Chapter 10

Bella had a nightmare. She was running, terrified, and petrified. In her dream, she found herself in the very hall where her wedding had taken place. To her horror, she witnessed the people in her wedding hall transforming into monstrous creatures, slowly advancing toward her while muttering sinisterly. Overwhelmed with fear, she let out a piercing scream and tried to escape, only to find herself colliding with her husband, who had also transformed into a monster. As she stumbled backward, she realized she was surrounded by these terrifying creatures. Their voices echoed through the strange land, ominously declaring, "In this realm, you will meet your demise!"

   "No! No!" She muttered in her sleep. "Bella! Isabella!" She heard a voice call her. Startled, she abruptly woke up and found Alex hovering over her. "Are you okay?" he asked, gently brushing her hair off her face. Alex was stunned by his actions. Is he doing this? Is he touching her hair? Bella gasped and struggled to breathe, feeling both scared and confused as she regained her composure. Alex quickly withdrew his hand from her face. By the way, her next action shocked him. She threw herself into his embrace and burst into tears. Alex froze for a moment, unsure of how to react "I had a nightmare," Bella managed to say amidst her tears as she hugged him tightly. She felt foolish the man she had seen as a monster in her dream was now the one she sought comfort from in his embrace. Alex frowned and wrapped his arms around her, understanding that she needed his support. He could sense her fear, especially since it was her first time being with him. However, as she fell asleep in his arms, her breathing grew calm and steady. He found himself mesmerized by her presence, unable to tear his eyes away. A strong desire crept up within him, urging him to run his fingers through her hair and study every delicate feature of her face, including her small lips. However, he restrained himself, feeling a mixture of frustration and confusion. He couldn't understand why this human was evoking such powerful emotions within him. Taking a deep breath, he let out a frustrated groan, not appreciating the vulnerability he was experiencing. This was not supposed to happen. He was not supposed to feel this way for a human. Realizing the need to distance himself from these overwhelming emotions, he forcibly shook his head, as if trying to rid his mind of these troublesome thoughts. To distract himself, he picks up his book and starts reading 

   As the night wore on, and the rhythmic sound of her calm breathing filled the air, he carefully removed her delicate hand that was draped around his waist. With a gentle touch, He gently placed her on the opposite side of the bed, ensuring there was enough space for both of them to be comfortable. He wondered what could be the reason behind her actions that were causing him to feel this way. Determined to understand, he decided that tomorrow morning he would delve into her thoughts and carefully examine every detail, in hopes of finding answers.

******

When Bella woke up, she couldn't find Alex by her side. Remembering what happened last night, she felt embarrassed, and her mind was brought back to the fact that it was their wedding night. Bella was surprised that she was still untouched and Alex hadn't made any advances. So, what was Elise insinuating? Bella was still lost in these thoughts when her gaze caught Alex in front of the dressing screen, which made her flinch slightly in fear "Did you sleep well?" Alex asked, slipping into his blue and golden-colored robe "I did, your highness. And did you have a restful night as well?" she inquired, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She worried that her dreams might have inadvertently disturbed him too, as she was accustomed to seeking comfort from her mother whenever nightmares struck "I had a peaceful night as well." He replied and Bella let out a sigh of relief, grateful that her dreams did not disturb him, Bella stood up as she noticed Alex struggling to tie the knot of his robe. "Do you... mind? I'm pretty good at this," she offered, stepping in front of him. She couldn't help but wonder if she was already getting used to this life of arranged marriage. As she looked at his face, she anticipated him rejecting her assistance. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't," Bella apologized, her voice trailing off. However, to her surprise, Alex extended his arm, indicating that she could indeed tie the knot for him. Bella blushed slightly as she stared at his intimidating, cold gaze. She reached out for the knot and helped him tie it, all the while Alex was staring down at her, trying to break through her mind and read her thoughts, but he saw nothing. It was as if something was blocking her mind from being read. He wondered what had happened, as he had always been able to read the minds of many humans before. So why was her mind so difficult to read, he wondered. As Bella continued tying the knot, Alex's mind shifted from the thought of being unable to read her mind to focusing on her lips. The way she licked her lips repeatedly made him feel completely captivated. This time, he couldn't help but imagine kissing her. He closed his eyes, perplexed by these sudden thoughts. He wondered what was wrong with him and why he was having these intrusive thoughts. "This is not right," he whispered to himself, trying to regain control of his wandering mind. Bella finally finished tying the knot and flashed a smile at her well-done job. Her smile, too, was enchanting and had a certain allure to it. Despite the overwhelming allure, Alex managed to push the intrusive thoughts aside. "Listen," Alex said, and Bella looked up sharply at him. "Every kingdom has its own set of traditions. Here, the servants do not step out during the day; they do so at night. Additionally, you are not allowed to leave your room at night," he added. Bella furrowed her brows, intrigued. "Why?" she asked, but Alex cut her off. "That's how it is done here, and I believe you should respect and follow the tradition," he responded firmly. Bella nodded meekly, silently questioning the rationale behind this seemingly strange rule. "What's with that stupid rule?" she thought to herself, unable to comprehend its purpose "Okay... Your Highness," she said, barely above a whisper. "Put on some clothes and follow me to the dining room for breakfast," Alex said. She raised her eyebrow in confusion "With you?" she asked. "Yes," Alex replied shortly "Okay... Your Highness," Bella responded, lowering her head and clasping her fingers together. What's wrong with her she wondered. Moments ago, she had been confident and composed in front of him. Now, nervousness seemed to overtake her once again.