Chapter 45
A week of sex was quite exhausting, as it was exhilarating. Once the urge to mate was over, we needed several days of sleep to recover from our extracurricular activities. Then I am moving back to my room, the prince still needs to learn a lesson about women who are not me jumping into his arms, if he welcomed it or not.
My heat forced us to postpone the mating and initiation ceremony. How embarrassing. The ceremony will take place next weekend.
Looking around the room, I try to find any articles of my clothing that might be there. I can't find anything. Except for maybe Xander's t-shirts, I haven't needed clothing all week. I'll be walking down the hall in a t-shirt, without underwear. It is good we have our own wing; I would just turn many shades of red otherwise.
As I entered my room, I turned and locked the door. It wouldn't matter anyway, Xander has the key to my room, I'm sure of it. I feel better about my defiance even if he has the key.
His t-shirt falls to the floor as I fill my jetted tub with hot water. As soon as the tub is full, I ease my way in, loving the warmth and the sensation of water massaging my muscles.
I close my eyes, deciding to clear my thoughts and as far as Catherine is concerned, I think she is worn out as well; I haven't heard from her all day.
While closing my eyes, my mind will not shut down. Perhaps I should return home for a short while. My goal is to get to know my brother and to give Xander time to figure out what to do about his harem.
I was stupid to think such a good-looking prince would want to live his life with only me. Without thinking, I get out of the jetted tub. Putting on a pair of skinny jeans and a white t-shirt, rounding the outfit off with a pair of heeled boots.
While putting my hair up into a messy bun, I could feel a tear drop fall down my cheek. Ever since my heat I have been way too emotional. Maybe I miss my brothers, who would ever think I would say that? I spent most of my life trying to run away from their dominance.
I only took what I could carry in wolf form. I know I will be back; I just need time for myself. I slip into the hallway, tiptoeing as not to bring attention to myself. I walk into the main hallway leading out of our wing, eyeing the grand stairway, I look around feeling like a detective in a murder mystery. The coast is clear, I scurry lightly on tippy toes making my way down the long flight of red carpeted stairs.
Xantara -
“Clair, good morning! How was you week in the palace?” I laugh wiggling my eyebrows. I could see Clair blush from head to toe.
“So, Clair when are the pups going to be here?’ I laugh again.
Clair--
“Pups?? What do you mean pups?” Thinking to myself, why hadn’t I thought of that? Stupid heat made it so I didn’t think.
Xantara ---
I held onto my stomach laughing, “You know if you have sex, and you didn’t get the witches potion to bear pups when you are in heat. Well, you are guaranteed to conceive pups during your heat.”
I notice Clair a little agitated and I notice she has a bag of clothes, like when we run in our wolves. I am thinking “Oh great, the future queen wants to go for a run by herself”
“Clair, are you going for a run? I can get some guards to follow?”
Clair ----
“I don’t need guards, most of them couldn’t take me down. I will be fine. Now I have enjoyed our conversation, I will go for a much needed run right now.” I could see Xantara’s mind thinking a mile a minute of how to keep me secure.
Xantara -
I knew I couldn’t let her go alone, she has no idea how many unsavory wolves and low life’s out there anything will do to see a royal alone and kidnap her. I smile at my friend Cora,
“Cora, meet my new sister Clair. By the end of the year, she will be our new Queen, Cora I would not ask you to do this, however, my father and brother will have my head if I let my sister here go out alone on a run. Could you get me a bag with what I need to change into after the run is over? I will probably need a toothbrush as I think that we are headed to her families pack.”
Cora - -
“Will do my friend and I am coming too. It will be like a vacation with my girls.” I laugh thinking about how Xantara invited herself on Clair’s run.
Clair ---
“Really, I don’t need anyone with me!” I am so flustered, I tried to escape and here I am stuck with Xander’s sister who I barely know, and now her friend Cora is coming. What is it with my life, that everyone feels they need to protect me?
Xantara ----
“Listen, Clair you have no clue what it is like to be a royal! I have been kidnapped twice! Now thanks to bodyguards, they were able to get me back from my kidnappers, but not before the kidnappers tortured me. I am every bit as good as you are at fighting. I have watched you training. It isn’t whether the guards are better than you at fighting, it is having backup for when trouble comes! Now you can have me come with you or I will send guards!”
Clair ----
I sigh, knowing they are only concerned for my welfare and maybe she is right. I nod at Xantara, "Okay, let's have a girls' vacation.". Maybe we're all running from something at this point. I've never been on a girls' night out. So this should be entertaining."
As soon as Cora arrives with Xantara's clothes, we go into the woods to strip, taking on our wolf forms. The wind's hands are like a massage to our very beings. While I was shifting, we wore my wolf out from the week's activities. She complained she didn't want to shift, but once we were running, she was as happy as could be.
Our wolves become thirsty, we run until we scent a stream nearby. We play tag nipping each other’s tails until we are lapping up the water at the stream. We are all exhausted and curl up in our wolf forms to stay warm as evening is approaching fast.
I made certain we decided to sleep near bushes that camouflaged us with leaves as blankets, that way it would be harder for hunters and rogues to see us. That is when I fell to sleep.
We had all been asleep for several hours, when I heard leaves rustling nearby, I peak open my eyes to see Xantara in wolf form crouching trying to be unseen. I stare in the direction she is staring and I can smell the stench of rogues.
