Intrusion

LUCIAN

“I love you.” There. I said it, I let it out. I had to. It’s the truth. I’d burn the world in order to keep her by my side; she consumes me, my every thought and feeling. I desperately want her to ~feel~ my love. To have it flow through her like the blood in her veins. “I understand if you don’t—”

She leans over me and puts a hand over my mouth, effectively silencing me.

“Lucian…I…I do. I love you.” Taking her hand away quickly, she presses her lips to mine in a delicate, sweet-as-honey kiss. Every muscle relaxes within me and I sigh with contentment, snaking my arms around her body and pulling her against me until she breaks away.

“You do…” I whisper, my hand tracing the outline of her face, feeling all the soft details.

“There is no other way to describe my feelings for you, Lucian. I feel it…you know. Like a call from my soul that cries out for you, and you alone, Lucian. I do love you, I really do.”

“My precious little wolf, where have you been all this time?” I pull her to me again, tasting the soft slide of her tongue against mine and savoring the feeling. The best thing about being blind is that my other senses are over-developed, to compensate. Every touch, as simple as it may be, is more intense. It’s like my every nerve tingles when she touches me.

I can think of no better or more perfect way to start our morning than this.

***

After our sweet morning, she has a call from her father and I leave her in peace to take it. I do hope that she will tell him soon. After all, she has agreed to be with me now, and she knows what that means. She will rise and take her rightful throne beside mine.

Of course, I still need to talk to her about the council and their demands. It’s just that every moment we spend together feels too perfect to ruin with such a conversation. But alas, I know it has to be done.

A soft tap to my office door makes me smile immediately.

“Come in,” I call. The door opens quietly and her scent flows toward me.

“Hey, I was wondering if we could do something today?”

“Mmm, color me intrigued, Princess. What do you have in mind?” I ask suggestively as she walks through the office and around my desk, popping herself onto my lap.

“I’m having lunch with Charlotte, but I was wondering if we could go to dinner…”

“Like a date?” I ask with a smile and I know she’ll be blushing as she nods.

“Yes…a date,” she responds quietly, and my smile gets brighter as I pull her body closer and press my lips to her cheek.

“Wherever you want to go, Princess.”

“Surprise me, Your Majesty,” she says in a cheeky tone as she stands, and I swat her behind, hard. She yelps but chuckles.

“Watch your tongue, little wolf,” I tease, and she laughs.

“Yes, sir,” she teases right back, and oh, that does something to me. Such a little devil, she knows exactly what she’s doing. “I love you, my king,” she sings.

~Fuck!~

“I love ~you~, my queen,” I smile as she heads out of the room to go and find Charlotte.

***

Dictating into my specially altered phone, I get to work responding to emails from some of the packs within my kingdom. On a daily basis, I receive dozens of emails. Today, there are some about the new laws I have set on hunting, and others about some rogues we are trying to find a new pack for. There’s nothing too serious going on, and I’m not even sure where Kia is right now. After keeping him away and busy, I cut him some slack from time to time. The poor man deserves it.

My phone rings, and I pause in my reply to Alpha Jackson regarding how his newest rogue is getting on within the pack and pick up the call.

“Hello,” I answer curtly, as would be expected of me.

“Lucian.” ~Ah shit, I’d recognize that condescending tone anywhere.~

“Councilman Alexandre.” I open my link wide to Kia, wherever he is, so he can listen in.

“We request a meeting, Your Majesty,” he says with that disgusted undertone that normally makes me smile. Right now, it makes me tense.

“We spoke only yesterday—” I start, but he cuts me off.

“It appears that you have left out some valuable information…Your Highness.”

Oh, fuck. It’s too soon for this. I can feel Kia’s tension as he gets closer to me. I try to play it off a little…

“I’m sure I do not know what you mea—”

“We are no fools, Lucian!” he snaps, and I clench a fist in anger. “It has been brought to our attention that you have indeed met your ~mate~.”

I growl at the way he says that, his voice holding far too much disrespect.

“Watch your tongue, Councilman,” I seethe but he just chuckles.

“We arrive within the hour, Lucian.” He pauses for effect. “Oh, and I do hope this ~mate~ of yours will be in attendance.” He hangs up the phone quickly and I growl, tossing mine across the room, hard enough for it to shatter against the wall.

Dammit! She’s not ready! I’m not ready!

I get up and pace my office in frustration.

Who told them? How did they even find out? We were so careful! She’s only been here since yesterday!

I stop my pacing and stand very still. Has someone on my staff betrayed me?

Kia picks the wrong moment to enter and sadly gets the brunt of my anger.

“Was it you?!” I snap and he tenses. “Did you tell them? Answer me!” I bark, the dominance of my wolf making his whine slightly.

“No, sir,” he responds quietly, and guilt fills me.

“I’m sorry, Kia. I didn’t—”

“I know, sir.”

“Who did this? If not someone in this palace, then who? Why the fuck would anyone try to sabotage this?”

“I don’t know, sir. Should I gather the staff for questioning?”

I sigh, shaking my head. “No time. They arrive within the hour.” I run a hand down my face in frustration. “She’s not ready, Kia… She doesn’t need this…”

“Sir? May I ask…has Liana accepted you?”

I frown. “Yes. She agreed yesterday.”

“Then, in my opinion, you have nothing to worry about. They may be annoyed that they weren’t informed—but this…~development~ does mean that, given time, you will have the heir that the law requires.”

I nod, chewing on my lip. I have to hope he’s right.