Chapter Thirty （Snowflake）
I knew he'd been in my room while I was asleep. You couldn't sneak into a werewolf's room and expect to get away clean unless you could mask your scent. It was the home-like smell, his musky scent, that I woke to and that surrounded my senses.
I had been both annoyed and suspicious. It wasn't every day someone sneaked into my room. It also didn't help that Kendall wasn't on my good side currently, so he had to know it was a risk coming in here alone. So I was going to figure out just what he'd been doing.
I'd asked the guards near my room about who was in charge of their positions during the night. I certainly wasn't going to ask the Prince himself, since he would only make me beg for an answer. So the guards replied, giving me a name I was very familiar with.
It turned out Kendall hadn't dismissed all of his former guards as I had been told. He had kept one of them, although he no longer held the elite position he used to. But of course, Kendall had kept him around. He had been one of his most trusted guards before.
I found my way to the other side of the palace where I'd been told the guards resided. Their wing of the palace was much different than whatever I had expected. It sounded like there were twenty different parties going on all at once.
I could hear their laughter, each one drowning out the other.
They yelled also, frustrated at losing yet another game.
There were a few who hollered, of course, as they were enjoying the winning streaks of their lives.
I could even hear some of them singing their hearts out.
The only word to describe what was going on here was chaotic.
I carefully made my way over to "KA3," the room that I'd been informed of. It should be the guard's room unless he was enjoying his morning as much as the rest of them.
I found the room almost near the end, where the noise didn't decrease. I leaned in towards the door, my ear lightly touching it as I listened. He wasn't enjoying the day like everyone else, but I could hear the soft buzz of his radio.
So I knocked, making sure to do so loudly enough. I wouldn't want him not to hear it because of all the ruckus, and then I'd have to search for an alternative way in.
I could hear the radio being turned off before he hesitated. I knocked once again, and he grumbled but started advancing towards his door. It was a good thing he had decided to cooperate with me.
I put on a false smile, but it was useless. The second he opened the door, he saw me and groaned. He tried slamming the door shut, but I had slipped my foot in between the door and its frame, preventing him from doing so.
"You may be a guard, Lance, but a werewolf out beats you any day," I sung, the smirk on my face genuine.
His eyes narrowed at me, clearly not amused. Lance had been the guard to escort me to Kendall's office for the very first time. We'd been a minute early, but it had been enough to annoy Kendall.
Before the explosion, I'd seen him by Kendall's side most of the time, almost as much as I had been. I'd asked Kendall about it, and he'd said Lance had a particularly unique set of fighting skills, ones that would be essential in an emergency.
After the explosion, I'd assumed he'd been dismissed like the rest of the former guards. I guess Kendall felt Lance was more valuable to him than the others had been.
"I'm off duty and I don't work for you. Move," he said, already irritated. But I wasn't known for listening to people.
"I only have a question, Lance, come on. It's a simple one that you can answer," I tried, hoping my voice didn't reveal my own irritation.
"I'm not here to sit and wait on you. Leave!" Lance snapped, not giving in. He wasn't going to make this easy.
"Look, I'll do anything you want. Just answer my question," I offered, and his eyes processed the idea before he sighed.
He opened his door only to step outside and close it. He was willing to work with me, but he didn't want me anywhere near his room. But I could deal with that.
"Ask," Lance said shortly, crossing his arms.
"Alright. You worked last night?" I asked, pleased when he nodded. So I had been given truthful information from the other guards.
"Did you notice anything . . . unusual?" I asked casually, watching as his blank face lit up after a moment.
"You mean the Prince sneaking into your room?" Lance supplied, an eyebrow raised. I only rolled my eyes.
"Yes, but why was he in my room?" I said, trying to avoid whatever joke he had in mind for me.
Lance looked up at the ceiling in thought before shrugging.
"I can't say for sure because I'm not on the best terms with the Prince anymore.
But it sounded like you were having a nightmare.
You started screaming, the joining door slammed shut, and then you weren't screaming.
He left around the end of my shift to attend to other business," he explained, and now I was the one lost in thought.
I didn't remember any of that at all. But I did remember my hellish nightmares halting halfway through. It had always been the same thing but terrified me each and every time. However, last night it hadn't played through its full course.
Despite his anger at me, Kendall had still come into my room and attempted to comfort me. It was the strangest, yet the sweetest thing someone had done for me. No one had ever deflected my fears from me in my life, not even my parents. They'd only encouraged me to conquer them alone.
Kendall had done so without care, and I could never express to him how much that mere action meant to me.
"Other business?" I asked absentmindedly. It was probably where I could find Kendall right now.
"He's executing punishment for a werewolf who failed to show him respect," Lance answered, and my eyes flashed, any feeling for Kendall leaving.
"Thank you," I growled through my teeth, hoping I was wrong. If it was Nolan, I would kill the bastard.
I started to leave, but Lance cleared his throat, looking as if I was forgetting something important.
"The favor?" He said and I sighed. I didn't have time for this right now.
"Can't this wait?" I pleaded and he frowned, but shook his head.
"Would you just put in a good word for me? I hate this job. I'd rather be protecting the Prince like you," Lance asked and I nodded. It would be hard to do if I got my hands around Kendall's neck, of course.
We went our ways and I gladly left that part of the palace, savoring how much quieter it was. I had started to where I assumed Kendall was holding Nolan but was quickly stopped by the sound of someone whistling at me.
"Sexy even when you're storming around angrily. How do you do it?"
I glanced over to see Calyx smirking at me, and Cayne giving him an unamused look. Judging by the suitcases they held, they were getting ready to leave.
"Shut it, Calyx. Are you leaving already?" I asked, the last half directed towards Cayne.
He gave me a smile and nodded. "Unfortunately, we must return to our own lives. Would you be a dear and escort us out?"
I smiled back, some of my anger dissipating. "Do you happen to know where your brother is?" I asked as we exited the palace. I saw their parents were already outside, but I made no move to speak to them.
It was also darker than I expected. The day had passed by and it was now evening, the sun leaving the sky. I'd spent more time in the guard's quarters than I'd thought.
"Why, lover's spat? Is he the reason you're angry?" Calyx questioned, and I growled at him.
"How many times do I have to tell you we never went out? I'm his Protector, nothing more," I tried, but Calyx's grin remained. He opened his mouth, but I quickly stopped him.
"My offer to snap your fingers off still stands. I did it to one of the guards, so I've had a little practice." At that, Calyx's face paled slightly and Cayne laughed.
We talked for a few minutes before a grin appeared on Calyx's face and he looked away from us. "For a second there, I thought you'd sent your girlfriend out to say bye to us," he said and I tensed, slapping his head.
"I'm not his anything," I said calmly, a frown on my face. I wasn't going to acknowledge Kendall until he said something to me.
Leave it to Calyx to twist my words. "Really? Then we should definitely-" he started with his smirk, but Cayne's sigh interrupted him.
"Brother, enough. She has no interest in you," Cayne said, patience running through his voice.
I watched as Kendall went over to his parents and hugged his mother. But it was awkward and stiff, not the way it was supposed to be between a mother and her son. I quickly looked away, turning my attention back to Cayne and Calyx.
"We don't know that. Maybe she's dying to confess her unconditional love for me. If that's the case, then I'm sorry, but I have to let you down," Calyx teased and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Some girl is going to break your heart, and I'm just going to sit back and laugh," I said, and Calyx only laughed while Cayne gave me a look of agreement.
After Calyx finished his round of laughter, he and Cayne went to say their goodbyes to the rest of their family. They said their parting words and were gone shortly after. Then, it was only Kendall and I.
Just the sight of him refreshed my anger. He didn't even look the least bit guilty or concerned for Nolan's health. My plan for ignoring him was very quickly forgotten.
"Why the hell did you beat Nolan?" I snapped, and he looked surprised by my knowledge before he simply looked annoyed.
The man had the nerve to ignore me and walk away. I stood there for a moment, shocked, before I went after him, nearly screaming. It was final. I was going to kill him after all.
He continued, ignoring me as he went to his room, slamming the door in my face. I scoffed and looked behind me to see Lance standing there in his uniform, amusement glittering in his eyes.
"Hiding in your room like a child? Two can play this game," I growled and found my room, slamming the door shut.
I was thinking of ways to end Kendall's life and just how slowly I could do so when my eyes flickered to the joining door. I quickly opened the door, managing to catch Kendall by surprise. I also had the dark room and my eyesight to my advantage.
I didn't give him time to think as I shoved him back. Unfortunately, he only stumbled a little before he caught himself.
"A question is met with an answer, Your Highness," I said lowly, enjoying the way his own words made his eyes flicker.
"The mutt was disrespectful-" he tried patiently, but I wouldn't let him finish.
"Bullshit! I don't give a damn about respecting you right now. Are you going to beat me too?" I spat.
Kendall had been reaching for me in the dark, and he'd finally found me as he said, "I would never lay a hand on you. It is standard for a guest of the palace to respect the Prince, however, Nolan did not follow the tradition. He was only given what he begged for as I am sure he knew of this rule."
I started to say something, but Kendall's lips were abruptly on mine. I was taken by surprise but quickly found myself letting him in, the taste of mint filling my mouth. I soon forgot how angry I was and wanted nothing more than for Kendall to keep holding me.
He pulled away, his breath tickling my face. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you, love. Especially when you and I could be doing other things," he whispered, resting his head against mine.
I ran my fingers along his spine, loving the way he shivered in response. I then realized it was my turn to take the next risk and step.
"I need you, Kendall."
Our lips then found each other once again in the dark.