Wrath of the Wolf Queen [HOTWP #2]

Chapter Four: NAOMI

"Althea, it's fine," I say softly. "I'm fine."

My eldest sister only cuts me a glare before rubbing more salve onto my arm. I loosen a weary sigh. If there's one thing I'm terrible at, it's lying, because the truth is I'm not fine. I am terribly, horribly shaken, and I can't seem to rid myself of the cold nausea in my stomach.

"Once you tell me what actually happened," she says through gritted teeth, "maybe I'll buy your pathetic lie."

Althea gestures with her hand, and Kairi bobs on over a second later, her face grave as she summons water and begins pouring it onto one of the wounds on my arm. We've kept Kairi's power mostly a secret. Only my closest ladies know. And Kohl, of course.

Macy stands off to the side, shifting on her feet. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?"

"No," Althea snaps. "If there is, I'll let you know, but for now just sit the hell down and stop talking."

I frown at my sister but keep my mouth shut. As rude as she's being, I know she is only acting out because she is worried for my state. I've noticed she often uses other people as a means to beat herself up. She feels responsible for this, I know, and no matter how much I'll tell her it wasn't she'll take the blame anyway. Because she's just like that. Always the protective, stubborn sister.

And honestly, for all its nuisances, it's nice.

I give Macy an apologetic look, and she bobs her head in acknowledgement.

"I already told you," I say, addressing the room now, "the Fragor heir ambushed me while I was in the gardens." I give Kairi a meaningful look. "He's the storm elemental. He used lightning to attack me."

Her frown is deep. "But why did he attack you?"

I give a one-shouldered shrug. "I don't know. Regardless, I was close to beating him until..."

I stop, and my voice trails off. Althea gives me another sharp glare. I haven't told any of my ladies of what happened after, of the mate bond that snapped into place.

That the very person who'd tried to kill me was my fated mate.

"Tell us what happened next, Naomi," Althea bites off.

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter. What's more urgent is that he infiltrated the palace. The palace guard–"

The door bursts open at that moment. We all turn to look. Kohl stands under the doorframe, his rumpled oversized shirt hanging to his mid-thigh, as it seems he forgot to put pants back on after shifting. Dirt and grime litters his pale skin, and twigs stick out of his black curls.

"Naomi," his voice shakes on my name. He stumbles across the room and takes me into his arms, burying his face into my neck. "You're hurt–"

His body trembles. I wrap my arms around him and press a kiss to his ears.

"I'm okay, Kohl. Really. It's just a few scratches."

"I couldn't catch him," he whispers, and I wince at the pain in his voice. He pulls back, eyes full of anguish as he says, "I let him get away. I'm so sorry."

I grab his hand and interlace his fingers with mine.

"It's okay, Kohl. You did your best." I offer him a small smile. "Besides, I gave his ass a real good kicking. I doubt he'll be back."

His eyes harden to black stones at that. "He infiltrated my own defenses. He attacked my own wife in my own palace." His eyes grow wild with fury. "This is a failure of the palace guard. I will ensure each and every one of them is reprimanded for this. I swear I will personally–"

I loosen a sigh. "Kohl, I don't think that's necessary–"

"I'm going to–"

"Kohl," I snap, and my husband whips his eyes to mine. There's a certain steel to my voice as I say, "It's not that the palace guard was lax. The problem is that we do not have enough guards." I swallow thickly. After Galen's death, many of the guards fled. Only about half remained. "The newest lot of recruits will be on the walls next week. We just need to up the security until then."

He releases a weary sigh. "You're right." Then he turns to me, gripping my hands again. "I'm so sorry, Naomi, it's just–" a choked noise cuts him off. He gathers me in his arms and presses me towards his chest. "I hate that I couldn't protect you. I hate that you're hurt."

My ladies-in-waiting tense, and I can tell they feel uncomfortable. This moment between their king and queen feels too intimate for them to witness. I snake one arm around Kohl's back and rub it in a soothing gesture. Using my other arm, I wave towards my ladies. "Thank you, ladies, but I think I'm good to take it from here. The rest of the wounds I'll see to myself."

Kairi and Macy bow their heads and leave without protest. Althea merely glares at me, obviously irked that she hadn't got the full truth out of me, before twisting away and marching for the door. She shoots Kohl a sneer as she passes, and my husband bristles in my arms. My sister has never gotten along with Kohl. She seems to think that he still has a Curse of Cruelty, even though I have told her multiple times that such a thing doesn't exist.

Too damn protective. That's what she is.

She shuts the door behind her. We listen to her footsteps recede down the hall.

"I don't think she likes me," he says, but it comes out as more of a bite. I bark a laugh.

"I don't think she likes anyone." I pull back and take both his hands in mine. "And Kohl, don't worry about me. I'm fine. Really." I press my lips to his in a searing kiss, and I feel the tension rush out of his body.

When I pull back, he's staring at me with glittering eyes, and something unpleasant twists in my stomach.

You need to tell him about the mate bond, a voice inside my head demands.

"Maybe if you kiss me enough," he says coyly, "I might just start believing you."

I giggle and kiss him again, although this time my chest is tight. You need to tell him, the voice insists again.

I break the kiss, opening my mouth to do just that when he suddenly blurts, "There's something else."

I stare at him for a few moments, the words saturating the tip of my tongue. I swallow them down. "What?"

"Your mother," he says gravely. I tense. "She's come to court. She wants to see you."