Fie Wright's P. O. V
The footsteps echoing down the empty chambers caused goosebumps to raise on the delicate flesh of my skin. My breath catching in my throat as tremors run through me. The footfalls combined with the situation at hand causes an uneasy feeling to dwell within me. Something whispering within me that the unexpected turn of events will turn dire soon enough.
The seconds tick by with what felt like hours, each sound of feet slapping against stone seemingly far off away as my eyes zoom in on the narrow entrance through which my Pack enters from a side tunnel. I walked down that same exact tunnel not too long ago with the same feeling of built up anticipation, this time though; it makes me wonder if the outcome of events will be anything as pleasing as what befall me last time.
A soft gasp leaves me at the sight of my pack finally emerging into view. Marcus at the forefront much like last time, his hands bowed in front of him as he falls to the floor on one leg. The rest of the two warriors and the Mage following the advisor as they too bend the knee. My wide eyes take in their attire, scanning all of them incessantly but also confused at their appearance. I expected cuts and bruises, battered clothing all around with the warriors looking worse for wear.
The outcome isn't exactly what I was looking for as instead, their clothing looks ruffled at the slightest while Brutus, one of the warriors has a tiny gash on the head that, nonetheless, looks painful. The tight knot in my chest loosens at their arrival. The dread sizzling down a bit at the lack of injuries they sport since I always think of the worse possible outcomes in a scenario.
I get snapped out of my assessment of them since not even a second goes by of Malleus telling them to raise to their full form before a worried Ezra takes off towards the group. The guards on each side of the door get on the defence, ready to strike my cousin which causes me to latch onto my mate's arm. Not liking the thought of anything else happening to my family.
Another casual wave of the hand causes the guards to settle down which slows Ezra to throw his arms around his father. The sight endearing as the duo embrace, my heartstrings being tugged at as a wistful smile appears on my own face at the thought of hugging my father like that one day.
My wistful smile grows into one of appeasement as a heavy arm makes its way to wrap around my waist, my body being tugged into my mate's warmth, almost as if he knew exactly what my mind lingered on.
"As nice as this reunion is, we do have important matters to discuss." Malleus announces, getting straight to the point as always which makes me nudge him slightly in the side as the father and son step away from one another.
"I apologise for the lack of decorum, your Majesty." Marcus says earnestly with a respectful dip of his head. The King nods in return whereas I catch my uncles eye, giving him a subtle wink and a smile that expresses how happy I am to see he's back in one piece. The man tries to remain with that composed expression but I can see a smile tugging at the corner of my lips the second Malleus turns to Asha.
"We should all head to the main conference room. Make sure it is prepared and have the Council on standby. I will call upon them once we get the ground work laid down. You join us."
Asha nods in attention at her King's words, her expression turning to one of full professionalism as she gets on with the task given to her, eyes glazed over and linking the Council members while also coming to a stand besides us without falling face first into the ground much like I do when I try to walk while mentally talking to others.
Marcus and Ezra are moved forward by Ron who graciously holds his hands out to them, the human's eyes landing on me as his lips pull up into a pearly white smile when he notices the King's arm wrapped around me. I force my own smile, curiosity building up too much inside me as I scan the portly man from head to toe. Trying to take my time to analyse the human in front of me.
Interesting.
I wonder how much different he really is from us. He looks the same externally, maybe they lack somehow internally? Other than the lack of shape shifting of course. Hmm. He does seem to perspire a lot. I wonder if that's an odd human quirk.
I quit my rude staring as Ron's smile grows brighter, the man bowing even lower than he did to the King before he excuses his presence and hightails it towards the way he came from.
"Follow us, please." Comes Asha's commanding voice. This alerts the little party to start walking as Malleus takes the lead with Asha, the both of them muttering in hushed voices while I wait for my pack members to get closer to the stage before I leap down and scurry over to them. Marcus doesn't even get a second to turn to me since I'm already on him, my arms wrapped tightly around my uncle he fumbles in his movement, his robe nearly causing us to topple over but he steadies himself and wraps his arms around me in a quick brief hug.
"Be careful my Queen." Marcus says in a playful tone, his arm going around my shoulder in a short hug which allows us to both embrace and follow after the simultaneously.
"Oh wait till Dad hears a load of that." I say with a low scoff, already fearing my dramatic father to be faking a heart attack at the thought of me being mated to such a man of high stature.
"Hopefully, he'll assess the situation calmly and like how an adult should." I say resolutely, ignoring the blatant sound of disbelief echoing from behind me as Ezra follows it up by a short laugh.
Marcus nods his head and assures me that he'll speak to his brother, try and knock some sense into my father before he puts himself in a grave situation he won't be able to dig himself out of. Maybe since Malleus is my mate, he'll ignore a childish tantrum being thrown his way especially if it's coming from his beloved mate's father. My thoughts are out to an end with a nervous laugh coming from my side. Even my wolf bracing herself from the impact that might come a while from now.
I guess a simple message online wasn't the best way to tell my parents I found my mate and I'd talk to them later. In my defence, I was trying to focus on my role of Advisor and was just about to call them but then my heat struck. Add in the factor of my pack members that were missing, I could hardly think straight let alone call my parents from my mate's phone since mine doesn't work here for some reason.
"Keep giving yourself false hope." Ezra says unconcerned , giving me a gentle pat on my shoulder which as me scowling at him in frustration.
I'm glad the rather large group was tagging along with us since I wasn't paying attention to where we were going. All of us just following my mate and Asha bringing us along to wherever the meeting room was. I just hoped we'd all be coming back together as well since I'd probably end up lost and I'd rather be putting an end to this issue than doing something counterproductive.
Glancing back, I smile at Brutus and Aden, the two warriors smiling back at me respectfully as they try to sway away a bouncy Ezra. The man slipping once more into his playful mood after seeing his father alive and well. I go to ask Marcus something but get stopped by Malleus turning to look at me over his shoulder, motioning for me to come beside him. I latch onto the hand he gives out to me, looking at him expectantly as Asha strides in through a door on the left. Without missing a beat, we follow in and already see a few more people scattered around the room.
A few of them being familiar since they belong to the Council. Asha being the Head Advisor whereas the Minister of Affairs stands besides her, his back erect and gaze shrewd as he watches us all pile in. I can see the lack of Apollo and Rui but I put it to their lack of need to be here. The circumstances being unusual but not necessarily needed for the War Generals to attend such a low profile meeting.
Asha motions for everyone to take a seat which they all do so whereas I glance from one seat to the next, unsure of where to sit. The head of the table being out of the question since Malleus would be sitting there. However, my mate seems to be reading my mind since instead of taking a seat, he drags another one besides his before leading me over to it and making me sit down as he takes his own seat.
I try not to blush at his endearing actions nor glare at Ezra who wiggles his eyebrows up and down in a childish manner.
"Marcus, if you could please relay the events that occurred in the Forest of the Realm's," Malleus says with an inclination of his head, his tussled black hair falling over his forehead making me want to reach out and push it back. I just about hold myself back but do fidget about in my chair a bit, scooting the tiniest bit closer to him, as much as my chair allows for me to do so that is. Out of the corner of my eye and from underneath the sturdy conference table, I catch sight of both my mate's hands darting out to me before stopping himself in place as his fingers twitch uncomfortably in his lap.
Unable to help myself, a wry smile makes its way onto my face. Just the thought of knowing he wants me near him and most probably in his lap as much as I do even at such a crucial time, brings warmth to my heart.
No wonder my mother was pushing at me to go out and find my mate.
"It happened all of a sudden Your Majesty. One minute we were with Thaddeus about to enter the veil between the realms, I remember saying goodbye to him and just as I was about to pass through the entrance, an explosion went off," frown lines appear on Marcus' face as he recalls the events whereas my mate sits up straighter and places his sole focus on the man speaking, my own eyes dart to Thaddeus who nods solemnly with each word being spoken.
"The next thing I know, I'm waking up to the Mage kneeling besides me and telling me that we have to hurry to collect the others. She filled me in on the rest of the things while taking me to the other two warriors and from there we headed straight back to the palace." Marcus finishes with a soft sigh, bringing his hand up to palm his forehead.
I let out a silent yet albeit shaky sigh, not liking how I may be trapped in this realm forever without any way to meet my parents or, most importantly, to get back to my Luna who is running out of time and that too, fast. My nerves ease up a fraction when a warm hand covers my balled up fist, forcing my hand to relax its shape so that it lays limp in my lap with tingles spreading wherever our skin comes into contact with one another.
"What energy did you feel coming from the veil? Was it black magic?" Malleus shoots question after question in a gruff tone, his attention being diverted to the Mage who accompanied the travellers back to my pack so that she could heal my Luna.
"I am one hundred percent certain it was black magic, Magus," a soft feminine voice speaks up, the sound coming from the hooded figure seated to the far right of the table and a few rows down, right at the end.
Magus?
The term seems to be on the tip of my tongue, the term one I definitely know but can't manage to grasp from the recesses of my mind. My frown deepens when I catch sight of Ezra darting his eyes between my mate and the woman with a weirded out expression on his face. Cursing myself for my own stupidity, I continue to try and recall the word and what it means. Remembering I had studied about it but escaping just where and for what purposes.
"Did you try to approach the veil?" Malleus questions, pausing slightly to squeeze at my hand in comfort as he hesitatingly continues, the reluctance for mine and my pack members sake as he clears his throat and speaks up once more, "Do you know if it works and can still be used for teleportation or is it damaged."
I thought I knew what fear was. I thought I had it figured out. The clamping on your gut from the jaws of terror, holding you in place lest you feel it's wrath and the consequences that will linger. The sweat trickling down your back as shivers wrack down your spine for you know what is to come. Sometimes the unknown lurking over you, resulting in you spiralling head first into the abyss which tears you apart internally but outwardly as well by shredding you limb from limb.
But what about the fear where your mind goes blank and you don't know how to feel? An unsettling disposition where numbness is all you can undergo, not perceiving what is to strike next.
Horror at the thought of my Luna dying, my pack ending in nothing but stray rogues and littered dead bodies, looted and plundered by the remaining packs and monsters that hide away in the forest, ready to attack at a moments notice. Never seeing my parents again, my Alpha, my cousin, the place where I grew up.
My breathing starts to grow laboured, my mouth clamping down so that no sound leaves me.
"No Your Majesty. I don't think I would be alive if the veil was to be destroyed. I think, rather I know that it was an attempt to tamper with it. For what purposes exactly, I am unaware but the veil is very much standing. Maybe slightly in a state of imbalance but with a bit of powerful magic to break the previous spell, it should work just fine." Thaddeus' words trickle into my ear, bit by bit registering within my brain as the terror releases its grip on me, ever so minutely slithering back into its place in the corners of my mind, ready to strike once more.
"Good. We will look into this further. For now the meeting is dismissed. You all should catch up on some rest. Asha will have someone show you to your quarters." Malleus says with finality in his tone, the sound of everyone getting up and leaving without a word making itself known to me.
The sound of the door clicking shut doesn't even last a split second before Malleus places his hands on the dips of my hips, picking me up and settling me on his lap as his one hand then goes to cup my cheek.
"I can feel your stress Fie. My wolf and I both can. You need to calm down." He soothes as I try to follow his instructions. His calming touch followed by my deep inhales and exhales have my stress levels coming down, the pounding in my head that I didn't even know I had, coming to a slow stop as Malleus massages my temples with his skilled fingers.
"I'm fine." I finally say as I let out a sharp breath, opening my once shut eyes only to meet his worried blue ones. Not letting the man speak, I lean forward in his embrace, connecting both of our lips to silence his protests, the action needed deeply by the both of us.
"For the first time in forever, you have managed to freak out my wolf." The man admits as we pull apart, him not hesitating a second further as he nuzzles into the crook of my neck and placing a feather light kiss onto my skin. A gasp leaves me as a fire ignites in the pit of my stomach, a tell tale sign of my heat just on the brink of coming back, ready to reduce me to a pile of ashes within seconds. A low groan emits from the man under me, my response undoubtedly triggering his own senses.
My mouth falls open in surprise as I feel his teeth clamping down gently onto my neck, my eyes rolling back into my skull as the heat gathers and starts to simmer within me. The mock marking evoking all kinds of holy thoughts that involve Malleus me and the conference table that digs into my back.
"Patience, little Queen. When the time is right I will mark you as my own." He announces in a gruff tone, the strain clearly visible in his words.
"I'm patient. Just do not do that again if you don't expect me to tie you down to this chair and have my way with you." I say unfazed, left wondering at how my wolf isn't dry humping thin air within my mind.
Glancing down at the definition of pure beauty, Malleus smirks sexily at me, pupils dilated as his hands on me turn possessive.
"I'll be keeping you to that promise."
Instead of answering him verbally, I place a kiss on his lips, my boldness taking me by surprise as I thread my fingers through his messy hair, kissing him with renewed fervour as I catch onto why my wolf is so silent. The pulling of his own wolf and mingling with mine settles lightly on my chest, the thought of my feelings for this man growing by the second as I pull back from him, his lip clenched lightly in between my teeth, tugging at it before letting it go.
A satisfied sigh leaves me as I get off of my mate, turning to him as he pulls me into his side, wrapping a hand around my waist while taking me out of the room, "How about lunch?" He questions smoothly to which I nod enthusiastically, now the only thing running through my mind being the thought of food.
"The rest are coming right?" I chirp happily, Malleus' grumbling not going unnoticed which causes me to let out a small laugh.
"If that is what you wish." He gives in.
Lunch was an amusing unfair, Ezra sitting close to Malleus and I, much to my mate's displeasure as my cousin went on yammering throughout the entire meal. Marcus trying to get his son to shut up but the boy not listening to him.
"You know Your Majesty, maybe I should start calling you my cousin. You are my cousin- in- law aren't you? I'm sure that's a thing. Anyways we're like brothers us two now, how about we skip the formalities?" Ezra questions nonchalantly, waving his fork about while disrupting the conversation about what our next move should be.
I slide my hand under the table, placing my hand over his own clenched up one as his eyes shut in exasperation.
'Humour him for me.' I mind- link to my mate who lets out a grunt.
'I am humouring him. If he wasn't your blood relative, he would have been hung in the town square for his insolence.'
A roll of my eyes and a quiet nudge has his grumbling ceasing to a halt as he pins the man with what I'm assuming is meant to be a friendly expression while Ezra stares back expectantly.
"Very well, you may drop the title," before Ezra can show too much joy, Malleus speaks up once again, "You can call me Sire instead."
I go to open my mouth but shut it without a second further, deciding to just let the two continue on with how they are. My strength definitely not enough to try and patch the two of them up together to be friendly with one another.
Deciding to save my energy, I redirect the conversation to the topic that I deem to be much more important. The answer I get from my mate has my eyebrows raising as even Ezra looks surprised at the response.
A silence falling over the table as everyone stares at my mate in shock who looks back unperturbed.
———————-
AN: Hi loves! Sorry for the slightly late chapter but I got an assignment dropped on me out of nowhere so I had to finish that up before I could get onto this. Do you think the romance is going slow? Do let me know.
Question: What is your favourite Holiday and why?
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