The Wicked King

28

"What's your name?"

I felt the wolf twitch underneath me and then it slowed down. "A human speaking telepathically to a wolf," he snickered, "I guess you really are his mate then."

"You doubted me?"

"The ring and Alpha's scent was proof enough. But this ability would only be given to you by your bond."

He never told me his name, and I did not ask again. It felt like he didn't want me to know for some reason I could not understand. His paws moved quickly through the dense forest, through invisible paths that only he knew until I started to hear the sounds of a village. Voices, laughter, tools against wood. And then the trees vanished before my eyes. The landscape changed completely and in front of me stood a tall wooden fence similar to the border me and Angela had crossed.

My wolf companion shifted to his human form as soon as my feet hit the ground. "I'll take you to Eric." I noticed how different his personality was compared to the wolf's and yet again I was astonished that they were in fact two different beings in one.

The villagers were a mix of human looking people and wolves going about their day. But all of them stopped what they were doing as soon as they laid their eyes on me. "I guess you're not used to visitors?"

"The wind is strong today," he answered, "Alphas scent has traveled here long before we arrived." I could only imagine what they thought as it was me and not Mathew who entered their village.

"Harald! You're back!" A familiar voice called out to my companion from behind. My heart almost stopped as I quickly turned to stare at the blond man walking up behind me greeting me with a bright white smile. A smile I loved so much. But the smile turned into a frown as he noticed my eyes filling up with tears. "No need to worry human, we won't hurt you."

"You look just like him," I whispered as I tried to control the urge to run up to him and hug the young copy of my husband. His brother Eric.

"This is King Adrian of Gera, Alpha's husband." I was grateful Harald spoke in my stead, and for the comforting hand he placed on my shoulder. "He has news. Bad news."

Eric's expression changed immediately. "Let's talk in private."

I was led towards one of the bigger houses and both men followed me inside. I was relieved to see the home was empty as they closed the doors but I couldn't help but ask; "Won't they hear us anyway?"

A hint of a smile appeared on Eric's lips, "yes, but they'll know not to eavesdrop on conversations held in this specific building. It is in fact your house. The home of the Alpha."

I felt my lower lip quiver and I fought the tears burning in my eyes as I looked around the sparsely decorated home, seeing hints of my husband's personality in the objects around the room. How I wished Mathew was here. How I had dreamed of this moment. Of him showing me his home. Our home. "I wish he was here."

"Why isn't he?" I heard the straint in his voice as he tried to control himself from drowning me with questions as he must have noticed my distress.

My hand reached for a wolf carved in wood on a shelf, it looked exactly like him. "Every morning Mathew would wake up early and go for a run with the pack before joining me for breakfast. A couple of days ago, I'm not sure how many, he was ambushed by my army."

"By your army?" Eric interrupted looking both bewildered and furious at the same time.

My thumb kept stroking the wooden fur as I spoke. "My Colonel had turned against me, ordering them to capture every Lycan and those who remained loyal to me."