Page 65 of Loved By The King

I struggle against him, my eyes still fixed on Max’s retreating form. “Let me go! I have to—I need to—”

“Look at yourself!” Soren commands, spinning me to face him. His eyes are wide with alarm.

“What?” I snap, confusion momentarily overtaking the urge to chase. “Why are you—”

Soren raises a trembling hand to my face. “Your canines, Aubrey. And your claws.”

I freeze, lifting my hands. Where my nails should be, sharp claws extend from my fingertips. I run my tongue over my teeth, feeling the pointed edges of elongated canines.

“Oh, god,” I whisper, the reality of what’s happening hitting me.

I become aware of the silence around us. Turning slowly, a few staff members watch from the patio, their faces a mix of fear and fascination. Maribel stands at the front, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “You’re not playing, that urge is hunting,” Soren clutches my face.

Max’s voice breaks the tense silence. “Aubrey? Why’d you stop playing?” He trots back toward us, his face a mixture of confusion and disappointment.

I swallow hard, trying to force my canines to retract. “I… I don’t feel well, Max,” I manage to say, my voice shaky. “I’m sorry, but I need to go inside.”

Without waiting for a response, I turn and sprint toward the castle. As I pass through the few staff members and now guard, they part like water, their eyes wide and wary. I catch a glimpse of Maribel reaching out to me.

“Aubrey, dear, wait—” she begins, her voice soft and concerned.

I can’t bear to face her kindness right now. I shake my head and push past her, my feet carrying me swiftly through the place.

My mind races as I climb the stairs. Monster. I’m a monster. The image of my claws, the feeling of my sharp teeth, the primal urge to hunt Max—it all swirls in my head, making me feel sick.

I burst into my room, slamming the door behind me only for Soren to burst through it a moment later and I take him in. His hands lift in the same placating gesture as Maribel’s earlier.

“Don’t hate yourself. I thought I locked the door. I should have waited to shower until you woke up properly.” His calling rushes out.

“I don’t want to go to sleep.” I blurt.

“I need you to calm down, you’re hurting yourself,” he tells me and I shake my head as he moves quickly. Clutching my arms, his hands slide down where my arms are crossed. He grips my hands, prying them away from my chest; only my claws are embedded in my arms. I stare at the bloody mess I’ve made, panic overwhelming my senses as the scent of my blood reaches my nose.

“Calm down. You need to calm down or I won’t have a choice,” he warns. Only now that same warning tone sounds different, and I’m suddenly more aware of his aura, which sends unexplainable rage boiling within me. Just as quick as it comes, it goes and so does the light as his calling erupts knocking me out.

Chapter 31

• King Soren •

Her eyes roll into the back of her head and her body goes limp against my calling. Some part of me feels guilty for using it against her, but in her frantic state she is unpredictable, dangerous. I need her to calm down before she loses control completely. As her body careens forward, I catch her before she crumbles to the ground in a heap. Gazing down at her, her lips parted, and her face slack. I sigh heavily as I scoop her up and place her on the bed, rearranging her so she is comfortable. I’ve just set her down before a faint knock on the door grabs my attention as it creaks open. Glancing at the door, I find it is my mother, looking rather disheveled for a woman who usually has a solid resting bitch face, her eyes find me in seconds and I rise from tucking Aubrey into bed.

“Is she alright?” my mother asks as she steps into the room, closing the door behind her. I glance at Aubrey, she will be now that she has calmed down, though whatever state she wakes in is yet to be seen. I just need to hope she forgives me for knocking her out.

“Yeah, she’s fine. Where is Max?”

“With your father, they’re feeding the koi fish.” She wanders closer, and brushes a piece of Aubrey’s hair from her face before adjusting the pillows like I hadn’t just done the same thing. At least my father has managed to distract Max, though I doubt he truly understands the danger he was in when she started to hunt him.

“She gave Max quite the scare…” my mother adds.

“If you’ve come to warn me of the dangers—”

She shakes her head. “Of course not, she has some adjusting to get used to. I just came to check on you both,” she says softly and I run my fingers through my hair and sit on the edge of the bed.

“It will get easier, son.”

“I’m not worried about Aubrey… Well, I am but I’m more concerned about the Supernatural Council, and Rhett coming back for her. The bond is severed between them. I can only imagine the agony he is in.”

“You’re worried he’ll come for her?”