CHAPTER 20
AUDREY’S POV
I hated this feeling! I was never the type to feel so guilty over anything, but since he left in anger, that crippling feeling of guilt kept chipping away at my heart. As I stepped out of the shower and dabbed my body dry, I walked into the bedroom, to see he had not yet returned.
‘Even if he did, what would you say or do?’ My wolf mocked, making me glare at her in my head. She was right though. I may feel so guilty, but I wouldn’t give him an apology, even if he may have deserved it.
Just then, a knock came on the door, and I figured he was back. Thankfully, I had already threw on my floral print dress.
“Come in.” I replied, and the door opened to reveal Alara. Oh.
“Good morning your highness.” She greeted with her head bowed.
“Good morning Alara.”
“I have a message for you from the king.”
“The king?” I asked in suprise.
“Yes, your highness. He has asked that you appear before him as soon as you can. He would be in his study.”
My mind pondered on and about what reason the king may have sent for me. Then again, it occured to me. Could it be that Logan had reported me to his father?! That could be it. Instantly, every feeling of remorse disappeared, and was replaced with irritation. Was that how much of a feeble man he was? Running to his father like a baby that had his candy taken away from him. It had just been a week into our marriage, and I couldn’t wait until the next three weeks to be rid of him.
With so much annoyance within, I brushed past Alara and walked out through the door. I might as well just go get scolded, and be done with it.
The moment I got to the king’s study, I gave a light knock, and was invited in, a few seconds later. I got in to see him so engrossed in whatever file he had in his hands.
“Good morning, your majesty.” I greeted, waiting for him to look up at me and ask me to sit.
“Sit down, Audrey.” He said without looking away from object of his interest. I took a seat and kept my hands neatly folded atop my thighs. After what seemed like minutes, he finally looked up at me. “Are you married?” He asked, making me slightly confused.
If there was anyone that should have asked me such question, then it was definitely not him. He was the sole reason why I was married in the first place. But nonetheless, I answered his questions.
“Yes, your majesty. I am married. To your son.” I added, making him squint his eyes at me.
“I have two sons though.” He muttered.
“I am married to crown prince Logan.” I rushed out, wondering what he was trying to get at. I refused to let my words or lack of specifics, put me in trouble.
“Really?” He released a very humorless chuckle. “That might come as a suprise to the guards and maids in this palace, who all think you may have married Sebastian.”
“I beg your pardon.” I said, my heartbeat accelerating.
“Well,” He shrugged. “Considering how much they have sighted you both, together in hidden corners, just in the space of one week.” Oh goddess! Fear took over me instantly, and I found myself stuttering.
“Y… you.. your maje… je.. majesty.” I took a deep breathe and cleared my throat.
“Do you deny that?” He asked, and I remained quiet. How could I make this mam believe that Sebastian and I hadn’t done anything physical with each other?
“There were all harmless meetings, where we just conversed. Well, I figured it was much better to remain friends, rather than become enemies, just because things didn’t workout between us anymore.”
“Okay.” He nodded in agreement, to my surprise. But the next question he threw at me, had me tongue tied for a moment. “Why haven’t you consummated your marriage with Logan?”
The entire place fell silent for over half a minute.
“Incase you haven’t noticed, I don’t like to be ignored. When I ask a question, you do well to respond.”
“Did Logan tell you this?” I found myself boldly asking, my irritation towards Logan progressively increasing.
“Clearly, you do not know your mate, neither are you trying to. Logan is so honourable, that he would rather die in silence, than let everyone know how much his mate hates him.” He said, making me roll my eyes internally.
Honourable indeed! He was already stigmatized because of his weakness. Announcing how much I disliked him, would make him more pitiable, and he didn’t want anyone’s pity.
“Now, don’t get me wrong.” He said. “His actions aren’t because he is thinking about himself, but it’s for you. Because he doesn’t want his family and pack to hate you.” At his words, I remained silent. So was he trying to say that Logan was protecting me? “I do not need Logan or a soothsayer to tell me anything about your marriage. It is as clear as day, judging by the way your relationship hasn’t progressed. Once you consummate your marriage, it would be difficult to stay away from each other, because a very vital part of your bonding process would me achieved.”
Oh goddess, why me?
“Well, I was hoping we would bond emotionally, before consuma…”
“If you were truly interested in bonding, it would be clear for us to see, as well.” He cut me off. “Audrey, I no longer want to receive information that your mate lays on the floor again.” At the mention of that, my eyes widened slightly. How the hell did he know?! “I am the Alpha king, incase you may have forgotten. This is my palace, and so are the people in it. I have my eyes everywhere. I am being lenient with you now, but I won’t remain calm if you keep slapping my face in this manner.”
“My apologies, your majesty.” I muttered, fear creeping into my mind as his pointed stare held me down in my place. There was so much tension in the air, and it came as a suprise to me, when he suddenly smiled at me.
“We normally have a hunts game in the palace on the 10th day of every month.”
“O… kayyy.” I muttered, absolutely having no idea why he was telling me. Was I supposed to be a part of it? And the way he just changed the subject of discussion was really funny.
“Yes!” He grinned, making me think that he really enjoyed this hunts game of a thing.
Don’t get me wrong. We normally went for hunting games back at my parents pack, but it wasn’t actually something we slated out a particular day in the month to do.
“And you are going to be joining us this time, now you’re officially a member of the royal family.”
“Oh? Okay.”
“Yes! So go now, and make yourself available later this afternoon.”
“Your majesty.” I gave a bow, before making my way out of his study.
*
*
“He always does this! How can he not be here, when the king and I already are?” The Queen glared at no one in particular, showing her evident annoyance over the fact that Logan was yet to show up.
“Mercedes, Layla has already gone to fetch him, not so?” The king asked, clearly tired of his whiny wife….. Oh my goodness! Did I just call the Queen whiny?
“Here he comes.” Sebastian muttered underneath his breathe, and I looked to my side, to see Logan and Layla approaching us.
When he got to us, we locked eyes for a moment, and he quickly looked away. I wondered why that made me feel angry.
“It’s always the irrelevant ones, keeping others waiting.” Sebastian muttered, but Logan remained calm. Weirdly, I found Sebastian’s statement quite unnecessary.
‘Coming from someone who has said a thousand unnecessary things to our mate’, my wolf mocked, making me roll my eyes.
“The crown prince, you mean?” Layla shot back.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
“Don’t indulge him, Layla.” Logan sighed, before bending to her level to whisper some things in her ear.
“Sebastian, I wouldn’t have you disrespect your brother. You should apologize to him right now.” The king said.
“I don’t need his apology, father.” Logan waved it off. The whole place fell into silence for a while, until the king spoke up.
“Let’s get on with it, shall we?” He grinned widely. “Today, we would all go in pairs.”
“Sebastian would go with the Queen. I would go with Beta Justin. Layla and Liam would go together, while Audrey goes with her mate.” Instantly, my eyes fell on Logan, who also turned to look at me. Things were kinda messy between us both, and I knew going hunting together…
“Do you know how to use this?” His voice drew me out of my thoughts, and looked up to see him raising a bow and pot of arrows.
“Sure.” I muttered, taking a quick glance at him. He gave me the bow, while trying to latch the pot of arrows around my waist. The moment his hand brushed against my belly, I went instantly stiff. I would be a big liar if I ignored the thrilling sensations his touch gave me.
He finished with me and got busy fixing his, around his waist.
“As usual, the first to shoot down a deer and bring it to the games field, wins the game. Let the best man win!” The king yelled in excitement, and they all joined in. Okay! Maybe this was gonna be fun after all.
Minutes later, we had all gone in separate directions from each other, and I let Logan lead the way. All the while, I followed him silently, not saying a single word. What exactly was I supposed to say?
‘That you are sorry’, my wolf suggested, but I kicked her aside.
“Let’s take this way. It’s easier to see those creatures around this side of the forest.” He suddenly said, making me feel kinda hopeful. Atleast, he was talking to me.
“Okay.” I whispered, following him behind, as he led the way. Midway through, I saw a deer and exhaled in foreseen victory. “That’s…..!” I was about speaking when he asked me to shush.
“Shhh…” He whispered. “You would scare it away when you’re so loud.” He explained, to which I nodded in understanding.
We both turned back, only to realize the deer was gone! Oh no! There wasn’t even a trace of it anywhere. I was still wondering where it could have gone, when a whooshing sound caught me off guard. I had looked up a few seconds later, but still managed to identify the source of the sound.
Logan had clearly seen it too, and wasted no time in bringing out an arrow from the pot latched onto his waist. What was a rogue wolf doing within the lands of the pack?
“Did you see that?” I whispered behind him. He had probably turned to give a response, when his eyes went so wide in shock.
I didn’t need anyone to let me know that whatever he had seen behind me, wasn’t something great at all. It was at this point, that I really hated the fact I couldn’t mindlink him. It all happened within a split second and the next thing I knew, Logan was placing an arrow on his bow, and giving a shot. In the same moment, I felt a painful scratch against my back, making me scream loudly in pain. My wolf howled more painfully. By the time I turned to see what was going on, all I saw was a subdued rogue on the ground, holding his bleeding chest in pain. I was still in shock. I touched the part my back that had been scratched, and saw a lot of blood on my hand.
It was then, that the pains intensified. How could the claws of a wolf injure me so badly? Why did it hurt this much?!!
I had never been in a physical fight with a rogue, but I had always heard of how deadly they could be, considering the fact that they have lost every single form of humanity within then. Imagine me having to fight with such a creature who came at me, from behind. Crazy! It was safe to say that Logan saved me today. Before I knew it, I started to feel like the world was tilting. I felt myself falling to the ground, but someone had gotten hold of me, before I hit the ground. It had to be Logan. It was definitely him.
*
*
When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar face of Logan, hovering above me.
“What happened?” I sat up immediately, and he smiled in relief. Slowly, the events that occured before I passed out, came flooding into my senses. Without notice, he took my hand in his, and kissed it. I felt my heart jumping out of my chest in that moment. I quickly withdrew my hand from his, hating the small feeling of vulnerability that accompanied it. At my action, his face fell. “I passed out?” I asked, trying to clear the obvious tension in the air.
“Yes.” He nodded. “You were out for close to 6 hours.”
“That’s no possible! An ordinary scratch to my back, isn’t capable of incapacitating me.”
“Except it’s not a scratch.” He muttered, gauging my reaction to his words.
“Sorry?”
“Audrey, you were stabbed with a silver blade, coated in very concentrated wolfsbane. An amount of wolfsbane that could have easily killed any other wolf.” He explained. But then again, I had a very strong resistance towards wolfsbane and any other kind of poison.
“I still can’t fathom how your wound got healed in less than 6 hours. I know all wolves have the capacity to heal quickly, but yours was on the extreme.”
“It’s because I have resistance to wolfsbane and any other kind of poison.” I explained, and that seemed even much harder for him to comprehend. “I take it that you saved me today.” I muttered, thinking of how to tell him I was grateful. He really did save my life, and regardless of how much I hated him, he had done something priceless for me. “Thank you.” I found myself saying. He just sat there, moping at me in what seemed like shock. “And I’m sorry about the things I said concerning your mom.” I added.
Not wanting the atmosphere to get more dense than it already was, I hopped down the bed, and made my way into the bathroom. I needed a warm shower. Maybe that was going to help with the ache in my head.
I took my time in the bathroom and once I was done, I stepped out with my robe tightly wrapped around my body. Logan wasn’t in the room any longer, so I made use of the opportunity and quickly changed into my night wear. I laid on the bed again, ready to sleep, when the door opened and Logan walked in.
I silently watched as he made his way towards the couch, about to lay on it, when I remembered my conversation with the king this morning.
“I think you should sleep on the bed tonight.” I muttered, and he turned back to look at me. He looked quite confused and suprised.
“If that is your way of thanking me for saving your life, don’t…”
“This isn’t about that. Trust me, I wouldn’t be this nice for long.” I had to make him come lay on the bed, without giving away the fact that I had a discussion with his father today.
“So, where would you sleep?” He asked.
“How do you mean?”
“You made it perfectly clear, that you weren’t ready to share a bed with me.”
“Now, I want you to share the bed with me.”
“You want to?” He whispered, his eyes gleaming with so much hope.
“Like I said, I wouldn’t be this nice for long.” I rolled my eyes. “Do whatever you want.” I sighed, before turning to the other side of the bed, where I didn’t have to look at him.
For minutes, I stayed awake, pretending to be asleep. I waited for him to come join me. At some point, I feared I was being hopeful that he’d join me. I was very disappointed when he made no move to come join me. Eventually, I slowly drifted away to sleep, and just as I was at the door of lala land, I felt the bed dipped beside me. My eyes instantly fluttered open, especially as his scent invaded my senses. I took the liberty of basking in that sweet scent of his, until I finally slept off. I hate to say, that sleeping had never felt as peaceful as that.