Chapter 46: Cupcake.
June 23 2026, 12:14pm.
For several minutes after Elara and her minions left, Nyx’ara still felt shaken. She did not speak immediately or move. She watched the door with her eyes thinned into fierce slits and her heart racing so fast you’d think it’d try to fall out of her chest.
Her hands were clenched into fists, and her body thrummed with a range of emotions—anger being the most prominent.
The quads watched her carefully, noticing the shift in her demeanor while also not forgetting to note the bad blood existing between herself and her supposed family. A moment passed between them in silence and then Azriel broke the silence by saying:
"I now see why you pushed Elara off the rooftop three years ago. Goddess, she’s one completely annoying brat."
Those words, so carelessly said, pulled Nyx’ara out of her trance. Her head snapped up quickly and when her eyes met his, she smiled— not genuinely but enough.
She contemplated telling him that she didn’t push Elara three years ago and that she has never pushed anyone before, but upon realizing that no one would believe her and that Berlin was still under Flynn’s control, she turned away and mumbled;
"Y-you asked t-to see me."
"Your brother..." Kieran drawled softly, completely ignoring her. "Your brother seems like a total coward. Isn’t he related to you by blood and only related to that mule, Elara, because her parent and yours got married?’’
As soon as Nyx’ara heard that, her head whipped up quickly. She nodded before she had the chance to completely think it through then added; "G-growing up, I-I w-was always quite un-unruly, so it w-was al-always easier fo-for him to click with Elara than with me."
Kieran didn’t fully believe that but deciding to let it go, he cast one last long glance at her and hissed; "That’s his loss then, he seems to have missed out on the one who is more fun for the one who is a complete blockhead."
Nyx’ara did not know whether to consider that as a compliment or not, so she kept her lips sealed and her eyes lowered as she muttered for the nth time in the past few minutes; "Y-you said y-you wanted to-to talk to-to me about som-something."
That finally made Draven lift his head from the document he was busy reading. He watched Nyx’ara for a couple of seconds, his eyes unreadable as he rumbled; "Yes."
She flinched and he noticed.
"It’s about this marriage between us and whatever it is that you want in return."
Nyx’ara’s head whipped up at that. She couldn’t hide the excitement on her face as soon as she heard those words. She also couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips as soon as she realized that this was her opportunity to ask for something. Slowly, the anger and discomfort on her shoulders subsided, leaving her sighing in relief.
"W-what is it ab-about the marriage?" She asked,
Her heart flipped in her chest when he rose to his feet, standing at his over 6ft height and towering above her 5 ’3 like she was a little doll.
He crossed his desk in one quick stride, crossed his large arms over his chest, and let his eyes linger on her body for a moment too long.
He drawled; "Sign the document first."
She blinked. That was a recipe for disaster. Her face paled. "W-what document?"
As soon as she asked, Kieran pushed a small folder in front of her. The paper was crisp and white. The heading read: ’Prenuptial agreement,’ and in that moment, she could not help but roll her eyes.
"A pr-prenup?"
"Yes, a prenup," Rhys hissed, his baritone rolling over her body like a tidal wave. She spun around quickly to meet his gaze but as soon as her eyes landed on those hardened golden orbs, her breath hitched.
"W-who signs a prenup af-after the wedding?"
No one answered her. They simply watched her and the more their eyes lingered on her, the colder she felt. Her body thrummed slightly. Goosebumps spread across her skin. Her mind screamed at her that this was bad news and with that thought in mind, she picked up the folder, glanced at the document, and froze when she saw the third and fourth lines on the second paragraph.
The marriage agreement between Party A and Party B will last for a duration of 365 days. No more, no less.
In this duration of time, Party B is expected to bear an heir— a male child preferably.
Party B will agree to have consensual sexual relations with Party A at any given time, as long as they ask for it (Every Friday is mandatory.)
Party B is to steer away from all political and pack activities and interference... and they are never to take up any responsibility or position.
There are no rules ensuring that they are to keep up appearances, except during family gatherings and at some events where it is essential.
Party B, as at childbirth, should be willing to give up custody or claim over the child...
Nyx’ara stopped there. She could no longer continue reading this... whatever it was.
Her face burned bright with humiliation and pain, and with trembling hands, she dropped the folder on the table, turned around, and began to walk out the door until she ran into a wall of muscle.
"Where do you think you’re running off to, little murderer?" Kieran sounded cold, his voice making her tremble like he had just crawled straight out of her hell.
Her eyes shot up to meet his, and the coldness she found in those piercing bluish-purple eyes sent her brain into overdrive.
She gulped to swallow the bile rising in her throat and when he wouldn’t stop glaring at her, she muttered; "T-to my room."
"Without signing first?" Azriel shot back, sounding right behind her.
She didn’t need to turn around to know he was standing so close. Hell, she could feel the heat of his skin burning through her thin clothes. She could feel his gaze— hot and hard pressing against the skin of her back, causing heat to rise up her chest and neck...
And she could feel him... the ghost of his muscles pressing against hers.
Large fingers grabbed at her hair but not with enough force that it would hurt. He fisted his fingers around the strands at the nape of her neck, pulling it backwards into a ponytail— a fist ponytail.
A small yelp escaped her lips when he tugged it backward until he was pulling her with it and then when her head fell back, he leaned over in a way that his eyes now met hers— upside down— and drawled;
"You cannot leave until you’ve signed that agreement, cupcake."
Cupcake.
Her stomach somersaulted.
"And if you don’t want to, then we can make your life easy by killing you right here and now... and call it a day."
The words were easy. They sounded straightforward. But nothing about those hard eyes felt straightforward. Nothing about the way his fingers danced across her skin felt easy.
Her skin erupted in goosebumps when he leaned forward to press his lips against her neck, at the same spot he and his brothers had marked at their wedding ceremony.
A burst of electricity rushed down her spine at the contact which then turned to pain when his grip on her hair tightened.
"So tell us, murderer... will you sign it and keep your life... plus whatever you wish to ask, or will you refuse and get ended right here and now?"
Rhys pulled out a shiny silvery cuff from the back of his pants as if to buttress their point, and as soon as her eyes met it, her blood turned cold. All the color drained from her face.
He stuttered; "I-I will."