you?”
____

Belle looked to the wound as well and she frowned sligjtly. “Why don’t you try again tomorrow?” She suggested. “Come and eat and then rest and try first thing?”

"'I'll eat wolfsbane, until tomorrow. It'll slow down my healing, I'll be able to do it then, or... or more likely to do it."

____
She shook her head, not in response to his question but to her own thoughts. Turning his face to hide it in the pillows.

___
"I might pass on food entirely. I'm not as hungry as I thought."

“Are you sure?” Rose asked. “You need to eat Azriel you need your strength.”
____

He didn’t know it wasn’t to him so he stayed where he was but he wanted nothing but to comfort her. “Please my darling.”
____

”it’s a shame we can’t ask Damian I’m sure he’d enjoy it and he could slow your healing just enough.” She suggested. “Do we even have any wolfsbane?”

"I always keep a stash. Damian has enough going on at the minute, without me adding to the problems."

____
"No, I feel sick. I - I'm not hungry."

____
"Fine. Do what you want." She mumbled, voice muffled.

She nodded. “Okay, would you like some water?”
____

Belle nodded. “Okay, and good point.”
____\

Damian walked over and he moved to lie beside her gently sliding an arm around her waist to pull her into him

"I want people to stop asking me questions. I am tired."
___
"If anything, I need to be stepping up for him, not the over way around, mm?"

____
Alessia tensed as she was pulled, breathing catching in her throat. Terrified.

“It’s just me,” he promised. “If you want me to go then just say.”
_____

“You could be correct.” She told him.
_____

Rose nodded. “Okay.”

"Go. Go.. I want you to go."

___
"Mm."

__
Azriel went quiet

Damian nodded and he did as she asked. “I’ll leave you to sleep, it’s late.”
_____

She smiled softly. “Come on dinner and rest.” She told him trying to be stern but failing miserably just wanting to see him smile.
_____

Rose finished her dinner with their families and she looked to her grandfather. “What are everyone’s plans for tomorrow?”

“Well your grandfather is going to show us around.” Gabriella told her. “And Saul is going to get acquainted with your grandmother and father.” She told her. “What about you?”
 
“Not entirely sure.” She shrugged. “I will probably spend some time in the lily fields.”

"Tell the children I am going home for awhile, so if they care, they need to show up in the next few hours." She swallowed. "Here isn't safe right now."

___
"Rest? I don't need to rest, it's you who needs that. Have you already cooked?"