Disguise

Queen's Orders

Flora's POV

Time seemed to stop for me as Xena spun around. In slow motion, her hair twirled behind her as she stepped back into the room. Her eyes were wide in fright and her expression was stuck that way too. I didn't know what she saw in the hall downstairs but it definitely wasn't helping their case.

"Flora get out!" She yelled, just as she was about to fling the bedroom door close behind her but instead, I got up and moved towards her. The emergency exit window from the basement was not really a window anyway. She took one step away from the door and towards me. The door was nearly shut when a single foot stuck out from behind at the last second and prevented this from happening. The lack of the 'bang' alerted her and all the blood drained from her face as she spun around once more, standing protectively in front of me.

Even in this moment, her first priority was me - despite the severity of the situation, my heart warmed at her actions. I'd do the same for her too.

So there we stood, me nearly at the back of the room besides the bed. Xena standing in front of me with her hands held in front of her in a defensive position. Nate standing in front of us, breathing heavily and with his eyes obsidian black.

Shit.

And behind him stood Reece, Daniella, Hank, and Grey, each of them holding Nate behind. Noori was nowhere to be seen. I knew that they had been listening, and it made me feel bad to put her in this spot but little did I know that she would reach such conclusions!

Nobody made a sound and all I could hear was Nate's loud breathing. If he was a dragon, this room would smoke within seconds. Xena didn't budge from her position, but I moved next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was stiff like a rod, rigid and taut, like a coiled spring ready to be let go. At my touch she only stiffened more.

Not taking her eyes off of them for a single moment she spoke, "Flora get behind me!" A sense of deja vu crossed through me at our position. But instead of Reece and I it was her and Nate, back to the very first day of this holiday. She wasn't going to be reasoned with right now, and nor was Nate. I understood how he felt through the pack. His feelings of betrayal and even the thought of losing his mate was not something he was willing to contemplate.

"You are not going anywhere!" Nate ordered, pain laced through his voice. Xena moved behind as if she had been struck by an invisible force. Her guarded and defensive stance went to one that was wounded. She staggered behind and I caught her at the last minute.

"Xena!" My panic for my best friend seemed to break them all out of their frozen spell. Nate's eyes shifted in and out of focus - switching between black and bright blue eyes as he battled internally. Reece moved forward and turned around to face Nate. He said something that none of us heard, but Nate put his head down in submission and whimpered.

"Leave us alone!" she screamed, clutching her side as she did, still trying to shove me behind her. Daniella zoomed towards us and supported Xena from the other side despite Xena's refusal. Together we both got her to sit on the bed but she still didn't calm down.

"Flora! Get out of here!" She screamed at me too. I could feel tears well up at her condition. How tough it must be for her to side with her mind and break her heart? The pain that the bond brought her? She was so fucking strong.

"Xena! Xena please just calm down and listen to us!" I tried, sitting in front of her and turning her face so that only I was in her peripheral view. Her confusion morphed into disbelief and she shook her head violently, "No! Listen get out of here! Don't believe them!"

"Xen, trust me. You need to hear their side of the story too." I urged gently and she seemed to be listening. Her head went back and forth between me and Nate, as if trying to decide.