The leaf and the wind

New home

They finally reached the kingdom's border after driving for 9 hours until the car broke down, and they had to walk for another 2 hours on a hill. Despite the exhaustion, Annie looked remarkably refreshed and full of energy. In reality, her legs were killing her, but she kept herself composed to avoid giving in to the strain. As they approached the huge arch leading to the kingdom, she tripped on a rock and fell heavily on the ground, bruising her knee. The king rushed to see if she was okay, and she let out a melodramatic whine.

Annie: No! Carry on without me. You can't give up on your goal. It's okay. I'll die a hero.

The king winced in annoyance, but caught himself drawing a thin smile on his lips that he quickly erased. He took her surprisingly heavy backpack and handed it to one of his men who already had a heavy suitcase. Then, he lifted her light body off the ground in a bridal style. She smiled, exclaiming, "Oh, strong," while holding herself around his neck. At this point, she was willing to be a potato sack.

He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent that soothed his heart, he became gentler, his muscles softened, and his jaw was looser than the usual clenching. The sudden intimacy made her uncomfortable. He had seemed so angry with her the entire way home, it felt like he was a completely different person.

King: What's in your bag, Red? It's heavier than you.

Annie: Oh, just... two or three things I gathered from my home, nothing extravagant.

She looked away, examining the town they had just entered. The kingdom was surrounded by turquoise and clear water, with a massive forest nearby. The houses were painted in every color imaginable—yellow, magenta, blue, green, pink, etc. Murals adorned the walls with graffiti, there was a museum, a massive library, a bustling road with various stores, and a lively populace. People enjoying coffee on terraces, kids playing in an immense park with a playground and fountains. The foreign view left her in awe, and despite the attractions of the vibrant town, her heart was strangely drawn to the neighboring forest.

They traversed the common square to reach the castle, with people curiously watching their procession. Once in the hall of the castle, Annie insisted on walking as the impatience in her legs became unbearable. She stumbled a bit, and Thion offered his arm for support, a gesture that triggered a hint of jealousy in the king.

A stunning lady with thick, long dark brown hair appeared and ran toward the king with a smile on her face. Thion leaned close to Annie and pointed at the girl with his chin.

Thion: This is your problem, now. She's the King's "mistress," or as I like to call her "sweetheart". Her name is Tegan. She's obsessed with him since she was a little girl. Beware; she's a snake.

Annie: Well, believe it or not, I like snakes. And have you seen the breasts on that girl? Damn.

Thion couldn't help but chuckle as the girl jumped into the king's arms, furiously kissing his lips. Annie and Thion watched intensely with a hint of excitement, curious about what would happen next.

Tegan claimed she missed him and pretended to be sad that he had not found his fated mate yet. She then wore a lustful smile and emitted a faint moan, suggesting that she could warm his bed and heart to console him. It didn't take long before she caught a whiff of another girl's scent on him. She frowned, and the king, who didn't seem pleased, glanced worriedly at Annie, who waved her hand at him with a smile.

King: I told you I was going to find my mate, and I did. Get out of my sight, Tegan. I will never share my body and bed with you again. Leave.

Tegan looked around and finally noticed the source of the scent that had ignited the king's heart. She thought Annie was beautiful, much more than herself, and couldn't help but feel envious. However, she did not detect the scent of a wolf. She grinned.

Tegan: My King, she's not even a wolf. Are you sure she can rule a population of Lycans and shifters? I bet she could die if I sneeze, seeing how petite she is.

Thion looked at Annie, and Annie looked at Thion. They lifted their shoulders with a nod. The king, on the other hand, was not having it. He half-shifted before grabbing Tegan by the neck, lifting her off the floor. The room seemed to shrink in the oppressive aura of his aggression. His growl echoed through the chamber, a menacing symphony that sent shivers down the spines of those present. His soldiers and Thion knew he planned on snapping her neck, but a thin, delicate hand grabbed the animalistic, dangerous one. The air itself felt heavy with the palpable tension, and all eyes were fixed on the impending confrontation. The king turned to see his mate's emerald eyes, and his grip around Tegan's neck loosened until she fell to the ground. The room exhaled a collective breath it hadn't realized it was holding.

Annie: As much as I dig the drama, Tegan's reaction is kind of justified. She liked you for a long time, give her a break; she had just lost you. Give her some time. She's human, after all. (Tegan cleared her throat, even if her body trembled.) Sorry. She's a big, scary wolfie with feelings. You can't kill her because of that; it's not fair.

The King: She insulted you!

Annie: Barely and so what? You think everyone should love each other like a fairy tale? Grow up.

The King: I am older than you!

Annie: All right, stop screaming at me. Age has nothing to do with maturity.

As they argued, his subjects approached them in disbelief. They wanted to cheer, scream, and party. Their future and new queen would be their savior. She was kind and fair, and, moreover, the king seemed to listen to her somehow more than Thion. It was only her first day, and they sighed in relief. He proved to be a competent ruler, but his occasional temperamental outbursts created an imbalance. In her, they found a potential force to restore equilibrium to the kingdom.

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He caught her in his arms, leading her to the chambers they were supposed to share. Upon entering, they found a large bathroom with a big bathtub. The king started filling it with warm water, thinking she might need it after their trip, and a woman came in, giving the king bath bombs, scented oils, and bath salts. She left when he shouted at her to get out, making Annie roll her eyes at his impatience. While he prepared the bath, Annie took a look around.

She walked on a dark wooden floor, shiny and polished. There was a king-sized bed with red sheets and a fancy cover. Over 10 pillows decorated the bed, she giggled at the excess. In front of the bed was a huge CRT TV. Since she had one back home that didn't work, she assumed it would be the same here, but it worked perfectly. The room was divided by a half wall. On the other side was a kitchen with black and white marble flooring. The counter was black, the sink was bronze, and there was a refrigerator and an oven between cabinets. A door opened to an exaggeratedly huge, empty walk-in closet. She exhaled, thinking, "I guess I'm rich now." The rest of the room had a few dressers, another closet half full of the king's clothes, and lots of empty spaces. The room was as big as her house back home. Unsure of what to do, she sat on the only armchair in the room, facing a huge window with a view of the ocean. She also noticed a balcony facing directly at the forest.

The king approached his mate, she had a green jean shorts and a dirty beigey shirt. He put a hand on her injured knee and patched her up. He could not stop stealing glances at her. "Such a beauty". Lust surged through him as he leaned in for a kiss on her sweet, luscious lips. He finally found his mate, and she was like a dream to him, but Annie pulled away.

Annie: What are you doing?

King: What do you mean? I want to kiss you.

Annie: Did I say yes?

He frowned. He never had to ask; all the women used to jump into his arms, doing it for him. While it was true that most of the time he did not want it, his father often told him that it was not manly to say no to a woman while unmated, and he might be seen as weak. Looking away, he felt a mix of confusion and annoyance, his wolf whined, clearly missing her touch. He asked to kiss her, but she said no, and a surge of rage boiled within him.

King: Why not?

Annie: What... King! I don't even know your name! I don't know you. I understand, you're a Lycan, you can feel the mate bond strongly, and you want to play with my secret garden blah blah blah. But I am different. I don't feel the same as you. I had to leave the people I love the most on this planet to join a stranger on a quest where I have no idea how to play my part. So please, I don't want to... Right now, I don't even want to see anyone. I just smile because I have to, and I don't want to cry.

Still feeling the burning sting of her rejection, he sighed loudly. He did not want her to cry either, so he slid his arms under her, lifted her up, and took her to the bathroom. It smelled like flowers and honey, and the bubbles created a huge dome over the water; even he seemed surprised by the avalanche of bubbles he clumsily created. She giggled as he put her down.

King: Come on then. I'll let you bathe in peace since you want to be alone. I'll be... over here.

She beamed warmly, thanking him. His anger evaporated when he saw how happy he made her.

King: By the way, it's Gideon. Call me Gideon.

Annie: Nice to meet you, Gideon. I'm Annie.

She closed the door. He covered his face with both hands, releasing a groan that his heart had held since they left her hometown, and let his body fall heavily on the bed as he repeated her name over and over again.