The Unwilling Queen

Overprotective male instincts

Roedin landed on the front lawn of Ember Place with enough force to tear divots in the grass. On the other side of the gate the guards saluted but his glare had them turning away quickly, averting their eyes. They let this happen.

Throwing open the front door he halted in the foyer cocking his head to listen to the Whispers of the house.

"Stop right there!" Cora shrieked at him before planting herself on the stairs to block his path. On her hip she carried a laundry basket with red clothes. No, bloody clothes. Roedin tensed to fly over the housekeeper. "You will not disturb her!"

"I need to see her. I need to know she's unharmed."

"She's sleeping. They all are. Because it's nearly midnight and humans need to sleep. I know she's been trying to keep up with your schedule but four hours a night will kill her. Sleep deprivation will actually kill your mate, Roedin. Are you listening to me?"

"She won't get that far if she's killed in the street."

"You can talk to her about it in the morning."

"You dare come between me and my mate?" Roedin growled.

"I wiped your bottom when you were a pup. You don't scare me."

Roedin's jaw fell.

"You brought three little girls into this house and I'm the one looking after them. I do not begrudge you that but you are not the only one with their best interest at heart."

"They are women, not younglings."

"I'm over a thousand years old. You are all younglings to me. Apparently unable to properly feed yourselves and still need to be reminded to go to bed. It took us hours to get Arnica to calm down, so if you make so much as a peep up there I will spank your youngling bottom so hard you'll think you've travelled back in time."

Roedin's heart paused. "What happened to Arnica?"

"She was playing on the stairs when Avery and Rena got back, covered in blood. She thought they were dying. We all did." Cora pointed to the blood crusted shirt.

Roedin gripped the railing to ground himself. "I need to see her. I didn't know. I didn't feel anything."

Cora softened. "Because she was never hurt. Go, see for yourself. But please let her rest, Roe. She'll push herself too hard to keep up to you."

Roedin conceded and brushed cheeks with the beloved housekeeper, den-mother of Ember Place. She accepted the apology and continued down the stairs with the laundry.

Avery's door was cracked open though the room was dark and still. His eyes adjusted quickly as he approached the bed. She was whole. Unharmed. A few scratches but that could have been because of her experiments rather than a fight. It took every ounce of self-control to stop himself from scooping her up in an embrace and then checking every inch of her body. Preferably with no clothes on. But even if she woke and responded the bed was already a little crowded. For Arnica was curled up beside her, fast asleep clutching her bat plush toy under one arm.

The adrenaline that had been powering him was finally spent. He couldn't even remember the details of the message; just that his mate had been attacked. But because of the damned wards he could only slip to the outer wall of the city and flew the rest of the way.

Roedin staggered over to an armchair by the unlit fireplace and perched on the edge, leaning his elbows on his knees, face in his hands. Avery didn't stir. Anger and fear quickly turned to guilt. Guilt that Cora was more in tune with a human's needs than he. Guilt that he hadn't been there to protect his mate. Guilt that Arnica had seen another horror.