Chapter 7 Mal
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Mal
I looked like death. Felt even worse. And according to my brother, who was currently lounging in my study like he owned the place, I deserved every miserable moment of it. Didn’t he have a fucking kingdom of his own to rule?
“You look terrible,” Aurion said helpfully, eating what appeared to be someone’s breakfast pastry. Probably mine. “Have you tried groveling?”
I glared at him from where I sat behind my desk, reviewing guard rotations for the third time that morning. Extra security everywhere. Doubled patrols. The kingdoms were still angry about Killian’s powers, and I was not taking any chances with my family’s safety.
Even if my mate currently hated me.
“I do not know how to grovel properly,” I admitted. “Don’t know if it will be enough this time.”
Aurion nearly choked on his pastry. “That’s why you’re sleeping alone.”
“I am not sleeping alone. I am sleeping in my study.”
“Even sadder.”
I threw a quill at him. He dodged it easily, grinning like this was the most entertainment he’d had in weeks. Which, knowing Aurion, it probably was.
“She will not speak to me,” I said, returning to the guard schedules. “Except about Killian.”
“Can you blame her? You kept a pretty big secret.”
“I had my reasons.”
“Were they good reasons?”
I paused. Considered lying. Decided against it. “No.”
“Then grovel. She’s your Queen. Your mate. The mother of your child. Grovel.”
I set down the papers with more force than necessary. “How does one grovel exactly?”
Aurion’s grin widened. “Jewelry helps. Flowers. Maybe some begging. Definitely begging. Get on your knees, declare your undying love, admit you were an idiot.”
“Oh yes, I’ve done all that in the past few years. Multiple times. I should just do a repeat performance?”
“If it worked before.” He paused. “Also, try crying. Women love that.”
“I am not crying.”
“Then enjoy the study. Very cozy. Lots of books to keep you company. Much better than your warm bed with your beautiful wife in it.”
I growled at him. He just laughed.
“Fix it with Wen,” he said, standing and brushing pastry crumbs off his jacket.
“Whatever it takes. Because you need her and she needs you, and Killian needs both of you united. Not whatever this is. And if she dumps your ass, Daphne will stay by her side. And I’m not fucking leaving my mate, so I’m choosing her side. ”
He was right. My jaw clenched at the realization.
After he left, I sat there for a long moment, staring at the guard rotations without actually seeing them. The bond with Wen felt cold. Not severed, but closed off on her end. Like she’d put up walls I couldn’t breach.
I needed to fix this. But first, I needed to discuss something important with her. About Killian’s safety and training.
So I stood and went to find my mate.
She was with Daphne in one of the smaller sitting rooms, both of them drinking tea and talking quietly. They stopped when I entered, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“I need to speak with you,” I said, directing my words to Wen. “About Killian.”
Her expression didn’t change. “What about him?”
Professional. Cold. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
“He needs proper training for his magic. To control and understand it.”
“From who?” She set down her tea cup carefully.
“A witch. Someone who understands portal magic and empathic abilities.”
“And where do we find a witch willing to teach a wolf hybrid?” Her tone was neutral, but I could hear the underlying skepticism.
“We send someone to the witch kingdoms to negotiate.”
“Aurion has mentioned they’re not friendly to wolves,” Daphne pointed out. “The relationship between your species is tense at best.”
“No,” I agreed. “But Killian’s safety is worth the risk. He needs to learn control before his powers manifest again.”
Wen was silent, considering. Then she nodded slowly. “Fine. Send whoever you need to send.”
“Should we check on him?” I suggested, desperate for any excuse to spend time with her, even walking down corridors in silence. “Make sure he is alright?”
“He’s with your mother. He’s fine.”
“Still. I would like to see him. For him to see us together.”
She sighed, but stood. “Fine.”
We walked through the castle without speaking. Not the comfortable silence we used to share, where no words were needed. I wanted to reach for her hand. Touch her back. Any of the casual intimacy we’d built over five years together. But she would not welcome it.
We reached Killian’s room, where he was supposed to be with my mother. It was empty.
“He is not here,” I said.
“Sorcha probably took him outside. He’s been cooped up too much lately.”
I moved to the window, scanning the gardens below out of habit. Extra guards were visible at every entrance, exactly where they should be.
“There,” I said, pointing. “In the gardens.”
Wen joined me at the window. For a moment, we stood close enough that I could smell her. Honey and books and home. Then she stepped away.
“I see them,” she said.
Sorcha was walking slowly through the rose garden, Killian running ahead of her, chasing butterflies. He looked happy.
Then I saw them.
Three wolves, unfamiliar, creeping through the hedges. Moving with predatory intent toward my mother and son. How…?
“Wait,” I said, my entire body going rigid. “Those wolves...”
“What wolves?” Wen leaned closer to the window. “Oh god. Those aren’t our guards.”
“Assassins.”
We moved at the same time.
“Stay!” I roared as my body began to shift.
“Fuck that,” she grunted as she sprinted for the door, the fastest route down. I did not have time for stairs.
My body exploded into wolf form mid-stride, clothes tearing away. I gathered my legs beneath me and launched straight through the window.
Glass shattered everywhere, glittering in the sunlight like deadly rain. The fall was stomach-dropping, one floor down, and I had maybe a second to adjust my angle before I hit the ground.
Wrong angle.
My back left leg snapped on impact, bone cracking. The pain was white-hot, immediate.
I ignored it. Killian. Had to get to Killian.
How the fuck had those assassins sneaked in through all the guards I had posted everywhere?
I had no fucking idea. They must’ve had help.
I ran on three legs toward the garden, the shattered limb dragging behind me.
Every step was agony. Every step brought me closer to my son.
This was not how I’d imagined my morning going, but then again, nothing in my life went according to plan anymore.
Torin was already there, good man, his sword drawn and engaging the first intruder. Metal rang against claws as they fought.
I launched myself at the second assassin, all teeth and fury. My jaws closed around his arm. He screamed. I did not let go. Clearly he had not expected a three-legged wolf to be this motivated.
Then I heard Wen’s scream.
I released the assassin and spun around.
My mother was crumpled on the ground, unconscious, and my heart squeezed inside my chest at the sight, fury and worry running through my veins. And then I saw a man, a third assassin I had not seen, had grabbed Killian and was lifting him up, holding my struggling, crying son.
“NO! LET GO!” Killian was screaming, fighting with everything he had. “MAMA! PAPA! GRANDMA!”
Wen was running across the lawn, still too far away. “GET AWAY FROM MY SON!”
Then something impossible happened.
Flames erupted on the assassin’s arms. Real flames, burning hot and bright and vicious. He screamed, dropping Killian immediately.
“AHHH! WHAT...” He rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire consuming his flesh.
Killian fell, landing hard on the grass. And then a portal opened right in front of running Wen. In mid-air. One second she was sprinting across the lawn, the next she was stumbling through a tear in reality itself.
She landed hard next to Killian, immediately pulling him into her arms.
“KILLIAN!”
Everyone froze. Guards, assassins, even Torin stopped mid-swing to stare.
Well. That was new.
“Your Majesty!” Guards were flooding in from every direction now, surrounding the assassins. “We have them!”
I shifted back to human form, ignoring my nakedness and my useless leg. “Take them alive!” I roared. “I want answers!”
But even as the guards grabbed the assassins, I saw them do it. Saw all of them bite down, their mouths foaming immediately.
“They’re swallowing something!” a guard shouted.
Poison pills. Of course. Because why would anything be easy.
All assassins convulsed once, twice, then went still. Dead before anyone could stop them.
“Fuck!”
I started toward Wen and Killian as fast as my useless leg would allow. Which was pathetically slow. Hopping naked across a garden full of dead assassins, very dignified and kingly.
Killian was sobbing, clinging to Wen. “Mama, I was so scared! The man grabbed me!”
“I know, baby. You’re safe now. Mama’s got you.” Her voice was shaking, her whole body trembling.
“Wen, are you...”
Her eyes rolled back in her head.
“WEN!”
I caught her just before she hit the ground, my arms wrapping around both her and Killian. My shattered leg screamed in protest. I did not care.
“MAMA?!” Killian was panicking, his hands on her face. “MAMA, WAKE UP!”
“She is alright, pup,” I said, keeping my voice calm even though my pulse was racing. “She just used too much energy. She will wake up.”
Around us, guards were checking the dead assassins. Healers were running toward Sorcha. Complete chaos everywhere.
I didn’t wait for the healers to decide to come help their Queen. I carried Wen in one arm and Killian in the other, moving as fast as my leg would allow. Which should have been impossible with the bone grinding against itself, but adrenaline was a wonderful thing.
Killian would not let go of either of us, his arms wrapped around my neck, pressed against my side while I cradled Wen against my chest.
“Search every inch of this castle!” I barked at passing guards. “Reinforce all entrances!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”