M
irian, the housekeeper made her way to the fourth floor of the tower, wringing her hands in front of her nervously as she walked.
Working for the Alpha King right from the time when he was just a lad doesn't mean anything to her state of mind whenever she's about to meet him or have a confrontation with him.
But as nervous as she is, she didn't slow down her strides; the heavy sounds of her footsteps echoed the empty hall with every step she took. Stopping at the fifth bedchamber door before the master's bed chambers, she took a deep breath and summoned all the courage she has, before she knocked on the door.
When there was no response, she knocked again.
He is in this bedroom. Although this isn't his master bedchambers, he is here. That, the older woman was very sure of because her enhanced senses as a werewolf can scent him here.
"Come in." Came the deep voice of the Alpha King.
Mirian let out a deep breath before she opened the door and walked through it. Closing the door behind her, she faced the Alpha King. He was seated at the huge throne-chair that dominated one side of the chambers, his pen scribbling away on the sheets in front of him.
Automatically, her eyes searched for the bruises she'd heard he incurred after his ambush from the Wild Ones on the night before.
Her eyes only found smooth toned skin without a single wound on it. Every one of those bruises has healed.
"What is the matter, Marian?" He asked in that usual calmness, his eyes never straying from the papers in front of him.
"It's the f-female, Alpha King." She managed out. Forcing her fingers apart, she allowed her hands to drop by her sides.
His hand paused.
Eyes closed, he inhaled deeply.
Then, he opened it and blue eyes pinned hers, "She isn't awake yet."
It wasn't a question but Marian felt the need to answer anyway. "Yeah, she isn't, Alpha King. It's well into noon, a-and I need to clean out your bedchambers."
His eyes searched hers carefully, "She's still alive, Mirian." He let out, bluntly.
Mirian's wrinkled cheeks turned red, her head in embarrassment. "T-That wasn't w-what I meant, Your Highness."
Of course, that was what brought her here, Wolfaraine thought. The worry that dripped from her voice and the concern written all over her face was evidence enough.
He knows it has less to do with keeping his bedchambers clean and more to do with the health state of the small human female sleeping exhaustedly on his bed at the moment.
He does not blame the older woman. Mirian knows his history with humans and how he feels about them. It's written all over her face how terrified she is that he might have killed his own mate.
"I will bring her out of the bedroom, so you can clean. Is that okay?" He asked gently.
"O-Oh, yes. That'll be more than enough, Alpha King." She answered all too quickly, bowing her head to him.
Putting the documents aside, Wolfaraine rose from his chair and walked out with the older woman trailing behind her.
In his bedchambers, Ismena was still sleeping, buried under the huge bedding. Taking the white sheet the older woman extended towards him, he wrapped her in it, lifted her into his arms, and walked out of the room.
She sighed softly and settled back into sleep. Wolfaraine had to put in an extra effort not to notice that she was naked under that bedding as entered the other bedchamber and laid her out on the bed.
He took in her exquisitely beautiful face and wild blonde hair that created a shelter around her head. He felt his body stirring awake.
What the...? Brows knitted into a frown, he looked away.
You'll think that after the night before, his hunger for her would wane. You'll think that the hunger would be sated, even if it is just a little bit. But it wasn't sated and it didn't wane.
Instead, his hunger for her has got worse. He can feel it in every part of him. All through the day, he was barely able to get the female out of his mind while trying to get some work done. His dick had gone hard, thinking about her, about how it was the night before.
He wanted her like he hadn't taken her over and over and over again, the night before. If not for the calmness of the wolf and the raging growls of the mountain lion, he would have doubted it himself.
He wanted her now even more than he ever did.
"Mirian?" He called without looking away from Ismena.
"I'm right here, Alpha King."
"Do prepare a warm flavored bath for her when she wakes up."
"I will do just that, Alpha King." She responded to the command.
"You may leave."
After the woman left, he still watched Ismena, his hands folded underneath his wide chest. He'd had Degar remove all the bandages she'd wrapped on him the night before because his bruises has healed. Every single one of them.
He wasn't surprised at the fast healing, or even at the supreme strength in his body today, knowing that it is all because of his intimacy with her. His mate.
Even without the mating rituals binding them together as one forever, his body and soul know that she is the one.
But, he felt guilty about the bruises he'd seen on her own body in the light of the day. He'd been too rough with her. Rough, and insatiable.
He never got enough of her, no matter how much he'd tried. No matter how much he'd taken, his hunger for her only grew. He'd wanted her badly. Even now, he still wanted her.
The mountain lion bared its teeth inside him, letting out another angry growl.
That part of him did not partake in the sexual intimacy, Wolfaraine knows he has to do something to calm the cougar's turbulent anger and rage, so it doesn't start affecting him physically.
A knock came at the door, interrupting his thoughts.
"Come in."
He heard the door open and close. The scent of the leopard alpha filled the air, Wolfaraine did not bother to turn.
"The council has all assembled, Alpha King. They are waiting in the Meeting Hall." Degar informed him.
"I will join them later, right now I have to go for a run."
"Oh?" His confusion was apparent in his tone and face.
Wolfaraine heard Degar's unspoken questions. Why would he need the calmness of running the wilds when he just had sex the night before?
He didn't bother clearing the leopard alpha's confusion. "How is Alphose?" He asked instead.
"Harhan came over to attend to him in the morning. Mirian made sure he ate something before the sleeping portion she gave him got to him."
"What about Eline? Did she...visit?" Alphose needs sex to heal as much as he needs Harhan's treatments.
"Yes, Alpha King. Harhan said she did."
That made him feel better where the young woman is concerned. He hasn't forgotten that she'd taken Ismena half-naked to club the night before.
Just the reminder of what happened in that club had him gnawing his teeth.
He really needed to go for that run.
With one last glance at her, he turned and walked out of the bedchambers, leaving Degar to follow behind him.
Ismena's eyes opened.
Without moving an inch, she took in her strange environment. The events of the night before crashed through her head, making a smile split through her lips. A bright wide smile.
She'd really gone and done it, didn't she. Damn, she can't believe she had sex with Wolfaraine!
And, she felt...great.
Her eyes widened as she examined her heart mentally. God, she felt so great.
All the usual pains that wake up with her were gone, and her breathing wasn't hurting and erratic. She doesn't feel a single pain in her chest.
Wow. Just wow.
Does it mean she wouldn't be dying in the next few weeks?
Does it mean she'll live longer!?
Is her heart healing!?
"Oh my God!!!" She shrieked happily. That must be what it means, if not she wasn't supposed to feel this good, especially not after the strain, she'd put on her heart the night before.
Memories of the way it was filled her head. The feel of his dick inside her... Moving in her... His groans in her ear... His hand stroking all over her body.
Her body went warm all over. Damn. Double damn.
And, what time is it now?
She began pulling herself up from the bed to check the wall clock, only for her to-
"Ouch!!!" The unexpected cry tore from her lips as every single part of her body protested that movement. Everywhere aches. Even muscles she never knew existed came calling, sore and aching all over.
Needing a shower badly, she tried getting her legs to move, but the pain that shot through her body had her gasping in distress.
With that, she gave up on getting up, lying down again on the bed.
"He'd crippled me. God, my body is one giant bruise." She muttered out loud, miserably. "Damn that insatiable beast of a man."
Instantly, the door opened. But it wasn't Wolfaraine walking through the door but a plump woman that looks in her late sixties, her black hair tied in a bum behind her neck.
"I see you're awake, my lady." The woman said with a kind smile and a gentle voice, walking towards her. "My name is Marian, I keep this tower up and shinning."
Oh, the housekeeper Alphose mentioned to her once.
"Good morning, Mirian. I'm Ismena Cranes, it is so nice meeting you." She blushed, embarrassed. What a circumstance to become acquainted with one of his people.
"Oh, no need for formalities, my lady." She paused, "And the morning has long exhausted itself. It is early evening now, my lady."
"Really?" She asked, her eyes widening. No wonder she was feeling famished.
"Yes, it is."
"Where is he...? Wolfa- I mean, the Alpha King?"
"He is in a meeting with the council. Oh my, but you smell so much like him. So so much. It's rare for a mate to carry that much scent of her male without a mating ritual." The woman shook her head wondrously, "Your compatibility with him is really very high. You are indeed his mate."
Of course, the woman knows. These changelings and their nose, Ismena thought with an inner snort. "What are you?"
"Oh, I'm the Alpha King's packmate, I'm a werewolf. My family has worked for the royal family for centuries."
"Really? So, you've known him since he was a child?" She asked curiously.
"Since he was a young lad, yes." She agreed, "He is a great leader to us all. He really did surpass every other leader our land has ever had. Who would have thought that he'll be so magnificent? After everything he'd been through we were all so scared that he'll lose his sanity like his sis-" she cut off suddenly and bit her lips sadly when she realized she'd said too much.
Ismena knew what the older woman was going to say. It reminded her of everything he'd poured out to her the night before as she dressed his wounds. The thought of Nalaila saddened her greatly.
For a few seconds, sadness welled in the air between them. Then, Mirian brightened again, "I know you crave to use the bathroom, come on before your water gets cold."
Ismena's cheeks reddened. Holy sanitary pad, how was she going to inform this woman that she can't move her body even if her life depends on doing just that...!?
"You s-see, I..." She began. Swallowed, "I can't... That is, I..." Damn, why is it so hard?
Mirian was waiting for her expectantly.
She tried again, "I can't m-move... I mean, my body... h-hurts."
"Oooh! Oh, o-of course, of course!" The older woman nodded vigorously when she realized what the younger woman has been trying to say. Her cheeks warmed, mirroring Ismena's. "I'll help you."
Before Ismena could figure out what she meant by that, The woman covered the distance between them and lifted her from the bed like she doesn't weight much.
"What!?" Ismena shrieked, horrified. "Put me down before you hurt your back..!"
"Oh, don't worry about me, my lady. I am a wolf. I will be just fine." Already, she was at the door of the master bedchambers. She opened it and walked right through, "I will be just fine."
A glance at the bed reminded her of everything that happened. It only made her flush the more until she felt like her cheeks were on fire.
Her overused body reacted too, which wasn't funny.
Mirian discarded the bed sheet that covered her which left her stark naked. Ismena was about to gasp in mortification when the older woman lowered her into the old-fashioned tub and she was instantly engulfed by the great feel of warm foaming water and scented leaves.
"Aaah," she moaned pleasantly, closing her eyes, "Thank you so much, Mirian."
"You're welcome, my lady. I got some medicinal herbs from Harhan, it is in that water. It'll help you feel better when you get out. I bet you have some healing to do after all that screaming." She beamed at her. "You are one strong female, My lady. I am glad that you are in his life."
"All that scream-" Ismena swallowed, "You heard...?"
She snorted. "Of course, I did. I slept in my bedroom, which is the third bedroom on the first floor of the tower, every changeling present in this tower the night before, would have heard too."
"Everyone...!?" She shrieked, horrified.
"Oh, you needn't worry yourself, my lady," Mirian smiled, waving her off, "I'm sure they all tuned out after hearing the first scream as I did."
"Tuned out...?" She was confused and it showed.
"Tuned out means they turned off their hearing from the towers, which also means they stopped paying attention to it, which also means they stopped hearing anything that happened next."
"Oh?"
"Yes. The Alphas of our land know when they are being eavesdropped on, no matter the clan it is. Talk more of the Alpha King. No changeling in his right mind would eavesdrop on the Alpha King when he does not authorize it." She deadpanned.
That made Ismena feel a little bit better. "Okay. Thank you, Mirian."
"I had the clothes you wore on the night before washed in the morning but I know they are not dried yet. I will get some clothes ready for you to put on after a bath. Take your time coming out. I will get your food ready, I know you'll be famished." She gave her another smile before she turned and walked out of the bathroom.
Alone, Ismena closed her eyes while soaking her body. Indeed, she'll be taking her time before she comes out, time enough for whatever medicinal herb in this water to touch her body really well.
God of the crippled, but that man almost killed her.
Eyes closed, the memories surfaced again. His hands exploring her...
Touching her deep inside...
His dick moving inside her...
The things he'd made her feel...
"You really don't know when you're dying, do you?" She muttered to her aroused body, "You really don't know when a food is killing you, only that you wanna eat more because you're hungry? Like a zombie?" Like an addict?
"I will give you pleasure like you've never known before. And you will want more, over and over and over again, till your body can't take any more of it. And, with every passing dawn, you will become addicted to my cock...to me... until I am deeply ingrained in your blood."
The sound of his voice whispering these words to her as he laid on top of her, made her shiver now. Indeed, he has made true to his words, every one of them.
She never knew a pleasure like that existed. And the pains.
Her eyes snapped open. She remembered what had happened to her after he'd entered her. The fear and the terror she'd felt.
What was that?
Brows knitted, Ismena found herself wondering what had happened to her? What were all those nightmares she's been having for the past few months about...? What happened to her the night before?
For the first time since she woke up in the hospital disoriented, her weeping mother hugging her and telling her that she'd lost her memories which is why she has no idea where she is, Ismena felt the tiniest bit of curiosity to know what had happened to her.
For the first time since she was that eight-year-old girl that lived and breathed agony and pains while undergoing so many treatments and being taken in and out of the hospital, she wondered what she'd been through.
What had caused her such awful pains? What had happened that was so horrible that her will to survive had to erase the memories from her young mind?
Ismena took a deep breath and made a mental note to call her mother later.
Maybe it's time she asked.