Chapter 45
A few minutes after our encounter with the werewolf workers, King Harvey stands with our bags bundled on his back and me in his arms as normal.
“King Harvey, why are we leaving?”
“Well, my mate.” King Harvey’s warm voice soothes me. “It is best we spend our honeymoon alone. Unfortunately, after your successful shield, they have gotten to talking. We do not wish for an audience, do we? These werewolves will want to ask me many questions about you and this information of you and I should not spill out.”
“No, King Harvey, of course not.”
“Many to fight if they walk in on us…” King Harvey mutters as he readjusts me in his arms, to hold me tighter to his chest.
I see his silver eyes and I know his protective nature is starting to overtake him.
“You are an excellent protector, King Harvey. That is an excellent hallmark of a fantastic husband, thank you.”
King Harvey scans the area around us, he has us still in our room, but I know he is trying to hear what everyone is saying and where they are to have an exit plan.
He pauses at my words, looking down and smiling at me lovingly. “Elena, you are my world.”
“You are mine.” Reaching up, I caress his face lovingly. The smoothness of his skin and overwhelming warmth of him melts me.
His eyes revert to brown in one simple snap and as positive reinforcement, I reach up and press my lips to his.
King Harvey kisses me passionately, moving to press me into the bed in one blur.
“Elena, do not tempt me.” King Harvey unloads our bags and presses me into the bed, as I dangle off the side of it.
“King Harvey, we must go! You said so yourself!” I manage between three more kisses, enjoying how his hands move down my body and cup my ass. He presses me into him, and I am fighting off the desire to be with him.
King Harvey is right; we need to leave.
I can even hear footsteps approaching, a collection of them in fast steps…
“It will be fast.” King Harvey breathes, as he moves over to start to kiss my neck.
“I am human, no. You are overexcited. This will not end well. Do you not hear the other werewolves?”
King Harvey suddenly lifts his head at my words and focuses, his eyes wide but now silver. His pointed ears twitch twice then he releases me.
In a blur, King Harvey places all our items on his back, our two massive bags and me in his arms. When the worker werewolves open the door, King Harvey takes it as our turn to leave. I hear the worker werewolves gasp when he rushes past them, but I can’t see them by how fast King Harvey is moving.
I can hear footsteps rushing trying to keep up with us and I want to ask why, but I focus on the blurring landscape around us. I see a smear of green and brown that is continuous.
“Elena, are you well?”
King Harvey suddenly stops running and slows to a faltering march. The way he moves is elegant and poised and I wish I could do what he is doing. King Harvey takes us to a nearby forest.
“Yes, King Harvey. May I walk with you?”
“You do not need to be so polite with me, Elena. You are my mate.”
“Polite?” Questioning King Harvey, I smile when he gently places me on my feet beside him.
“Well,” King Harvey starts softly. “You speak to me rather formally…”
“Oh, you speak formally! I am sorry…”
King Harvey moves to press a soft kiss on my nose. “I am just overjoyed to be with you, my wife.”
“Does calling you my husband feel disrespectful? You were raised with the word mate; do you prefer one?”
King Harvey grins. “Call me what you like, whatever you want, Elena. As long as you love me. You could howl for all I care.”
“…wow.”
King Harvey smiles widely. “I have wanted you my whole life, Elena. It is a very long wait for a werewolf.”
“You age slower than humans, right?”
“Yes.”
“King Harvey, how long were the wars you were in?”
“10 years.”
“10 years of a war?! That is not fair!”
“As the golden sword of the kingdom, I must participate and lead. For werewolves, the time in war goes… faster. It was several wars in one, they bled into each other.”
“Why? What were you fighting for?”
“You.”
Stupidly, I focus on the innocent smile on his face, in shock, empty-headed. “Me?”
King Harvey nods. “Elena, the war was to be kind to humanity, only myself. The King of The North was my ally for the briefest of moments. So… it was a lot of violence, a lot of fighting. I call it a war, but it was battle after battle taking over areas… so yes, a war but nothing glorious. I knew humans deserved better. I feel I was rewarded finally with you as my wife.”
“Me?” I repeat, feeling faint.
Blindly, I reach out and take his hands to steady myself. Instantly, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me to his chest.
“Yes, you, Elena. I got respect from the other werewolves and this managed to get our marriage to be valid. It doesn’t make what we went through easy, but had I not fought for 10 years and went to the other werewolves to say my mate is a human, I would have been killed on the spot. Why do you believe there was such a power struggle between the other werewolves all those years?"
"Did you know you and I were to be together?!” I exclaim.
“Not entirely, Elena. But I have always been told I will be more like my uncle. Do you understand why I wish for us to meet him?”
Exhaling heavily, I shut my eyes, resting my head on his warm strong chest.
“He will help us a lot and your aunt too. She would have sex tips…”
Blushing, I bury my face deeper into his chest as he breaks down into laughter.
“Yes, Elena. It is nice to see where your mind is at.”
“S-stop teasing me!!” Pulling away from him, I breathe and laugh.
“Oh, Ella, here.”
King Harvey takes my hand and guides me into a deeper part of the forest. Stumbling upon a cottage I see that the walls of the cottage are light beige, and there is a rounded red door in the center of the cottage.
The cottage is lightly covered with moss and red roses. It looks like something out of a fairytale.
“This is beautiful, King Harvey!”
“This is where the rest of our honeymoon will take place, if you would like Elena.”
“Just the two of us.” I breathe, looking up at him.
“Yes, alone and in peace.” King Harvey smiles at me.
He carries me as his bride into the cottage and across the threshold. I blush when he stares down at me.
“This is a human tradition.”
King Harvey hums at me. “It is the only one I understand.”
“Understand?”
“The husband walks the bride across the threshold to bless the new home. I find it endearing.” King Harvey places me in a green velvet chair in front of a fireplace with a stone background.
Looking around, I see a small round green table in front of me, and a massive wrap around bookshelf on the walls.
Above me is a lamp shaped like a rose, made from glass.
“It is so beautiful here, King Harvey. I don’t ever want to leave.”
“I will buy this cottage then, Elena. For us, our children, a haven. We can create a garden in the back, Elena, th-!”
King Harvey is cut off by my sobbing and pulls me into his arms.
Overwhelmed, I weep. “This is a dream!”
“And you are mine, Elena. I would do anything to make you smile. Welcome home.”
