The Lycan King & I

Nineteen.

"She only had half a glass," Cole frowns at a shaking Hamilton, who had sensed something was off and appeared by my side. Wells had fled, much to Grace's shame and Hamilton's anger. "She's going to be just fine."

I didn't feel like I was going to be just fine, I felt really lightheaded. Everything sounded like it was coming from the other end of a tunnel.

"Where'd the bastard go?" Ben was here, I met his furrowed brow glance and threw him a hazy smile.

"Where did the bastard go?" I echo his livid tone. If Hamilton was irritated, Ben was downright mad.

"I'm going to kick his ass." Hammie grumbles. He crosses his arm angrily and Ben does as well, making me giggle a bit.

"Better you than me," Cole nods thoughtfully and shrugs, "Can't kill my mates older brother."

"Hammie, don't worry. I'll kick his ass," I slur, the goosebumps reappearing on my arms. "He said that poison would warm up but I'm still freeeeeeezing."

"Here," Ben shrugs out of his fur cloak at the same time Hammie does. Ben shoots Hamilton a murderous glare and wraps his white fur around me. I sigh gleefully and ignore Ben's pointed, "I can take care of her from here."

"Sorry, not like I can help it." Hammie mutters.

"She'll be fine with some sleep, just don't let her drink anymore." Cole instructs, then turns to Hammie, "How about you go grab Eliette some food?"

"Get me something not so.... North." I scrunch up my face. So I was a picky eater, sue me. It wasn't my fault that no one ever explained what was on the plate in front of me half the time.

"Do what she says." Ben grumbles to Hammie, who runs off dutifully.

"You might want to feed your bond a little more, brother." Cole claps Ben on the back, "Make you a little less grumpy, make my new sister not freeze to death, get rid of the giant black bags under your eyes-"

"Thanks Cole." Though Ben's tone doesn't sound very thankful.

"Gotta take advantage of the one topic I know more about than you." He smiles mischievously.

"Can we go ?" I make a motion to stand and my head spins. I nearly fall face first on the ground before Ben puts his arms around my waist, practically keeping me upright.

"There's still some people to meet." He frowns.

I gasp loudly when I catch the sight of the watch on his arm that's wrapped around me, gaining the attention of everyone in the vicinity. "Oh look! It's tomorrow!"

"Maybe taking her home isn't the worst idea." Val chortles from across the table, I'd forgotten she was here.

"Please take me home, Ben?" I bat my eyelashes at Ben a few times. Finally, some warmth. I sigh contentedly, nuzzling into his side. I fit here perfectly.

Apparently throwing starry eyes does the trick. When we arrive home, I fling the door open with a bit too much force and stumble clumsily up the steps, Ben catches me when I teeter over while taking off my shoes.

"Sit." Ben lightly nudges me towards the grand staircase.

"I like Cole." I say as I comply, taking a seat.

"Me too." Ben snorts, settling on the step behind me and extending his legs on either side of me.

"What are you doing?" I ask, as he unhooks the necklace around my neck and sets it down carefully next to him.

"Helping you," He does the same to the rest of my jewlery, before moving to unbutton the row of buttons down my back. I want to protest but I can barely see straight, so I allow him to continue. "I didn't imagine the first time undressing you would be like this."

I tense at his words and he sighs, "I'm sorry, that wasn't a funny joke." I allow him to continue his work.

"I never had a brother." I close my eyes and lean back against him, he begins untangling the diadem from my hair. "My orphanage was girls only though, I feel like I had a hundred sisters."

"A hundred?" He humors me as his fingers continue to work on my hair. "Tell me more."

"The first family I took care of in the Middle Land were all boys, I was fourteen. And let me tell you... boy shifters smell. No matter how many baths you give them!" I crinkle my nose in disgust. 

He laughs loudly at this, "Do I smell?"

"I said shifters. You're not a shifter, Ben." A loud hiccup escapes my mouth, causing him to chuckle. I never heard him laugh so much.

He's done removing my tiara and the pins in my hair. Now, he just plays with the ends of my hair. I lean back even further, sighing at the touch of his feather light fingers.

"Feel good?" He laughs in my ear. I respond with another loud hiccup, which signals Ben to stand up and help me step out of my heavy gown. He takes off his undershirt and helps me pull it over my head, though I make him keep his eyes shut. It hangs to my knees.

As we walk to the living room, I shiver slightly at the cold air and remember what Wells and Cole said earlier. I turn slowly and narrow my eyes at Ben, he stops in his tracks and freezes. "What?"

"I know what you're doing." I accuse angrily, point at him with my finger.

"Getting you water?" He looks younger when his brows are furrowed.

"I'm onto your game." I shake my head. "You're keeping this house cold on purpose!"

"Why would I do that-"

"So I'll come crawling to you for warmth!" I proclaim sloppily. I don't need him to say anything, the sheepish look on his face confirms my accusation. "You didn't think I'd notice? You only have like twenty fireplaces that just never happen to be lit!"

"I'm not selfish, it was for you, too!" He defends. I put my hands on my hips and give him an oh, really look. "I'm serious!"

"How?" I shake my head.

"Okay. Step in front of the heater." He points to the vent near the wall. I make a show of strutting clumsily over to it and hold my numb fingers up to the heat that's radiating.

"This feels even better than you playing with my hair." I sigh, it was too true for me to feel embarrassed by my words. Gotta love liquid courage.

"Now step away." Just before I'm about to whine that I'm cold, Ben engulfs his large arms around me from behind, making me feel like a twig. I choke on my breath a bit when he gently presses his bare chest against my back.

"Now tell me how this feels." He feels warm, his chest radiates a strange heat that starts in the put on my stomach and stretches to the tips of my fingers. I felt his heart beat on my back, mine synced to it in my own chest, beating loudly. But it's not just heat like a fire... it's heat that has me realizing that I had been cold for much longer than just tonight, perhaps my whole life. 

I've never been held before, so I wasn't sure how to respond, but I knew I never wanted this to stop. I clear my throat, "I've never been held by someone who can break me so easily... I think l-like it." I stutter out. Even inebriated, I was embarrassed at the declaration. 

At my words, he spins me around. But we are still just as close, the cotton separating me from his bare chest felt thinner than paper at that moment. Was it the alcohol or intimacy of the movement making my head spin? My head has to tilt up to meet his eyes, but they are sparkling with a strange light I hadn't seen before. 

"Isn't this much preferable?" His breath fans across my face. All I manage is a meager nod.

"See Elliette?" He persuades me, "This is for you as much as me." 

It's true. This closeness to him had my heart beating a bit faster, but every particle in my body seemed to sigh in relief at the feeling. Any slight unease is quelled at his touch. It felt like coming home after a long voyage away. 

"It's called effectum cordis." The words are beautiful on his tongue.

"Wh-what?" 

"This feeling we're sharing," The word we're has me blushing a hot red, the word felt so private. "Effectum cordis." 

I try to repeat it, but fail miserably. A smile upturns his lips, "Try Again. Effectum." 

"Effectum." I repeat back, the anticipation of his next word has me leaning forward in anxiety.  

"Cordis."  His lips feel so close to mine. We are so close now, that if I said the word, our lips would brush. I wasn't ready for that, I couldn't do that.

"You can't kiss my lips." I lean back slightly.

"I can't?" He raises his eyebrows in humor. 

"N-no." I stutter. 

"Then I won't." He assures me. "I am patient." He is unlike any Wolf I'd ever encountered; he is entitled to take whatever as he wants as a king. He has no obligation to take orders from me.

I hold my breath as he leans forward, his lips pause at my ear. "Can I kiss here?" He whispers in my ear. Before I can respond, I feel his warm lips linger on my ear. Chills run down my back, not the bad kind. "Is that okay?" he whispers. 

I cannot speak, so I nod.

"How 'bout here?" He kisses my ear again and trails another few kisses down to my cheek, which I'm sure is aflame. 

"Or here?" He moves to my jaw line. I gasp in at the feeling of his tongue against my skin. My hands clutch onto his wrists, thankful he's practically holding me up because I am lost once he moves his lips to my neck. 

When he reaches a certain spot, I can't help the soft whimper that escapes my lips. I reach a hand up and grasp his mane of hair to stop him.

"Not your lips, El." His reminder is a whisper against my neck. His breath blows cool against the area his lips were. I melt into him.