The Winter Queen (RH/Why Choose, MM, MF, MFM, FF) ✅

Chapter Fourteen

Cyprian

I was trying not to panic.

And failing quite miserably.

I paced the study in front of the fire, jumping at any sounds, hopeful that it would be the two of them.

They had been gone for hours.

The last anyone had seen them, they had been taking Snow for a walk around the grounds.

Then the whiteout started and had yet to let up, the wind pelting snow at the windows, making visibility next to impossible.

We could not even send out guards to look for them.

"She is in good hands," Gwen reminded me, but I heard the tension in her voice as well. Worried for her queen as I was. Though both of our concern had more to do with our personal relationships with her than our professional ones.

My time with Marielle had been some of the happiest moments of my life so far. Her sweet sighs. Her soft body. Her cries as the orgasms coursed through her.

Afterward, there were quiet conversations, shared secrets and hopes.

Things had gone far beyond a task that needed to be done to protect our kingdom.

I was pretty certain I was falling in love with her.

As, clearly, was Gwen.

I had my suspicions about their closeness, but they had not been confirmed until I had once started to open the door that adjoined the king's and the queen's rooms to find them curled up in the bed together, bodies moving, voices whimpering.

Closing the door, I made my way back across the hallway, waking Warwick, and spending the rest of the night with him. Hands and mouths exploring for what felt like hours before we took turns inside of each other.

It felt right, in a way, for Marielle to have Gwen when I had Warwick as well.

None of us would ever feel lonely.

Except, suddenly, with Marielle gone, Gwen and I were both clearly struggling.

It was two-fold for me, with Warwick being gone with her.

"Yes," I agreed, feeling my chest tighten. "Somehow, that only makes it harder," I admitted, knowing it was safe to do so to Gwen and Gwen only.

"Warwick will do everything within his power to keep her safe and warm," she reminded me. "He was born and raised here. He fought battles in the worst the winter has to offer her. They will both be fine."

Objectively, I knew that to be true.

Still, that did not silence the worries coursing through me at a break-neck pace, making my heart feel as though it were being crushed in my chest.

"We will go and search for them the moment the wind slows," Gwen said, waving a hand over toward where we had both placed our boots and multiple layers to defend against the cold. She had even packed a bag with warm, dry clothes for both Marielle and Warwick.

An hour later, the snow was still falling steadily, but I refused to wait another moment.

Visibility was better.

I was leaving.

Gwen was right behind me, keeping pace despite me practically running across the grounds.

"Wait, stop," Gwen said, winded, grabbing my arm and forcing me either to stop as she demanded, or drag her along with me. It took me a moment to decide which route I wanted to take before I finally sighed and turned toward her. "We can not just keep running around and calling their names. We have to think."