Calamity Falls | Wattys 2019

XLVII

Calamity opened her eyes slowly. Pain radiated from the wound on her neck. It would take a long time to heal completely. She tried to sit up but was stopped by a heavy weight on her stomach and chest. She looked down to see Leopold's face on her chest and his arm slung over her abdomen. She raised her hand, wincing at the pain from the simple effort, to stroke his hair.

Leopold stirred. His head lifted quickly, sensing his mate's discomfort. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

Calamity smiled down at him. "It's excruciating."

Leopold got up onto his hands and knees. He hovered over her to inspect her neck. He gasped at the ink on her neck. His face paled. It was huge. The bigger the mark, the more painful it would be to get that mark. A big mark meant many different things like the rank of the wolf that gave it, the time it took to give the mark, and the pain that the person wearing the mark had to endure. Leo had never seen a mark as intricate as this.

"What?" Calamity tried to sit up, hissing at the pain.

Leopold's palm pushed her chest and forced her to lay back down.

Calamity shoved him off of her and rushed to the bathroom. She shrieked when she looked in the mirror. She ran out and glared accusingly at Leo.

"What did you do to me?"

Leo winced. "I didn't mean for it to be that big. It just kind of happened."

She pursed her lips. "You're just lucky it's so gorgeous."

Leopold smiled wide, pride puffing his chest at the mark on his mate.

Calamity noticed his increase in pride, which he did not need. "It still hurts like a banshee, though." She saw his ego visibly deflate and the cautious expression return.

She walked back into the  bathroom and stared at it, memorizing each intricate line. A black wolf with thorny intricate lines behind it spanned from mid neck to the end of her shoulder.

She blew out a breath. "There's no way I'll be able to hide this."

Leopold growled from where he sat on the bed. "Why would you want to cover it up?" He snarled menacingly.

Calamity sighed and left the bathroom to approach Leo. "It's too noticeable. It'll bring unwanted attention. If the dark get word of it, they'll know that we're serious, and you'll become even more of a target."

Leopold grabbed her waist and pulled her close, his head tilted up to look at her. "Then let them come. I want everyone to know that no one else can have you. You are mine to love and no one else's."

Calamity ran her hands through his hair soothingly. "I love you, turtle."

The menace in Leopold's expression disappeared. "I love you too, my dove."

Calamity manoeuvred out of Leo's tight grasp. "We must get ready for training. I won't be late."

Leopold stood and grabbed her wrist. "You aren't going anywhere. You are still in pain. The mark has yet to heal fully." He moved some stray hairs away from her neck and examined it.

"I don't care. I have a job to do and a war to prepare for." Noticing Leopold's scowl she added, "I'll take it easy. I promise."

He still wasn't happy, but he would keep a close eye on her. He would be lucky if he even got any training in. "Fine, but I'll be watching you. If I see any signs of overexertion, I will drag you back inside and put you on bedrest."

Calamity pursed her lips, amusement dancing behind her eyes. "Alright, turtle." She looked at the clock on the wall. "Go to your room to get changed. I have to do the same. My clothes reek of horny dog."

Leopold growled playfully at her before doing as she said.

With that Calamity grabbed a black, cotton turtle neck, some cotton pants, and went to take a shower.

~~~

Leopold glowered at the turtle neck that covered his beautiful mark. "Take it off," he said to Calamity, pouting.

She looked at him in amusement. "You want me to take off my shirt in front of all of these people?"

His bottom lip jutted out. "No..."

"Then get over it, and go train. Your wolves can smell it anyway. Look at them."

It was true. The wolves had a hard time taking their eyes off of Calamity. They could smell that their scents had been mixed together. They knew what had transpired the night before. They were curious to see what was under the high neckline of her shirt.

Leo growled at the people staring so shamelessly at his mate. They instantly averted their eyes, causing Calamity to smirk.

She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek before bellowing to the trainees, "Gather around troops!"

Everyone stopped their sparring and circled around the pair. "Today you will pair up with someone of a different species. Humans and wolves will be partnering up. You will memorize each other's strengths and weaknesses. Figure out how you can help to make each other stronger. You will need this in battle." She noticed how the wolves snickered at their human counterparts. "Wolves! Do not underestimate the humans, or you will be on the ground nursing your wounds. Humans! Do not overestimate the wolves. You have been trained under me for years." She looked around at the large group of people. "Everyone, partner up and get started. Remember that if your partner concedes, you must stop. If I have to get involved and break up any fights, King Leopold will probably wind up getting angry at you."

Everyone began to partner up and break off to practice. Calamity turned back to Leopold, ready to tell him to go practice too, but an unwelcome scent wafted into her nose. She turned to see Phoenix storming towards them angrily.

"What have you done?" He shouted.

Calamity's brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you-"

Phoenix ripped the side of her turtle neck to examine the mark, scraping it violently. She hissed at the pain, causing Leopold to launch at Phoenix.

He shoved him off of Calamity and punched him square in the nose, earning him a sickening crack. He felt a warm hand on his arm stop him from throwing another punch. He knew who it was simply from the tingles.

"No, Leo. I'm alright," Calamity assured.

Leo stared at the crumpled man on the ground cradling his nose for a few seconds longer. He turned to Calamity. He gently pulled back the fabric of her turtle neck to examine the damage done. Nothing really happened. Phoenix's rough touch just irritated the skin.

Calamity put her hands on Leo's face. "I'm alright, Leo."

He wrapped his arms around her and dipped his face down to the crook of her neck. He took in a deep breath to calm himself. He reveled in the soothing motions Calamity's hands made on his back.

"How could you let him do that to you?" Phoenix voiced from where he rose to his feet. "I can't allow you to be the property of a dog. You are better than that."

Calamity stepped in front of where Leopold had been guarding her from him. Leopold's arms wrapped around her waist tightly. "I am not his property. I wanted this. We are mates, Phoenix, and it's time that you understood that."

Phoenix glared at Leopold's smug grin. "Have you marked him?"

Calamity tensed in Leopold's arms. "Mark me? You can mark me? How do you do that?"

Calamity snarled at Phoenix. "It doesn't matter. I won't do it. It is barbaric and morbid. I wouldn't put you through that."

Phoenix scoffed. "And you think biting isn't?"

"Biting is not nearly as bad as that. I will not mark Leopold. End of discussion."