Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 33: Push and Pull...

Chapter 33: Push and Pull...

Evelina leaned against the cold marble pillar outside the dining hall, gasping for breath. The chill of the stone did little to calm her as humiliation and betrayal swirled inside her.

Her hands shook at her sides, clenching and unclenching as she replayed the breakfast scene—Selene’s taunts, the King’s disdain, and the toast to a marriage that felt like a dagger to her heart for some unknown reason.

She barely registered the sound of footsteps until Damian’s voice broke through the haze. "Eve."

She stiffened but didn’t look at him as he approached.

His voice was softer than it had been all morning, a small change that could have made her feel better in some situations. But now, it only irritated her more.

"Are you okay?" he asked, stopping a few feet away, his silver eyes searching hers.

Evelina snapped her head to the side, glaring hard at him. "Okay? Do I look okay to you?" Her voice rose slightly, trembling with anger. "Tell me, Damian, what was the purpose of this so-called breakfast? To insult me? To humiliate me?"

"It’s not like that," Damian began, his brows furrowing.

"Then how is it?" Evelina shot back. "Because from where I’m standing, it looks a lot like you threw me into a lion’s den just to watch me get torn apart."

Damian flinched at her words, showing a rare crack in his stoic demeanor. "That wasn’t my intention," he said firmly. "You’re my mate. I thought—"

"You thought what?" Evelina interrupted. "That I’d just smile and take it? That I’d sit there quietly while your father undermines me, and Selene—" Her voice broke, but she quickly recovered. "Selene parades herself like she’s already your queen?"

Damian’s jaw tightened, his silver eyes darkening. "You don’t understand," his voice dropped to a strained whisper. "This is how it has to be—for now."

Evelina laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "Oh, I understand perfectly. I’m nothing more than an inconvenience to you, a plaything perhaps. Just a pawn in whatever twisted game your family is playing."

"Stop," Damian growled, stepping closer. His towering presence was imposing, but Evelina refused to back down. "You’re not an inconvenience," he said with frustration in his voice. "You’re—"

"What?" Evelina challenged, cutting him off again. "What am I, Damian? Because right now, I feel like nothing. Less than nothing."

Damian opened his mouth to respond, but no words came.

His fists clenched at his sides, and it was clear he was struggling inside, as his gaze flickered.

Evelina shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "You don’t even know, do you?" she said softly, her voice trembling. "You have no idea what to do with me."

"I..." Damian started but paused, taking a deep breath.

Evelina also took a steadying breath, willing her emotions to settle. The raw frustration coursing through her veins was overwhelming, but the hurt in Damian’s voice gave her pause.

She looked up into his silver eyes, noticing the conflict in them, and how tense his broad shoulders were.

Relia took that moment to break through her thoughts. "For a royal Alpha, he’s sure a mess. Can’t even string two coherent sentences together about his feelings."

"Relia, not now," Evelina muttered internally, rubbing her temple.

Relia huffed but fell silent, leaving Evelina to her feelings. Damian appeared to be caught in his own thoughts, his eyes darting around as if he was struggling internally.

Storm’s voice rumbled low in Damian’s mind. "You’re doing a piss-poor job of handling this, mate."

"I don’t need your input right now, Storm," Damian growled inwardly, earning a mocking chuckle.

"You need all the help you can get. Fix it before she decides you’re not worth the trouble."

Damian sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Evelina," he started softly, his silver eyes finally meeting hers.

Evelina tensed, waiting for him to continue.

"I’m sorry," he finally said. "For everything back there—for my father, for Selene, for all of it. You deserve better than the way they treated you. It’s my fault."

Evelina was taken aback by his apology. Damian didn’t seem the type to admit fault, even when he was wrong.

She studied him, noticing the regret and uncertainty in his eyes.

"I don’t want you to feel like an inconvenience or a pawn," he added. "You’re not."

Evelina hesitated, her defenses faltering. "It’s not just that, Damian. It’s you. You keep pushing me away, and then pulling me back in. It’s all so confusing and I don’t know where I stand with you."

Damian took a step forward, closing the gap between them.

His eyes flickered with a fire Evelina had never seen, and he took a deep breath.

"I can’t apologize enough for everything you’ve been through," his voice strained with emotion. "And I can’t promise that it will get easier from here. But if you give me a chance, I will show you that I’m not the monster you think I am."

Eve couldn’t ignore the opportunity for a small, quick tease. "So you admit being a monster? At least, you’re the cute type of monster."

Damian smirked and his gaze softened as a wave of amusement washed over him. "And you admit that I’m cute?"

"You wish." Evelina laughed, shaking her head.

Damian moved even closer, his expression serious once more. "Why don’t we forget about all of this and focus on what we can control? Like finding out who tried to kill me." His lips quirked into a faint smile, though his expression was still serious. "You can prove you’re not a killer."

Evelina huffed, shaking her head. "I have nothing to prove, Damian," she said firmly. "I’m only doing this..."

"...so I can return to my world and time."

"... to bring the person responsible to justice—and to make sure it doesn’t happen again."

He studied her for a long moment, his respect for her resolve evident in his gaze. "Fair enough," he said. "Then let’s start there."

He extended his hand, gesturing to the hallway ahead. "Go to the room, wash your face, get some air. I’ll join you shortly."

Evelina hesitated but ultimately nodded. She turned and walked down the corridor, leaving Damian behind.

************

"I won’t let her ruin everything."

Luther smirked faintly, leaning back in his chair. "Then what do you intend to do?"

"She’ll find out soon enough," Selene said with a cold, calculating smile as she rose from her chair.

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