SWNOVELS Chapter 11
Chapter 11 I stayed sitting on the ground, even as Blake threw that wolf at a tree. It whimpered and lay still. Blake’s eyes flashed dangerously as he growled and the attacking rogues all stood down immediately. I’d never seen a wolf have so much power or control over others. He hadn’t even shifted and the others were bowing to him like he was some kind of Alpha. Other rogues I didn’t recognize were tackling the wolves that had come after me. subordinates, working for him. They had to be there as Blake’s “You scum! You dare go after the Lycan King’s wife?” one of Blake’s subordinates repeated with a snarl, pouncing on the rogue that had nearly ripped my throat out. “What?” I asked. Lycan King who was the Lycan King? I looked around for another female, wondering who he was talking about. But then I discovered: I was the only female there. I glanced at Blake and rolled the ring he’d given me around my finger. The rogues that attacked me were all cowering now and Blake was just standing there, in human form. The rogues started to slink off into the woods, and several of Blake’s subordinates followed after them to make sure they kept running. I was still trying to process what had been said about Blake being the Lycan King. I didn’t think any royalty would lower themselves to be caught in the Rogue Zone. Blake was living here! That didn’t seem possible. If a member of the royal Lycans had been exiled, it would have been big news. I would have heard about it in Moonery. I ignored the pain in my side from the attack and I faced off with Blake. I needed answers and now was the time I’d demand them. We were face to face again, on one of those rare occasions when we could talk. Before I could open my mouth. Blake grabbed my arm and pulled me through the woods. He didn’t even look at me as he half dragged me along. “Where are you taking me?” My eyes widened. That wasn’t the question I wanted to ask but it was the only one that I could put into words with all the thoughts running through my mind. “Somewhere safe,” he snarled. He took me to a small, lopsided shack with a caved–in roof. Blake practically threw me through the only door. There were no windows. I stumbled forward, falling to my knees again. Behind me, Blake’s booted feet were heavy on the creaky floorboards and the door hinges squeaked as the door closed. I whipped around and got to my feet again, glaring at Blake. “Where are we?” I asked, crossing my arms. “Somewhere safe, for now,” Blake hissed. Two of Blake’s subordinates came into the shack and stood on either side of the door. He made a hand motion to them. telling them something that I didn’t understand. They stood perfectly still. Finally, I got the chance to ask that question. “Who are you?” I furrowed, demanding the truth from him by stamping my foot “You don’t need to know” He simply glanced at me. There. There. Here it was again. Cold and rude, as if the man held me tightly this morning was his twin. But this time I was no way to be outdone. “I’m sorry, I thought we were married. Shouldn’t that mean I know who my husband is?” I glared at him and stood my ground, despite the ache in my side. “It doesn’t matter who I am, whether we are married or not,” Blake insisted, his voice a harsh whisper, “Let alone I was nob*dy since that day.” I paused for a moment. What did he mean? “Blake, Sir, you aren’t ‘nob*dy!“” one of his subordinates couldn’t help but argue. “You’re the new Lycan King!” I glanced from his subordinate back to Blake. My eyes questioned. “Honor to meet you, Luna Nora. Alpha Blake’s the heir to the throne but was cursed and exiled here after fighting with his uncle, the other one bowed at me. That it was. Disbelief washed over me. How could Blake have hidden so much from me? I thought he’d just been a lawless rogue, like the rest of them. He was cursed, so he needed me. That’s all. Some things were starting to make sense, like how he wanted me to learn to play music, dance, and proper fine dining etiquette. I’d seen Jeremy have to learn a lot of that, and he was just an Alpha’s son, not a member of the Lycan royalty. If Blake really was royalty, he’d want me to measure up to his expectations of a wife. “How did you go from being just a rogue yesterday to the Lycan King today?” My eyebrows twitched. Blake looked at his subordinates. “Leave. Wait outside and do not make a sound,” he ordered in a powerful voice that sent a tremor through my spine. The others quaked and left the shack quickly. Blake and I were completely alone and he was standing between me and the only door. “Who are you, really?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at him. Blake sighed and shook his head. “You don’t seem to understand your role in all of this. I don’t owe you any explanations. You’re my wife. I protect you and you do as I say.” “Right, Blake, I’m your wife. I’m not a subordinate that you can order around!” 1 snapped. I threw my arms out to the sides, wincing slightly from the wound on my side. Blake’s posture softened for a moment but his features hardened as he stared at me. “That’s not how this works. You needed something from me and I needed something from you. Once those needs are fulfilled, we can reevaluate this ‘marriage‘ arrangement,” he said. My jaw dropped and I couldn’t stop staring at him. “I wouldn’t have married you if I knew your true identity,” I snapped. Blake scoffed. “What does my identity have to do with the marriage arrangement? As I said, we both needed things from. each other, regardless of identity,” he pointed out..
“I don’t care. I didn’t agree to marry some Lycan King.” I reminded of Jeremy. Alphas were terrible. Though I still had a piece of hope for him. “That’s not going to happen, Nora,” Blake said with a dark chuckle. He shook his head at me. “Why not? This isn’t working, Blake. You can’t offer me protection as you promised. You have your own enemies here in the Rogue Zone.” I threw my arm in the direction where I thought the attack had taken place. In a closed, windowless room. I had no idea what direction I was facing. “And yet, when you were attacked, I still saved you and protected you,” he said, holding his arms out to emphasize our situation. 1 groaned and rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “That’s not the point,” I said through gritted teeth. “You need my help in more than one way,” he reminded me. “And I’m not done with you, yet. The marriage and contract are binding before the Moon Goddess and you’re just going to have to live with that.” “No! I’m not going to sit around every day waiting for you to decide what I need to and don’t need to know. I am my own person.” If I was in my wolf form, every hair should have been sticking straight up. I tried to walk around Blake and head to the door but he grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “You’re not going anywhere,” his eyes were dangerous. My side pulled and I groaned at the sharp pain that shot through me. I turned to face him, realizing how close we were. His hand still gripped my elbow but it wasn’t painful. He held me securely, almost protectively, our faces inches apart. I inhaled, my breath catching in my throat. “Are you going to keep me against my will?” I asked in a breathy whisper. “You agreed to marry me, you vowed it before the Moon Goddess. Therefore, you belong to me. I’m not keeping you against your will,” he replied in a harsh whisper. I swallowed hard around a painful lump in my throat as his sweet–smelling breath bathed my face. I shivered, wishing I could pull away. If I tried, it would just cause my injury to hurt more. I didn’t have the strength. “You ran away from my home, against my direct order,” Blake stepped closer. “I’m not your prisoner,” Almost subconsciously, I averted my eyes, didn’t know why my heart was suddenly beating so fast. “No. but I told you I’d protect you. I also told you that you needed to remain at my house to stay safe,” he said. “My order was as much to protect you as anything else. Yet, by disobeying it, you’ve put yourself in danger and you’ve jeopardized my plans.” “That wouldn’t have happened if you’d just let me in!” I retorted. I pulled my arm from his grasp and took a few steps back. Blake’s eyes flashed, his wolf is dangerously close to coming out. He snarled, gnashing his teeth together. I took another half- step back. In such a closed, tight space, if he shifted, I’d be torn to shreds. “If you wanted a wife to just sit at home silently and never get in your way, you shouldn’t have picked me,” I stated. I crossed my arms again.. “Well, I did choose you. Now, since you disobeyed me,” he said in a deep, dark voice, “You put yourself in danger. Do you understand what would happen if I didn’t catch up? Do you know how afr.angry I was when I found you might be lying in blood!” “You’re going to learn some respect.” His eyes were cold, “I’m going to teach you what happens when you don’t follow my orders.” Gooseflesh rising on my skin. I believed his threat completely. I’d tried to escape but Blake had found me. Like it or not, he’d saved my life, again. I was bound to him through the Moon Goddess. Now, all I could do was take whatever punishment he doled out. “Stay here, for now. You’re not to leave this room until I make the arrangements for us to return home,” Blake demanded. “Don’t even think about trying to escape again. My loyal wolves will keep a perimeter around the shack. I’ll be back when it is time to go.” “And then what? I mean, what will happen when we get home?” I asked, my voice trembling. Blake smirked and walked toward me. I scurried out of the way and he went right past me to the door. “Oh, this isn’t your punishment, not by a long shot. This is just the precursor. When we get home, you’ll be entirely reeducated on respect and obedience,” he said, flashing me a cruel grin as he reached for the door. “Reeducated?” I asked. Blake bounced his eyebrows. “Don’t worry, by the time I’d done with you, you’ll be the perfect wife.” “You plan to make me something I’m not?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at him. All I hope was that he didn’t find tears hidden in my eyes. All he cared about was his own plan and turning me into his little obedien “ht.! He didn’t care about helping me find my wolf, either. didn’t care about me or my safety. He didn’t want a wife, he wanted a doll he could take out of a box and play with when it suited him and then stuff back inside when he was done. “You’ll obey me, you’ll honor me, and you’ll respect me.” We were very much close, like true lovers. “I will not love you.” I looked into his eyes. There was something there, in those eyes, but I couldn’t quite figure it out. I was left alone in the dark.