17

My wolf does not like the defiance coming from her. She may have raised me, but I am still her alpha and her king.

“Very well. I shall retire for the night, then.”

“Wait,” I call out, stopping her in her tracks. “Why is Leanna’s room so bare?” I asked my mate that question yesterday, but I feel I may get a better answer out of Harriet.

She doesn’t look at me. “She doesn’t want to decorate it. She thinks it’s not her room.”

“What kind of stupid excuse is that?” I growl. “She’s living in it, isn’t she? Therefore, it’s her room.”

Harriet looks over her shoulder at me before suggesting, “Perhaps Your Majesty should remind her of that. She seems to think she has no place in this castle and is simply a prisoner here.”

“Well, she’s not wrong,” I mutter. “She is a prisoner. A political one.”

Harriet’s eyes flash at me, and she says through gritted teeth, “Will there be anything else, Sire?”

“No.” I have a feeling she’ll have something to say to me if I utter another word. As she reaches the door, though, I tell her, “The Eastern Kingdom’s palace was very colorful. Give Leanna something to do aside from work. Tell her to decorate this castle.”

Harriet now turns to face me. “Decorate the castle?” She’s looking at me as if I have suddenly grown two horns on the top of my head.

“Yes,” I growl. “What’s so hard to understand?”

“How do you want it decorated? For an event?”

“No. Just put in some color.” My eyes flick toward the still figure on the bed, and my voice lowers. “And tell her that I dislike Princess Vivian’s taste.”

Harriet stares at me for a moment, and for the first time in two weeks, I see a small smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Very well. There may be hope for you yet.”

The last part is whispered and, I’m sure, not meant for my ears. But I’m not going to argue with a woman who once used to whoop my ass. I throw some logs into the fire after she’s gone and wonder what I’m trying to do. Decorate the castle? I’m acting as if I care about the woman sleeping in my bed.

Well, it’ll give her something to do, I tell myself. Stripping off my shirt, I climb into bed beside my mate. Carefully, I rearrange her in my arms. She’s asleep and won’t know. This is just to make sure she doesn’t get cold during the night, I justify to myself.

But as I bury my face in her hair, I remember the salty scent from last night. I’m sure she had been crying.

Foolish woman.

I throw my leg over her hip to make sure she doesn’t go anywhere.

 

  

My attention is drawn to the garden outside my office window.

What is that woman doing now?

She’s hunched over by the side of a tree in the most unladylike position, digging. My eyes narrow as I watch her look around in a suspicious manner before she continues whatever she is up to.

“Did you hear me, Cedric?”

Edgar’s voice brings me back. “What?”

He gives me a strange look. “I was asking if you have decided what to do about the full moon.”

For a moment, I gaze at him uncomprehendingly, and then it hits me. “What kind of question is that?”

He clears his throat. “Given your disposition toward the queen, I want to know whether you envision having a child with her this year or not.”

“That was the plan, wasn’t it?”

I turn my attention back toward the woman in the garden. Has she lost her mind? If she wants to have a hole dug, why isn’t she asking one of the gardeners? Why the hell is she doing this herself?

“Look, whatever is out there is far less interesting than what I’m trying to say to you,” my friend snaps at me. He walks around the desk to see what I’m looking at, and before I can stop him, he manages to catch a glimpse.

“Is that Queen Vivian?” he mumbles, shocked.

I shove him away. “Mind your own business.”

“I’m trying to, but you’re completely distracted by her. What is she doing?”

“Beats me.”

“So, go ask her.” Edgar scoffs. “What is she trying to do, dig her way out of the castle?” He snickers as he says it, and when I give him a level look, his laughter fades.

“For someone who is supposed to be my advisor, you sure do lack the right amount of brain cells.”

“You’re just as curious as me. Go find out what she’s doing so we can all move on with our lives.”

“Worry about yourself,” I say darkly. “Let her do what she wants. Now, what were you saying?”

He gapes at me for a full ten seconds before rolling his eyes. “Fine. It’s your problem, not mine. The elders want to know whether you plan to have a child by next year. What do you want me to say to them?”

“Tell them to stick their noses where they’re needed. It’s not their business when I fuck my mate.”

“Well, they’re making it their business,” Edgar retorts, “and you better give them an answer before they start pestering the queen. You already know how they feel about her. They’re not going be very nice to her.”

I glance at him, my tone calm. “If anyone approaches the queen, execute them. Lop off a couple of heads, and the rest will fall in line.”

Edgar shakes his head. “Since when have you become so protective of her?”

I feel annoyed at this. “I’m not protective of her. I just don’t like the elders poking their noses into my business. And they have no reason to talk to her. You give them my message.”

He sighs. “Fine. But I’m just asking when you’ll be ready to…you know.”

I give him a hard look. “I’m not going to have this conversation any longer. Do you have anything useful to say to me?”

He checks the paper in his hand and rolls his eyes. “Not really. The full moon is in a month.”

That catches my attention. “I thought it was in two weeks.”

My wolf has been drawn to Leanna, and I assumed it was because of the coming full moon. I sensed my own shift in behavior toward her, and I thought it was the effects of that, as well. As the full moon grows closer, fated mates who have yet to share a mating mark always grow a little possessive of each other.

“No. I checked.” Edgar shakes his head. “It’s in one month. Anyway, I have to go. Rothan wants my help with arranging security for when the village artisans arrive.”

I nod approvingly. Leanna has taken my order from last week very seriously. She has approached different artisans in the nearby villages to help decorate the castle. It took me by surprise because I thought she would go for renowned artists. Instead, she’s recruiting local talent. This means more jobs for the villagers, and they’re over the moon about it. The attitude of the castle’s staff toward Leanna has significantly improved, as well. She has gone from being the enemy to being a benevolent queen. There have been several maids who have asked Harriet to let them assist the queen, but each one has been turned down. It seems the newly positive sentiment isn’t returned. Leanna doesn’t trust them. She’s kind to them, but trust has to be earned, and my people are aware of that.

I guess I was wrong. Kindness does speak to Northern wolves.

“What has she ordered?”