NOTE: Not the full chapter is available here due to certain scenes. If you want to read the full version, go to my profile and then find the other The Heart of a King book. The title is 'The Heart of a King: Mature Scenes). It has the same cover as this one but you'll see MATURE SCENES written on the cover. THE FULL CHAPTER 24 IS THERE.

Same thing: Must be following me to read it. If you haven't followed me yet, click follow and then remove the book from your library and add again. That's how you'll be able to read it.

Not doing this for follows so feel free to unfollow me afterwards. I just don't like my book to be censored Mature and for people not to find it.



Chapter 24 - The First Night



The Vampyr Camp Location Unknown The Realm of Xathos



The sight of him standing in the doorway, outlined by the light of dim candles, stole her breath.

It took just one look and the fire in her blood burned hotter. Her mouth went dry and Ailara was glad that she was sitting for her knees suddenly went weak.

"Come here, Ailara," Dimitrios commanded.

His words lifted the fog in her brain. She immediately obeyed and stood up. It was instinctual. It was as if she was one of his subjects and she was there for his every whim. That horrible thought stopped her and she took no step further. She was not one of Dimitrios' wolves. She was not his loyal subject. They were supposed to be equals.

"Why?" she asked. To her own ears, her voice sounded throaty and high-pitched.

Dimitrios' eyes flashed. "It's tradition. A bride comes to her groom on the wedding night."

Ailara shook her head. "This is your tradition. Not mine."

Dimitrios had to know early on tha things wouldn't always be done his way. This is a merging of two kingdoms and not a conquest. Her people wouldn't bow to his ways and she would not either.

Dimitrios growled. "Come here. Now."

"Meet me halfway," she replied. Compromise. This was how she envisioned the two of them ruling. A true union.

Dimitrios lifted his head and looked straight into her eyes. He seemed surprised at her words and looked like he was trying to figure her out. And beneath that surprise, the fire in his eyes still burned.

Ailara took one hesitant step. And then another.

She was now halfway across the small expanse of the tent.

Your move, Dimitrios.

He stood still as a statue as he continued regarding her. With each second that passed, Ailara's confidence and resolved faded.

If he can't meet her halfway even in this, then their relationship was doomed before it even began.

Just when she was about to head back to the bed, Dimitrios moved. He was so fast it was as if he traced. One second, he was standing there. And then he ran and he was directly in front of her.

"I can't figure you out," he whispered against her ear. His hot breath sent shivers down her spine and she closed her eyes.

Her hands rose and settled against his hard chest.

"Then don't," she replied.

And then his lips was against hers. It was not a gentle or tentative kiss. This kiss was hard and lust and need was stamped all over it. It aimed to possess her and render her putty in his arms. It scorched her skin and made the fire in her veins spill over.

Her hands moved from his chest to clutching his shoulders. He was so tall that she had to stand on the tips of her toes so she won't break that delicious contact with his lips.

Suddenly, she felt weightless. Dimitrios lifted her in his arms as though she weighed nothing more than a feather. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him and tightened her grip on his shoulders for balance.

She felt cold air on her cheeks and a second later, her back was towards one of the tent columns and Dimitrios' body pressed her against it.



- CENSORED PART. READ NOTE ABOVE IF YOU WANT THE FULL VERSION -



He was sheer perfection. No man should have a body this perfect. It was as if he was sculpted by the gods themselves. Every inch of him was hard and chiseled. He had scars but it only added to the aura of danger that surrounded him. And Ailara was drowning in that aura of lust and danger.

Her eyes drifted lower to his cock and she bit her lip. He was big and it made her marvel at how he didn't split her in two the first time. And then that crazy thought vanished as she remembered how good he felt moving inside her.

"Gods, that look," Dimitrios snarled.

"What look?"

"Like you're dying and only I can bring you back," he answered. It did not make sense to her but she forgot that train of thought when his hands gripped her hips and lifted her bottom half.



- CENSORED PART. READ NOTE ABOVE IF YOU WANT THE FULL VERSION -



He could have her body. Now, he could also have her pride.

But never her heart.

If the heart of a king did not have room for any type of love except for love for his people, then the heart of a queen should be the same. It should have no room for love for a king who had no room in his heart for the same feelings for his queen.

☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾ - ☾



Ailara woke up before the sun fully set.

She looked at Dimitrios and noticed his even breathing. For a while, she just stared. He looked so peaceful in sleep. His features were relaxed and there was no hint of the scowl he always wore.

She resisted the urge of running her fingers across his cheeks. Instead, she stood up, wet a cloth and washed her face.

And then as silently as she could, she left their tent. It was time to start her day. She needed to talk to Gideon and the other leaders so that they could plan their move to Dimitrios' kingdom.

As usual, the camp was already busy. Wolfen warriors sparred with each other on one side. Some of them were sharpening their weapons. As for the Vampyrs, they were already packing some things in preparation for the move.

The Vampyrs bowed to her in greeting. The Wolfen looked at her with horror in their face. They looked at her like she just stepped on someone's grave. Ailara frowned and started to approach them.

She wanted to ask them what was wrong. They would answer her now. She wasn't their prisoner but their queen.

"You're up early," a voice called out from behind her.

Ailara turned and saw Helena. "Queen Helena," she acknowledged.

"Please. Just call me Helena."

Ailara nodded.

"For a new bride, you are away from your husband early."

"I have to talk to my people about all of us leaving this camp."

Helena inclined her head. "Hmm. I think that could have waited until midnight. There's really no rush to move as this camp is secure."

"We have to plan ahead."

Helena stopped walking beside her and Ailara was forced to stop as well for the sake of being polite.

"Is there anything amiss?" Helena asked.

"What do you mean?"

"With you and the Wolfen king." Helena shrugged.

"Oh. Nothing."

Helena looked at Ailara as if she saw through her words. Ailara looked away and focused at a nearby tree. It was rumoured that the Wiccan queen had the ability to read minds and foresee the future. She did not want the Wiccan queen prying into her thoughts.

"Nothing? If you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me, Ailara."

"Thank you for the kind offer, Helena. But I assure you, there's nothing wrong with me and Dimitrios as of now."

"As of now?" Helena echoed. Ailara flinched.

"You know what our past was like."

"Ahh. I do know," Helena replied. There was a knowing glint in her eyes. It was as if she knew much more than what everyone else did. It was as if she knew Ailara's deepest, darkest secret.

"So there's that. But we decided on a clean slate."

"Is there really such a thing as a clean slate? A transgression can be forgotten but memories can never be erased," Helena mused. Her tone was softer and it was as if she was talking more to herself than Ailara.

Ailara opened her lips to reply but Helena spoke again, "Back to my question... A bride does not leave her husband's bed on their first morning. So what are you doing up so early?"

Before Ailara could reply, she felt a tingle of awareness down her spine. She looked around and saw the crowd of Vampyrs parting.

And then she saw Dimitrios.

His hair was mussed as though he just woke up. His chest was bare and it was as if he did not even feel the chill of the night. He wore only loose, black pants. The scowl was back in place and it was darker and more defined this time. Ailara also realized that the crowd parted to make way for him because an aura of danger and darkness surrounded him.

He stopped before her and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I woke up and you were not in bed," Dimitrios stated this as if it was some heinous sin.

Ailara glanced at Helena and she shrugged in an i-told-you-so manner.

"I had duties—"

"You do. As my bride."

"As a queen!"

"It can wait. It is tradition that a bride and groom do not emerge for a week. In our case, I think we should at least have a day," he said in a rough tone.

Ailara didn't know what to reply. She did not wish to fight with Dimitrios today. At least not in front of their people. She wanted Dimitrios to meet her halfway but she would not mock his people's traditions in front of them.

Also, she just did not wish to anger her King today. It was the first day of their life together. And no, it was not about pride this time. It was thinking ahead. If they started their life fighting then that would set the tone for the rest of their life.

And the thought was to at least live with him in a civil manner. The long-term goal is for them to have a good companionship.

Before she could reply, Dimitrios swept her off her feet and over his shoulder.

"Dimitrios!" she gasped as her world tilted upside down.

He kept one arm wrapped around her to keep her secure. Ailara was sure that it was no coincidence at all that his palm rested on the curve of her ass.

Then, he walked back to their tent with her over his shoulder amidst catcalls and cheers from his warriors.



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NOTE: This chapter has mature scenes so if you want to read the mature scenes, go to my profile and then find the other The Heart of a King book. The title is 'The Heart of a King: Mature Scenes). It has the same cover as this one but you'll see MATURE SCENES written on the cover. THE FULL CHAPTER 24 IS THERE.

Same thing: Must be following me to read it. If you haven't followed me yet, click follow and then remove the book from your library and add again. That's how you'll be able to read it.

Not doing this for follows so feel free to unfollow me afterwards. I just don't like my book to be censored Mature and for people not to find it.