Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Lillian’s POV

Grayson continued acting cold and distant, even hours later. I hid my fresh mark behind a scarf, but it was starting to ache. All of me was. I craved attention and comfort from Grayson, even knowing that he despised me.

I didn’t really know how mates were supposed to act with each other. I’d never had a mate before, and I hadn’t seen many healthy mated couples. But my instincts were telling me that this separation was very wrong.

Yet, I couldn’t bring it up with him, and I certainly couldn’t instigate any touch myself. Grayson had only given me the mating bite to save my life. I’d be the worst kind of person to expect more than what he’d already done for

I had to deal with this… dejection, this misery, all on my own. I couldn’t burden him with it.

Occasionally, I’d wonder, if I was feeling this craving for touch and reassurance, then surely Grayson must also feel it. Yet, whenever I glanced at him, often in my darker moments, his expression remained stoic and unfeeling

The man clearly didn’t truly care for me at all. How could I have expected him to? I’d only ever been a burden and a means to an end. A tool to help him hide his secrets and his motives.

I tried to ignore it, tried to go about my day anyway, pretending like a big piece of my heart didn’t have a hole in it. I had to accept this fate of being unloved. Grayson had saved my life and that had to be enough.

With my mark covered, a scarf tight enough around my neck for me to constantly be reassured by its presence, I hurried toward the tea event I was supposed to be attending with Josephine. I was already late, driven to distraction by my low feelings.

As I was, I didn’t want to be around anyone, but Josephine was something like a friend. I couldn’t just ignore her. Maybe spending time with her would help me feel better.

The moment I stepped into the parlor, and Josephine saw me, she stood up. She rushed toward me, excusing herself to the other guests, hooked her arm with me and dragged me out into the hallway.

“Don’t say a word until we get to my room,” she said.

“But -”

“Then I want to hear everything,” she added.

I closed my mouth, following Josephine’s lead as she rushed me to her rooms. There, she asked the servant to send for some fresh tea, and gestured for me to sit at the small table in the sitting area in her rooms.

I sat on a single chair, and fought very hard not to slouch.

“Now,” Josie said, flopping into the chair across from mine. “Tell me exactly why you look like death walking.”

That simple, silly request made by a friendly face, by someone who cared, as all it took for my heart to break and all my defenses to come crashing down. Tears that I had held back since before the ball filled up my eyes and flooded over. I buried my face in my hands, ashamed.

“Oh, Gods, Lily. I didn’t think it’d be something to make you cry! I thought maybe you were just tired or something.” She leaned across the table, both hands reaching out to me. Her fingertips brushed my elbows.

I was so hurt, feeling betrayed by Grayson’s distance, even though I had no right to feel that way. He had risked so much to save my life. Why wasn’t that enough? Why did I crave more? His touch? His kiss? His everything?

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Chapter 66

+15 Bonus

To know I was alone with these feelings were somehow even worse. Grayson didn’t feel the same way that I did. None of this bothered him at all.

He probably hated every moment when he pleasured me that night. He probably went into the bathroom and threw up after. Likely, he thought me a gross, wanton whore.

The tears came harder.

If only I could tell Josie the truth, but I couldn’t without revealing that Grayson was awake and that he marked me I would never betray that secret.

So instead, I just cried.

“Is this about Grayson?” Josie asked.

I sucked in a too-sharp breath.

“I thought so,” she said. “I know how easy it is to fall into despair, but we can’t give up hope, Lily. Grayson will wake up soon, he has to. And he’ll set everything straight. He always knows just what to do.”

The words didn’t help. Instead, they felt like tiny knives jabbing straight into my heart.

“I… I want to sleep somewhere else,” I said. “Can you help me? Maybe I can move into the servants’

quarters.”

“Absolutely not,” Josie said. “You are a princess, and will not sleep in a servant’s room. Your place is at my brother’s side. I know it’s difficult, seeing him in such a state, but it is your duty, Lily. He is your duty. His side is right where you belong.”

I wished I could argue, but this bit of advice was sound, even if Josie didn’t understand the context.

Even if it hurt to be near him, to be ignored, being with Grayson was my duty. After all that he had done for me, it was the least I could do for him.

He saved my life. In return, I could help conceal his secret.

I stayed with Josie for a long time, well into the evening. But eventually, I had to return to Grayson’s room. Even if it hurt, I had to see to my duty.

Josie hugged me at the door.

“Thank you,” I told her. Spending time with her, chatting and sipping tea, helped heal something inside of me. It at least helped me feel normal, if only for a couple hours.

“Hang in there,” she said, ever-encouraging. “It’s going to get better. I just know it.”

“I hope you are right.”

“I am,” she said, all confidence. That kind of confidence was infectious and I found myself smiling at her before I even knew that I was.

Leaving her side, I started the trek back to Grayson.

Halfway there, a pair of soldiers appeared in the hallway coming toward me. I stepped to the side to give them room, but, to my surprise, they stopped right in front of me.

I glanced around, but I was the only one there.

“We’ve been looking for you,” one of the guards said. “You’ve hidden yourself all day.”

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Chapter 66

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“I wasn’t hidden,” I said. “I was just with Princess Josephine and -”

“You can explain yourself to them.”

“Them?”

“Come with us, Luna Princess,” the other guard said. His voice flat, it was clear this wasn’t a request.

“Where to?” I asked.

“The throne room,” said the other. “The Queen will see you.

I swallowed hard. “What is this regarding?”

“Don’t make this difficult,” the first guard said and roughly grabbed my arm.

“I don’t understand!” I said. I wasn’t resisting, but I was so confused. “Can’t you tell me what this is about?”

“The Queen will explain all,” the guard said and shoved me forward. “You will not keep her or the Council of Elders waiting.”

The Council of Elders? But they usually only gathered when punishments needed to be imposed on pack members.

My heart raced, and I knew I was in trouble, even if I didn’t fully understand why.

Aurora Starling Author

‘I’ve been working really hard lately and posting lots of updates. I hope my readers will spoil me with lots of love~

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