I had waited for a moment after the bedroom doors to the king''s chambers had been shut. Just long enough to ensure that my mate was truly gone and would not be returning, iming to have forgotten something or anything of the sort. And only when I was sure of it did I open my eyes. Thanks to years of perfecting faking deep slumber when I wished not to be woken too early by anyone I was able to convince him that I had truly been sleeping while he watched and waited. Until he gave up.


    I was as a thief, scheming as I sought to avoid himpletely. One would even call me ungrateful for attempting this after how he''d taken care of me. But while I had relished being wrapped up in his arms, being taken care of by him, I wasn''t quite ready to face him yet. Not after what had gone on on his bed in the wee hours of the morning.


    I blushed at the mere thought while my hands grabbed a fistful of the silky bed linen. Even when I was alone, I did, because why wouldn''t I when the whole incidence was just as scandalous even in my mind and still too fresh too.


    I bit back a moan even as visions I had barely been able to keep away flooded in, bringing to rememberance every bit of my own re persuits. Moments I had given in to be pleasured by mate. Moments that were from out of this realm. "Moments I shouldn''t be relishing if I wish to find my way out of here and to my own chambers before he returns." The sensible part of me reasoned, making me abandon the bed. Landing on the carpeted floor, my feet relished the plushfort below, reminding me of the times I hated and cursed waking up and stepping on the cold floor back in the forgotten vige. "No time to think about that either." Right. I stood on my feet and scurried towards the doors, but a few stepster realized that I was dressed in nothing but my night gown. One I had no memory of slipping back on after... I clenched my legs together as if that would stop the swirl of need that assaulted my core at the mere thought that he''d had his hands on me. Long after I had crumbled under the intensity of being pleasured and seen stars while at it. Had he stared? Or perhaps touched me to his heart''s content while I slept? Had I moaned and did he like it as much he''d had when I was awake? Had he...? I froze at the many improper questions that assaulted my mind, hands shy of zing the part of the night gown thatyered over my chest. I was a hot needy mess. Something I thought my shameless indulgence would have taken care of. But s, here I was, ready to touch myself in the absence of his strong hands that I was certain were imbued with some kind of magic. Just because I''d never thought hands were capable of driving one insane in a manner they did me when he stroked and touched.


    The doors opened soundlessly and I yelped when a figure slipped in unannounced.


    "Oh, forgive me, mydy. I did not realize you were awake." A maid bowed as soon as she noticed me. I would have knocked if I had."


    d that it was not my mate and for not being caught in what would have been an embarrassing act, simply waved her away. "It is alright and I was just leaving."


    "Leaving? Will you not have a bath mydy?" Eyes wide, the maid''s gaze darted between me and a door assumed led to the bath before they fell on a tray that she carried. "A few drops of these and your bath will be ready."


    "I...I will. Not just here." My gaze fell on the room looking for my garments in haste. "My gown, where is it?"


    "It has been taken to be washed, mydy."


    "What?!" I snapped. It was not my intention, but I realized that without my gown I was stuck here and he would find me. I couldn''t have that.


    "Forgive me, mydy, but had I known that you would be awake or had a prior engagement, I would have fetched your gowns from the seamstress before I came."


    "Seamstress? Gowns? I have no need of those."


    "His highness already ced an order for more gowns to be delivered to his chambers."


    "He has? He expects me to stay? Here?" I blushed while the maid seemed at a loss for words. No doubt because to every one of my questions she had no satisfactory answer.


    "I will send for your clothes at once, mydy."


    "No need." I couldn''t risk him finding me. "I-I''ll just take this." I grabbed his cloak and drapped it over my shoulders as the maid''s eyes widened.


    "He''ll surely have my head." Shemented. "Mydy, please reconsider and let me get you proper clothes at the very least."


    "If his highness asks, you will inform him that this is my decision and mine alone. That way you will suffer no consequences." My words did nothing to ease the poor maiden''s difort and unfortunately for her, neither did I have time to ensure they did. "What is this?" I reached out to pick up a neatly folded parchment paper that I had not noticed beside the pillow I had been resting on.


    "Mydy?"


    "This? Would you know what it is?" Even as I asked my heart hammered in my chest. Something said I should be the one to know what was contained in that exquisite piece of paper.


    The maid lost her look of horror and blushed instead. "His highness never leaves parchments lying around. If it was on the bed, perhaps it is meant for you. You should unfold it and see what it says."


    "Oh, I couldn''t." I protested even when a part of me was curious. Very, very curious.


    "What if it is something important? Something he might have wished to say but couldn''t since you were deep in sleep?"


    The reminder that I had shared the bed with the king of Xatis at all had me slipping the note in the crevices of his garment and rushing for the doors. Perhaps I would read it...ter. In the privacy of my own chambers. I ignored the impatient part of me that protested my decision. The one that had my belly fluttering and curiosity growing at whatever was contained in the little note."


    "But mydy-" I shut the door before the maid could say anymore.


    "Are you alright?" Gol was by my side in a sh, making me yelp a second time today.


    "Oh goodness, it''s just you." Iid a hand on my chest as I inhaled while Gol studied my face and the oversized cloak covering my little frame.


    "Are you by any chance running away from somethi-someone?"


    "Of course not!" Gol only arched a brow at my reply that was more of a denial. "On second thought you and you and... you." I pointed at a few guards. "Make sure I am not followed...or greeted... by anyone." I pulled at Gol''s cloak and I breathed a sigh of relief when he did not fight me. "You are with me."


    "But mydy..." I stopped hastily, head swinging towards the guard who spoke.


    "What is it?" I hoped he was not about to point out that I could notmand them. Which would be true in essence. I was just the king''s mate. Nothing more.


    "What if the said person is his majesty?"


    My cheeks heated up at the mere mention of him and the poor guard seemed to notice this and he fought to keep his expression neutral. "Especially his majesty." I croaked out before being on my way and before I got more protests. Or before the said king found his way back and decided that I was to be locked up in his chambers, never to see the light of day.


    "He did not rouse any feelings in me to give him a beating when he walked out of the chambers this morning, so why then are you escaping? Was he less than a gentleman perhaps?"


    My mind filled up with all the ways the king had not been a gentleman in the early hours of this morning, making me want to clench my legs as I walked. If only that would not have looked weird and invited questions from Gol and curious eyes from the pce staff. And even when Gol had chosen to speak to me through his mind link, I still nced all around me to ensure no one else heard that. "I am not escaping." I kept my eyes trained at his back and hoped he didn''t choose to turn and study my face. He did. "Uh huh." Skepticism coloured his face and I was d it was that and not a smirk which would have coloured my face scarlet.


    "I am nody, but even I know never to speak of such intimate matters with my gua-uh shack mate."


    "You can say it, you know?" Gol said after a long moment and I was about to protest thinking he meant me speaking of my escapades with my mate. "Being your guard gives me purpose, so never regard this as degrading for me."


    I stopped and stared. So not what I was expecting. At the very least, I expected a few more moments of being taunted about my escape as he called it. "Somehow I doubt that." I scoffed, choosing to lighten the moment that was a perfect distraction from the burning reason I was bent on running. "I would think you spend nights cursing fate for taking away the priviledge of pushing me around in the name of training."


    His lips twitched, making him appear stranger than he did in the guard''s uniform that I still had not gotten to seeing him in. "You only have that prince or princess to thank for ack of that. I''m sure his majesty would dly sanction lessons that ensure his mate''s safety."


    I shook my head at the thought that would definitely be my nightmare. Gol and my mate barking orders at me all day, everyday? "Perhaps we should just keep walking." The sight of familiar hallways made me rx an inch as I realized that we''d finally entered Liira''s side of the castle. I was finally free and could breathe. I took in the different entrance we''d used. "I was not aware there was another entrance into this ce." I spoke to no one in particr, but one of the guards took the liberty to answer me.


    "Mydy would need a grand tour of the pce to know of such." A hint of prideced his voice. One I thought was well deserved. The royal pce was indeed magnificent and it''s inhabitant being proud was expected. "Perhaps his highness will give it to you soon." "I''m sorry, give me what?" I struggled to keep the embarassment away at the thought of the king giving me anything after what he''d given me earlier.


    "The grand tour of course."


    "Or perhaps Liira will." If anyone noted my blush or reluctance at having their king do the honours, none let it be known.


    "The matriarch is a good choice too." The guard who''d suggested the tour nodded before falling into awkward silence.


    I needed the privacy of my chambers before I made a fool of myself any longer. And when they came into view, I practically ran past Gol and slipped in without so much as a word.


    "Well, about time you showed up."


    "Oh gods!" My heart leaped into my throat at the unexpected presence of someone in my chambers.


    "Oh dear child, its just me."


    "Liira?" So not the privacy I had hoped for.


    The matriarch stood to her feet. "I was beginning to think he was nning on having you the entire day and we''d get nothing else done.


    "He wouldn''t-wasn''t-" Was he? I stumbled all over my words, trying to deny the obvious.


    "Rx child. Do not look so scandalized as it is not my intention. Although..." I flinched, unsure of what to expect from Liira''s mouth that curved mischieviously. "It is good for the child you carry." Embarassment morphed into curiosity. "What is?"


    "Intimacy between mates."


    "I-I-we didn''t." Well he didn''t- while I...For all that was sacred, I prayed that my mate''s grandmother would not embarass me any further.


    "We are wolves dear child. No use in denying anything. If not for the lingering scent, your face says it all."


    I paled at Liira''s words as I realized that I just announced to pretty much everyone we''d encountered in the pce of my escapades with their king despite bragging to Gol that I had no intentions of doing such a thing. I should have really listened to the maid and taken that bath and change of garments.