Chapter Seven

Kiran had needed the rest too, although he woke up early, accustomed to being on alert after several sleepless nights spent taking care of The Dark Wolves in the outlying villages. However, as Kiran stirred, he was surprised to find himself feeling more rested than he had ever thought possible. His body felt rejuvenated, and there was something soft and comforting pressed against him.

Kiran opened his eyes, only to discover the form of a woman lying beside him. While this sight was not entirely unexpected, it was most certainly a welcome one. He cherished seeing his mate curled up in his arms, even in her slumber, seeking his comfort. It was evident that the two of them couldn’t bear to be far from each other.

He couldn’t resist the temptation and reached out to touch the soft skin of her neck. Now that she had bathed, her skin was incredibly smooth, and she smelled intoxicating. It made his body heat up, yearning to be close to hers with no barriers. He leaned in closer to her, simply wanting to feel the warmth of her skin against his, but Gwyneth soon stirred, and when she opened her eyes, she was gazing right into his.

Kiran leaned in, and soon their lips met. Gwyneth didn’t pull away. Instead, she let out a soft gasp, responding to his lips moving expertly against hers. She wrapped an arm around his neck as he gently rolled her onto her back. She moaned softly as his tongue slipped inside, but gradually, something seemed to awaken within her, and she appeared to realize what was happening. She pulled back, looking shocked, before placing her hands on his chest and pushing him back slightly. “No!” Gwyneth exclaimed.

“What?” Kiran responded.

“No, we can’t do that. We are not doing that!”

“Seems like we are.” He chuckled.

Gwyneth groaned and hastily jumped out of bed, only to look around, searching for something. “Where are my clothes?” she demanded.

“You can’t wear those here anymore. It isn’t what we wear.”

“I have nothing else.”

“I will get you something,” Kiran offered, but he had become quite comfortable on the bed. Gwyneth crossed her arms and tapped her foot, clearly impatiently waiting for him to take action. He continued to smile at her while resting on the bed, a blanket covering his lower body.

“Well?” she asked with a hint of frustration.

“What?” Kiran responded innocently.

“Clothes!”

“It’s still very early. The servants haven’t even come to wake us up. We can rest a little more, spend our time as we want to,” he suggested, a clear hint in his voice.

“Kiran, I have much to do today,” she reminded him.

“What?”

“I need to figure out how I ended up here and… and if there is any possibility I can go back!”

“You said you couldn’t. You said it was a one-way ticket.”

“Yes, I know that! But… I need to be sure,” she admitted.

“How will you find out?” he asked.

“I… don’t know.”

Kiran didn’t want her to uncover too much about her situation. He was determined to keep Gwyneth with him, and the kiss had only strengthened his resolve.

“Perhaps when I show you my world today, you’ll find some answers,” he suggested, though he had a different type of answer in mind.

“Maybe. But we’ll need clothes for that,” she replied, offering a small smile, which Kiran appreciated.

“I can see you’ll make a strong queen, someone who’s not afraid to boss everyone around, even the king.”

“You did want to show me your world, right?” she countered.

“Yes, I did.”

“Then we need clothes.”

“Let’s have the servants bring some up, prepare some breakfast, and then we can go.”

“No, let’s go now!” she urged.

“Gwyneth, you had quite an eventful day yesterday. Your bandages need changing, you need food, and you could use a bit more rest. We’ll take our time, and then we can go,” Kiran insisted, patting the empty space beside him. Gwyneth studied him for a moment, but eventually she relented and walked over to him.

“You stay on your side this time,” she warned him.

“Actually, you snuck onto mine,” he replied playfully.

Gwyneth rolled her eyes, but clearly decided not to argue further. However, when she lifted the covers, she saw he was completely naked underneath. She gasped and quickly let the covers fall back into place. “You slept naked next to me? Weren’t you wearing pants to bed?” she asked as she lay down on top of the covers.

“I took them off,” he replied casually.

“A little warning next time, please.”

“Isn’t it warm in all of that?” Kiran asked, gesturing to her robe.

“I’m fine,” she said, but he knew she was lying.

“Tell me more about yourself and where you come from?” Kiran requested.

“Are you sure? Can your mind handle it?” she teased with a small smile.

“I might as well get to know my mate. We’re spending a lifetime together.”

“So you say,” she mumbled.

“Well?” Kiran prompted.

“I’ve already told you quite a bit about myself,” she replied, and he frowned. “I’m a Protector. We uphold the law and ensure everything runs smoothly.”

“I see.”

“My father was one too. He raised me on his own, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

“You said ‘was’?”

“He’s dead. Killed on the job.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. My father met a similar fate, though it was a friend who betrayed him.”

“What?” Gwyneth exclaimed in shock.

“It’s never safe to be a king. Not everyone can be trusted. But I solved the mystery and punished the friend. It seemed he wanted more influence over the next king, and I was young and easily manipulated.”

“You had to navigate all of that on your own?”

“I had some guidance from trustworthy friends, people I knew in my heart I could rely on.”

“How?”

“Even though I was not the ruling king, I still fought to protect and take care of the people. The men around me, some of whom you met yesterday, have bled for me and have protected me, just as I have protected them. I know in my heart that they will always have my back,” he stated.

“Loyalty like that is rare to find.”

“Don’t you have loyal friends?”

“I don’t have friends,” she admitted.

“How can you not have friends?” he asked.

“I’m busy. A Protector never stops protecting, and in a world like mine, they are needed all the time. I’m dedicated to my duty, and I always will be.”

Kiran felt surprised and stared at Gwyneth.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“I just love everything you said. You’d make a perfect queen.”

Gwyneth sighed and shook her head. “More like the perfect soldier.”

“In these times, with what lurks out there, we need that. Someone who can show the people not to be scared to fight back, and you survived an attack,” he pointed out.

“Barely.”

“You didn’t know what you were up against, but I will show you all the weak spots.”

“The weak spots? You know this means I could come after you, right?” she reminded him, a smile on her lips.

Kiran chuckled and shook his head slightly. “We are mates. We cannot hurt each other.”

“But I don’t feel the same thing as you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“It’s good to be positive.”

“No, I mean…” Gwyneth laughed a little, and the sound had a profound effect on Kiran. He reached out and placed his hand on her cheek, turning her head more toward him. Her laughter gradually died down, and the energy between them shifted. He stroked her skin, savoring the feeling and just watching her. She was beautiful, and despite her attire, her femininity shone through, which pleased him.

He moved slowly closer to her, ensuring she wouldn’t move away. He longed to taste her lips again, especially after hearing her sweet laughter, which made his heart race.

“Gwyn…” he whispered softly, their lips about to meet, but just before they did, there was a knock on the door.