Chapter 74
Awakening from a long passionate night with my husband to Emily laughing loudly outside my front door makes me smile. Slowly, I sit up and feel King Harvey’s warm hand on my lower stomach.
“Sleep, my mate.” King Harvey’s voice is still worn with sleep. His lower register makes me shiver, but when Emily continues, I want to throw open the door.
“Stay in bed, King Harvey. I need to see why she is happy.”
King Harvey chuckles. “You believe she will not tell you?”
“Yes, she will… you are correct, it is best we rest.”
My eyes drift shut again when King Harvey holds me close.
By midafternoon, King Harvey and I are awake and are strolling around the exterior of the castle. King Harvey tells me about the trees and how he used to climb them as a child, with a sweet smile on his face. I wonder what our future will hold for us.
“Harvey.” King Harvey’s mother calls from behind us.
Instantly, King Harvey sheathes his sword again and we turn to his mother.
“Hello.” We both greet his mother and King Harvey’s father appears at her side with a gentle grin.
“What are you doing?” King Harvey’s father asks with a laugh.
King Harvey shrugs. “A simple walk. Now, what is the purpose of this visit?”
“We would like to know what you think of children.” King Harvey’s mother states with a motherly grin. “Do you want many?”
King Harvey turns to me then laughs nervously, tittering. “We have not spoken of children yet. What do you think, Elena?”
I all but freeze at his kind question.
“Well…I would like to be a mother. I don’t know how many we will have or what my human body can handle…” I look down, feeling a bit ashamed of my weakness.
King Harvey presses two fingers under my chin and makes me look him in his eyes.
“You will be just fine, Elena. Please do not feel bad.” King Harvey kisses my cheek.
“Thank you.” I whisper back to him, kissing him on the lips quickly and chastely.
King Harvey’s mom clears her throat. “I have spoken to your aunt, King Harvey. Because Elena is a decade younger than you, you can have many children, but you must allow her to heal years at a time.”
“That sounds fair.” I speak.
King Harvey turns to me with a glowing grin. “Yes, that does sound manageable… but I don’t know if I will be able to keep my hands off you between mating and the rest.”
“You would have to plan.” King Harvey’s father says sternly. “You don’t want her weak or in pain, Harvey.”
“No, of course not!” King Harvey. “Being my wife, the mother of our children and a Luna Queen is a lot!”
“Will you use maids?” King Harvey’s mother asks tentatively.
“No.” I decide in an instant, firmly. “I do not want another woman around my children or husband. No one.”
King Harvey chuckles deeply. “Possessive.”
“I take after my husband,” I reply quickly as I cross my arms over my chest. “We have had enough issue as is getting here.”
King Harvey’s father studies us both, but his eyes end up on me. “You do not trust Harvey with other women?”
I laugh. “What smart woman brings another woman around her husband? So many women want him. As for children? Defenseless children? No. They will be targeted and so will the rest of our marriage. Can you tell me more about half-breed children?”
King Harvey’s mother laughs. “You are a smart woman, Elena. I did not have any maids either. As for half-breed children, they age the same as humans, but their aging slows by their teen years.”
“By how much?”
“Every half-breed is different… but once we meet, I can tell you.” King Harvey’s mother laughs nervously. “I will be a grandmother.”
King Harvey’s father takes his wife’s hands in his and kisses them. “I will be a grandfather. As for your kids, I know Harvey was a handful, running, jumping, howling and fighting. I suggest King Harvey doesn’t leave the land or either of you unattended. You will need him as much as he needs you. Half-breed or not.”
“I did not plan to leave Elena.” King Harvey says soundly.
King Harvey’s parents nod together and look at us in a peaceful silence, but say nothing.
Faintly, I suddenly hear Beta Tom calling for King Harvey. In a blur of light red, he appears at our side and smiles a bit anxiously at me. Waving hello at him, I hope to ease his nerves.
“King Harvey, there are several treaties for humans you must tend to.”
King Harvey nods, and with a hug to both his parents he is at my side. Both his parents embrace me goodbye quickly and before I can blink, King Harvey sits me down in his red velvet chair in his office.
An impressive stack of treaties is at the right of me, and King Harvey sighs heavily.
“This will be a bit boring, forgive me, Elena.” King Harvey delicately takes the first piece of paper and begins to read.
“May I help you?”
“Of course, Elena. You are the human here. I am expecting your expertise.”
Together with my husband, we go through the treaties for four hours. Most of the treaty is just reading what the other kings have said and checking whether we agree. We agree with their ideas of peace among werewolves and to minimize the need for war by dividing the land once more to make sure no one gets confused. Nothing about humans has popped up just yet, which is a bit disheartening. On top of that, I find it odd that the King of the North hasn’t sent anything over.
“Finally!” I hear King Harvey exclaim as I rest my head on his bicep.
Lifting my head, I watch as he skims the final piece of paper again.
“What does it say?”
“It explains that humans and werewolves will go to schools with equal equipment and be taught the same things. The teachers will be trained the same way to start and there needs to be more education overall.”
I nod. “Yes, but we need to have hospitals for both, we need to have training for both starting as early as possible. We need human adults, werewolves, and humans to let go of their prejudice and get along. That means they need training themselves. We need to have programs for them and make it mandatory. It means we need online training, free pamphlets…”
“Yes! Perfect, what else do you think?” King Harvey takes out a scrap piece of paper and starts to write everything I have said.
“I think I should give a speech so they can see me as Luna Queen… as a good example?”
“Yes, I believe so too. And you should write a book.”
“Will you help? I will need a werewolf perspective.”
I know it is a silly question, but I am happy when he smiles.
“Of course!”
King Harvey continues his draft of my plan and I take out an official piece of paper and begin to write the treaty to the best of my knowledge. It will be a very long night.
