Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181: 0181

Lorelei POV

"I’ll be going to my room now," I murmured quietly as Kaelen and I climbed the grand staircase inside the estate.

More than anything, I desperately wanted to wash off the dirt from the road and change into something clean and comfortable.

I took a step toward the west wing, but Kaelen’s arm immediately caught around my waist, gently pulling me back to his side.

"You’re heading in the wrong direction," he said smoothly.

I blinked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean? My room is right over there..." I pointed toward the far corridor, where the modest room I had been staying in for months was located.

Kaelen scoffed, an amused yet possessive glint flashing in his amber eyes. "For fuck’s sake, Lorelei, you’re my woman now. How could I possibly let you stay in that shabby little room?"

"Wow," I muttered under my breath, fighting the urge to roll my eyes as I remembered that he was the one who had put me in that shabby little room in the first place.

"Besides..." He leaned closer, gently brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear before letting his thumb trail along my jaw, sending a subtle shiver down my neck. "It’s far too far from my chambers. What if I miss you in the middle of the night? What am I supposed to do?"

"You walk," I replied sarcastically, unable to stop the small twitch at the corner of my lips.

The corner of his mouth curled into a faint, devilish smirk. "Too much time wasted. From now on, your room will be right beside mine, so I can easily sneak in and hold you whenever I want."

"Creepy," I whispered, but the wide smile spreading across my face completely betrayed me.

Kaelen chuckled as he took my hand and led me down the grand East Wing toward his private quarters. However, just a short distance from the heavy doors of his chambers, he suddenly stopped in front of a grand double door I had never seen opened before.

He pushed the doors open and guided me inside, leaving me staring around the room in stunned silence.

The space was massive, almost rivaling the size of Kaelen’s own suite. Sunlight streamed through the tall, arched floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling across the room and highlighting the elegant furnishings that had already been placed inside.

A massive king-sized bed sat at the center, its plush headboard flanked by a sleek sofa set and an elegant vanity.

Through an adjoining archway, I could see a spa-like bathroom with a grand clawfoot bathtub, while beyond that was a huge, completely empty walk-in closet that looked almost identical to Kaelen’s.

"You’ll be staying here from now on," Kaelen said from behind me, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders as he watched my reaction. "We’ll have the entire room redecorated and renovated to your exact taste. What do you think?"

I turned around to face him, my eyes practically glowing with excitement. "I love it!"

A wide smile spread across my lips as I looked around again. "I love it so much."

A quiet heat pooled deep in my stomach, turning my legs to water and leaving me utterly lightheaded. Small, breathless moans escaped my throat between the relentless kisses, each one deeper and more demanding than the last.

Feverish and desperate for more, my hands drifted downward almost without thought, tracing the hard planes of his stomach until my fingers found the heavy metal buckle of his belt.

Just as I fumbled with it, trying to unfasten the buckle, Kaelen’s hand closed firmly around my wrist, stopping me instantly. He pulled his mouth away from mine, breathing heavily as he leaned back, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Not now," he rasped, his dark amber eyes burning with a raw, undeniable lust that completely contradicted his words.

I blinked up at him, dazed and thoroughly confused. "What?"

His eyes flicked down to my lips before locking back onto mine, his chest heaving as he fought for control. "The healer said you need to rest. No physical exertion. You need a break from sex until you’re fully recovered."

"Fuck the healer!" I scoffed in frustration. "What does he know? I’m completely fine!"

Ignoring his grip, I wiggled my hand free and reached for his belt again, tugging at the leather as I arched my hips slightly toward him.

"I want you, Kaelen. I need you now," I murmured, my voice dropping into a breathless, desperate whisper as I held his darkening gaze. "Don’t tell me you are really going to deny me this."