Twenty seven
*Freya*
I woke up feeling so much pains all over my body. Every single part of my body hurt so bad. My mind tried to recall what had transpired last night at the ball but it was blank. I couldnt think past the blinding pain on my side. I was shot last night? Oh my God… the memories flooded back. The elegant ballroom, filled with swirling dancers and dazzling chandeliers, now seemed like a distant dream. The sound of gunshots echoing through the air, the panicked screams of the guests, and the feeling of a searing pain in my side were all too real.
Addy’s worried face swam into focus as I tried to sit up against the plush pillows. “Hey, hey, you’re banged up pretty bad, don’t try to strain yourself right now, sweetheart” The sharp pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning, causing me to gasp and fall back onto the bed. Addy’s eyes were filled with concern as she gently pushed me back down.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice soft and soothing. “Thank God Connor managed to get you out of there before things got worse. You were shot but miraculously, it wasn’t deep .”
“So why do I feel like my insides are on fire?” I groaned, my throat felt so dry that just talking was extremely painful.
“Because the bullet must have been laced with woodsbane. The poison tends to stick longer, you know?”
“Oh…” I muttered. Or maybe it didn’t even work at all because I wasn’t a full werewolf. But I was not about to tell her that.
I tried to speak again, but my throat was dry and scratchy. Addy handed me a glass of water, and I sipped it gratefully, feeling a bit of relief wash over me. As I lay back against the soft pillows, the events of last night started to come back to me in bits and pieces.
The ball was supposed to have been a celebration of peace between our werewolf kingdom and every neighboring one, but somehow it had turned into chaos. And by the looks of it, I was the one that suffered it.
I glanced around the room, finally noticing that it wasn’t my room. Was this..?
“What happened? Where am I Addy?” I asked, my voice still hoarse. I would need a gallon of water for my throat to be alright again.
“You’re in the Alpha king’s chambers Freya. Rafe insisted you be brought here after you were shot. He wouldn’t let you out of his sight since last night.”
“But.. he’s.. not here right now?”
“Yes he quickly went away and asked me to stay and watch after you. Something about the information of the animals that attacked us last night. Oh Freya.. every one is scared right now. But I assure you, you’re completely safe in the king’s chambers.”
The king’s chambers. My heart stuttered in my chest. Rafe. As soon as the first shot rang out, I had tried to search the ballroom for him, desperate to make sure he was safe. Connor had grabbed my arm, telling me the king was secure, but I needed to see for myself. He had said Rafe instructed him to keep me safe and so we had ran for the doors – and that’s when the shot hit me, sending me crumpling to the ground.
My thoughts raced as I stared unseeingly at the wall, remembering the sheer panic that had gripped me. I had to get to Rafe. I couldn’t let anything happen to him. But why did I care so much? He was the Alpha king, strong and powerful, more than capable of taking care of himself. And yet, the thought of him being hurt, of losing him… it had beenunbearable.
“I..”
“Don’t stress it, Freya. The alpha will be here any minute now and he will explain what happened to you. Everything will be fine okay?”
“Okay..” I replied reluctantly. “But what about the other ladies? are they fine?”
“They are all fine. I think they said Aurora got a sprain but that was because she was too sluggish.”
I chuckled at her mocking tone. I was somewhat relieved that my stepsister was okay. I didn’t like her but I also did not want something bad to happen to her.
My mind went to Rafe again. I had been so scared that they would attack him as he was the king but no, I was the one that got attacked. And it shocked me to my core as I realized that I actually preferred it to be me than him. Am I stupid? Am I in love? No. Couldn’t be.
At that moment, the door opened and Rafe strode in, his piercing blue eyes finding mine instantly. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as we stared at each other, the air growing thick with tension. His gaze raked over me, taking in my bandaged shoulder and no doubt pale complexion, and something flickered in his eyes – worry, relief, and something else I couldn’t quite name.
Dimly, I was aware of Addy and the others still in the room, but I couldn’t look away from Rafe. The heat of his gaze sent shivers down my spine and my heart raced traitorously in my chest.
“Leave us,” Rafe commanded, his deep voice sending another shiver through me. There was a rustling as Addy and the others obeyed, the door closing with a soft click behind them.
Rafe approached the bed slowly, almost hesitantly. I felt the hairs on my neck shoot up as he reached me. His intoxicating scent filled my head. He sat on the edge and took my hand in his, his skin warm and slightly calloused. He raised it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to my knuckles. My breath caught at the contact, electricity zinging up my arm.
“I’m so sorry, Freya,” he said quietly, his thumb brushing over my skin. “I should have protected you better. When I saw you fall, I…” He swallowed hard, his eyes shutting briefly as if in pain. “I thought I’d lost you.”
I ached to wrap my arms around him, to soothe the anguish on his face. I wanted him to pull me close and hold me tight, to feel his lips on mine and let the rest of the world disappear. But I couldn’t let myself give in to those desires. I had to stay strong.
“I’m okay, Rafe,” I assured him, trying to ignore how right my hand felt in his. “It’s just a scratch. I’ve had worse.”
He shook his head, his gaze boring into mine. “That’s not the point. You shouldn’t have been hurt at all. If anything happened to you…”
He trailed off as I put my hand softly on his lips in an effort to shut him up, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air between us. I knew I should pull my hand away, put some distance between us. But I couldn’t make myself move.
All I could think about was how badly I wanted him to kiss me.
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