Chapter 11 The Show
Emilia’s POV
All I could do was stand there, frozen in place, waiting for whatever Sebastian expected me to do next.
Across the room, he rested on his bed with an infuriatingly relaxed air, like he owned every inch of the space around him.
"You’re the first woman I actually chose myself," he said, his tone maddeningly neutral. "Which means my family will probably come check on us. So you need to stay in this room."
I blinked. "Stay in this room? Just... stand here doing nothing?"
How did his mind even work?
What kind of newlywed couple acted like this? The entire situation was ridiculous.
"Sebastian." I tried to keep my voice measured. "You could at least let me sit down, right?" I gestured toward the sofa. "May I?"
He didn’t object.
Relief washed over me as I turned toward the sofa. Finally, something that felt remotely normal.
Before I could take two steps, an arm locked around my waist. The world spun as Sebastian pulled me backward.
When my vision cleared, I was lying on my back on his bed, Sebastian hovering above me, his body trapping me beneath him.
His devastatingly handsome face was only inches away. Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my lips. Close enough to see tiny flecks of gold shifting in his green eyes.
Wait.
Gold?
"What are you doing?" My voice came out breathless, my face burning. My heart pounded against my ribs.
"I told you. My family might check on us." His voice was rough.
"We could just sit together if they came!" I snapped, irritation cutting through my confusion. "What exactly are you doing? You just told me you don’t want women, and now you’re..." I pushed against his chest, but he didn’t move. "Sebastian, aren’t you contradicting yourself?"
"Look there."
His whisper brushed against my ear, sending a shiver through me.
He tilted his head slightly to the right.
I followed his gaze, and my stomach sank.
The bedroom door, which had been closed moments ago, was now slightly open. Through the narrow gap, I saw a pair of eyes watching us.
Oh God.
"This is the inspection?" My voice dropped to a whisper. Heat rushed to my face. "They’re actually watching us?"
It wasn’t a simple check. They were spying on us, making sure we looked like a real couple.
I felt as though I had been caught doing something I shouldn’t, even though this entire situation had been Sebastian’s idea. Embarrassment swept over me, and I wanted nothing more than to vanish.
Instead, Sebastian leaned closer.
Before I could react, his lips touched mine.
The kiss was gentle. Almost painfully gentle. His mouth moved against mine with a confidence I hadn’t expected, teasing and coaxing instead of the cold indifference I had prepared myself for.
My so-called husband had no feelings for me.
He was only doing this for appearances.
My eyes widened. The calm control I had always relied on disappeared in seconds.
If I were honest, I had always wanted to be loved. To have a marriage that felt real, not like some arrangement built on obligation.
Sebastian knew exactly what he was doing. He shifted his angle, deepening the kiss, and I felt a strange warmth slowly spread through me.
My eyes grew heavy. Without realizing it, I started responding to him.
Then I noticed something.
His eyes.
Through my half closed lids, I caught the strangest sight.
Sebastian’s usually green eyes had turned gold, glowing as if a flame burned beneath the surface.
And with his body pressed so close to mine, I could feel the change in him.
My thoughts raced even as I continued to respond to his kiss.
What was happening to him?
Was this his wolf?
Was his wolf drawn to me even though Sebastian himself wanted nothing to do with me?
I kissed him back more deliberately, trying to understand what was happening. Sebastian made a low sound in his throat, almost like a warning, and his arms tightened around me. The kiss became more intense, more desperate, as if he was fighting against something he couldn’t control.
I was overwhelmed by the moment, by the taste of him, by the warmth of his body, by the way his hands moved against me.
Suddenly, Sebastian pushed me away.
I gasped as my back hit the mattress. He had already moved several feet away, breathing heavily, his expression dark and unreadable.
But his eyes.
They were green again.
Completely green.
There was no trace of the gold glow.
"The show’s over," he said coldly. His voice was sharp, almost cruel. "You can leave now."
I pressed trembling fingers to my lips, trying to steady my breathing. My entire body still carried the aftermath of the moment, and I hated that I couldn’t pretend it hadn’t affected me.
"Have you... been doing this all along? With the others?"
"You’re the first woman I chose myself." Sebastian’s voice turned icy. "Don’t make me repeat myself a third time."
I let out a bitter laugh. "Well then. I’m honored."
"You volunteered for this," he replied, his voice edged with mockery, throwing my own words back at me.
I had nothing to say.
The silence between us stretched.
Finally, I forced myself to stand and walked toward my closet-room. Halfway there, I stopped and glanced back.
"Well... Looks like I touched your bed after all."
"Doesn’t matter." Sebastian dismissed it immediately. "I’ll have it replaced tomorrow."
Replaced.
Like something about me had ruined it.
Something tightened painfully in my chest, though I refused to think too deeply about why.
"You can replace the bed," I said, keeping my voice light, almost playful. "But what about your lips? I touched those too. More than once."
Sebastian’s expression darkened.
"Should I throw you away too?"
"If you could manage that, it would be wonderful." I forced a smile.
Then I hurried into my tiny room before he could respond, closing the door firmly behind me.