Chains to Crowns

“That’s it sweetie,” he pushed the glass to tip into her mouth.

“I don’ feel good,” she slurred.

“But it won’t hurt the more you have,” he said, removing his shirt.

Over the next few days, Klara was trying to trust Marc wouldn’t hurt her, there was a niggle in the back of her mind but she was battling to ignore it. She still wouldn’t let him touch her apart from holding her hand, and even that was slightly hesitantly. She enjoyed his forehead kisses the most, he gave her one every morning after asking. She was beginning to want to ask for them but didn’t dare just in case he stopped.

Adelaide or Trey came to visit her every day, she enjoyed Adelaide’s company even if sometimes she was a little loud, but she was funny and gave her a little more confidence to talk. She was hesitant of Trey since finding out he had a pup on the way… she knew how pups happened… so he’d hurt his mate.

Klara’s back was almost healed by the fifth day of being at the palace, she still hadn’t left the wing. She had been told multiple times she could but she didn’t know what she would find so didn’t want to see. It was the evening after dinner, Klara’s appetite had increased quickly and she’d finished everything Marc had given her with no pain afterwards, she just felt comfortable. They sat on their opposite ends of the sofa, the TV on a show that Marc enjoyed, Klara didn’t mind it.

Her wolf was begging her to just touch him, she was convincing her he was safe. Her wolf had tried to explain that she couldn’t hurt him so he couldn’t hurt her. Klara was trying to believe her, it was just a doubt in her mind. He hadn’t seemed to have had a ‘bad day’ and that was always the excuse her dad had said to why he needed to release some anger. She ran her eyes over him, sat relaxed with a foot over his knee, his arms wide on the back of the sofa leaning back, gold eyes glued to the show.

Klara bit her lip, what was the worst he could do? Everything had already been done to her, she supposed he could kill her but that would just be a relief. She decided to give in to her wolf. She slowly slid across the leather seats until she was nearly touching him. Marc had noticed but decided to pretend he hadn’t to see what she would do.

She leant into his side his beautiful scent engulfing her as she let her wolf slip to the front a little. Her wolf put her skin covered arm across Marc’s stomach, tightening her hold a little so her body came into contact with his side, before disappearing like she always did. Marc slowly and gently put his arm over her, ready to retract it at a moment’s notice. Instead Klara let out a small sigh, his arm engulfed her in comfort. She felt… safe.

Marc couldn’t quite believe it. He had been getting frustrated, his wolf pining and generally causing him a headache. He kept arguing with himself that she needed time. But up until that moment his patience was wearing thin.

The Silversmith’s had attempted to get into their land. The packs had stopped them so far, unfortunately not without deaths of wolves from his Kingdom. He was stressed and frustrated, not to mention horny. He soon realised he had way less patience than his beta, which also angered him. But all of that didn’t matter; as soon as he climbed those stairs he put on a smile and battled his wolf further back than he would want to.

But here she was, cuddling deep into his side. The small amount of contact melted his worries, she peered up to him, meeting his golden eyes. “You’re not going to hurt me,” she said as a statement. “No, I couldn’t if I wanted to… true mates can’t.”

She blinked a few times, “I believe you,” she whispered, he smiled, rubbing his hand gently up and down her back. “Th-that feels nice,” she muttered as she pressed her cheek against his side. Marc hummed and continued brushing his hand up and down.

The hours went by and Marc daren’t turn over the TV, he was still a little worried she would spook and go back to her end of the sofa. All he wanted was Klara to stay as she was. Her skinny arm draped over him, sometimes tightening other times limp. He didn’t want it to end but they both needed to go to bed, and he wasn’t going to even attempt to go into his own room with her.

“Klara,” he muttered, nudging her a little.

“Yes?” she mumbled sleepily.

“You want to go to bed?” he asked gently.

“No,” she said through a yawn. Her arm tightening around him. He looked down to her. Her face hidden from him. He wanted to make her go to bed, he knew he sure needed to go. But his promise of never making her do something she didn’t want echoed around his head. “OK, but I need to go to bed, little one.”

“Oh,” she said sadly, she didn’t want him to let go, she felt more safe and happy than she had ever felt. She shifted a little away from him and stood, her muscles cramping slightly as she stretched. She felt cold without his body next to hers.

“Are you staying up?” he asked as he also got up.

“No… I’ll go to bed,” Marc nodded and switched off the TV. They walked together until they reached Marc’s room; where he hadn’t been sleeping for almost a week. “Goodnight beautiful,” he smiled as she opened the door. “C…” she looked down, “Can you…” she looked up and touched her forehead. He smiled broader. He lay a tender kiss to her forehead, both of them enjoying the small amount of intimacy.

She didn’t want him to go, she didn’t really know why. She was beginning to trust him but as soon as he was in a bed with her she knew what would happen and she didn’t want that. She closed the door as Marc walked to one of the spare rooms.

Klara slipped between the soft sheets, but they didn’t smell right. She layed in the strange smelling sheets, frowning at how empty the bed felt. She liked being alone in bed usually; she was safe. But now she felt lonely… and she didn’t feel very safe. She turned onto her back, staring at the dark ceiling. She wondered why she felt so different. She tangled herself in the sheets, tucking them under her chin. But she still didn’t feel comfortable.

She tossed and turned throughout the night. Her wolf begged her to go to Marc, but she wasn’t ready to do that yet. She felt her wolf was much too trusting. ‘He won’t do anything,’ her wolf reasoned ‘Yes he will, all males are the same.’

‘He’s our mate… he’s different.’ Klara rolled her eyes.

The sun was soon rising. Klara’s wolf hadn’t allowed her to sleep, every time she closed her eyes her wolf bounded around her head chanting ’mate’ so Klara gave up. She climbed out of bed, the familiar shivers of exhaustion running down her spine. She opened the doors to the balcony, she hadn’t gone out there yet, but decided she wanted the morning air.

The balcony stretched to the living area, so you could walk between the two rooms outside if you wished. Klara leant on the light grey stone railing. Her blue eyes looked into the trees. The rising sun spilt orange beams of light over the bottle green trees as well as the well kept two tone grass that was below. She glanced up to the deep orange sky, a few clouds sailing happily along the soon to be blue sky.

She rubbed her face trying to rid the tired feeling, she looked again to see a giant raven furred wolf run from the trees. She had never seen a wolf so big. She blinked wondering who could possibly be that big. She had never heard of wolves being larger than her father; he was an Alpha so his wolf was larger than anyone else’s.

The bear sized head of the raven wolf looked around. She was too high up to see the colour of its eyes, she imagined an ice blue in contrast with the deep black fur. The wolf padded over to the tree line, further east than it had appeared from. As it padded, the wolf changed to skin. Klara gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth.

It was Marc.

She watched as he pulled on sweatpants, leaving his slightly tanned torso bare. He flipped into a handstand, his palms splayed in the deep green grass; balancing expertly. He began dipping, his forehead nearly touching the grass as he did press ups, his feet still hovering straight in the air. Once he’d completed multiple sets, he finished by shifting onto one hand and spinning to land on his feet. Klara was impressed with his agility. Wolves tended to be fighters. They sparred; not practiced balance. Marc continued, flipping, cartwheeling and handstands until he disappeared from view below; back into the palace.

Klara got ready, noticing the dark circles under her eyes in the mirror, but there was nothing she could do. By the time she was ready, she opened the bedroom door looking out. Marc was strolling down the corridor, dressed in jeans and a navy shirt. “Good morning beautiful.” He stopped at her door. “Morning,” she replied, chewing on her lip, thinking of his wolf. He squinted at her face a little, “You look tired, are you OK?” She nodded looking away. A hooked finger gently went under her chin and Marc slowly pulled her face up to look at him. Looking at the dark circles under her eyes and slightly bloodshot eyes. “Why couldn’t you sleep?”

“I’m fine,” she lied. She couldn’t admit she couldn’t sleep because the sheets no longer smelt like him.

Klara was relieved her wolf finally had ceased her monologue, she was happy with the skin to skin contact of Marc’s finger on her chin. His scent swirled around her relaxing her tired body and she felt her eyes drooping shut. She snapped them open, hoping Marc didn’t notice. “Breakfast?” Klara nodded even though she felt a little sick.

Marc had work to do, so Klara was alone again most of the day, she was exhausted but nothing smelt strongly enough of Marc for her wolf to settle. She didn’t want to go into the spare rooms, both unsure of which one Marc was sleeping in, but also not wanting to invade his privacy. She wondered why her wolf was being so annoying, and that Marc didn’t seem affected. Was this normal? Was she abnormal?