Broken heart of a warrior

Chapter 9

Hej allihopa,

Tack till alla för ert stöd och er röstning och ett särskilt tack till min redaktör xXChemicalQueens97Xx

With my armor meticulously checked every strap snug and polished, my clothes adjusted so they clung perfectly without restricting movement, and my sunglasses finally settling over my eyes like a shield, I stood before the massive wooden doors that led into the Throne Room. I had examined myself countless times already, straightening my hair until each strand fell precisely where it should, adjusting the straps of my armor until the leather rested perfectly against my curves, tugging lightly at the fabrics that framed my body to ensure nothing betrayed my movements or my presence. My hands trembled just slightly—not with fear, but with anticipation, a subtle, electric energy threading through my veins. I forced myself to focus on the mechanical motions of preparation, counting the seconds, the rhythm of my breathing, anything to distract myself from the storm that churned beneath my skin, restless and insistent.

Even through the thick, imposing doors, I could sense him before I saw him. Alessandro. His presence hit me first, a wave of scent and heat that wrapped around me like a living thing, sharp as salt, warm as sunlight, intoxicating in a way that made my wolf stir with something primal and untamed. Her joy was pure, animalistic, a visceral thrill that twisted deep in my chest, urging me forward, urging me to acknowledge the pull that had always existed between us. My teeth clenched as I struggled to steady my racing heartbeat, to tamp down the flicker of desire that licked at my senses, trying to keep the small, desperate stirrings of arousal from betraying me. If he sensed even the faintest hint of it, I knew without doubt that he would attempt to seduce me again, testing my control, and I could not afford to give him that satisfaction—not now, not when my wolf screamed for surrender in a way that demanded to be heard.

The room beyond those doors seemed to pulse with anticipation itself, the distant echoes of voices and movement just beyond the heavy wood hinting at the crowd and ceremony awaiting me. I could feel the air thickening, carrying the faint scent of polished stone and candle wax, mingled with the subtle perfume of nobles and royalty assembled. Every instinct in my body screamed that crossing that threshold would change everything, that one step forward would ignite events set in motion long before I had even drawn breath that morning.

Yet I stood firm, hands flexing at my sides, fingers brushing lightly over the cool metal of my armor, grounding myself in sensation, in control. I inhaled, slow and deliberate, letting the scent of him, the heat of the room, the vibration of my wolf's anticipation wash over me without letting it dominate. One step, one breath, one heartbeat at a time—I would face whatever awaited beyond the doors with every ounce of strength, cunning, and fire I had left.

I forced myself to think of him with Clarynn, that spoiled, self-centered princess, imagining them together—the way her laugh would curl around his attention, the subtle brush of her hand against his arm, whispered words meant only for each other. The vision sliced through the raw heat of desire coiling in my body and transformed it into a jagged, searing blade of anger. My jaw tightened, muscles knotting with controlled fury, and with a long, slow breath, I forced myself to focus, to push the storm aside long enough to move forward. Every step mattered. Every motion had to be precise. I reached for the massive doors.

With a steady hand, I pushed them open, the heavy wood groaning faintly under the movement, and stepped inside. Instantly, I felt it—the collective gaze of every person in the room snapping toward me as though my arrival had shifted the very air. Heads swiveled, eyes widening in surprise, curiosity, and in some cases, thinly veiled disdain. My chin lifted, shoulders squared, each step deliberate, measured, radiating control and authority. The subtle hum of power beneath my skin the wolf's coiled energy—responded, purring softly like a predator aware of its domain, sharpening my senses and heightening my awareness of everything around me.