He waited until the two young people filed out of the room before nodding to his king and closing the doors behind himself. Garrick sat in his chair facing her and opened his mouth to speak but she spoke first. "You believe I am your mate," she asked. "I do," he said softly. She stared at him for a moment until he felt the need to squirm. "How long have you suspected," she asked. He leaned forward and ran his hands through his hair. She didn't wait for an answer as he heard her move around his room. From the corner of his eye, he saw that she'd settled in front of the window, looking out. The silence seemed to stretch on into infinity before she sighed. "You were never going to honor my request, were you?" "How could I," he asked gruffly, "You'd returned my son to me without a hint of treachery. You have not attacked or harmed anyone here. How could I when you've awakened me?" She chuckled, "An honorable and moral wolf king." He looked at her then and realized just how beautiful she was. "Would you prefer I weren't," he asked quietly. "It just makes this a nearly impossible situation, you will not do what I have requested so I must leave and seek elsewhere," she said absently. He felt rage rocket through his system as she started towards the door. His wolf urged him to block her escape. So, when he leapt in front of her, grabbing her upper arms in an almost bruising grip, she looked up at him in shock. "Why," he growled, "Why do you wish for death? Why is that more important than living, than fighting?" He didn't wait for her to answer, he pulled her closer and kissed her. The kiss was nothing more than an assault to her senses as their tongues dueled and fought for dominance. She gripped the edges of his shirt as she started to tremble. He pulled back suddenly, looking down into her eyes. They were wide with a tinge of terror; her eyes were so green he could feel the illumination from them on his skin. "What have you done," she whispered clenching her fists in his shirt. "What I felt I needed to, to get you to see," he said softly. She shook her head and flattened her hands against his chest. "No," she whispered, "NO!" She shoved him away and in the amount of time it took to right himself she'd used her incredible speed to run from the room.
Raven hurried along the empty hall,if she didn't hurry, she'd miss the night run. "Looking for me little Raven?" She turned to see Darra leaning against thewall closest to her. She took a deepbreath, "Mistress Darra I've been looking all over for you. Are you alright?" "I am quite well. I figured I'd bettershow myself; I could feel you about to work yourself into quite a tizzy,"she smiled. "Well now that I'vefound you, I'm to bring you to your rooms," she said shyly. Darra arched one elegant eyebrow, "Ibelieve you did that this morning." She watched as the child fidgeted and wrung her hands. "Well, because of your new status, um,you have another set of rooms. A morecomfortable set," Raven said in a rush. "I see, well lead the way," she sniffed, pushing away from thewall. As Raven led her soon to be queento her suite of rooms the silence felt thick enough to choke on. Personally, she was excited about having thevampire for queen, but she was also worried that Darra wouldn't be acceptedamong the wolves. Darra noticed thatthey had passed Aidens room and then the kings before stopping at a door furtherdown the hall. Raven smiled genuinelyand pushed the doors open. They stoodside by side just inside the doorway. Darra crossed her arms over her chest, she was impressed. There were three wide open rooms and alongthe outer walls were balcony doors that led to the outside. In the last room against the back wall was amagnificent bed covered in a heavy black fur blanket and draped with sheercrimson curtains. There was plush thickcarpeting on all three floors of the deepest indigo she'd ever seen. All the furnishings in the rooms seem toaccent the bed. Darra walked by it allas if she couldn't see it pushing open the balcony doors. The sun threw out its last rays as the nighttook hold, she took a deep breath in finally enjoying the open air.
