To Claim A Crown Book Two: The Winter Harbinger (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Roadside

Naomi turns to face the path ahead of her. It's a long uphill hike to the top of the road but it's necessary for what comes next. Naomi knows she needs to feed. She can feel the exhaustion setting into her body with every passing hour.

And perhaps it's the toll of pretending to be fine. Or perhaps it's simply her inability to become comfortable with what she is. What she has become. Naomi begins walking.

Despite the winter chill and the falling snow she finds herself breaking a sweat. Her thighs burn with the mere effort and each step forward is agonising. But she continues.

There are few cars on the road. Three pass her in total. Naomi wipes her forehead with the sleeve of her top and she glances behind her. She's far from her home now. But not far enough. She continues walking until she comes to a stop at a pedestrian crossing.

Naomi walks briskly across the road, sheltering her cup in her hand. She steps under the shelter of the bus stop and sits down on the cold seat.

She holds the straw to her lips and hesitates. She swallows down hard, forcing the bile in her throat to retreat. She settles the cup down on the seat beside her and leans forward with a loud sigh. A cloud of steam gathering around her face.

A car turns the bend from down the road. Naomi hears the car before she sees it. She doesn't bother to look up as the car comes to a slow halt in front of her. The window of the driver's seat rolls down.

"Hello there Ma'am, everything okay"

Naomi looks up then straightens.

"Yes officer. Everything is fine."

The officer does not seem satisfied with her answer and he pushes the door open and hops out. Naomi forces herself to swallow down and exhales as a shot of panic courses through her.

The man rests against the car with folded arms. He pulls his sunglasses off and sets them on the top of the car.

"Don't think I've seen you around here before," he says, holding a hand out. "My name is Lex but you can call me Sheriff."

"I won't be calling you anything and you will be leaving me alone now."

Naomi straightens lifting her cup. She clenches down hard on her teeth telling herself to breathe, relax, all at once hyper-aware of the slight pulsating behind her eyes.

The man steps towards her with a hand out, palm facing her. "Now ma'am, I don't want any trouble. We can either have this conversation out here or we can have it down at the station."

The statement does little to ease the growing anger Naomi feels bubbling in her chest. She takes a step backwards and the back of her knees collide with the bench. Her skin feels as if it's alive and clawing at her. As if her anger is a living breathing beast that is trying to escape the bonds of her body.

There is a pounding of feet on the sidewalk. It sends vibrations through the ground with each step and Naomi turns her head to the right with a sigh of relief. She rests her body against the frame of the bus stop.

The sheriff follows her gaze. His face visibly pales. He crosses his arms tightly on his chest.

Raurlin comes to a halt beside Naomi. He slips his arm across her lower back and he tugs her against him. She is shaking. Not from the snow that is caked on her shoulders and hair.

"Morning Sheriff, can I help you with something?"

The man shakes his head and swallows down hard. Raurlins eyes zone in on the way his throat rises and falls as he swallows. A single line of sweat runs from underneath his chin and into the collar of his shirt.

"No. I was just asking this lady a question. She became quite aggressive."

"If you think she's aggressive right now I can guarantee that you'd hate to see my aggression. I won't ask again, can I help you with something?"

Before the man can comprehend the question he is being shoved against the car with a hand clamped around his throat. Raurlin can hear his heart begin to pump quickly. The man struggles against the hold, attempting to pull Raurlins hand away from his throat.

Raurlin levels a look at him. The man struggles again before falling completely still. Raurlin eases the grasp around his throat.

"He-he came into the station. Asked questions about the new family that moved in. He told me to find out and report back to him. He came back today. He almost hurt Stella and I couldn't even re-remember until I s-saw him again. I don't want him to hurt Stella...or me...I'm afraid. He has these dark eyes, like he has no soul."

"His name."

"Axel."

"When you see him again, which you will, you will tell him his king commands a meeting with him. You will not remember this conversation until that moment. And you have nothing to fear. I know you feel it. That I am stronger than him. I will protect you. But should you ever corner another member of my family, or so much as follow them I will tear you apart. Limb by limb. Do you understand?"

The man nods eagerly. Raurlin releases him so suddenly he slumps to the floor in front of his car, coughing painfully and gasping for air. Raurlin holds a hand out to Naomi that she accepts.

He tugs her against him and the two turn back to the sidewalk and begin the walk home. 

Note: 

Hello! Happy to announce that I've finished writing the winter harbinger, new chapters will still be posted on Friday's and I will be working on editing from the first chapter but everything will still remain on Wattpad. Happy reading :)