Chapter 3: Like Father, Like Son

Chapter 3

She got onto her horse and began moving away without even waiting for him. Her heart beating heavily against her chest.

It hurt that she could not shift— especially in front of people. Her wolf was always restless within her, but shifting meant exposing who she was. Shifting was going to make it easier for her to be found out if someone paid too much attention.

“We’ll go for a run later at night, she whispered to Naya. “When we’ve arrive at the camp.”

Will he let you? Naya whined.

"I'm not going to give him a choice."

They arrived at the camp a few minutes around midnight and Theron shifted back. She could smell the metallic tang of blood even from miles away.

Her jaw ticked as she watched guards set up a new tent for the king while he stood there, arms crossed over his chest.

How could he be so calm and unbothered with everything going wrong?

And of course he was king— people did everything for him. Unlike his father, Maera felt he didn't deserve it.

With the tent set up, in the middle of the camp, and a fire lit, Theron nodded his head in her direction.

"Go on in commander. I'm after you."

"We are sharing a tent?" She spluttered.

Theron rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Of course. As my bodyguard, you shall have to sleep in the same tent as I do."

"As your bodyguard, I think outside the tent is more appropriate."

"There will be guards stationed outside already."

Maera gave him a look. "How convenient."

She had spent most of her time in war tents, living amongst men but it had never been a problem. The tents were usually packed so no one paid her much attention— until she had been promoted rapidly, and then she had a solo tent.

"What is convenient?" Theron asked as he walked in through the flap of the tent. She followed behind him, her eyes growing accustomed to the inside.

"You're ignoring me," Theron pressed.

“What shall you have me say, your majesty?” Cael asked, stopping just short of the firelight, looking so relaxed. Theron hated the way Cael spoke, and how he didn’t even seem bothered by the fact that he was king.

"Nothing," Theron muttered and stared in another direction. "Is there something that you want to say?"

"Why do you think I have something to say?

“You are watching me, Commander Cael” Theron said in a careful tone. He could feel Maera's eyes on him. “Why are you staring at me?”

Maera blinked slowly. “I’m observing,” she said. “It’s my job. You’re my responsibility, your majesty.”

Theron’s jaw tightened In annoyance. He wanted to look away and wanted to seem unbothered, but he couldn’t stop noticing the way Maera’s calm blue eyes followed him.

“You’ll sleep soon, yes?” Maera asked after a pause. “I mean don’t you want rest?”

“I plan to,” Theron said, trying to sound certain, “but I’m not sure what you have planned and why you're bothered by my sleep. You're my bodyguard and not my mother.”

Maera almost rolled her eyes. She didn't like the word bodyguard. She was literally the commander of the whole Vaelmont District Army. How dare he reduce her to a bodyguard?

“I’d like to let my wolf out, take a run near the paths."

Theron felt his chest tighten further. For some reason he felt protective, and was worried. With the war raging outside, walks in the area weren't safe. “You are my bodyguard,” he said. “You are not to leave me alone.”

Maera leaned back slightly, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “Wow,” she said. “I didn’t think you were the clingy type. Or the kind of king who can’t protect himself without others. One would think that being a carbon copy of your father's physical appearance meant you'd be like him in every other aspect. A king who was strong enough to protect himself— even at old age, he fought and killed so many in war. I'm sure the bastard who killed him only had the advantage of being younger. But you... I guess that's not the case."

Theron didn't think before he grabbed the man in his front roughly by the collar. His dark eyes bored into Maera's blue and amused ones. "Ah, anger. Well you did take after your father in that aspect."

"Do not speak to me that way Commander Cael," he hissed. "As long as you and I remain in this tent, you will learn to respect me."

"Respect is given to who deserves it," Maera said in a colder tone.

Theron swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the proximity between them. Something about this man he held just made him want to pin Maera against the wall and kiss her hard.

Do it. His wolf whispered.

You've got to be crazy. I can't kiss a man.

But you want to. I want to.

"Bollocks!" Theron roared, pushing Maera back angrily. She fell on her back but stood up immediately.

"You throw anger tantrums but demand respect? The irony. Your father got angry— but not this way."

Theron opened his mouth, but the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. He hated that he wanted to snap again, hated that he wanted to tell Cael to shut up, hated that the man could irritate him so easily. “I am not clingy,” he said finally. “And I can protect myself.”

"Good. Since you can, let the elders know you will like me stationed with the rest of the army and need my expertise, not a bodyguard."

"It doesn't work that way Cael."

"What? Don't tell me as the supreme Alpha, you have no say in your own life."

"Politics don't always work the way you think it does."

"Politics works the way it's supposed to work. Like when the king was still alive and not a pampered youth putting on a goddamn robe."