The Prince's Guard

Chris awoke to the feel of arms over him, dragging him. His eyes shot open, instantly trying to work out the commotion in the gloom. “Intru-” he instantly began linking but was cut off with a pinch to his neck and the burning of molten gold poured into his veins.

Wolfsbane.

He finished the link, knowing the second half of his alarm wouldn’t be heard. Wolfsbane was instant. He felt his burning limbs grow weak and heavy, his struggles while to him felt violent and all-consuming, he was barely moving an inch at a time. The assailants had made no sound. He had no idea who they were, with his body being poisoned, he couldn’t comprehend their scent.

He forced his head up enough to see the other side of the bed which he was sure was a mirror of his own situation. Jaxson hung limply between two figures. That view seemed to force his vocal cords to work, “What are you doing!” he demanded, pushing himself to struggle.

A piece of cloth was promptly shoved over his mouth and tied. Whoever was holding him began dragging him, he refused to pick his feet, letting his bare toes scrape along the carpet before bumping down each step. His muffled words spewed through the gag, his hope the noise would alert someone.

“Shut him up!” a male voice snapped. One he wasn’t sure he recognised. The back of his head exploded in pain before the view of his new entranceway dimmed and blackened.

***

Pounding. Rolling sick feeling in his stomach. Hammers assaulted his mind.

His whole body felt made of lead. He tried to move but wasn’t all too successful. He tried to think what had happened but came up blank. His eyelids were glued shut, the weight of them feeling elephants hanging off his eyelashes like some trapease artists.

Voices grated in his ears, their words jumbled and making little sense. He tried to bring his hand up to swipe the elephants from his eyelids but his arms wouldn’t cooperate the movement.

“I don’t give a shit! Do it!” a male voice snarled. The words finally penetrating the fog in his mind.

“I did warn you,” a female this time, exasperation clear in her tone.

“Be fucking lucky we let you live, witch, next insult you can kiss your whole fucking coven goodbye!”

“You forget, Wurewolf, we protect you with your barrier to the human world. The spell can be removed, be wary of your words and threats. With us gone, the spell is also broken.”

“Shut up and get it over with!”

The female let out an audible sigh before a whoosh went over Chris’ skin. “Awake, wolf.”

Chris’ eyelids shot open with the force of a spring being attached. “You didn’t tell me he was a royal!” the female snapped.

“Does it matter?”

His vision was marginally blurred, darkness clawed at the edges as if threatening to sink him back under the peace of sleep. A clear female splodge was in front of him. He blinked, clearing the fog for him to see a mass of glorious auburn curls, other than that, the female looked like any other human.

“The spell must be stronger. It will take more lifeforce.”

“Your point, witch?”

“It is more than I have. I will have to syphon from all the living near.”

“Get on with it.” Chris didn’t know the other male. As far as he knew, it was no one he’d met.

The female closed her eyes before flurrying her hands in some complicated motion.

“By the earth and blood, bear witness for this wolf to see through the mud. Allow his mind to be truthful, his actions to follow. His deceit will cease, his superficial love will sever. The wolf within will cry his mate, the false mate ne’er to be on his lips or mind. By wind and fire, you will heed my power.” She launched forward without warning, her cool hands splayed on his bare chest and forehead. “Be honest, young Prince.”

Her hands grew hot, branding him where he sat. He struggled against the sizzling pain, for the first time realising he was bound to the chair. He let out a barely audible groan, sweat beaded down his temples. The heat that had started on his skin at the points her hands touched was shooting through his body, wrapping around his mind and heart. “Let go!” he growled.

Just when Chris felt he couldn’t bear it a moment longer, her hands retracted and he merely felt he had stayed out in the blazing hot sun too long. “What did you do?” the male in the room snarled, Chris glanced over to see him on his knees.

“As I said, I had to use some of the life force from everything in the vicinity.”

“I didn’t give-”

“The spell is complete. Until the next full moon, he will be unable to lie.”

“Good.” The male approached him, ignoring the female. “When is the border at its weakest?”

Chris frowned, “Not telling you that!”

The male rounded on the female who had cast the spell, his eyes spewing pure fury. “I said he could not lie. Not that he would answer your questions. I will go. Stop me, I will syphon all your lifeforce.”

It seemed very surreal as the female left the room without interruption. He was confused as to what had just happened. It was clear a spell had been used on him, the residual burn could attest to that even if he had never had a spell placed on him before… he just knew that that was what it was.

“What have you done to me! Who are you!?” Chris fought with all his might… which wasn’t much. Wolfsbane still burnt in his system.

“I’m the one to set this right. When Alpha told us of your… your disgusting want. We had to make it right. Your lies are stemming abominations. Wolves saying their true mate was another but they forced a mate. Wanting to undo their ‘mistake’. Their mistake is speaking up now. Just like you.”

“Where’s Jaxson?”

“You won't be seeing that liar now. Think of your true mate.” He wound his fist back, delivering a sickening crunch to Chris’ temple.

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