THORN IN MY FLESH

TELL YOU WHAT I WANT

Margery barged into the room her husband was in and saw him lying down on the bed. He turned to look at her and smiled as the healers set up blood transfusions and IV fluids.

His face was badly battered with scratches, one swollen eye, and a busted lip. His entire upper torso was wrapped in bandages, including his arms. His breathing waslaboured but steady, and his eyes were alert and focused on her. She slowly walked towards him, never taking her eyes off him until she was close enough to touch him. She gently touched his face, and he leaned towards her hand, closing his eyes as he inhaled her scent to calm his lycan.

Stroking his hair, she teased. 'As soon as this is all over, you are getting a haircut,'he laughed, but it quickly changed into groans of pain, scaring Margery.

'What's wrong, my love?' She asked worriedly.

The attending doctor quickly stepped in and checked on him while a nurse pulled Margery aside. After checking on Reginald and asking him a few questions. The doctor came to Margery and explained.

'Your highness,' the doctor said.

'I am not a royal, Margery Woodland is fine,' she corrected.

'Mrs. Woodland, when we arrived, your husband was in bad shape. The healers concentrated on stopping his excessive blood loss and internal injuries but didn't notice that his lycan was healing his bones, which were not aligned properly. We had to inject him with vervain to stop his body from healing and proceeded to break those bones and set them correctly. Right now, your husband will feel a lot ot of extreme pain until the effects of the vervain wear off. We want to induce him into a coma to relieve his pain until his lycan takes over and does the rest,' the doctor said.

'How long will that take?', she asked.

'He's already healing himself, but it is quite.slow which is why we had to give him the blood transfusions and the saline to nourish his lycan because his digestive organs are not healed well enough to allow him to feed. I reckon by tomorrow he will be much better, but until then, we can not agitate him anyway. He is in a delicate state and is easily susceptible to severe complications that will kill him. I will let you speak with him for a few minutes, and then we will put him to sleep so he can rest and fully recover. We will let you be alone for now and come back in a few minutes'

'Thank you, doctor,' Margery said, and walked back to her husband. She sat beside him, holding his hand.

'Pups?' Reginald asked in a weak voice.

''They are fine, they just miss you,' she whispered, making him smile.

He placed his hand on her belly and closed his eyes. His chest rumbled, making her babies kick. She placed her hand over his, and they stayed in silent bliss until the doctors came back.

Rafe watched them through the glass on the other side of the room door with an unreadable expression. His heart ached, but his pride refused to let him go into the room.

'Your highness, prince Conrad requests that you meet with him,' said a male waiter bowing. Rafe followed the waiter to meet Conrad, who was sitting alone in a dark, cold room with a blue Neon lamp illuminating the surrounding area. Conrad satcross-legged with a glass of blood in his hand and a decanter on the table.

'I am informed your brother is alive,' Conrad said as Rafe sat facing him and ordered for a bottle of bourbon.

'Yes,'Rafe responded.

'Then I will go straight to the point,' Conrad said, gulping the contents of his cup.

'Your brother will be given two days to recuperate so he can have hiso-called chance to a fair trial. However, I do have a request in return, "Conrad stated.

'He will need at least a week to be fully healed,' Rafe responded, trying to negotiate for more time. Conrad smiled before responding.

'You should see these two days as a gift and take the offer while it stands, young prince. I am all that stands between your brother and the vampires hell bent on having his head on a pyke,'

'Give me five days, and we can call it a deal,'Rafe responded.

'Three days, you will have three days and no more,' Corad finished, and Rafe raised his glass in alignment. After taking a sip of his drink, Rafe asked.

'What is it that you seek in return?'Rafe asked.

'The only reason I agreed for your brother to have a trial is because I thought that there is not a lawyer within the vampire nation who will be stupid enough to represent your himWithth his immunity removed, he will not have access to a royal defence. His death would be inevitable. However, i was wrong. There is someone who is too selfless and stubborn to walk away from such a cause, and i do wish to prevent that person from getting involved,' Conrad responded.

'You speak in riddles, prince Conrad,' Rafe responded.

'What I want in return is for Alexis Thorn to not be involved in this case. Use the three days to find a lawyer, and keep her out of all of this,' Conrad said to him.

'What makes you think I have any influence on Miss Thorn? The both of us can not be tlin a room without ripping at each other.'Rafe asked

'I was born the year your father took the throne prince Rafe, and I have seen enough lycans to know them like the back of my hand. I know you are mates,' Conrad responded. Rafes eyes turned gold upon hearing Conrads words, and his lycan growled so deeply that the centre table vibrated, but Conrad sat unfazed by his display.

'Alexis is selfless and stubborn, and I would speak with her myself, except knowing me, I will dismiss the entire case against your brother with just a look from her. That is how hopeless I am when it comes to her,' Conrad continued.

'Is there a reason you are telling me this?'Rafe growled, and Conrad finally looked him in the eye.

'Yes, there is, I am willing to give up the case against your brother in exchange for Alexis,' Conrad said to him. Rafe stood up abruptly upon hearing Conrads words. Conrad held his stare with an unreadable expression.

'We are done here,' Rafe said with his eyes switching between gold and amber.

'No, Prince Rafe, we are just beginning. I will await your response in three days,' Conrad replied, sipping more blood.