The Crown's Entrapment

At Keen Manor, Silver Crescent Pack Territory

With the dinner meeting having gone smoother than anticipated, Gilas decided to walk Clara to his own bedchamber in the Keen Manor.

"Goodnight, Clara. I'll be sleeping in the chamber next to you. So if you ever need anything, just tell me…" Gilas reminded her with a faint smile.

Seeing her being silent, he guessed that she was probably still a bit out of it from her previous fight. Turning around, he was about to leave Clara to her rest when she suddenly grabbed onto his wrist.

"I think it'll be best you slept in here with me," Clara quietly mumbled. "I don't want to give Nasser even the slightest doubt in our relationship, and being here with me would facilitate that."

Gilas blinked. He didn't expect her to say something like that, especially since him being alone with her on the same bed would definitely not help with his own instincts now flaring up. He knew he wouldn't be able to help himself, and he had to try and tell her the same.

[Really now? You won't take this as an opportunity for you?] Ham quickly protested. [She's practically telling you to take her.]

[This isn't a part of our deal, Ham,] Gilas sighed. [I won't go back on my word to her, especially now when she looks the most vulnerable.]

Despite having put up a brave front against his father, it was clear that Clara was running on fumes just from the way she stood. She was subtly swaying on her feet, her hands hesitantly wanting to reach for the nearest wall and support herself only for them to stay still. Her eyes were dull in a way that screamed exhaustion, and Gilas knew that he shouldn't stay with her for now.

[That's all the more reason for you not to leave her,] Ham insisted. [She needs you, which means you can lay it on her and really get to know her.]

Ignoring his wolf's protests, Gilas opened his mouth to speak. "Clara, I don't think-"

Unfortunately for him, Clara didn't seem to want to take no for an answer as she quickly pulled him along with her inside the bedchamber. It was his own bedchamber, but it really felt like he was intruding as she dragged him all the way to his own bed.

"Just… Don't question me," Clara weakly mumbled as she sat down on the bed with a plop. "This is your bedchamber anyway. Why sleep in another room?"

[She's got you there,] Ham chuckled.

"It's only right," Gilas reasoned, even if his own arguments were sounding more hollow by the second. "I can't guarantee that I'll be able to keep myself in control if you're this close to me."

"Is that it, then?" Clara challenged, her quiet tone still taking on her usual edge as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You can't handle your own impulses?"

Gilas didn't know how to respond. On one hand, he really didn't want to risk antagonizing Clara by suddenly making moves on her before their time. It wasn't proper, and that was also on top of him disrespecting her decisions. Then again, she had already accepted him, right? Why should he not try and stake his claim?

[Now you're seeing it,] his wolf scoffed.

"I can," Gilas defended himself, quickly clamping down on his instincts as he forced himself to relax. "If you insist, then I'll sleep here with you."

"Good. I wouldn't have it any other way," Clara sighed.

Without another word, Gilas watched as she let her body fall unceremoniously onto the bed. Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, her body fell to exhaustion, her eyes already half-closed even as she stared at him.

"You should sleep," Gilas insisted. "You look like you're about to fall over."

"I already did," she replied with a hint of humor. "I'll get there eventually."

Nodding, Gilas decided that he would wait for her to fall asleep before laying himself down beside her. It simply felt right and watching her face being this serene calmed his heart in ways that he hadn't thought possible.

[You should-]

[Not one word, Ham,] Gilas quickly cut his wolf off. [We'll only be sleeping and that's it.]

With his resolve strengthened, he let the minutes tick by just sitting by her bedside, his eyes warmly taking in her unmoving form as she nodded off. Eventually, however…

"She's shivering…"

His own voice sounded like that cold as he worriedly watched over Clara. It wasn't natural for her to shiver this hard, but it was clear that she would wake up the longer he let this happen.

Wordlessly, Gilas set to work. Standing up, he made a beeline for his drawers and pulled out a few sheets. He then gently wrapped them over her, hoping that it would work.

[She's still shivering,] Ham noted.

Gilas rolled his eyes at his wolf's obvious observation. He could see it happening with his own eyes. He didn't need a reminder for him to do something.

[Do something then,] Ham scoffed. [She's like a babe shivering against the open air.]

[I know that,] Gilas inwardly growled. [Just let me think…]

This was obviously something brought about by her previous fight. Recalling the unnatural way that Clara crumpled against Pinra earlier, she had been afflicted and poisoned somehow but Jayra said she already removed it. This was an after-effect then?

He shook his head. It didn't matter now. What mattered was that he kept her warm.

Out of options, Gilas frowned as he sat on her bedside. With a deep breath, he prepared himself for what was to come as he lay on his back and scooted himself underneath the sheets with Clara. Using his own body heat, he cradled her shivering form from the back, her body quickly relaxing as he heard her take a breath of relief in her sleep.

'It's so hot…'

Gilas couldn't help but sweat as he found himself underneath a pile of sheets that he didn't need. Still, he endured for Clara's sake, for her to have a good night's sleep after everything she had been through.

It wasn't much, but he would like to think that he was well on his way to repaying her back for her kindness and acceptance.

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