Mated To Rival Kings

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Raven's POV

The stern-faced housekeeper appeared in my doorway not long after the door had been kicked in. She didn’t look surprised; clearly, the news of the future Queen in heat had traveled through the mansion like wildfire. It was amazing how the Elders had made themselves scarce the moment chaos erupted. I suppose even ancient, powerful wolves didn't want to be caught in the crossfire of two Alpha Kings losing their minds.

My skin was still burning from the inside out. When the housekeeper reached out to help me toward the bathroom, my skin reacted painfully to her touch. Everything felt too much and far too sensitive. I extricated myself from her grip as quickly as I could, stumbling into the lounge bathroom where Rowina had already filled the tub.

Rowina must have made the bath extremely cold, because the moment I sank into the water, I let out a breath of relief. The icy chill acted like a shock to my system, damping the fire in my blood just enough so I could finally think straight.

I looked at the housekeeper, who was standing by the door with a towel. "Where are they?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Where are the Kings?"

"In the dungeons, Lady Raven," she replied flatly.

I sat up in alarm, water splashing over the side of the tub. "Dungeons? Why? Did someone attack them?"

The woman just shrugged, her expression impassive. "They went of their own accord. To protect you. And themselves."

I sank back into the water, a lump forming in my throat. They had shackled themselves like criminals just to keep me safe from their own instincts. "How long is this supposed to last?"

"Three days," she said.

Three days. Three days of this irritation, this clawing discomfort, and this unbearable, burning heat. How was I supposed to survive seventy-two hours of this? In the back of my mind, Eva was restless, fighting to take over. She wanted to run, to hunt, to find our mates and settle the ache that was hollowed out inside us.

Calm down, Eva, I pleaded.

Eva didn't respond with words. She just wailed for our mates, an aching sound that had been echoing in my skull for the past hour. I dunked my head under the water, letting the silence of the depths soothe me.

When I came back up, the housekeeper spoke again. "Another wave will kick in soon. Eventually, even cold water won't be able to suppress it. You could have taken heat suppressants before it started, but now that the heat is here, it cannot be stopped. We have pills that will help with the nausea and the skin irritation, though. That is all."

"That’s something," I sighed. "I’ll take them."

The woman gestured to Rowina, who hurried off to fetch the medicine.

Soon enough, the water lost its chill, warmed by my own body heat. I climbed out, dried off, and swallowed the pills Rowina brought back. I dressed in a light, loose gown, determined to go see them before the next flare-up paralyzed me.

I didn't need a guide to find the dungeons. The scent was enough. I could smell the intermingling of Darian’s crisp rain scent and Valen’s sharp citrus. It called to me like a beacon of light in a dark room. I followed the pull down the winding stone stairs, my heart heavy with every step.

The dungeons were a sorry sight. It bled my heart to think of them down here in the dark. As I walked past the rows of iron-barred cells, I heard a low, pained whine that I knew belonged to Darian’s wolf, followed by a breathless howl from Valen’s wolf. They knew I was near.

"Mates," Eva whispered, her voice full of longing.

I arrived at the end and stopped. What I saw broke me. I rushed forward, my hands gripping the bars. "Stop! Valen, stop!"

Valen was in the first cell, his wrists shackled to the wall. He had been fighting the chains so hard that his skin was shredded. His wrist looked broken, and several bones in his hand were unnaturally swollen. He stopped his assault on the metal the moment he saw me, locking his eyes onto mine.

He looked savage. He looked more like a wolf than a man.

"What is your name?" I whispered, sensing the shift in him.

"Ash," he growled, baring his fangs.

I felt an answering, embarrassing rush of wetness between my legs just from the sound of his voice. My body was betraying my reason at every turn.

Then, I heard the rattle of chains from the adjacent cell. "Raven? What are you doing here?"

I walked further down. Darian was there, his sweater discarded, his chest heaving with effort. He was covered in sweat, and his eyes were bloodshot, looking like he was under immense pressure.

"What are you doing here?" he rasped again. "You aren't making this any easier for us."

"I'm sorry," I said, the tears finally spilling over. "I'll leave soon. I just... I'm sorry I forgot about the heat."

Darian let out a weak, dry chuckle. "Don't apologize. We all forgot. It’s been a busy week." He took a shaky breath, his eyes scanning me. "How do you feel?"

"Shitty," I admitted.

"I know the feeling," he said.

My eyes trailed over his strong, muscular frame. I felt an irrational surge of anger that he was so far away. I wanted to be in there with him. I wanted to lick the trail of sweat running down his chest.

"Stop staring at me like that, please," Darian groaned, closing his eyes. "I can only take so much, Raven."

I averted my gaze, blushing furiously. Nearby, Valen let out a low groan of frustration. I could see him still struggling against his binds, his jaw set in pain.

"Hang in there, Valen," I called out, my voice cracking. "After this one passes, we will find a solution. We’ll be prepared for the next one, I promise."

He nodded, his icy blue eyes never leaving me. "I am thirsty, little mate," he said, his voice a dark, dangerous drawl. "I want to taste your juices. Come closer."

I wondered if his eyes had always looked so alluring, or if it was just the heat talking. I found myself gravitating toward his cell, my feet moving as if of their own accord.

"Raven," Darian’s voice cracked like a whip, resetting my head. "Head up. Now."

I stopped, blinking away the haze. Valen snarled at the interruption. "Who are you to say that to her?"

Darian didn't answer him. He gestured to a guard standing in the shadows at the end of the hall. The guard appeared quickly, his hands covered in thick leather gloves, and he stepped forward to prod me gently toward the exit.

"Go, Raven," Darian said, his voice strained. "Before we both lose it."

I left reluctantly, the sound of Darian and Valen starting another argument echoing behind me. I made my way back up to the main hall and found the housekeeper.

"Ensure they are well-fed and cared for," I told her, trying to regain some of my dignity.

"Of course, Lady Raven," she said. "Beddings and food are being delivered as we speak." She looked at me with a touch of pity. "You should consider spending more time outside in the garden. The fresh air will reduce the potency of your scent indoors."

I nodded and walked off to the lounge. I grabbed a few books and a thick blanket, intending to spread it out on the grass. But just as I entered my room to change my shoes, the heat flared again with a vengeance.

I haunched over, a slicing ache blooming in my belly. I sat on the edge of the bed, shoving a pillow between my legs to stifle the angry throbbing in my groin. It was a poor substitute.

Suddenly, Eva painted a lewd, vivid image in my mind. I saw myself standing in the center of my room, Darian kneeling in front of me and Valen behind me. I could feel phantom hands worshipping my ass, their scents surrounding me until I couldn't breathe.

The mental image was so unexpected and so powerful that I saw stars. I frantically started riding the pillow, trying to reach some kind of release, moaning uncontrollably. I could almost feel them. I could almost hear their voices.

But to my utter frustration, I couldn't reach the peak. No matter what I did, the pleasure remained just out of reach, like mist. It was as if my body had decided that my satisfaction didn't belong to me anymore, it belonged to my mates.

I stopped the pointless rubbing, tears of frustration stinging my eyes. I took deep, shuddering breaths until the wave abated slightly. The pills must have been doing something to help.

I grabbed my blanket and books and headed outside into the garden. The cool, damp air hit my face, and I let out a long sigh. I looked back at the mansion, wondering if the Kings were doing any better than I was.

Somehow, I doubted it.