#13 The Dragon King and his Werewolf Princess

“What did you do?” I snarled at Magnor, wrapping my hand around his throat and slamming him against the wall of my office.

“I don’t know!” Mag shouted, “I’ll kill myself if I did anything to her.”

I roared and opened my hand, dropping him to the ground with a loud thud. Turning my back on him, I walked across the office.

“That I believe.” I grunted.

“I’ve only seen her twice: once in the Tower and once in your bedroom when Vix introduced us.” Mag said,

I turned around and studied him.

“Maybe that’s it. The guards who saw her in the Tower have been relocated to the Snow Cap Mountains so she never has to see them again. You’re the only person, other than me, who was down there with her.” I said thoughtfully.

“That’s exactly what she just said to me,” Vix said, entering the room without knocking, “She’s triggered by Mag.”

“I’ll leave the castle. I’ll banish myself.” Magnor said immediately.

“I don’t think that’ll help.” Vix argued.

“Neither do I and, believe me, if I thought it would, I would have you shipped off myself.” I snapped.

“Then, what?” Mag asked.

“I think that’s up to River. We need to see what she wants and how she wants to handle it.” Vix offered up her opinion.

“I agree,” I faced Vix, “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, she’s in the shower,” Vix said, “Grier is outside her room.”

“I should go check on her.” I said, shouldering the door out of my way.

“Is that a good idea?” Vix’s words of caution fell on deaf ears as I stormed towards the south wing.

I knocked on her bedroom door and waited for a response. With my enhanced senses, I heard small footsteps scurrying across the hardwood floor before the doorknob rattled and the door opened. River was standing in front of me with a towel wrapped around her body and her soaking wet hair dripping water down her shoulder. She only opened the door a crack, her bare shoulder and damp hair poking out.

“Calix?” Her eyes pinched together curiously.

I gulped, my Adams apple probably visibly bobbing up and down as I struggled to control myself and my beast. Just her naked shoulder was sending me right over the edge. I fidgeted, shifting my weight from one foot to the other as I tried to keep my eyes locked with hers.

“I was just checking on you.” I tried to keep my voice even.

“I’m fine.” She sighed, pulling the door open completely as an invitation to enter.

Goddess I wish she hadn’t.

I looked to the side and saw Grier leaning against the wall just beside the door, a smug smirk on his face. I glared at him, a look that told him to shut up. Grier fixed his face and stared straight ahead. River was already halfway across the bedroom by the time I entered, moving swiftly towards the bathroom.

“I’ll just be a minute.” She said, disappearing inside the bathroom.

I paced back and forth across my room, bathing in the scent of my mate. It was sinful how desirable she was, how much I wanted her. I clenched and unclenched my fists, attempting to keep myself and my dragon under control. A few minutes later, the bathroom door opens again and she steps out with a cloud of steam behind her.

She was wearing a pair of loose fitting cotton shorts that were a light tan color and a long sleeve navy blue shirt that fit tightly to her curves, her hair drying naturally over her shoulders.

“I’m sorry for causing a scene earlier.” She mumbled, her hands folded in front of her as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

“Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I shook my head quickly.

“It’s not fair to Magnor to react that way.” She argued.

“Magnor will get over it,” I insisted, “You have a right to feel and react in whatever way you need to.”

“Vix thinks that I should be more mad at you and less at Magnor.” Her lips twitched as she held back a smile.

Remind me to yell at Vix about that later.

“Of course she did,” I sighed, “But, as she often is, Vix is right. I’m the reason all of this happened to you, River. Mag was just acting on my command. You should be pissed at me.”

“Oh, I am.” She replied simply.

I shuffled a few steps forward and then froze, studying her expression.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, my voice sounding strained.

“What do you mean?” River cocked her head to the side.

“How do I make you not mad at me? How do I make it up to you? How do I make you not afraid of Mag?” I rambled on.

“I’ll adjust to Magnor eventually and I’ll try not to reflect my emotions onto him. And I’m not mad at you, Calix. I think that your guest accommodations need some work,” She paused with a sly grin on her face, “But I’m not mad. I told you, I just want to go home.”

I released a heavy sigh.

“I’d rather you be mad at me.” I grumbled.

“I know.” Was all she said.

“Calix?” Magnor knocked on the mental link.

“What?” I snapped.

“Do you think the Queen will allow me to see her and apologize in person?” Magnor sounded devastated.

“Hold on.” I sighed heavily.

“Mag would like to apologize in person, if you think you can handle that.” I said,

She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.

“Your eyes changed like when your dragon comes forward. Were you talking to Magnor just then?” She asked.

“Oh, yes, sorry. We can communicate mentally with each other.” I explained.

“To everyone or just those in your family?” She wondered.

“All dragonhearted can communicate with anyone they’ve met in person before, they just have to ‘knock’, so to speak, and gain entrance to the other person’s mental link.” I replied.

“Werewolves can mindlink, too, with anyone in their pack.” She said and I felt myself looking impressed.

“Something else we have in common.” I eagerly added something to the “similar” column; it was a short list.

“Where is Magnor?” She asked, bringing the subject back around.

“In my office.”

“Let’s go.” She nods and walks past me with her head held high.

I couldn’t help but smile at my mate as she stuck her chin out proudly and refused to give in to her fears. I followed after her, happy to be strung along by this woman if it meant she always walked in front of me. She paused at the intersection and looked left and right and then left again. She glanced at me from over her shoulder and I chuckled at her, motioning towards the hallway in front of us.

We reached my office and I opened the door for River, gesturing for her to go inside. Magnor was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Vix nudged him when we entered and he looked up, jumping off the sofa as soon as he saw River.

“Your highness!” He gasped, dropping to his knees in front of her, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t do that.” River shook her head, backing away from him and looking uncomfortable.

Magnor jumped up, but kept his eyes down and his neck bared in submission.

“It wasn’t your fault, Magnor. My reaction wasn’t against anything that you did. I’m sorry I upset you.” River said,

“You don’t need to apologize, my Queen, I should have known better; I should have been more empathetic.” Magnor was rambling, looking flustered.

“Don’t call me that,” River replied stubbornly, “And stop groveling.”

I laughed at how demanding she was, earning a sharp glare from my mate in response. Magnor glanced up finally and looked at River’s expression.

“I’ll banish myself from the castle….” He started, but River’s hard look shut him right up.

“Now, that’s just dramatic,” She scoffed, “I’m fine, Magnor, and I’ll be directing my anger towards Calix from now on.” She said, smirking at me.

Magnor looked between us and then relaxed. I could physically see the weight of what had happened lifting off his shoulders.

“Thank you.” He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are you always so in touch with your emotions?” She asked and everyone in the room started laughing, “What?”

“Magnor is the least emotional person in the entire realm. He’s a dick.” Vix shrugged.

“Not to my Queen.” He shot River a crooked grin and I snarled at him,

“Keep that shit eating grin to yourself.” I snapped.

Once tensions were down, we went back to the dining hall and waited for breakfast to be served. River looked at the feast before her like it was as foreign as this realm.

“How are you hungry?” She asked, looking at me with mild disgust.

“Dragons are always hungry.” I shrugged, stabbing at the biscuits and gravy.

“I can’t even look at this food without wanting to vomit.” She gulped.

“I would’ve thought werewolves had an appetite, too.” Vix wondered.

“They do, the males more than the females, but even this might rival their appetites.” She laughed.

“Do werewolves always shift on full moons? Because it’s always a full moon here.” Magnor asked randomly and I rolled my eyes at him.

“No, we can shift whenever.” She shrugged, unbothered by his stupid question.

Mag leaned forward across the table and whispered,

“Can I see?” Like it was some big secret.

I slapped him on the back of the head and he looked at me, offended.

“That’s my mate you’re talking to.” I snapped.

“Actually,” River spoke up, “I haven’t shifted yet.”

All eyes were on River.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“We don’t get our wolves until we turn 18 which I only did the day I ended up here. There’s a moonlight ceremony that’s supposed to happen at midnight on your 18th birthday where your family helps you through your first shift. I didn’t get that. I haven’t shifted yet.” She shrugged, but something about the look in her eyes pulled at my heart.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked gently.

“Let me go home and complete the ritual.” She answered plainly.

I sighed loudly,

“I’m not the one keeping you here, you know that, River.”

“I know,” She frowned, “I don’t know if I want to shift outside of my realm, without my family.”

“We might not be werewolves, but we are shifters, we can help you.” Vix said, looking sweetly at River.

“Our Trainers could help you.” I offered.

River looked at all of us for a long moment before answering,

“I’ll think about it.”