05. Handkerchief

It turned out I was indeed wounded when we stepped inside the carriage. I did not notice it earlier. There was a cut on my stomach. And another one in arms. But now that the adrenaline rush was gone, my body was sore all over. 

My wounds sting, despite my attempt to make them heal faster. Too bad I did not inherit Father’s ability of healing. It would come in handy if I did. But Sabrina. She was supposed to become the pack doctor of the pack if only she weren’t pulled out. 

"Ouch. Dammit," I muttered, trying my best to stop the wound. 

The Lycan king was silent as we continued the trip. Good for him. However, every now and then, his nose would flare when my blood would flow. 

“Do something with your wound,” he growled. 

I smirked. If only that were possible. Unfortunately, my healing was much slower than this time because I had already used all my energy. 

“I am trying, Your Majesty,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ve spent all my energy.”

The cloak's fabric was sturdy, and I could not tear a little of it. It would be good if I could put some around my wound that would serve as a bandage to stop the bleeding. 

I felt sorry for the cloak. It was already soaked with blood, and I did not know if there was some sort of magic bleach that would make the dried blood disappear. 

He warily glanced in my direction, and his gaze stayed longer at my wound. 

“Ask your wolf to heal it faster. I don’t like the smell of blood around here.”

I sighed in irritation. “Don’t you see I am trying? If only you had helped us earlier, perhaps I wouldn't be injured.”

“Watch your words,” the Lycan King growled. “You are my slave. I wasted my gold on you. It’s your duty to fight in my stead.”

“Well, excuse me. But I am not only your slave but your mate. The future queen.”

“You wish,” he answered. “Until you prove your loyalty to me, that will be the time I will accept you as the queen. I do not want a weakling as my mate.”

Bastard.

The Lycan King should have said he would reject me. It would be faster that way. And by that time, I would have no difficulty killing him in the process if I found out he had something to do with Sabrina's disappearance. 

Why was I paired with the Lycan King again?

“Being mates is not like that. We will accept each other without conditions. You will accept me for who I am,” I explained. 

“I can make my own rules. I am the Lycan king.”

“Whatever,” I muttered, rolling my eyes at him. There was no point in arguing with him. It was exhausting and stressful at the same time. 

I uttered a curse when there was still blood. “Do you have some spare clothes with you, Your Majesty?” I asked. “A rag will suffice—”

My vision was impaired when something blocked my view. Using my free hand, I yanked it away from my eyes and saw it was a handkerchief with an embroidered wolf on the corner, howling at the midnight sky. It looked real and smelled good. 

At the bottom part was the initial of the letters E.B. 

Elio Blackman? Was I right?  That was the Lycan King’s name. 

“What will I do with this?” I asked, confused.

“You can cover your mouth using that handkerchief so that you will stop talking. You're the loudest slave I purchased.”

“Thank you so much for the compliment, Your Majesty. I will make sure to use this mouth of pretty use.” I will annoy you more until you get tired of me. 

On the other hand, was this piece of cloth for my wound? How could he give this away? This one seemed personalized. 

“I cannot use this, Your Majesty. It seemed like you treasure this handkerchief.”

Still not looking at me, he said, “Throw it then. I don’t care.” He returned his gaze to the window.

We were beside a cliff, and one wrong move of the carriage, we will fall off. I don’t want to look any more outside. It would only make me dizzy. 

I did not believe that he no longer cared about this cloth. It seemed like he always brought it with him. It carried his scent.

“Really? As you wish, Your Majesty.” I acted as if I would throw it, but in a blink of an eye, the Lycan king managed to snatch it away from my hand. 

Lifting my eyebrows, I said, “I thought the cloth did not matter anymore.”

Glaring at me, he answered, “I changed my mind. If you will not use it—”

I snatched it away from his hand before he could finish his statement. Not waiting for his reaction, I wrapped it securely around my wound, leaving the wound around my arms. It was not that big. The blood decorated the cloth, and I felt sorry for the embroidered wolf.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” 

“I’m not asking you,” he said gruffly. 

This man confused me. He acted fierce and brutal, but inside, it seemed like he was soft.

Or maybe I was mistaken. It was still hasty to conclude. 

He did not answer me.

“So…who is the owner of the handkerchief? Was it given to you by someone you hold, dear?”

“Shut up.”

He cannot make me.

Instead of obeying him, I said, “Is it your mate?”

He stood still, and in a blink of an eye, he was suddenly on me, pinning both of my hands, his weight pressed on me. There was no space for moving. And damn. My wounds hurt.

The Lycan King's eyes flashed with gold, his wolf trying to take over. 

“Don’t ever mention her again,” he roared. ‘No one has the right to utter her name, especially from the Howling Pack. I despise your pack. If Beta Darius did not stop me that time, all of you would be annihilated. Be thankful I did not kill you after knowing you came from that pack.”

For the first time in meeting the Lycan King, a shiver ran down my spine.