Chains to Crowns

“I’ll never get rid of you, dirty disgusting whore.”

The wall hit her back as she backed away, “D-Daddy I don’t want the men in my room.”

“Don’t walk away from me!” The sole of his boot smashed into her face. “Whore,” he spat.

Marc got to work as soon as he was changed. He organised all the alcohol to be removed from the private wing and placed in one of the meeting rooms. Only then did he head to his office, trying to control the anger burning within him.

“Wanted to see me?” Wade walked through the door to Marc’s office.

“When was the last attack from the Silversmiths?” Marc’s voice tense.

“Err… two days ago,” Wade responded sitting in his usual chair.

“Casualties?” Marc snapped.

“Yes, no deaths that time.” Wade knew his friend wasn’t right, but didn’t want to ask yet. His beast was too close to the surface to probe. “How many wolves do the Silversmiths have?” Marc stood and scanned the books trying to find the right one. “I think dad said about two hundred… roughly,” Wade responded.

Marc looked over a page he’d unfolded from a book. “Their terrain is mountainous, difficult to traverse,” he muttered over the hand drawn map.

“What are you thinking…?” Wade asked slowly, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Wipe them out,” Marc said simply.

“Xander will never allow that,” Wade warned gently.

“He’s not King anymore, I can do whatever the fuck I like.” A growl reverberated around Marc’s chest. “Marc… what did she tell you?” Marc gripped the wood of his desk, splintering it under his hands. “The bastard watched his wolves rape his daughter… he watched!” Marc stood, the desk flying from between them. Wade leapt to his feet, “Marc… calm down.” Wade put his hands out.

“He WATCHED!” he roared, tearing a bookshelf from the wall. Wade was stumped as to what to do. He merely observed the destruction around him as Marc tore at anything within the circular stone room that his claws could get to, animalistic roars rippling from his chest.

“My King! I don’t want to have to get Klara. You need to control yourself!” Wade tried again. Marc’s wild eyes, black fur sprouting as he was in mid shift. “She doesn’t need to see you like this.” Wade took a step towards Marc. “Let your human take over my King, then your mate can calm you.” Wade could see that battle, the distortion on Marc’s face evident.

Marc let out a little grunt as he managed to push his furious wolf back, promising a run and her father’s blood. “Clean this mess up,” Marc spat as he stormed from the room. Shreds of clothes sprang around him as he shifted from skin to fur midstep.

*

Klara sat trembling on the balcony, eyes trained to the bedroom door. She’d heard a roar and knew that meant someone was angry. Worse, they sounded close. She clutched her legs closer to her, waiting for the door to bang open. But instead she heard a bang below, her head snapped to look between the stone railing and watched the giant black wolf sprint into the trees. Did that mean it was Marc that had roared?

“Klara?” A knock on the bedroom door brought her eyes from the treeline watching for the wolf’s return. Adelaide’s head poked around the door, Klara didn’t move from the balcony as Adelaide slowly made her way into the room. “Is Marc angry?” Klara squeaked.

“Yes, he’s angry at how you’ve been treated,” Adelaide said honestly, sitting opposite Klara, making herself comfortable on the stone floor. “So it’s my fault,” Klara muttered burying her face into her arms, covering herself from view. “No, it’s your father’s fault. He allowed the bad things to happen or did them himself… all of which no father should do.”

“It was because my mum’s dead… he had to take his anger out,” Klara muttered into her knees.

“We take our anger out differently, we go for a run, like Marc’s just done. Or we tire ourselves through sparring, or the training courses. Or we allow the effect of our mates to calm us.”

“I can calm him?” Klara peaked up, a mixture of fear and puzzlement swirling around her deep blue eyes. “Yes, often through physical contact; a hug, sitting on him. And sniffing.”

“He did that last night,” Klara realised quietly.

“He may not have showed it but he needed you to calm him down… like he needs you now.”

Klara slowly nodded, sitting up slightly. “It’s the same for us… if you feel angry, or upset, he’ll make it better for you, just let your wolf smell him… works better when you’re marked,” Adelaide explained gently.

“I don’t want him to mark me,” Klara whispered quickly.

“I didn’t at first, but when your ready marking is nice. It’s special, Wade waited months, even when I was ready he waited longer.” Klara blinked at Adelaide, taking in what she was saying.

“Did you share a bed?”

“Before we marked?” Klara nodded. “Yeah, it was nice knowing he was there.”

“Were-were you naked?” Klara stuttered. Adelaide’s expression softened.

“You can share a bed without having sex, and Marc won’t do it without marking you first.” Adelaide’s cheeks tinged pink slightly. “Come on, Marc will be gone hours, why don’t I show you my wing?”

“Won’t he be angry I left?”

“No, I’ll let him know you’re safe, that’s all he’ll care about.” Klara thought for a moment but nodded.

The women walked together, through the corridors, up the main staircase, up another staircase. “How do you not get lost?” Klara gaped as they went down another corridor.

“I do sometimes, you just learn and I’m sure I’ve not been down every corridor, like the staff quarters.” Klara nodded. Adelaide opened a set of double doors. Klara was surprised that inside looked like... well a house.

A single staircase led upstairs while there were three doors coming from the hallway. The walls were a lovely grey, which contrasted the rest of the palace’s cream or stone walls. Adelaide opened the door to the left, “Living room,” she said as she walked in, “Opposite is dining.” She gestured to the door by the stairs, “Then kitchen,” Adelaide pointed towards an archway. Klara took in the living room, a matching fabric three-piece suite, TV, paintings of rivers and trees. It was comfortable and homely. Klara liked it. “Wade’s not home,” Adelaide announced as she gestured to Klara to sit.

“Tell me,” Adelaide announced, Klara blinked unsure what she meant, “What scares you?” Klara looked down. “The more you tell us, the more we can help. I know I kept a secret for too long, and despite what I thought, telling it made everything better.” Klara chewed on her lip, but she did want to admit things, she wanted to offload. For some reason Klara felt like Adelaide had experienced something similar even though she couldn’t have… she’s a princess and her family loved her.

“You’ll just think what everyone else thinks,” Klara muttered to the floor. Adelaide’s hand flew into Klara’s, she squeezed gently. “I’m not going to think any differently of you, I care about you. You’re my sister and you always will be.” Klara glanced up, she’d never called her a sister before, she’d never had a sister.

“Male’s always came into my room…” A tear splashed onto Adelaide’s hand that was still grasping Klara’s. “Dad said I’m a whore so one male will never have me,” she muttered, her voice hitching slightly as her tears freely fell. Adelaide didn’t move, just sat and listened. “The male’s did whatever they wanted whether I struggled or not. I asked, I begged dad to s-stop them, I didn’t like it… that m-made it worse. I never knew what I was more scared of, the m-males in my bed or the whip-whipping after.” Klara’s voice caught as she let out quiet sobs.

Adelaide’s thumb ran soothing circles over Klara’s knuckles. “At first I was con-confused… Dad was in the room the-the f-first time… H-he’d whipped me-me before. But never th-that bad… said he m-m-made me…” Adelaide squeezed Klara’s hand as her sobs rendered her unable to speak. Silent tears glided down Adelaide’s cheeks, the woman before her was so strong, and Klara didn’t even know it. She pulled Klara into a hug. “How old when the first male?” Adelaide whispered.

“Fou-fourteen,” Klara stuttered, Adelaide hugged her tighter.

“You’re so brave,” Adelaide forced her voice to come out calm despite the tears now soaking her own cheeks. “And so strong, I wouldn’t have survived.” Adelaide’s hands found Klara’s long hair and began stroking down the sleek locks.

The women were locked in each other’s embrace for at least an hour, their tears dried but neither wanting to let go. “You know… all those times were rape,” Adelaide muttered into Klara’s shoulder. “What’s rape?” Klara’s voice coming out scratchy and hoarse.

“When someone forces you to have sex.” Klara nodded, her eyes closed against someone she’d consider a friend’s shoulder… she’d never really had a friend before. “And when you want it… does it hurt?”

“No, it feels good. With your mate it feels like everything should be. Everything’s right in the world and nothing matters because it feels like you’re sent to another world.”

“I’m not ready yet.”

“And that’s OK, Marc will wait as long as you need him to. But it’s also OK to still feel a little scared even when you’re ready. But he’ll be gentle… or he’ll have me to answer to,” Adelaide promised sternly, which made Klara feel a little better. She knew Marc respected his sister.

“Hello my baby, hello my honey…” Adelaide heard, but Klara was fast asleep on her lap.

“Shh,” she responded as Wade came in through the door. “She’s asleep,” she whispered.

“Oh, Dels it’s only a week left of mating season,” Wade complained.

“I’m not waking her up so you can get your leg over,” Adelaide shot.

“Why’s she asleep here?” he asked, pouting slightly.

“I was showing her around, she was terrified because she heard Marc, he back yet?”

“Nah should be soon though.”

“You’ve not even checked,” she huffed at him. She slid herself from under Klara’s head, replacing her lap with a pillow.

Wade’s eyes hardened slightly, “Don’t you use that tone with me,” he growled.

“Or what?” She smirked, knowing exactly his response. He bent down to whisper in her ear, “Does the princess need to be taken over my knee the second night running?” His warm breath cascaded down her neck, the warmth going straight between her legs. She nibbled her lip, “Now, now Alpha, you have a job to do first, please see if my brother’s back,” she commanded, seduction dripping from her tone. She wore the trousers until he removed them. He growled quietly into her ear before his eyes glazed as he contacted Marc. “He’s on his way back now”.

Klara shifted as she woke up, rubbing her eyes, she didn’t remember falling asleep, and didn’t remember the big green-eyed man being there. Last time she saw him was when she first came to the palace. She hadn’t put two and two together that this was Adelaide’s mate. She wondered why he exuded so much power, it was a similar power to her father, but Adelaide had definitely told her he was Marc’s beta. “Hey Klara, sorry didn’t mean to wake you,” he grinned, showing almost perfect teeth. “Remember me?”

“Guessing Wade, Marc’s beta?” she said in a small voice. He smiled in response.

“Marc’s on his way.”

“Is he still mad?”

“No, he’s calmed down, and as soon as he catches your scent he’ll feel amazing.” Klara looked confusedly towards him.

“Remember what I said about mates calming each other down?” Adelaide piped in.

“Oh! Yeah,” Klara remembered.

The door closed loudly, Klara stiffened knowing it was Marc. It was the first time she knew him to be angry. She gulped as he entered the room. His face set in a cold, hard glare. She shrunk, knowing that look too well. She tried to remember that Adelaide said he couldn’t hurt her. But he could, there was nothing stopping him, not really. She did the only thing she knew to do and bowed her head to him, she was his submissive, letting him know that may make the blow less.

Marc stepped towards her, her demeanour irritating him. He gritted his teeth but took a breath, “Klara, I’m fine. I’m sorry if I scared you… let me hold you… please,” his voice coming out more strangled and forced with each word.

Klara gulped, terrified but nodded. The sofa sank next to her as Marc sat and he buried his nose into her neck, his arms gripping her gently in place. She quivered slightly in his hold but tried to stay still. “I’m not going to hurt you, little one,” he muttered against her skin. “You’re safe, let your wolf smell me back.” She smelt him but it didn’t make her feel any different. Her wolf was always silent if Marc was there.