Chapter 52

Sleep doesn’t come to me easy tonight. King Harvey and I had a lovely walk back to the cottage, and the wolf pup just slept in my arms. Now, he is in a small cocoon made of King Harvey’s cloak at the foot of our bed. He snores softly, occasionally whining and kicking in his sleep.

He is fine.

My heart rattles in my chest uncomfortably however, like a car unable to start. Beat after beat then a faltering rattle.

“Something feels wrong…” I whisper, sitting up in bed.

King Harvey sleeps to my left, shirtless and with a face of peace. Slipping out of bed, I tuck King Harvey in with our velvet black blanket. Moving to his side of the bed, I position myself to hover over him and run my fingertips through his soft brown hair.

A smile spreads across his face in his sleep and my heart melts.

“My husband, I love you.” I whisper to him, leaning down to press my lips to his ear.

King Harvey shifts in his sleep and now smiles widely, his fangs glowing menacingly in the dark.

I kiss the tip of his sharp pointed ear then move down to his neck. I let my lips rest on his pulse, and it feels steady.

It doesn’t quicken as his fists clench in his sleep, and I must wonder what he is dreaming about. Running my fingertips down his spine, I feel the latent surging strength, a steel rod of pure roaring flames housed in him.

To me, he is a promise of protection. Yet, this means a sure death for our enemies.

I almost wish he was awake, to thank him for that. I have never been safe in my life, now, I am. That is worth more to me than any amount of money in the world. My sister and I are safe, forever.

Placing my hand on his shoulders, I rock him so he lies down.

King Harvey sighs in his sleep and I decide to lie back down beside him.

The wolf pup barks in his sleep but nothing more.

I fell asleep again within a few minutes.

As always, my sleep is an empty dream.

Jolting awake, the tension of an open flame burns my left arm. The scent of heat and burning meat attacks me. The power is so strong that it stings and claws at my face.

“King Harvey.” I call out blindly.

There is a pocket of dead air, just enough time for me to move as the heat decreases for the smallest moment.

King Harvey lays in bed, as stiff as a corpse as his taloned hands dig into the bed, ripping up the blanket and even the stuffing of the mattress. In deep silence, he thrusts his head back and opens his mouth to scream but makes no sound.

The muscles in his neck strain and bulge at the force he exerts as he tries to scream again, sweat dripping down his face and drenching his massive chest.

His fangs wildly expand as he thrashes to his right then left and back again.

Unable to understand what to do, I look at the wolf pup to see if he is reacting.

“Wake up.” I say softly to King Harvey.

He inhales deeply through his mouth and begins to pant loudly.

Madly, he grabs for the sword he normally wears at his left side. When his hand grabs at nothing, he squeezes the blanket in his trembling fist.

What the hell is happening?

He is having a nightmare.

All I know is to not say the person’s name because they will be scared.

Maybe this is why I woke up earlier, I should have stayed awake. I must have felt something was off.

“Wake up!” I repeat as I throw myself at him as he tries to launch himself forward.

A grating savage growl makes it past his lips, and I see in the moonlight that his ears have expanded a few inches, sharper than ever.

Shaking him by the shoulders, my stomach drops. This is it for us. King Harvey is going insane, the power rolling off his body is a smothering heat that makes me draw in quick gasps.

If I hyperventilate, I will pass out.

“The war is not yet over!” King Harvey shouts so loudly that the cottage shakes. “I must continue!”

The warmth I have grown to love in his voice is gone, he is nothing more than a commanding warrior now.

“Wake up, please! Please!” Tears stream down my face freely and I sniffle as I hug his stone like, lifeless body to my chest. King Harvey’s strength is hotter than any fire I have ever been around, my skin starts to meld to his in a sizzle.

Backing away, I have no choice. Stripping myself of my nightgown, I crawl to lay on top of him, as his dull silver eyes watch me. King Harvey slowly lies down as my weight spreads across his. Placing both of his heavy arms on my back, he gasps a fresh breath of air.

When the wolf pup suddenly whimpers in his sleep, King Harvey bolts upright in bed and tries to untangle me from his frame with one hand.

Cupping his face in my hands, I study him. King Harvey breathes slowly through his nose, his chest rising and falling. He is seeing me, but is not aware of who I am. He knows he doesn’t want to hurt me.

His hesitation is enough proof of his love for me.

This must be an in-between form of his transformation. That explains the feeling of his power and how much heat radiates off his frame.

“You are safe, you are safe here with me, I promise.”

Tenderly, I kiss his face and his lips. King Harvey makes no noise but blinks.

Again, King Harvey attempts to free himself and I manage to get a pause when I press my chest to his harshly.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I have no choice. Twisting his head to the best of my ability, I crane his neck and offer my mating mark to him.

“Bite me. You own me! I am yours!”

My eyes drift shut as his teeth sink into my mating mark lightly. The hot sting of my blood is a relief when King Harvey pulls away with a moan that I know is nothing more than the proper desire a husband should always have for his wife.

Pressing my body into his, I find unending warmth and desire as I climb into his lap.

With a growl, he pins me to the bed and opens my legs with no hesitation. Unable to turn away, I drag him by the front of his neck for a harsh kiss.

“You can have me, I promise. When you revert to normal!”

King Harvey buries his face in my neck, then gasps.

“E-Elena.” King Harvey stammers into my neck. His tongue swipes at the perimeter of my mating mark and I shake against him. He openly kisses my neck and moves down to my bare chest. Our eyes lock and I exhale.

The silver of his eyes shine with peace.

“What was that?” I breathe, cupping the back of his head to guide him to remains at my chest.

“Nightmare. War.” King Harvey kisses the front of my neck and I groan, understanding the lethality of his fangs.

King Harvey’s words are lost as if he doesn’t know who he is.

He replies to me by cupping my bare ass with both his hands.

“Is this my thank you?”

“You always save me, Elena.” King Harvey warmly whispers as he moves up to my face and kisses me passionately.

He dumps me in my place in our bed and kisses me once more.

“Are you okay?”

King Harvey nods, then lies down beside me with a final sigh.

He is out cold. Hovering over him, I check his pulse. Steady.

His ears have reverted to normal, and I wipe at the sweat with a small handkerchief I keep under my pillow.

As a safety precaution, I cradle King Harvey’s head to my bare chest and hear him sigh. I will stay up and make sure he is okay.