Elenaโs POVI donโt dare to continue looking up at King Harvey. Iโm not brave enough to meet his powerful gaze. I donโt want to die in the disappointment in his eyes.I know he said I did good, but I donโt believe him. He must be saving face with the other werewolves.โElena, I am King. You are to look at me when I speak to you.โ King Harvey says to me sternly, yet not in a rage. He sounds patient.Lowering my head for a moment, I take time to regain my courage and look up at him.โI am sorry, King Harvey.โHis brown eyes gaze down at me with adoration, and I freeze.โWell done, Elena. I have never met a human that tries as hard as you. I meant it when I said good job. A good King does not lie, Elena, especially to his mate.โโโฆI feel unworthy, King Harvey.โKing Harvey nods. โTrust that I have picked you, Elena. Trust me.โKing Harvey smiles at me genuinely and I know it is a rare smile.โThank you, King Harvey.โ I have no energy to blush; I just wish his words were sinking in.โYou
Elenaโs POVKing Harvey carries me back to his private training room in silence. Any werewolf that looks our way automatically looks down when he meets their gaze.โI will wrap your ankle, Elena.โ King Harvey says as he rushes off the running track.In a flash, we are in his private training room. He sits me on a soft red chair and instructs I lift my swollen ankle. Painfully, I do so and watch as he pulls out a red compression bandage and wraps my ankle tightly.โElena, you said you are tired. This compression bandage will heal you slowly. It is not a normal piece of fabric. When you can stand once again, I would like to show you how to punch again.โโYes, King Harvey, thank you for being so kind, I appreciate you greatly.โI blush when he turns to me with a magnificent, fanged grin.โOh, my Elena, do not tempt me.โ King Harvey growls lowly. โYou understand my sensitive predicament.โโI am the one wounded, King Harveyโฆโ I whisper, trying to diffuse the situation.King Harvey looks at
Elenaโs POVAs I duck a punch from a very irritated and irate werewolf, I get to see Jane slamming her knee into the stomach of her opponent leading him to the ground.A red-light shines above them and it is the signal that she had won.โAs expected of Beta Haroldโs daughter! She even beat Thomas!โ Katy says loudly from behind them. She is third in line.Janeโs cocky smirk makes me sick.We have even paused our fight to look at them.Another werewolf in Janeโs line adds into the conversation. โIf this continues, she will soon inherit her dadโs position! She is so capable and strong!โโOh, I know!โ Jane agrees happily as she presses her bloodied-knuckled hand to her chest. โI canโt wait to be a Beta just like my daddy! I want to see King Harvey as often as possible; I just love him!โJane punctuates her words with a masterful glower in my direction.I grit my teeth to swallow a scream of pure rage. How dare she.I am doing this luna training for the benefit of every werewolf, including
Elenaโs POVKing Harvey stands in front of me tall, proud and with firm feet. To protect me. His stance remains open and wide, like when he was teaching me boxing. His right foot is in front of his left.โSneaking up on innocent unsuspecting people? Jane, is this what you have learned in your battling class?โ King Harveyโs voice remains strong and cold. I know his eyes match. I personally know what his protective gaze looks like.Jane stammers for a moment, sweat breaking out in her face with wide eyes.I smile at her fear, enjoying that she is aware of her mortality, as am I, 24/7.โKing Harvey.โ Jane greets with a low bow and falls to her knees. โPlease, please, forgive my foolishness. Leave my father out of it. I just wanted to test my strength. I would never hurt Elena.โA knife stabs into my heart as I gasp at her words.LIAR!! I think. I know about the death in her eyes.King Harvey takes a glance at me out of the corner of his eye and for a moment, his gaze softens.Our eyes m
Elenaโs POVKing Harveyโs laugh morphs into a roar as I peek at him through my hands. He throws his head back and wipes tears from his eyes, then stares at me with a sweet smile.โElena.โ King Harvey places his warm hand on my shoulder and grins. โI know you did not anticipate this. This is standard for romantic rooms.โโIt is gross!โ I shiver and step away from him, worried he will think I am a prude.I am thankful he is aware of what these rooms hold in them! I would look stupid trying to seduce a werewolf with plastic.King Harvey nods. โโฆthose will not be used in our marriage.โโMarriage,โ I breathe. โYou have called it mating this whole time.โKing Harvey studies me a moment, then opens his mouth. Two fangs greet me. โElena, I do want our togetherness to be fair. You and I shall mate, then wed.โMy stomach flops around in my body out of fear. โYesโฆ but why not the other way around?โโNo time.โ His face darkens and he becomes grim as he takes a seat at the edge of the heart-shaped
Elenaโs POVI kiss him back as strong as I can, hoping to distract him from the scar on my leg. King Harvey enjoys the kiss, pressing into my body fully, desperately, and possessively. My knees almost buckle at his magnetism and strength. He pulls away and drops kisses down my neck, leaving me to cling to him.โWho did this?โ King Harveyโs voice is suddenly deeper, and his eyes have lost all light. โElena,โ he demands lowly. โTell me.โโ...m-m-my fatherโฆโโYour father?โ King Harvey now is tilting his head to the side and almost panting. His chest rises and falls so rapidly that a human would pass out from exertion.The muscle of his chest almost looks like it will break open at any second.โYes. Tell me about yours!โ Rushing to place my hands on the side of his face, I press my forehead to his despite my fears.He could chew my head off with one of his fangs.The skin-to-skin contact seems to calm him slightly. King Harvey takes careful measures to slow his breathing, but his eyes kee
Elenaโs POVI am sick of the spring water and after a glance at King Harvey I see he is fine. I want to ask more about his war scars, but I think that is a very sensitive topic to ask him about war. We are happy right now.I will not be the one to push him into a bad mindset.โKing Harvey, I know we have three days together, and it is late. Perhaps โฆ could we go to the flower shop nearby? It was my momโs favorite...โ I am too nervous to look him in the eyes, but he lifts my chin to look at him.โElena, whatever you want I will grant you.โ King Harvey runs his pointer finger down the side of my face, chasing my right cheekbone.My heart pounds violently at his words and actions. I need to learn to accept his affection, but after a lifetime of being a mother to both my father and sister, it is hard for me to think I would be living in a romantic situation that is safe and loving.โThank you, King Harvey.โ I lower my head and blush, and he leans in and kisses my nose.โI am sick of this
Elenaโs POVโNo! Why would I kill you?โโElena,โ King Harvey begins sternly. โYou and I are not the same species. Learn it for me, and any other werewolf.โNow is not the time.I cut him off by taking his face in my hands and kissing him deeply. I have no idea where this courage comes from, but the roses fall to the floor in our kiss, and he takes another greedily.โI do not want to hurt you, King Harvey. Do you understand? I trust you not to hurt me.โ I whisper.โI am not the only werewolf on this planet, Elena.โ King Harvey replies seriously. โI will protect you with my life, but I may not be available, not that I would not run when you need me.โโI feel very welcomed by you, King Harvey, so thank you, but I will not hurt you.โKing Harvey sighs. โI want you to protect yourself, do you promise me?โโI promise you. But I also promise that I trust you.โ I reply.โRarely do I hear that, Elenaโฆโ King Harvey says with smoldering joy.I smile back at him and collect my roses, as King Harv
A few months have passed since the planning of our orphanage. I have named it Hildaโs Home, after my mother. I have placed a portrait of her that Harvey painted for me for our first wedding anniversary at the front door, and this is my home as much as it is the children that reside here.Emily splits her time working with me, between being a mother to her two boys and working at the orphanage as a doctor. Beta Tom works as her assistant and bodyguard. Harvey and I do our best to split our duties evenly, but he is here as often as I am.As long as phone is available, he can do his kingly duties here as well.The King of the North died in disgrace four and a half years ago, succumbing to his illness and the wound sustained from Harvey and me. No one attended his funeral, not even his wife. The people he left next in line have no issue with us, or us with them, so it has been a peaceful life.โLuna Queenie?โ I hear a small little girl ask as she looks up at me.She is about three, named
The King of the North has not made a sound for months after his attack and we are all grateful. King Harvey remains at my side, loyal as always, but more silent. โElena.โ King Harvey starts as I look over the blueprint for an a new building. Should it be a school, a hospital? A shelter from wars and storms? In these past months, Emily has married Beta Tom and swiftly got pregnant. I am still waiting for my symptoms of pregnancy. There are none. I think I know what he wants to tell me. โHarveyโฆ I am not with child.โ โNo, Elena. Not yet.โ King Harvey bows his head and turns away to face the window. When I see tears roll down his face, I leap at him, holding him tightly to my chest. His hand dig into my back desperately. โWhy a false positive?โ I ask, trying not to weep openly. Tears roll down my face too. โYour luna abilities are so strong, Elena. It seemed and smelled like you were, and I believed it, until now. Doris pointed out that you would be showing by now, for sureโฆโ K
It has been a couple of weeks since King Harvey told me I was pregnant. I feel better, but my luna powers are starting to light my hands when I am asleep. No one knows what it means. Emily is all over me, asking if I am having nightmares or pain. There is nothing bothering me physically. Emotionally, I am very stressed by the thought of being a mother. I am just worried.Nervous, very, very nervous.โKing Harvey.โ I call for my husband in the dark, wondering where he is. His side of the bed is empty.The front door cracks open slowly, and an orange light bathes my husband from behind. King Harvey shuts the light behind him and walks back to bed silently. He presses a napkin in my hand, and this is when I feel two pieces of toast with butter in my hand.I canโt help but laugh out loud at the innocence of his act.โYou were saying you were hungry in your sleep, Elena.โ King Harvey says between crunches of his own toast. โWould you rather have a sandwich?โโThank you, King Harvey. You ar
Two weeks pass by as I train harder. I can create a shield with no effort, but I canโt hold it for very long. That will come with time. I have had to pause my training because I have been feeling weak these past few days. I know I am running a fever. King Harvey checked my temperature and Emily checked me. I wonder where I got it from. Opening my eyes aches the rest of my body, I have been in and out of sleep for the past hour. โElena.โ King Harvey whispers to me at my right side of the bed. I see him kneeling at my side and I try to sit up. When I groan, he pops up and slips to his side of the bed and helps me sit up, wrapping a warm arm around my shoulders. โAre you well, Elena?โ King Harvey asks as he readjusts so I can rest my head on a pillow he props behind my head and against the headboard. โI feel very weak.โ I say to the best of my ability. It hurts to speak. King Harvey says nothing as he lights his hand with a soft red flame, he places the healing flame on my forehea
King Harvey cradles me lovingly to his chest in our bed, and winces when his knuckles brush my face. โOw,โ he grimaces. โThat stupid ice shield! I had no idea he would do that!โ โHow did you break it anyway?โ I ask, lifting my hand to press it above his and heal his wounds lightly. I can handle scrapes and that is about it. King Harvey smiles down at me. โI am so thankful you are my mateโฆ and naked.โ โKing Harvey.โ I address my husband firmly. โHow did you break the barrier?โ โForce.โ โAh, so I canโt do that.โ King Harvey understands my question and his brown eyes widen. โOh, you believe it was werewolf abilities?โ โYes.โ โNo, it was my strength. But with your luna abilities I am sure you can highlight your hands and fight. Not that I want you in any form of close combat, Elena.โ King Harvey takes my hands and kisses them sweetly, then presses a kiss to my cheek. โI am so glad you were not harmed.โ โYou wanted to kill himโฆโ โWhat husband in love wouldnโt?โ King Harvey voil
King Harvey quietly takes a seat beside me in his office as I stare at the treaty I am writing up. I have been sitting with it all day, oscillating between feeling as if my words will fall on deaf ears, and pure joy that humans will finally have a voice. Will both sides listen to me? King Harvey interlocks his fingers with mine. โElena, you are doing wonderful. Please, do not stress.โ โWhat if they do not listen?โ King Harvey tilts his head to the side. โPlenty will not, but once it is law, they have no choice but to follow. Many will, and those that donโt will be punished. It is nothing new, Elena.โ โYes, I know laws are important, but if there is a massive pushโฆโ My husband brushes the hair out of my face with a gentle and steady hand. โThey will not defy me.โ โKing Harvey!โ Beta Tom exclaims as he runs through the double doors. โThe King of the North is here to see you!โ Automatically, Beta Tom turns to the left and bows as the King of the North and his wife walk into our o
Awakening from a long passionate night with my husband to Emily laughing loudly outside my front door makes me smile. Slowly, I sit up and feel King Harveyโs warm hand on my lower stomach. โSleep, my mate.โ King Harveyโs voice is still worn with sleep. His lower register makes me shiver, but when Emily continues, I want to throw open the door. โStay in bed, King Harvey. I need to see why she is happy.โ King Harvey chuckles. โYou believe she will not tell you?โ โYes, she willโฆ you are correct, it is best we rest.โ My eyes drift shut again when King Harvey holds me close. By midafternoon, King Harvey and I are awake and are strolling around the exterior of the castle. King Harvey tells me about the trees and how he used to climb them as a child, with a sweet smile on his face. I wonder what our future will hold for us. โHarvey.โ King Harveyโs mother calls from behind us. Instantly, King Harvey sheathes his sword again and we turn to his mother. โHello.โ We both greet his mother
Three days pass of more planning for Emilyโs wedding as King Harvey trains the betas. King Harvey has final test for the betas, and then after, he would like me to ask the betas what they think of me.I have spent the whole morning fretting, my hands lightly shaking as I hope I can go through five betas with full power and get real answers for King Harvey. My ability to be a lie detector also helps the kingdom. I need to master this.I need to, for my sake too, to stay safe.All morning I have heard King Harvey battling the betas in hand-to-hand combat, to test their strength and endurance. The sounds make my heart rattle, they are ferocious warriors. I wish I could go hand to hand with a werewolf. It seems less terrifying than my luna powers failing me here and me looking like a fool, holding hands with a werewolf beta that is certainly not my dear husband.โElena.โ King Harvey appears at my doorway and smiles, shirtless and sweaty.โAre you hungry?โ I question, rushing to him and ta
โYou are free to marry Emily, Beta Tom, after you get your work squared away. I can do without you for about two weeks.โ King Harvey says as he flips through a thick book of wedding cake recipes. โThank you, King Harvey.โ Beta Tom bows slightly as he flips through the same wedding book I did. Emily is sitting beside me on a red velvet sofa as we look for wedding dresses for her. Emily is a simple woman and wishes to marry as I did. In the church first, then a mating ceremony. The only difference is that only King Harvey and I will be at her mating ceremony to make sure it happens. It doesnโt have to be every royal werewolf and I am glad for that. โRemember Momโs wedding dress? Those lace sleeves and helm? I want that.โ Emily says as she keeps flipping through the book. โThat will be very beautiful. And lingerie?โ I purposely ask and look at Beta Tom, who turns as red as the couch we are sitting on. Good, that means he has some morals about him. King Harvey flashes me a fang-fill