CHAPTER FOUR: Survival

Nolan had backed away from Baila and chosen to stand in a corner far away from her. His heart thudded dangerously fast whenever he was near her.

Twelve blasted hells!

He had hoped with all his heart that he was wrong and yet when he kissed her, every sleeping part of him had awoken. She was the one. She was his to protect.

Nolan watched her brown eyes gaze outside the window. He was certain that she wanted to be free, to leave but for some reason, she stood still with a lost look on her face.

He could not let anyone know about her. Not yet.

Goddess!

The council. What would they say if he told them that his mate was a witch? Nolan squeezed his eyes shut, wondering if he should let her know or watch her walk away forever. The latter was a better option but somehow, Nolan knew it would be impossible to let her go.

"Can I stay for a few nights?" she asked.

Nolan looked at her. There were a lot of questions he should have asked her. Questions that were very important and necessary for the safety of his people. Instead, he had kissed her and now, he was about to let her stay.

"Of course," he nodded, eager to please her. Nolan groaned inwardly, wondering what was wrong with him.

He couldn't rule out the fact that she could have spelled him into thinking that she was his mate.

He groaned inwardly again. Once again, he wondered what the hell he was doing. She was a witch. He couldn't cut her any slack for the sake of his feelings. He pinched the bridge of his nose. It was his duty to protect his people and he would be damned if he let feelings hold him back.

"How did you get here?" he asked her.

Nolan watched as her eyes went wide and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"I.....I owed some people some money. They came after me and so I run and climbed over the wall. I didn't think it through when I climbed the black wall," she stuttered, playing with her fingers.

Her eyes never met his as she spoke. Nolan suspected that she was lying. She had to be desperate to climb the black wall which had large shards of glass sticking out of it. He didn't need to ask her how she got to the river and ended up drowning. He knew how the river called to its victims. His parents had been the first.

Still, he wondered how she had managed to breach the barrier. He should have felt it the moment she stepped into Northwood but he hadn't. She was a witch. She must have cast a spell that prevented him and any of his men from sensing her presence.

"What is your name?" he questioned.

"Baila," she smiled softly at him.

"Baila" he tested the name on his tongue. Nolan froze at her smile. Such a pretty name for a witch.

He was sure of it now. She had cast a spell on him and until he figured out how to break it, he couldn't let her leave.

Aaron had spent the night outside Nolan's bedroom. As captain of the guards and his best friend, Nolan knew that Aaron was paranoid when it came to his safety.

Nolan mind linked Aaron about his suspicions, how he felt and the fact that Baila would be staying for a few nights. Aaron was not happy about the last part. He was even less happy when Nolan told him that he had to show Baila to her room.

"You can stay. It will be for three nights," Nolan informed Baila.

He saw her face fall when he said she could stay for three nights.

Was she disappointed? Did she want to stay longer or was it something else?

Nolan looked at her, studying the bruises that marred her legs and arms. For the first time since he had seen her, he noticed how the white tattered dress she wore clung to her like a second skin. It was transparent enough that he could see the faint patch of red skin on her waist.

Nolan cleared his throat, focusing on the books and papers scattered on his desk. He had a lot to do. He couldn't spend all day wondering about the red patch on her waist.

When he looked at her, she was staring at him with a brow raised questioningly.

Goddess! Those brown eyes.

"Aaron is outside the door. He is the captain of my guards. He will show you to your room," Nolan said, trying to think of something other than the fact that a witch had cast a spell on him.

Her presence would raise questions and he needed to find a way to answer them.

What worried him was that any other witch would have been dying to leave but here she was, asking to stay.

Any other witch, he would have killed but then again, he couldn't be sure about that since she was the first witch to step on his land since he became king.

She paused briefly and Nolan looked expectantly at her as she run a frustrated hand through her hair. Had she changed her mind? Did she want to leave? So soon?

"Thank you. If there is anything you ever need, I'll be more than happy to help" she said with a polite smile before stepping out of his room.

Nolan took a bath and wore a dark blue tunic with golden buttons as was the tradition of lycan kings who had come before him. He fastened a black cloak around his neck before leaving to meet the council members in the round room.

There was nothing much to discuss anyways. The treaty had not been violated in any way and there was peace but his monthly meeting with the council elders had been put in place long before he became king. As a king, it was his duty to honour it. Whether he liked it or not.

If it were up to him, the council would be dissolved altogether but the council made the people feel safe. All twelve members of the council had been elected by the people themselves.

Eight hundred years ago, Jared Caldore had been the lycan king. He had stolen money from the people. During his reign, the people had to pay insanely high amounts of taxes. He forced women and children to go to war against the vampires. Jared killed anyone that spoke against him. The people suffered in silence until he died.

After his death, his son, Jairom Caldore became lycan king. He was nothing like his father. Some say that his heart had been softened by his pale mate. Jairom asked the people to elect twelve families from among them. A member from each family was elected to form the blue council. The blue council had a say in whatever law was passed. If a tyrant ever rose again, the council could take his crown.

For years, the twelve families had provided successors whenever a council member passed away.

Nolan straightened the collar of his tunic as the guards pushed the timber double doors open. The council members rose to their feet as the announcer spoke.

"All hail King Nolan Caldore, the sixtieth king of Northwood, keeper of the golden cup, bearer of the blood crown, commander of the army of the fallen sons and the first black lycan since Vaeya the creator!"

"All hail!" the council members chorused once the announcer was done.

Nolan took his seat at the head of the table and the members followed suit. Once he was seated, he noticed that Sara sat in councilman Geris' seat. He knew what that meant.

"I am sorry for your loss, Sara. I am sure that you will do your best to fill your uncle's shoes" Nolan said, smiling sadly at her.

Her uncle must have passed away during the night or early morning. Yet, Sara was forced to attend the meeting. If she had missed her first council meeting, it would be a sign that she did not want the position and it would be passed down to someone else in her family.

Nolan stared at the carving of the snarling wolf in the middle of the dark brown table as he waited for councilwoman Sabyni to speak.

"The bride trials for the high king are still ongoing and it has led me to suggest that our own king settle down as well. Due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the death of our previous king and queen, the people are scared and restless. Marriage and an heir will put their hearts at ease," she spoke.

Councilwoman Sabyni was the oldest of the council members at two hundred years. Werewolves and lycans had lost their immortality since Jared the cruel. Nolan thought that it was the Goddess' way of making sure that no one had too much power. Immortality was too much power.

"All in favour?" Councilwoman Sabyni shouted, raising her hand.

Eight of the council members raised their hands. Nolan muttered a string of curses under his breath. Sara had raised her hand too.

Unlike most previous kings, Nolan's parents hadn't arranged a marriage for him and he had no one in mind.

Twelve blasted hells!

It looked like he would have to organize a bride trial of his own.