by Kassie Cox
I’m unsure of how to answer him so I simply undo the chain holding Elias. His wrists are burned from the silver, but he keeps a straight face as I pull them from his skin. A strong male that I may be leaving in a few minutes. His reaction would not be a good one.
Around us wolves have gathered, watching the exchanged angrily. It was apparent they’d used Elias to get onto the territory, and now that their Alpha was safe there was nothing holding them back form ripping apart the man, I oversee protecting.
“We need to sit down and have a talk about this.” I say more to Elias than the King, but my mate doesn’t move. He looks at me with the haunting eyes, as if he already knows my decision. He’s wrong, though. I want to stay. I want to know what can break that curse and what could occur once it is gone.
But the wolf in front of me doesn’t know that. He sees the woman he’s been forcing to stay, finally finding a way to escape. The beast wants loose, and I’m sure one wrong move will release the fur. Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. I’d get to watch him rid me of a problem I don’t feel like facing, and he gets to feel better. A win for us both, I’d say.
“Are you going crazy? We need to leave, right now Keres. I came to get you from these animals before they could slaughter you! Why are you touching him?” The King is disgusted, his voice rising with anger when I all but ignore him. I really should be more respectful, but deep down I know I don’t want to go with him. I have to many questions that will never be answered if I leave.
“I will be back at the castle when I am done here, but for now I have business to attend to.” I try to make my own selfish curiosity sound formal, and it doesn’t seem to work. Valor steps towards me, my hands leave the wolf as I meet the movement. Our eyes locked, neither backing down.
This would be the moment of ending. If I didn’t do as he said I was sure he’d declare war right her, declare me a traitor and send his men into this pack to destroy every life. I wouldn’t allow him to kill these people. I’d put a knife through his neck before he got the chance.
“My mother said you may refuse to come back, but I didn’t believe her.” Valor huffs, his stance is tense as he looks over me. His wandering eyes are not appreciated as the male behind me growls.
“Go put on some pants.” I snap at the wolf, as I could barely focus when he was just standing there in all his glory. Impressive, but distracting. “Your Highness I will return once my business here is done. I appreciate your worry for my wellbeing but as you can tell I am completely fine.”
“Bullshit!” Valor gets closer, bending down to meet my height. “You have a bite on your neck and some love drunk look in your eyes! I don’t understand how my loyal Guard left to get our men back and now seems like she’s ready to prance around on all fours with the rest of these mutts.”
Elias pulls me back, teeth elongating as he takes my place in front of the unhappy King. Valor proves his stupidity when he does not back down. This Alpha would not take the disrespect lightly.
“Would you like to try that tone on me, Your Highness?” My males mocks the King, his words holding an edge to them. He was standing up for me. Elias was stepping into a fight that wasn’t his own because I was yelled at by a man that I could beat into submission easily. The place between my legs dampened as the male continued to surprise and turn me on.
If this was able to blow over, I might just be climbing that beast tonight. An ache in my chest pushing me to want him more, and even though I couldn’t feel it I knew there were emotions spinning around inside of me. His back tenses as he feels everything coming from me.
“Oh, there you are!” We all spin to watch as a smiling Draven approaches us. He’s overly cheery, which disturbs me a bit. “We’ve been waiting for you since we got here, Your Highness. Come on, lets show you around a bit!”
The hostility drops almost immediately as the confused King is torn away from us by the Guard I no longer wanted to throttle. The remaining men around us seem just as surprised, but they fall to attention when I step in front of them. Their eyes showing only a little defiance.
Let them try.
“I have the King for now, you may return to the edge of this territory and wait until I bring him to you. Does anyone have something to say about this?” I look at each of the Guards, none of them holding eye contact for more than a few seconds. No one speaks as they slowly turn and begin their retreat.
The King would get off this property alive, but I could not promise he wouldn’t be harmed. Elias didn’t seem to like him.
My body turns to the wolf, his body moving towards mine until he is close enough to pick me up. I feel his hardness against my belly as Elias pulls my frame into him. Those teeth gently clamp onto my neck, not hard enough to break the skin but it would certainly leave a mark. The groan that leaves me in involuntary, my body reacting naturally to the attention he’s giving me.
“He will not take you from me.” Elias growls, and I decide not to push the subject further.
“Let’s go inside and talk with him, I’m sure he’ll understand if I explain a few things. I’ll tell him about the curse and the mating-” I’m on my feet now, the beast showing himself with black eyes as he grips my chin.
“That man will not let you go, Keres. He loves you, and if he learns we are mates he will kill me.”
My mouth falls open at his words. His accusations against the King I’ve known my entire life. The man cares deeply for me and would hate to see me lost—but love was a very strong word. Valor would never see me the way Elias does. I would never want the King as I wanted the stupid wolf standing in front of me, his naked body needing to be covered before I took matters into my own hands. Oh, the things I’ do to him with these hands.
“I’m going inside to explain,” I snap at him, turning away from the hold as I walk quickly to the house. He didn’t understand that I could not up and leave the responsibilities I held. Perhaps Valor would let me go, allow me to carry on this path and see where it leads. As it very well may bring me back to him, to the castle.
I hear the rugged breath of the beast behind me.
“Go get some fucking pants before you step into this house!” A soft growl is the only response, but his breathing is further away before I get to the door. I don’t bother turning to see where he is going.
I hoped this conversation would go well.
Chapter 19
Once again, I find myself in the office of the Alpha I was currently not happy with. He hadn’t arrived yet, but Valor sat on the couch across from me sipping a cup of coffee while Draven awkwardly took up the space next to him. I could tell how uncomfortable both men were, as I myself was not enjoying the thick tension in the room.
Audra had gone to grab us a few sandwiches but had been missing for more than fifteen minutes and I suspected she’d made a run for it. I could not blame her, for I would’ve done the same.
Valor is surprisingly dressed down for this occasion, no tailored suits or high boots. It looked as though he’d been ready for a hike, which made me laugh a bit. Both males’ eyes travel to me as I release the soft chuckle, surprise on both of their faces. Couldn’t a heartless woman laugh every now and then?
“You’ve befriended the wolves?” Valor tries, his words escaping before I can shush him. His eyes narrow when I put my hand up, not wanting to have this conversation until both beasts had come to the room. I was about to walk out and shout to the heavens when the door is opened.
My male walks in, and I immediately knew this was about to be a pissing contest. Elias seemed to have forgotten about a shirt, his black pants hung low on his hips. The closest a man could ever be to resembling a god. My heart almost throbs at the sight. Core tight.
I wish his eyes had stayed on me when he’d entered, but instead he looked at the man he didn’t want near this land. The man who probably be taking me away in the next few hours. I couldn’t blame Elias for disliking him, as the King had no good intentions towards his pack, but neither did I. I’d come he
re prepared to kill anyone and everyone until they killed me.
I originally wanted to take down as many wolves as I could, for the sake of a Kingdom I should still be protecting. However, I’d been thrown for a loop. Thrust into a world of feelings and presented options I never knew I had. Once we were done with this entire charade, I’d be going back to the Witch.
She would tell me how to break this damn curse.
“Explain why you’ve come to my territory,” Elias is calm with his demand. This obviously irritates Valor, disrespect not taken lightly from either man. He’d take it however, because he had no other choice. His Guard was not on his side at this moment.
The wolf walks to me, the door softly shutting behind him. In a show of dominance, he grabs my arm, pulling my body hard into his. He’s giving me my feelings, allowing me to understand what’s coursing through my veins unbeknownst to me.
Uncomfortable, but turned on. That’s what I am. I didn’t want to be here; I didn’t like having to face this conflict when I had no real control of how it would end. I could not fight my way out of this.
I also burned with need for him, an excitement buzzing inside of me with ever slight movement of his skin against mine. My body molded perfectly into his, a warmth spreading through me. It was hard to stay in this room when all I wanted to do was get him alone. Let him show me all the things I had been missing out on because of a curse that should’ve never been put on me.
“I told you, I’ve come to retrieve the Head of my Guard. She has a responsibility to the Crown, so whatever love games you are playing her need to end.” Valor’s voice is deep, his lips barley parting as he spits the words. Red tints his cheeks and I almost laugh at how offended he seems by the closeness of the wolf and me. Without hesitation I move from Elias, not able to keep my mind straight when he is that close.
“You felt the need to chain me, walk me like a dog for the sake of finding your female?” Elias sounds amused, but I know he’s unhappy with me moving away. His fingers twitch as he holds them back from touching me.
“That’s not how you should refer to someone who could easily end you.” Valor seems offended at the way Elias speaks of me. Such a gentleman. “I’ve come to bring her back where she is needed, which is in my Kingdom. At my side, not in the arms of some beast who has brain washed her into believing some fairytale.” My brows raise at his easy accusations. I don’t bother jumping in, enjoying the sight of two grown men arguing like children.
Somewhere deep inside I feel a disappointment that Elias doesn’t want to say that we are mates. An idea that I practically just came to accept, and now he was hiding it from the one person who truly needed to know. If Valor understood the issue he would help, or at least back off until I had everything resolved.
“Keres will not be leaving this territory. We have business to finish, and she will be free to leave once I’m done with her.” I dislike the way he’s speaking of me, and he knows that. Elias can feel my hatred for his words.
When our eyes meet, he is cold, nothing giving me any hint that he feels anything other than irritation for me. I clench my fist, holding back the urge to hurt him.
“I plan on coming back once I figure a few things out. We met with a Witch, and there are a few things about myself that I have to learn.” Valor stands up, coming closer to me. Inspecting me from head to toe, as if these past couple days had changed me entirely. The way he looks at me is a little alarming, as it reminded me of the way one would stare at their favorite toy. “I was cursed, as a child. That’s why I can’t feel things as I should.”
I almost flinch at how stupid the words sound coming from my mouth. Couldn’t they have done something that others would understand, like curse me to look like a monster? Make me unable to walk without bumping into things or something else that was an aggravation. Instead, they did the one thing that most people could not comprehend. They made me emotionless. Guiltless. They created a monster, but I didn’t want that life. I wanted life.
“I can stay and help you until everything is figured out, it’s not a big deal. We could bring the Witch with us if we must, but I don’t trust you in the hands-” A shirtless Elias is between us in a breath, body shaking as the King once again hints that these wolves are out to hurt me.
“This female is safer here than she ever has been with you.” Elia hovers over the male, his eyes probably burning through him and I’m surprised Valor has yet to back down. “You’ve destroyed a woman who doesn’t understand the emotional consequences of the actions you’ve pushed her to do. She’s a festering ball of guilt that you’ve created through years of torture. She was put through things that not even a grown man could endure, and you have the audacity to insinuate she’s not safe here? You’re a coward, and a fool. I should rip you to pieces for your own stupidity.”
The beast is yelling his anger into the poor man standing in front of him. A King so used to others bowing before him is now being the target of the words he dishes out to others. He’s receiving the judgment he is used to giving.
Elias projects once more, pushing my satisfaction through me just enough for me to enjoy it. I never realized how badly I wanted someone to stand up for me, for someone to understand that I had been through hell.
I may not feel the effects of the trauma, but it was surely there. It made me a perfect solider for his Kingdom, but it made me a shit human being. My lack of a moral compass appalling.
“How dare you-” Draven is between the two men quickly. Pushes them apart before anything can happen. He’s lucky the Alpha allows himself to be moved, otherwise the small male would be in trouble.
Valor doesn’t know what to do. He hates being told no, as he always had. He’d never had to accept that answer his entire life so I can image now it was even harder. Valor looks past my shirtless wolf, the anger burning in his eyes now aimed at me.
His rage has shifted as the man realizes I am not being held against my will. This is a choice that I’m making, and there’s a good chance I’ll never return to that castle.
“If I leave you here, I will return with an army. You were a large investment for our Kingdom, and I won’t lose the time and energy spent into making you because of some crush you have on a dog.” He’s formal with his words, controlling his anger a little too easily. This is what he did for a living. Strike fear into those who may disobey him, make others bend to his will.
“We’ll meet you at the border when you arrive, and our teeth will be ready.” Elias doesn’t look away from the man threatening to take me. I’m sure his eyes are blackened, dark orbs full of rage. Those large fists are clenched, ready to be thrown at any moment.
“Keres, walk me out.” Valor gives a snide grin to the large male sanding over him, before turning on his heel and heading for the door. Elias shakes a bit, the action not sitting well. An Alpha being disrespected.
It’s almost a natural reaction to fall into step with the King, his footsteps leading the way as I follow him to, he front of the pack house. I can feel the castle floors beneath my feet, hear the soft murmuring of maids and Guards as I walk the King to his designated place for the day. I am to protect him. This is what I am here for.
Getting away from the thought is hard. He’s making his steps long and quick, the grass eventually meets our feet and it’s practically a race. The King is fearful that he may not make it off this land. He’s scared because of my male and it brings me a sick satisfaction.
“You’ve really disappointed me today, Keres. When I come back to retrieve you, you better be prepared/. I’m putting you on that thrown with me. I planned on announcing this once you’d returned, but I suppose we can wait until I have destroyed this pack.”
“What are you talking about?” He spins to face me, looking back at whichever wolves are following us before meeting my eyes. He’s a few feet away, but to me it is to close for comfort.
“We’re going to get married. I decided you’d be a safe choice for Queen, and we’ll have kids that are
truly fit to rule the Kingdom.” Valor doesn’t like my scowl at his proposal, his softer tones goes dark. “Don’t make this more difficult for me. Finish your business, and I’ll be back soon.”
I receive a scolding look before he’s walking away once ore. This time his perfect little Guard is not in tow. When a rancid taste settles in my mouth, and my hands begin shaking I know I’m having this moment projected into me. The things I cannot feel being lightly revealed as my eyes follow the frame of a man I ached to hurt. I held contempt for this man, a strong hatred almost.
Elias was right, they’d destroyed me. Going back to that castle would mean the rest of my life being spent in an unfeeling prison with a man who planned on marrying me and forcing me into a role he insanely believed I could fill.
Slowly it’s taken from me. The wolf reigns in the small show of my inner self and tucks it back into his pocket for safe keeping.
I did not want to return to the Kingdom. Even without the disgust and rage creeping through me I was sure of that.
Chapter 20
Elias doesn’t try to move me from the spot I’ve remained glued to since I watched Valor retreat into the trees. My mind wondering endlessly as I try to come to terms with a few different aspects of what would now be my life. I have never dealt with change well.
The thought of going back to the Kingdom to help that man rule disgusted me. The idea of staying here with the male, whose eyes I could feel burning into me, was more appealing, but overwhelming in its own way. I am unsure of what I want.
I’d yet to explain what else I needed from the Witch to Elias, but I didn’t believe I would easily get the information from her. If he knew there was a way to fix this, then he would do anything to make it happen. The conflict being brought upon this pack was purply from me, and I didn’t find it incredibly fair that many of these wolves would die.
