Ryker Dare
I woke up with half the bed empty. I jerked up immediately, all sleep gone.
“Kei?” I said her name both out loud and through the mind link, instantly searching.
Yeah?
I relaxed once I felt her down in the kitchen.
How did you find your way to the kitchen? I said, amused.
Well, King, after you interrupted my shower last night, I woke up smelling like the sewer. Like seriously, my mouth was the grossest thing ever. And then around that time, I realized I was ravenous. So after getting myself clean and presentable, I gave one more look at your adorable face and then went on my merry way in my birthday suit since it’s, you know, my birthday.
I was out of bed and into the kitchen before she even finished the last word. Her eyes widened momentarily, but then, they twinkled with humor.
“Wow, tell a man you’re naked, and they’ll come real quick.”
My eyes raked up and down her form, relaxing when I saw she was wearing my shirt. It was big on her, and it ended mid-thigh along with one of her shoulders bare as the shirt dropped off. Sighing, I walked over to where she was sitting at the bar and hugged her.
“How I’ve missed your funny side.”
She chuckled against me and hugged me back. “Really? Even I sometimes think it’s annoying.”
I pulled back to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “And yet, you still do it?”
She shrugged. “Call it a defense mechanism of some sort or a habit. I’ve been doing it for years now after I found out wallowing in self-pity wasn’t the best option.”
I traced her jawline and kissed her lightly. “It can be charming,” I offered.
She smiled at me while standing up. “Maybe,” was all she said before grabbing my hand. “Come on, I still have lots to show you.”
Just as we were almost out the door, she shouted, “Wait!” She dashed around me and into the kitchen. I watched as she grabbed an empty plate lying on the counter and walked over to put it in the sink. She washed it quickly before coming back over to me.
“I would feel bad for someone else to clean up my messes,” she explained. This time, it was I who grabbed her hand, but I lifted it up to my lips and kissed it. She looked at me in shock, but then, it changed to warmth.
“What was that for?”
“Because our queen is so amazing,” I said seriously, pulling her close.
She bit her lip. “I feel like I still have some growing to do,” she admitted.
I stroked her hair and threw and an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, love, we have an eternity to grow together.”
* * *
“I have a question,” Kei said abruptly, disturbing the quiet.
“Hmmm?”
She had her head on my chest, and we were lying on the bed
“Why aren’t you up and doing, you know, work?”
“I took the day off,” I replied casually.
She lifted her head to look at me. “You can do that?”
I shrugged. “Of course. But I only have half of the day to do whatever I please. Afterwards, I’m going to have to go figure out who’s behind the rogue attacks.”
“Also, I have another question. Why do you call me loony?”
I rolled my eyes but smiled. “It’s Lune. It’s moon in French.”
“French?”
“Yes. My parents had a soft spot for the city of Paris.” I smiled softly as I recalled them.
“What were they like?” she asked.
“They were like most parents, loving, and spoiled me rotten, except for my father. He was the one to give me discipline whenever I acted up, but I knew he did it to help me become better as an alpha. Yet he was just as hard-headed as I am while my mother was the opposite. She was kind and sweet, but whenever she was mad, that was the time to run.” I laughed quietly as I remembered my oddball parents.
“What happened to them?” She looked up at me, her eyes gentle.
I gave her a small smile before I began to tell her my past.
“A conflict between two packs were beginning to get out of control, and at that time, it was similar to that of a war. It had been going on years prior, and finally, my parents had had enough of it. They had a plan to infiltrate both packs and force them to get along, but that didn’t go well as you can imagine.” I smiled sardonically at her. “It was reported that when they arrived, a fight was already ensuing amongst them. My parents then tried to intervene, but in the end, their lives were taken in the chaos as a large wildfire had started amongst the mayhem. By the end of it all, only around fifty had escaped, and both of those packs disappeared.”
“Wait, does that mean that you became the alpha king?”
Her eyes held sadness as she listened to my story, and I nodded.
“Yes, but you have to understand my parents had been alive for quite a few hundred years when they passed.”
She held up her hand to stop me. “Wait, did you just say a few hundred years?”
I stared at her in amusement. “I did. But by that time, they were beginning to age, anyway. It was a matter of time before they passed,” I explained.
“How come you don’t age?”
I smirked and hugged her close.
“I think that conversation is for another day. We don’t need to think that far ahead yet.”
She looked at me suspiciously for a long minute.
“Fine, I’ll let it pass for now.” She looked over and saw the time on the clock sitting in the bedside table.
“It’s eleven now. I guess I better be quick about this so you can get to being the imposing and awe-inspiring king that I know and love.” The word love made me smile, and I kissed her slowly.
“What exactly did you have in mind?”
She sat up, so I mimicked her actions. She sat in my lap and pulled our faces closer until our foreheads were lightly pressed against each other.
“This.” And the same door from last night appeared in my mind. But this time, there were no chains. This time, with no hesitancy, they swung open to reveal the darkness within. In real life, I stared deeply into her eyes.
“Go on. But do try to keep your temper under control. I can only handle so much now.”
“Now? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “I’ll explain later. Now, hurry, we’re burning daylight.”
I chuckled but closed my eyes, filtering into her mind. I stood before the door and watched the swirling darkness before me.
“Go on. It won’t bite.” Kei appeared by my side with a smirk.
“Knowing you, I have no idea.”
She laughed and grabbed my hand. Our fingers tangled together, and we took our step into the doorway.