Chapter 41


    Forty-One: Killian


    Killian’s P.O.V.


    I could feel the others staring at us as I froze beneath my little mate''s touch. Her warm body pressed


    against my beastly form was thest thing I had expected. She didn''t seem scared or disgusted by me.


    The reliefing from her allowed me to rx, and I gently let my arms wrap around her. I loved it.


    "What happened?" Joselin asked from my left. I turned to re at her for disrupting the moment, only to


    find that she hadn''t been speaking to me at all. She was walking around Tobias as he stood guard for


    my mate, examining him like he was a museum exhibit.


    "Whoever the vampires are working with, they are strong. They baited us with a projection. When


    Heath ran through the casting, he suffered from internal injuries. The healers are working on him now."


    I said over Natalie''s head as she held herself to my torso. Joselin nodded in response to my


    exnation but didn''t look my way.


    "Did you get hurt?" Natalie asked softly as her hands began to calmly explore my back. They weren''t


    shaking, but she moved slowly as if she were unsure if she could or should explore me in this form.


    If she was curious, then I would give her what she wanted when we were alone together. She could


    touch and explore my beast until she was positively unbothered by my appearance.


    Every line and path her small fingers drew along my back sent sparks across my skin, and I bit back to


    urge to purr at her in contentment. Her fingers were hot to the touch, and I felt goosebumps rising along


    my body.


    "No, my mate. I am uninjured." I said, tilting my head to the side as I watched with curiosity as she pull


    back and looked me over, seeming to be content when she had not felt nor seen any fresh cuts along


    my skin.


    "Can you shift back?" She asked as she peaked up at me from beneath her long eyshes.


    "Do you not like me in this form?" I asked before changing the subject rapidly, not wanting to hear her


    say no. I knew she already didn''t like me when I was working. The king that was all business was of no


    interest to her. I could make adjustments, to that and give her more of my attention during the day, but I


    could not cast aside the gift the Goddess had directly blessed my people with. "I need to go back out to


    the road with arger team to ensure we did not miss anything. Joselin will being with us to see to


    the magic that had been used."


    Natalie blushed as she looked away before pressing up on the balls of her feet. "I do, I just wanted to


    kiss you and tell you that I am d you are safe."


    My back instinctively hunched until my face was within her reach, and my eyes widened with surprise


    as she kissed my rough and furry cheek. While I could not kiss her back, I was in awe that she had


    done so without hesitation. It seemed her previous fears had left her, and a warmth formed in my chest


    at her eptance.


    "The longer we wait, the harder it will be to find anything," Joselin said from only a few feet away,


    having moved to stand closer to us. Natalie jumped, disrupted from her thoughts, and took a step back.


    I reluctantly released her and turned to Joselin.


    "My men are standing ready at the gate," I said, my muscles rxing as Natalie ced her hand in


    mine. She looked determined as I looked down at her and resisted the urge to purr in happiness. Now


    was not the time. I had a man in the infirmary injured and a mate in mourning. "Joselin and I will be


    back soon."


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    Natalie looked up at me with a pout, and I could see that she knew I would not let her out of the castle


    until we had more information. "Fine, then I will go check on Heath."


    I nodded once, and her face lit up in happiness. It was a great idea. The men adored her and loved that


    she trained with them. They were excited to interact with and get to know their queen. Having her there


    could help to boost morale and encourage Heath to heal.


    Tobias met my eye over her shoulder, and I knew that he would be extra cautious and vignt with her.


    When I told her that she was precious to our people, I meant it. I cared for her a great deal, and I knew


    one day I could love her with everything I had. One day.


    But to our people, she was a symbol of our future. She would lead as Pack Mother at my side and


    would carry and raise the heirs that would one day lead our pack. The queen was always more


    important that the king. A king who did not think that was not a leader. He was a ruler.


    Even with my reluctance to give in to our bond, I knew from the first time I saw her that she was my


    forever. I would not be able to live without her, let alone lead our people.


    "Yes," I cleared my throat, feeling ufortable. I was not used to rtionships and did not know the


    proper way I should say goodbye to my fur. Had I been in my human form, I would have given her a


    kiss and then made my way out of the door. Her eyes lit up, and she pushed herself up on her toes


    again, cing one palm on my chest while the other remained firmly in my hand.


    My beast purred when her breasts pressed against my bicep as I leaned down. She giggled, kissing my


    cheek once more before pulling back. I could see the pain in her eyes from the loss of her parents, but


    she was putting on a good show for the others with her forced smiles.


    "I''ll see you soon.” She whispered, her hold on my hand tightening before she pulled it away and held


    her hand at a fist at her side. It was the primary trigger that alerted me to the fact that she was hurting


    far more than she was letting on.


    She needed me right now. She needed to be held and to mourn. They may not have been her birth


    parents, but they had raised her.


    But I had a job to do and people to protect. I woulde back to her as soon as possible, and she


    would be free to cry on my shoulder in the privacy of our bedroom. Until then, I could only nod to her as


    I turned and made my way toward the door.


    I resisted the urge to turn around and get onest glimpse at her. It would do no good and would only


    slow us down. We needed to get back on the road. We needed tob the area and inspect the magic


    used. I had no reason to believe that the vampires or witches would return to the same ce. But I was


    not so ignorant as to return myself without an army prepared for battle.


    Joselin joined my side, cing her hand on my arm before transporting us to the eager and angry


    group of men and women standing guard at our gate. Lycans and wolves of all sizes roared as I ran


    past them, leading them back into the opennd and the potential threats that awaited us there.