Chapter 23

Elena’s POV

“No! Why would I kill you?”

“Elena,” King Harvey begins sternly. “You and I are not the same species. Learn it for me, and any other werewolf.”

Now is not the time.

I cut him off by taking his face in my hands and kissing him deeply. I have no idea where this courage comes from, but the roses fall to the floor in our kiss, and he takes another greedily.

“I do not want to hurt you, King Harvey. Do you understand? I trust you not to hurt me.” I whisper.

“I am not the only werewolf on this planet, Elena.” King Harvey replies seriously. “I will protect you with my life, but I may not be available, not that I would not run when you need me.”

“I feel very welcomed by you, King Harvey, so thank you, but I will not hurt you.”

King Harvey sighs. “I want you to protect yourself, do you promise me?”

“I promise you. But I also promise that I trust you.” I reply.

“Rarely do I hear that, Elena…” King Harvey says with smoldering joy.

I smile back at him and collect my roses, as King Harvey offers me his arm. I feel his bulging bicep and blush. He grins at me.

“King Harvey, it is getting late, and I am tired, could we please return to the spa?”

“Yes, Elena.” King Harvey picks me up as if I am his bride and dashes us off to the spa. It takes less than two minutes for us to return and be in the room.

I lie down in the bed and King Harvey lays on my right, facing me.

“King Harvey, when did you see the knife?”

“You were polishing it with my cloak in my study one day.”

“…you had stepped out, King Harvey.” I blush deeply and he laughs lightly.

“It was entertaining, Elena.”

I sigh at the soft joy in his face. “Well, your cloak made an excellent tool to polish.”

“I will be sure to try it, Elena. Now, we rest. Goodnight, Elena.”

My heart bursts, it is almost as if we are married. This is both lovely and terrifying.

“Goodnight, King Harvey. Thank you for today.”

“Thank you, Elena.” King Harvey kisses me lovingly on the lips then pulls me into him.

I fall asleep in a matter of moments.

The dream I have is empty and soulless.

I awake to loud sudden howling. My eyes adjust to the dark quickly and I see that King Harvey is hovering over me, panting heavily. His silver eyes are slices of the moon.

“King Harvey!” I exclaim in a whisper.

He tilts his head to the side. “Elena, you said my name in your sleep. I am here.”

I don’t recall my dream, or what happened in it. Was I dreaming of him? Did he save me in my dream?

His voice is deep again. He presses his body to mine, and I feel all his warmth. Blindly, I take out my knife under my pillow and press it to his neck.

The shine of the blade matches like the silver of his eyes and King Harvey’s chest begins to rise and fall slowly.

He is controlling himself; I can see that. His clawed hand runs through my hair with pure concentration, he is being gentle.

With each expansion of his chest, his eyes go between brown and silver. The fangs in his mouth gleam in the moonlight.

What do I do?

My mind flies to my minimal training, but I don’t what to fight him. Or hurt King Harvey.

“Thank you for being here, King Harvey. I am okay.” I am trying to disarm him with words.

“Are you sure?” King Harvey’s voice remains low and lethal.

He is just trying to protect me?

“Yes.”

King Harvey takes my hand holding the knife and lowers it, then presses a kiss to my forehead.

I let go of the knife to watch King Harvey place it on the bedside table. He lays down beside me and breathes slowly in and out.

He laughs. “You please me, mate.”

Mate?

“Mate? King Harvey? We are not mated.”

“We could be any moment.” King Harvey sits up and turns to face me.

“We are not together yet.” My chest rises and falls but I am not scared. “I-I just held a knife to your neck!”

“So?” King Harvey chuckles. “I have been to war, Elena.”

King Harvey’s eyes are now completely awash in silver, and he pins me to the bed with ease, holding both my wrists in one hand.

My chest rises and falls aggressively as his gaze lowers and stares at my heaving chest. “You won’t hurt me.”

“Of course not, Elena. You are mine.” King Harvey’s tone reminds light while the power buzzing in him is brewing.

“Yes.” I agree as my heart skips a beat. “We belong to each other.”

That seems to please him greatly as he leans down and kisses me so deeply that it leaves me gasping heavily. The next kiss between us leads me to insanity, digging my hands through his brown hair I press him deeper into me.

King Harvey pulls away to groan and gasp. “Do not tempt me.”

His body seems to be on fire as presses me deeper into the bed, making the springs crunch and groan in reply.

The next searing kiss leaves my head spinning. Pulling away and gasping heavily, I look into his eyes and see hunger. He could have me. I would let him.

He has me already, he deserves me and this. He has given me a brand-new life, filled with safety and love. I have not had this feeling of safety and love since my mom passed away.

King Harvey tilts his head as he stares down at me, his fangs now three inches long.

“You can have me once we marry. I promise. You deserve me.”

King Harvey nods, breathing shakingly. “Thank you, Elena. Your voice…filled with sleep… awaken me.” King Harvey slowly moves away from me but remains hovering over me.

“Why?”

“…the lure of you thinking of me as you rested…”

“Oh...?” I can’t help questioning him. We are together often, what is the difference now?

“You want me.” King Harvey states as he leans down to kiss me.

“You needed to know?” I whisper, moving to kiss him again gently.

King Harvey nods, slipping his hand through my hair and cupping my skull to pull me to be almost sitting up into torrid kiss.

When it ends, I have no choice but to hold his face in my hands. His claws are razor sharp.

I rest my head on his chest and when he tries to kiss me again, I know, deservingly I stay put, applying pressure on his chest.