The Kings Mate

“Lottie,” the voice sounds muffled but it’s still very loud. “Charlotte.” Groaning I try to move away from the voice again but I’m being restrained by something. The voice chuckles at the action and releases the pressure from around my waist.

“I don’t feel well.” I whisper as I try to move again, confused about where I am.

“Are you going to be sick?” Ryder’s voice is starting to lower in level and break through the haze of just waking up.

Shaking my head I lean back into the soft lounge or whatever I was on. The nauseous feeling in my stomach doesn’t dissipate and I feel Ryder’s eyes boring into me. His hand slides over my cheek and I shake at the feeling of his touch. His fingers are cold.

“You’re really hot.” He says sounding annoyed. “Charlotte do you think you’re going to be sick?” his question is more serious now as he tries to force the truth out of me. I have no point in trying to hide it from him.

When I nod my head he growls so lightly I nearly miss the noise. He’s carful to lift me up and when my legs falter beneath me he wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me towards the bathroom. Being set down on the cold tiles calms me. I’ve never felt like this before but I don’t have time to think about anything before I’m coughing up the contents of my stomach into the toilet.

Ryder doesn’t leave my side as he holds my hair back out of the way his hand rubbing over my back. My eyes slowly open a crack to see that the bathroom we’re in is very small and it only has a sink and toilet in it.

“Where are we?” I don’t fight Ryder as he lifts me up onto the small amount of counter space next to the sink.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” He asks running the wet wash cloth over my mouth before he washes it and holds it back against my forehead.

“I–I was with Letty in the library.” I try to remember what happened but nothing seems to be making sense. “I can’t really remember.”

He sighs as he pat’s my face down. “My dad knocked you out again.”

Shaking my head lightly I try to push his hand away but he easily shakes it away. I can’t feel anything in my body really.

“It’s ok, he bought you to me afterwards but he’s still persistent to get you pregnant. You’re just having a bad reaction to it.”

“He might not have to wait long.” When I say that Ryder nods but I can see that he’s not happy with the idea.

His arm wraps back around my waist after I’ve vomited again, which he was glad about because I was getting whatever Alexander had given me out of my system. The question he ignored earlier about where we were before is answered when he opens the door and I see that we’re on a plane, private jet to be more exact.

The lights are dimmed and I see that all my guards are asleep on wide chairs that are laid back. They actually look quite peaceful. You probably get that when you’re thousands of miles above your worries.

Ryder sits me back down in one of the chairs and I sigh as I feel cold air blowing at my face. Turning my head I look at the window. It’s black outside and down below I can see tiny flecks of yellow light every now and then.

“We are we going?” I ask breathlessly. Whatever Alexander had given me was effecting my badly and by the looks of the bags under Ryder’s eyes it must have been going on for a while and he hasn’t slept at all.

“London.” It takes me a lot of energy to turn my head over to look at him.

I always thought that London was a beautiful but with everything that happened there I was nervous to be going back.

“It’s some gathering ball held by Queen Elizabeth, I had originally declined when I had meet you but it’s probably a good idea to get away from everything that’s happening at the moment.” He smiles as he hand slides down to mine twisting his engagement ring.

Our wedding was only two weeks away and I was surprised by how fast Allie had planned everything. For the last three weeks I had spent my morning with her as she run me by her ideas about the ceremony, reception and even the coronation and then I spent the rest of my afternoon with Colette in Ryder’s study.

If I hadn’t been sleeping in Ryder’s shirt every night I don’t think I would have been able to handle it at all. I hadn’t had a bed dream since I woke up normally one morning with his shirt pulled over the top of the own I was originally sleeping in.

Once a week Ryder had allowed me to go with him down to the cells to speak with Kellan, the rebel wolf we were holding captive. It took me a week to convince Ryder to unchain him. He was still locked in the cell but he wasn’t trying to escape at all. I wanted him to agree to rebind the sire bond to Ryder. I had grown to like him and even though Ryder said he would release him even if he hadn’t agreed to the terms I knew he wouldn’t do it. Kellan had to do it if he ever wanted to get out.

Meeting the others nearly every night for dinner was making me more comfortable with the idea of being there queen. I was still yet to hold Elijah again but I had become closer to all the other girls and I was comfortable with the idea that they would all be my bridesmaids as all my guards would be Ryder’s groomsmen.

The few days after I was sedated to have my eggs removed were difficult. I spent most of my time in bed after that. It had hurt more than what I thought it would and Ryder was beating himself up over it and was always rubbing his hand over my stomach hoping to relieve the pain.

“What are you thinking about?” Ryder asks as he pushes stray strands of my hair back.

I had gone back to looking out the plane’s window and I felt as if I was starting to fall asleep as Ryder continued with some paperwork, his hand still in mine as he rubbed his thumb over my knuckle softly.

“The wedding,” I smile at him and he smiles back.

“Are you thinking about the day or the night?” He smirks.

The wedding was the day before my birthday and we were going to be on this jet by ten thirty to get the honeymoon location that he was still keeping secret from me. He and Riley hadn’t expected that I would go into heat right at the stroke of midnight and it might be a few hours before I did. I was excited for what was going to happen but it wasn’t what I was thinking about.

“The day,” I say back to him. “I just can’t wait to be able to feel that.”

“Very soon, you’ll feel that. You’ll be my wife and you’ll be my queen but if you can, can wait you to be the mother of my child.” I scoff at what he says by the sounds of it if we mated there would be no choice in us becoming parents that soon.

“I’ll try.” When my head falls back against the chair he lifts up the arm rest between us and pulls me into his side.

“Get some sleep, baby. We won’t land for a little while.”

“You need to get sleep as well.” I say already half out of it.

He looks down at me and sighs slightly. “It will be early in the morning when we land. I’ll sleep when we get to the hotel. You’ll have me for the whole day.”

***

It’s just as we’re landing that I wake up again. Ryder must have moved me back into my seat because the arm rest had been lowered again and the seatbelt had been secured back around my waist. When I turn my head to Ryder he’s already watching me.

“How are you feeling, not nauseous anymore?”

“No, I don’t think so. I’m still dizzy though.” Raising my hand I wipe it over my face.

“As soon as we get off the plane we get into the car ok. London is going to be different then when we were Caldera. There’s are a lot more humans and a lot more people that will be trying to get pictures of me and pictures of me with you.” He sighs when I give him a confused look. “I’m one of the most eligible bachelors in the world and since I’m going to have you by my side while I’m here and I’m taking you to the ball people are going to want to know who you are. When we get in the car we’re going straight to the hotel carpark because some of these people will do anything to get a picture and I don’t want to do that to you just yet.”

When we finally land I get what Ryder means by how secretive we’re being. As soon as we’re going down the few steps to the tarmac we’re quickly shuffled into the car and off within seconds. It wasn’t the normal SUV that we rode in. Instead it was a stretch limo with only Ryder and me in it. I caught a quick glimpse of gold fringed purple flags on the front of the car.

Ryder keeps his arm around my waist as I look out the window at the bright London city lights. He looked like he was ready to pass out and despite how much sleep I thought I already had I didn’t think I would be far behind him.

Getting to the hotel was organised but very busy. Ryder and I were lead from the car to a lift with guards forming a perimeter around us. We’re met in the lift by the hotel manager and he bows respectfully towards us.

“You’re Royal highness and…” he stretches his eyes nervously flicking towards me.

“This is my fiancée.” Ryder says his arm still wrapped tightly around my waist.

The man stumbles on his words before he bows again towards me suddenly very nervous. “Oh I’m sorry you’re royal highness.”

“That’s ok,” I say back to him not really caring that he didn’t know but I could sense it was unsettling to Ryder. He wanted me to be treated with the same respect that he was but I wasn’t born into the position. I was born to be the queen as Ryder had said to me but I felt I had to earn the title.

The manager nods at me and bows slightly again as the elevator dings open into a large suite. “This will be your room. King Ryder has stayed here before but we’ve remodelled so you might find it different to what you remember but as per your request you have your butler Henry to help you with anything and we’re on call at all times.”

“Thank you Lionel, you’re dismissed.” Ryder says passing him a money bill.

Lionel nods again and bows deeply as he leaves the room with only us the guards and Henry in the room. Only seconds later were our bags delivered and Ryder released the tight hold on my waist so I could wonder around the hotel suite a little.

The butler Henry eyes me for a second and I start to shrink under his watch wondering what he’s looking at. His head drops down dismissively when a growl from Ryder echoes across the room.

“She’s my mate and your queen you’ll do well not to stare at her like that.” Ryder continues in a growl as he moves to stand next to me.

Henry was a wolf. “I’m sorry my queen, I was just confused by your scent.” When he bows at me again it’s with a soft smile. “Can I assist with you anything?”

Even though his words were directed at me Ryder was the one that answered him. “No thank you Henry. Charlotte and I are going to bed.” He says dragging me towards a set of double doors down a long hallway.

The bedroom was huge and as soon as the door is closed behind us Ryder’s arms are around my waist and he’s lifting me up off the ground forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist. My breathe catches in my throat as he drops his head down into the crevice between my neck and my shoulder making it so there is barley an inch of space between. The shocks weren’t only overwhelming for me but I could feel that they were also overwhelming for him.

“I was so worried about you.” He whispers, only one arm holding me as the other slides up to my hair.

“I’m ok,” I say dropping my forehead down against his.

“I never imagined I would feel like this when I had you.” He whispers and he’s so close to me I feel his lips move when he speaks. “Male wolves have always been possessive of their mates but I can’t stand to be away from you at all thinking that you could be hurt or that some guy is sweeping you off your feet.”

I giggle lightly at his words and he pursues his lips. “If you haven’t realised I’m not exactly comfortable around people especially guys.”

I grunt when I fall against Ryder’s chest hard when he flops back down on the bed. “I know.” His voice is cocky as his arms wrap around me tighter to prevent me from moving. “I still worry. You’re my girl.”

With a deep sigh his eyes close and he tries desperately to force them back open and when he does he struggles to keep them that way. I can’t help the small that crosses my face as I prop my chin on his chest to watch as his jaw drops in a yawn.

“You need to sleep, worry wart. You’ll get frown lines.” When he chuckles I move with his chest and the jolting feeling is surprisingly comfortable.

“I’ve been ageing at half speed since I turned twenty one and since I’ve marked you, you’ve been doing the same. I’m not going to wrinkle just yet.” He smirks at me.

I smirk back at him and the action cause him to take a deep intake of breathe. He feels turned on. “I said worry lines because you frown and growl a lot.”

“I do not.” He retaliates proving my point as he frowns at his words and I lift my hand to flatten the perfect skin of his forehead.

With his sleep deprivation getting to him it’s easy to fight my way out of his hold and walk over to the suitcases that are just inside the massive walk in wardrobe. Bending down I feel Ryder’s eyes on me from his position over on the bed.

When my eyes move back over to him he’s on his side with a lazy smile on his face as his eyes stay glued to my body. He looks content and relaxed which he hasn’t been like for the last couple of weeks.

“Are you going to change?” I ask pulling out a pair of shorts for both me and him.

As I was bent down to grab the clothes I hadn’t noticed that he had come up behind me his arms wrapping around me. “I could just sleep naked.” He suggests against my neck.

Because of his height it’s easy for me to press his pair of shorts against his shoulder in reply to his suggestion he chuckles pulling back away from me with the shorts now in his hand. His chest vibrates as he slides his grey tee shirt off and passes it to me before he turns and walks back towards the adjoined bathroom, my eyes concentrated on the skin of his now exposed back.

By the time he’s come back out I’m sitting cross legged on the bed with the neck of Ryder’s shirt in my hand so I can breathe in Ryder’s scent as I watch the tiny orange dots of the cars on the road below us. The rest of the city lights are reflecting of the river and the sight is bringing back memories, both good and bad.

Ryder falls down on the bed and I fall back against him when the bed dips with his weight. He pulls me down to lay in his arms again my head falling against his chest. I can hear the curtains closing themselves as Ryder leans down to capture my lips in a quick kiss.

“I’ve got some people I need to see tomorrow morning but I’ll be back around lunch to spend the rest of the day with you. Then we’ll do whatever you want.” He presses a kiss to my forehead as he speaks softly.

“Just get some sleep please.” I whisper but before I’m even finished he’s breathing softly and he’s completely out of it.

Ryder had never fallen asleep before me and he had always woken up before me. The only times that I ever really see him sleeping is when I wake up in the middle of the night even then it’s usually him waking me up in the first place because I’m having a nightmare.

He looked calm as if on instinct his hand runs up my back before he brings his hand back down continuing the movement over and over again. He worried about me way more than what he needed to. Granted he had more of an idea about what dangers his species could do to me but I knew how I felt. I loved him. It was simple. I couldn’t see myself ever being with someone else, he made me feel comfortable, safe and happy and though I couldn’t see it when I first meet him it was what I had always wanted.

Sliding my arm around his waist I hold myself to him finally allowing myself to fall asleep in a city that I don’t regret leaving. I had been hurt here in more ways than one but I had also been cared for in the same sense.

A part of me wanted to go back to see Carllet and see Heidi but I knew walking back into that place would not be healthy for me.

Waking up in the morning Ryder isn’t here anymore and his scent is light telling me that he hasn’t been here for a while now. I wondered what he had to do that was in country that wasn’t his besides this ball that I was dreading to no end.

Whatever he was doing left an uneasy feeling low in my stomach. I knew I didn’t have any reason to worry about my mate but being here I just wish that I had him here by my side.

Getting out of the bed I walk over to the wardrobe surprised to see that the bags had been unpacked and hidden deeply in the back. Somebody else had to have done it because I hardly believed that Ryder knew how to fold a shirt his self, let alone hang it and organise it all in the closet.

Grabbing a fresh set of clothes I make my way to the adjoined bathroom suite trying not to look out at the now busy morning people of London. The shower isn’t as big as the one back at the castle but it’s easily more spacious than most showers and the large glass doors face out towards the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the river.

Pulling my long locks of hair over my shoulder I let the warm water fall over my face. Allie had a treatment put through my hair twice a week to help add strength and length to it before the coronation.

No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t push the thought of it back out of my mind. The coronation scared me more than what the wedding did. The dress was bigger and harder to walk in and the lines were harder and had to be recited in Jordenian. All of which I was supposed to do in front of a crowd of over two thousand, including every single Alpha and Luna from across the world and other Kings and Queens of other countries.

Ryder helped me through the speech but I don’t think he was aware of how I felt about the rest of it and I didn’t want to bring it up to him with everything he was going through. The rebels as he had expected had gotten worse with the upcoming possibility of my pregnancy.

On average the castle was getting attacked four times a week and every time Ryder was out there fighting them off himself. I hated those times. Everyone tried to get me to relax but all I wanted and needed was to have Ryder with me.

It hadn’t worried me so much until lately. He seemed to have had it under control but last week the news had gotten back around to me that twenty wolves had died throughout the number of fights and most had young children who were now growing up without their mother or father.

Ryder had tried to keep it from me and from the way that I got so worked up about it I was glad that he did. My heart clenched as I came down the stairs into the front foyer part of the castle to see Ryder squatted down in front of two little boys that could have only reached up to his knees if they were lucky. Their mother was stood behind them trying to look strong and prevent tears but her twins were far from it.

“Your daddy was a very strong and brave man.” He gave them a tense smile as the little boys wiped their eyes. Ryder grimaced at the action. He cared for his pack and all wolves like they were his family.

“Did daddy make your proud,” the lighter haired boy of the two questions with a sob.

Ryder chuckles lightly with a smile stretching across his cheeks. “He made me very proud. He did a very good job.” When he says that the little boys fall into a hug their heads resting on his shoulders, he lets them wrap their arms around him and he wraps his around them.

“She’s very pretty,” The darker haired one speaks now pointing his finger towards me.

Ryder pulls back from their hug turning to see what the little boy is looking at. He smiles spotting me standing at the bottom of the stairs all four of my guards stood behind me. The boy’s mother notices me standing there and as she senses who I am she bows her head at me. Ryder turns back to look at the little boys the smile still on his face.

“She is isn’t she?” He chuckles again when they nod at him their tears gone. “And I love her and I have to protect her just like you have to protect your mother now and make sure she’s happy every day and I think you two are perfect for it.”

The memory was fond in my mind. I don’t know how he could ever doubt how great of a father he would be. He stayed by my side for the hours after I had happened open the heart breaking moment. He’d told me that my reaction was exactly how a queen should react.

Someone knocking on the door drags me out of my thoughts. Finally I notice that the skin of my fingers had wrinkled with length of time I had been in the shower. Telling whoever is on the other side of the door I’ll be a second I get out of the shower drying myself off with a fluffy towel before I slid on some undergarments before I pull on a dressing gown over the top.

Opening the door I’m met by Charlie who isn’t facing me at all but towards the room with his back opposite me. “I’m sorry, Lottie, I just wanted to check that you were ok. The water was running for a while and I was getting concerned.”

“Oh, sorry,” I say with a sheepish smile. “I was thinking.”

I hear him chuckle lightly but he still doesn’t turn back to look at me. “I just wanted to check. I will be back out with Theo and Cyrus.” He says before he walks from the room.

“Wait,” at my words he stops and he goes to turn towards me but stops himself. “I’m wearing a dressing gown.” I say trying to get him to look at me.

“Ryder wouldn’t approve of it and I am not about to get on his bad side these days.” I scoff at what he says and get his point.

“Where are Cole and Reynolds?”

I hear Charlie curse and realise that I asked a question about something I shouldn’t have known about. His hand moves up towards his face and though I can’t see what he does I imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose.

“They are with Ryder. He required their assistance with what he had to do this morning.” He says it to me softly. I was used to the tone. They used it all the time to keep me calm.

I had nothing to be worried about I trusted Ryder and it soothed me to know that he had two trustworthy people and obviously more to guard him and keep him safe. Charlie must sense my nod and he leaves me in the large room by myself.

Walking back towards the bathroom I grab the clothes that I was going to slip on before. Ryder was always staring at my legs when I wore the jeans that were so tight they clung to every part of my legs and my butt. I liked the way he looked at me when I wore those jeans and the way that he always seemed to have a hand on my waist.

The plush carpet is warm against the bare soles of my feet as I walk out to the common area of the hotel suite. My three guards are sat on the lounge like I usually find them when I get out of bed every day, their eyes concentrated on the television as they battled each other out on some video game.

“Your highness,” An English accent says from my side causing me to jump slightly.

“Oh Henry, I’m sorry.” I say back to him with a soft smile.

“The apologises are all mine. I’m sorry I scared you my queen. I have prepared you breakfast as per King Ryder’s request.” He gestures his hand towards the long table and I follow him and allow him to pull out a chair for me.

“You mean Ryder told you what to make for me.” I hear my guards’ chuckle lightly at the sarcastic tone of my voice. They had always found amusement in how easily I had evaded whatever Ryder had imposed on me and how simply he had always shaken it off.

Henry seems shocked by my words and he stops his walk towards the kitchen area. “Ah, yes your highness.” He seems hesitant as he speaks. “If it’s not what you wish I can make you something else.”

“You can call me Charlotte, Henry.” When I smile at him he still seems hesitant but he smiles back. “Whatever Ryder has told you to make I’ll like but I don’t like how Ryder seems to make my choices.”

Those words in some way made Henry relax. He bought me over a plate of fluffy pancakes with a dusting of flour over the top of them with strawberries sat on the side. It was my favourite breakfast and Ryder knew that.

“Excuse me, Queen Charlotte. Do you mind if ask you some questions?” Henry questions with a small frown as he refills my glass of water.

I sense my guards shift at the butlers’ interest towards me. They had made out to be that they weren’t paying attention to me but they always had eyes and ears on me ready to interrupt at any second.

“It depends on your questions?” I say back to him quickly dismissing my guard’s distress as I slide a strawberry into my mouth.

“It’s just a mild curiosity but you’re British and human, how did you meet the king of a werewolf country and an entire species?”

Chewing on the last of the strawberry I try to think of the best way to phrase the answer. When I don’t answer for a while Henry starts to apologise and I hold up my hand to silence him. When I’m finished explaining to him about how I had meet him and how he had marked me Henry seemed to relax further around me. I had left at what had landed me in Caldera in the first place and when I had frozen in my speech when I had gotten to those parts of my story my guards had stopped there game listening in as well.

After that happened they allowed me to keep to myself as I curled up on the lounge with my book waiting for Ryder to return. With Colette’s help I had finished the first two books of the series and was now half way through the third and final book. Whenever I would read Ryder would sit there watching me as one hand messaged my body and he smiles at me happy that I seemed to be living a somewhat normal life with him.

It’s just before lunch and it’s only Charlie and Cyrus playing the game now since they had beaten Theo out a while ago when the elevator dings open alerting that someone is about to enter the suite. I keep my eyes on the page I’m reading as I feel everything inside me settle with the presence of my mate with me again.

“Hey baby,” His voice is husky as his arms wrap around me from the back of the lounge.

Cole and Reynolds plop down on the other end of the couch watching me carefully as the competing boys start to get louder. Ryder stays behind me his arms wrapped around my shoulders as he presses a kiss to my neck.

“Hi,” I whisper back to him.

Twisting my neck I meet his eyes. He’s nervous but he still smiles lightly at me before he leans forwards to kiss me gently. His lips aren’t attached to mine as long as I would like them to because he pulls back only seconds into the kiss.

“Come with me,” he exhales sliding his hand into mine and marking the page of my book before he sits on a cushion beside me.

My eyebrows pull up at what he’s proposing and I must have had my thoughts open to him and he chuckles lightly telling me that wasn’t it. I was actually quite disappointed that what I thought was going to happen wasn’t.

“Not long now gorgeous,” He says that out loud but his sentence continues in my head. ‘If you continue to smell like that though, I’ll take you right now.’

My breathe catches in my throat at the thought and he dares a smirk at me. “Come on I need to show you something.”

This time I actually go with him but we don’t get very far until we are stood in the front entry way of the suite and my eyes land on an older women standing there nervously fiddling her fingers in front of her body. When I stop a few feet away from her she smiles at me before she closes the distance between us. Her arms wrap around me in a tight hug despite Ryder still having a hand in mine.

“I’m so happy you’re safe sweetheart.” She says and I can almost hear the tears in her voice.

“I’ve missed you Heidi,” I say back to her wrapping my free arm around her.