(Author's note: This scene is with the real Chase Dubois)
(Tilly Ann POV)
Next time I saw him was a few days later. In the dinning hall.
The dining hall was too loud, too bright, and smelled overwhelmingly of roasted meat and bread.
I was stuck in between my brother's elbow and the brooding mass that was my fiancé, Chase Dubois.
He hadn't spoken a word all evening. Just pushed food around on his plate like it had offended him.
Across the table, Talia Goodworm—a young girl from one of the noble families —was practically laying her head on her hand to get a better look at Chase.
I saw it. Everyone saw it. He didn't notice.
I watched her.
She was everything I was supposed to be: soft, quiet, obsessed with lace patterns and the proper way to pour fucking tea.
And Chase, the miserable bastard, just sat there in his wheelchair. Handsome and silent and ignoring me.
I leaned forward and dropped my voice into my father's conversation about border tariffs with the Lycan King.
I made one sharp, accurate point about grain supply lines and it made the men paused to listen to me.
Lady Alphonse, Talia's mother, gave a tinkling little laugh over my speech.
"Oh, Princess, let the men puzzle over such dreary things. It's so unfeminine. It will put your future husband right off his meal."
The table went quiet.
My father's eyes flashed in anger, he didn't raise me to be censored in my own dinner table. My mother opened her mouth to rebuke lady Alphonse.
But Chase spoke first.
His voice was calm and clear, and it cut through everything like a knife. He didn't even look up from his plate.
"I know your little mind couldn't possibly wrap around topics like politics," he said, his tone conversational. "But Matilda's beautiful mind would put every man at this table to shame. Including mine. Her depth of understanding amazes me."
He finally lifted his eyes, not to Lady Alphonse, but to me. An angry spark was in them. "So if she wants to talk politics, then she's going to fucking talk about politics and you will shut up and listen or you are free to go."
You could have heard a pin drop. Lady Alphonse's smile froze, then melted into a nervous sip of wine.
I stared at him blatantly.
"What?" He asked pushing more food around in frustration. "I don't like it when you are disrespected, Matilda"
"Fuck you" I whispered, glaring at him.
Didn't know how much I wanted to say that to him until I said it. Didn't know how much I was hurting until he looked at me and I suddenly felt the need to reach out and shake him for hurting me.
I looked around the stunned faces of everyone present. My father, his father and his mother but especially my mother. It looked like she wanted to reach out and shake me.
"Respectfully, of course" I added.
The whole dining hall was quiet. Even the servants couldn't help but stare at me blatantly like I had grown two heads.
"Matilda—" Mother started to say, but I interrupted her.
"I said respectfully. You heard me say respectfully." I looked at my father to back me up, and he did.
"She did say respectfully—"
It was short-lived. A look from Aurora Winchester made my dragon king father suddenly interested in the best invention of mankind—potatoes.
"Apologize," Mother demanded.
"He's an arse" I told her before turning sharply to Chase "You are an arse!"
Mother leaned in, her voice clear and firm. It left no room for argument. "Apologize!"
"She really doesn't need to—"
"Shut up, Chase!" Mother and I yelled at him simultaneously.
Father shook his head at Chase and the Alpha, as if to say it was best not to involve themselves in this particular conversation.
After a lot of staring down from my mother, I was forced to render an apology.
"Sorry, you are an arse" I murmured, glaring at him.
"Matilda?" My mother was about ready to throttle me, but Father intervened.
"That's enough now," he said, hiding a smile.
I think he liked that Chase Dubois came to my defense.
The moment passed, but the anger and frustration in my chest didn't. I was tired of his games. I was tired of craving him.
I was tired of him sitting down there looking like he would rather be anywhere else but with me. When all I wanted to do was be everywhere he was.
It wasn't fair! IT WASN'T FAIR.
I took a page from my father's book and focused on food.
"Kess, pass the bread," I said, staring straight ahead.
The bread basket was right in front of Chase. He picked up a roll and held it out to me.
I ignored his hand. I stood up, walked around the table, and took a roll directly from the basket myself.
All conversation died. Every eye was on us.
I was causing a scene. My mother eyes was practically screaming Why are you causing a scene?!
Truthfully, I had no idea why I was causing a scene.
Chase slowly lowered the bread he was still holding. A small, rueful smile touched his lips.
"I'm afraid," he announced to the entire stunned table, "I am still in the doghouse with Matilda. And I shouldn't have touched the bread with my bare hand. It's unsanitary."
Talia giggled like a competitive raccoon, seizing the opportunity. "Oh, Prince Chase, don't be silly! I would love some bread, if you're offering…"
"Take the bread from my fiancé," I said, low and clear. "I dare you, Talia Goodworm."
"Tilly!" my mother gasped. Talia's mother looked horrified. But Mulan Dubois, Chase's mother, just watched with a faint, pleased glint in her eye.
Kessington, the traitor, grabbed a roll and offered it to Talia instead. "Here, ignore the stubborn billy goat I call my sister."
I reached over and pinched his side hard. He yelped and shoved me away.
When I sat down again, Chase was looking at me.
"Can we talk?"
I picked up the bread on my plate.
"I can't hear you. I'm eating bread."
I pushed my heavy chair back, scraping it loudly on the floor, moving it closer to Kess and farther from Chase.
But in one smooth, shockingly strong motion, Chase's hand shot out. He grabbed the leg of my chair and pulled. The chair—with me in it—slid effortlessly across the floor, stopping so close to him our shoulders touched.
The act was so sudden, so possessive, and so romantic that my breath caught. It was the first time, wheelchair Chase had done anything remotely breathtaking like that.
It was almost like the man who screwed decades old traditional and kissed me in public was back. Finally.
I missed that Chase.
The whole world narrowed to the feel of his arm beside mine. To his face. His eyes. His lips. His everything.
He turned to me.
Gently, ignoring everyone, he reached up and brushed a stray piece of hair that had fallen from my braid. His fingers were careful as he tucked it behind my ear.
His touch was warm and sent a shiver down my spine. For a second, there was no one else in the room.
"I know you're angry at me but like I told you earlier. I plan to fight for you," he whispered, his voice for my ears only. His tired eyes were full of sincerity "I plan to make it difficult for you to hate me"
"I'm not angry. I just have questions you won't answer. Questions like why are you sometimes in a wheelchair and tired, while other times you are standing and vibrant." I exhaled. Realizing I was tired.
"Matilda —"
"I love you." He looked away. I kept my eyes on him "I don't even care. I don't even want to choose. I love all of you. I want all of you."
I was leaning in, so no one else would hear us, it was getting too difficult to keep it contained.
"You don't feel the same, do you?. And I don't understand it. Because if you don't feel the same then why... please tell me, why Will you kiss me like that —in front of everyone I know. Why would you concede victory for me? You are confusing me. You are cruel. Wicked"
I exhaled heavily again, fighting tears.
"Because I didn't before but now, I do" He looked at me. "I want things from you, now."
I gestured at my parents who were practically feeding each food from their plates.
"I want what they have" I leaned closer to him.
"I want to be a hundred years old and silly with you. I want to giggle because you still think we can do it on a table at that age. Your poor heart will disagree, of course" I smiled, nostalgically. "I want you all, the good man in the wheelchair and the whorish rake that practically takes my breath away"
He held my gaze, the struggle plain on his face. "You have no idea what you are asking me to do, Matilda. No idea. It will wreck me"
I squeezed his hand. "Do it anyway"
I just stared at him. Then I leaned in closer. "Come today after dinner, let us be together. I will leave the door open"
He jerked his hand away from me.
"Can't" He said. "You just have to forget finger Chase. And focus on me. I have to go" he said. "Please excuse me "
"Chase" His father called sternly.
He looked at his father. "I don't know how long I can do this. I can't, father"