4. Kings and Queen

“I…” “Don’t think about it Bunny, I know you’re feeling lost and overwhelmed about everything. Let your mind rest for now and let us wash you,” Osric stops me from letting my thoughts run wild, and I nod knowing he is right.

“Thank you, I love you,” I softly speak while wrapping my arms around his broad muscular shoulders after he pulls my chemise off, leaving me naked in front of him. I take in a deep breath, closing my eyes letting his warmth seep into my body as I let my body instinctively mold around his hard muscles.

“I love you too, we’re going to be ok,” Osric whispers against my neck, he presses his lips to my shoulder while soothing me with the trail of tingles his hand leaves behind, as he rubs my back.

“And I love both of you too,” I softly speak after stepping out of Osric’s warm embrace. I step into the hot shower where Jonathan and Embry are standing back-to-back, bracing themselves against the shower walls letting the water flow over them beneath the flow from two shower heads.

“I love you too Mo Ròs Dubh. Osric’s right we’re going to figure it all out, and we’ll be ok,” Embry gently smiles while reaching over, turning on a third shower head, creating more steam from the hot water.

“I love you Rakas, you might have scared the life out of us when you ran into the fire, but you were amazing and you made it to them before Phoenix grew too weak,” Jonathan turns and pulls me into his arm and presses his forehead to mine making me nod.

I take a few deep breaths inhaling his scent, letting the hot water wash over my head and thorough my braids. He gently grazes his hands down my arms, doing his best to comfort me as I watch the water run down his firm chest and down his well-defined abs.

“Are we going to stay here from now on?” I ask grabbing a sponge and start lathering it up with soap, trying not to let myself get too lost in my head again.

“Osric,” Embry hesitates, and gives him a pointed look, like there is a better option. I turn to face Osric, I reach out and gently wipe the sponge across his hard chest, feeling the tension he is holding onto.

“What?” I question, seeing the tension between them I shake my head, not liking it. Seeing them this way sets me on edge, feeling through the bond they’re both anxious, and Osric is a bit angry.

“Staying here is no safer than we were in our home, Osric knows where we need to go, and that there isn’t anywhere else safer,” Embry lets out a low growl, watching me as I guide the soapy sponge across Osric’s hard chest. I look up and press my palm to the side of his jaw seeing the frustration in his eyes.

“What is it Sieluni?” I query when his hand grabs mine, stopping me from washing his chest, he takes a deep breath and stares down at me. His sad gaze bores into mine, making me whimper and tilt my head, wishing I could take away whatever it is that is making him feel so sad and scared.

“It’s time I take the three of you home, our real home where we belong, despite me never wanting to step foot in that place again,” Osric answers with a very sad expression, my heart aches for him feeling his anxiety about going home.

“We don’t have to go somewhere you don’t want to,” I whisper, brushing my thumb under his eye wiping away a stray tear. Osric presses his face into my palm letting my touch relax him before sighing and shaking his head.

“Embry is right, it’s the only place I can keep us and our pups safe, Mum will be able to place wards to protect us from witches and Dagon,” Osric admits, then kisses my palm as he holds my hand over his chest, even tighter. A quiet whine escapes Embry when he presses his lips to Osric’s shoulder before wrapping his arms around Osric’s waist from behind.

“I know you don’t want to go back, but we have to, and you always knew we would someday, we’re the Lycan Kings and Queen,” Embry speaks in an empathetic tone while rubbing his hands over Osric’s chest, doing his best to comfort our stressed-out mate.

“Back where?” Jonathan hesitantly asks, the question that is burning in the back of my mind.

“Home to our castle in the Bloodwrath Kingdom. The castle will be easy to secure, and there are many older lycan guards who are very loyal our family,” Osric explains while grabbing Embry’s hand, I step back letting Osric pull him around to where they are facing each other.

“I know it will be hard at first, but we will make it home; with us and our pups it will be different,” Embry says, when Jonathan looks over at me with a concern clearly laced in his green eyes.

“It’s where Draven abused all of you, and where you killed him.” I stare into my mate’s hazel green eyes as he nods with a very defeated look.

“It is, Embry is right though, with you three and our pups it will be very different. I’ll have the servants prepare our chambers, and have everything set up before we get there,” Osric does his best to reassure himself that it will be ok. I shake my head, feeling his turmoil through the bond, knowing this not only worries him, but the idea of going back causes him pain.

“Hey, we can always build somewhere else if we have to, we can rebuild our Kingdom,” I grab Osric’s hand and pull it to the center of my chest and watch him move his head under the shower spray.

“No, we’re going to go to Bloodwrath Castle, Embry is right, there is no place safer. Witches helped the lycans build the original castle, putting spell work into the foundation to protect the royal line. The castle is essentially loyal to the royal family, it will protect us,” Osric argues while stepping closer, then kisses my forehead making me nod, and wrap my arms around his burly chest.

“We’ll make it our home, and soon you won’t think of the past when you walk it’s halls,” I do my best to comfort him, letting the contact of our bodies sooth his tension and relax him.

“I know we will, to be honest Mum has been having them ready the castle since you first arrived in Wolf Creek. She knew we would find our way back eventually,” Osric admits, gently grabbing my shoulders he turns me, he grabs the shampoo from Embry who takes the sponge from my hand and continues to wash Osric.

“This is nice,” my voice comes out in a soft mummer, when Jonathan pulls my arm up then gently runs the sponge down the inside of my arm and ribs.

“It is, you’re so beautiful and strong… please never scare us like that again,” Jonathan whispers, with and undertone of desperation while brushing his hand across my chest and up my neck, pulling my chin up.

“I can’t promise I won’t, just like I know I can’t ask you to do the same. I never wish to scare my mates, I love the three of you more than anything, but I will always fight for us and our pups,” I gently smile with my eyes closed, when Osric pulls me back under the stream of water against his chest.

“We love you, Raven. I suppose we’ll all have to get used to you being such a strong-willed Alpha, always scaring the hell out of us,” Jonathan admits with a defeated sigh, brushing the sponge down my chest, and over my navel.

“I’ll do my best to keep it to a minimum,” I promise him, then stand on my tiptoes to press my lips against his as my back rubs against Osric’s chest and navel.

“I think we can compromise with that,” Jonathan chuckles a little, when I hear Osric and Embry both mumble in agreement.

We continue to shower, mostly in silence, as we wash each other enjoying each other’s touch and closeness, knowing how close of a call we had today. We use the bond to feel each other, to help calm and sooth our nerves and anxieties.

Our world nearly ended in tragedy, it has been hard enough knowing I miscarried a pregnancy, but to imagine something happening to Gunnar and Roan is torture. My mates and I are already on edge coping with the one loss, I’m not entirely sure we would survive two more.