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Chapter 14: With Me
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The Shifter King Chapter 15: Peter
Ambrose helps me mount my horse, pausing before he mounts his own. "Hera," he says softly. I look at him. "I know you don't trust me. Don't trust this. But I'll wait for you as long as you need." His endearment makes my chest tighten. I wish it was that simple. I smile at him, "I'll be the one waiting if you keep losing races against me."I take off, leaving him behind. When I reach the palace, I dismount and go inside, not waiting for him to arrive. I catch sight of Sebastian at the end of the hall as I enter. He looks at me, bows, and winks. Ugh. Curse my dirty thoughts. I turn the corner away from him, searching for the first servant I can find. I send out a note immediately requesting Peter's presence at the command of the king. I'm hoping that's enough to intimidate him into coming. Afterward, I make my way back to the library. I retrieve the books on the family lines and drop down into a large lounge chair. If Peter is behind the plot, I would understand. I
The Shifter King Chapter 16: Loose
I ask my maid to bring my breakfast to my room which is where I spend the day. I study the history of the nobles living in the palace. Most of them are descended from the same old families that have been connected to Ambrose's family for generations. I make notes, putting my thoughts on paper until I'm surrounded by a mess of parchment. I sketch the best rendition of the sigil I can remember, but even my memory is starting to fade, its exact rendition becoming fuzzy. Any one of the noble shifters could be a suspect, and it was obvious they didn't carry this symbol publicly. So how can I tie someone to a cause? By midday, my head is pounding. I lay down, letting exhaustion take over, and when I wake again, it's evening. I almost forgot about my agreement to see Ambrose. I sit up and sigh. I hope Althea was having progress with finding Lucas. I get ready, dressing in a simple gown, and make my way toward the king's study. I'm stopped by shouting from behind one of the doors
The Shifter King Chapter 17: Kiss Me
When we are ready to leave, we are pleasantly drunk. Ambrose tips the waitress generously and leads me from the bar. It's late. There isn't a carriage in sight and most of the town has gone dark. "We won't be able to find a ride at this time," I tell him. "We could walk," he says. "It's three miles. No, thank you." To prove my point, I sway unintentionally. Ambrose tightens his grip on my arm, sliding his other around my waist. I stop walking and look at him. "You can't keep doing that," I say. "Doing what?" he smirks. "Sending sparks down my spine." He looks at me, his body close to mine. His fingers have tightened at my waist, I can feel them burning my skin. He glances at my mouth before raising his gaze to my eyes. "We should find a place to stay for the night," he says quietly. "Until we can find a ride." I nod absently, only half hearing him. "Hera?" Ambrose asks, breaking me from my trance. "Know a place?" "Yeah, uh, sure," I shake my head, trying to cl
The Shifter King Chapter 18: I Owed You
I don't know how much time has passed or that I haven't stopped shaking. I've seen death and blood before. H*ll, I'm usually the one causing it. But for some reason, Ambrose's pain was filling my chest with a tightness that was making it hard to breathe. I suddenly feel like the air had left the room and if he dies…I won't survive. I hear Sebastian arrive but I can't look up. I can't even move. What was wrong with me? "Hera?" he says. He rushes forward, lifts my hands, and observes the wound. "He said," I manage slowly. "It was silver." Sebastian nods, coming behind me and lifting me up. "He's going to be okay," he says. "Trust me." I nod absently. The blood on my hands feels like it's starting to sting. My eyes are burning as I look at the limp body lying on the floor. Sebastian gestures to someone outside the room. A form steps forward and they begin talking in low voices, but I can't comprehend anything they're saying. I watch like they're moving in slow motion as a vi
The Shifter King Chapter 19: Heat
I close the door to the king's room and lean my head against the wood. Last night wasn't good for either of us. We were caught up in the heat of the moment and it never should've happened. "How is he?" I spin and see Prince Sebastian watching me. "Better," I say. "But you knew that was going to happen." The prince shrugs. "I wasn't worried." When I don't say anything, his smile drops. "Are you okay, Hera?" "I'm, uh," I hesitate. I can't even pinpoint what I'm feeling. "Overwhelmed. It feels like only yesterday I was learning shifters even existed. Now we've got shifters after the king with silver, which I didn't even know was an issue." I sigh. "I'm good at what I do, but this makes me feel so…helpless." "Listen," he runs his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "Shifters were taking care of themselves long before you even knew we existed. Whatever threat is rising will pass." Sebastian steps closer and gently squeezes my shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you
The Shifter King Chapter 20: Different Life
Althea waves with a cheesy grin, her eyebrows raised at me. I rush forward and toss open the door. She steps inside and whistles. "D*mn, Hera, I was over here worrying about you. Needlessly, it seems!" "What are you doing here?" I ask. "And how did you get on my balcony?!" She shrugs, walking inside and taking in the room with wide eyes. She turns to Sebastian. "Sorry to interrupt," she says to him with a smile. He smirks. "And you are?" "My sister," I answer for her. "Althea, this is Prince Sebastian." She looks at me and mouths, 'Prince?'Sebastian chuckles before glancing at me. "I should go, it's getting late," he says. "Right–" I say, nodding. He looks back at Althea, takes her hand and kisses it. "Next time, you are more than welcome to come through the front door." Before we can say another word, he leaves. I turn toward my sister whose fanning herself dramatically."Looking like that is just not fair," she says. I laugh, the shock that she was actu
The Shifter King Chapter 21: Some Noble
"You could've told me that sooner!" I say. Althea shrugs. "I wanted to catch up first. You would've been eager to go after him." "I am eager to go after him. Where is he? When did he return?" "It's weird," she says. "I found him at a bar, banged up and downing beers faster than he could order them. Seemed a little off, so I followed him." I ignore the fact that she took it upon herself to follow him, and the fact that it could've been seriously dangerous. "He ended up at some cottage outside of town. Almost seemed like he was hiding out," she tells me. "F*ck," I mutter. "Where?" "Can take you first thing in the morning, sis," she smiles. "Fine," I relent. "But you follow my lead, Thea. No arguing." She nods. We lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "This place is pretty incredible, Her," she mutters. "Mmhm," I say quietly. A moment later, she falls asleep. A short while after, I follow. In the morning, we make our way to the dining hall. Ambrose looks
The Shifter King Chapter 22: Ambush
"It solidified one thing, right?" Althea offers. "We know it's a noble…has to be." "I already figured that," I tell her. "Although, a female's voice helps narrow it down. Not by much." She shrugs. "Sleep on it, sis. I'll help you figure this out." I shake my head, staring out the carriage window as we travel through town. "Do you miss the inn?" she asks suddenly, her eyes also on the town outside. "Sometimes. It always felt simpler. Meet Lucas, track my mark, get paid. I was good at it, too. There wasn't any mystery or questions keeping me up at night." "Sounds boring, though," she grins. I roll my eyes. "It was safe." "The king would keep you safe," she says quietly. I glance at her. "I don't need a king to keep me safe, Thea." "No, you need a king and a prince," she winks, laughing as I playfully kick her. "Do you love them?" "How can I love two people?" I ask. As soon as I say it, I realize I'm asking myself the question, too. How can I feel this way toward bot
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The Shifter King Chapter 50: A True Queen
Ambrose wakes me with a kiss, bringing me back to the reality of the day. It's coronation day. Time sped by so fast, the weeks seemed like a blur I can hardly remember. I spent most of my time planning—approving this or denying that so that everything was ready for today. I had a custom gown made with royal colors and jewels to match. I'm not used to it at all, but the tailor was patient as I procrastinated on getting it done. Ambrose chose my crown. He told me it's a surprise, so I haven't seen it yet. I roll over into his arms and he squeezes me tightly against him. "You ready?" he asks in my ear. "No," I mumble. It's true. I'm not. I'm so nervous, I'm scared I might pass out when I'm up there. Since he offered everything to me, it had time to sink in. I'm going to be a queen. Me! The same girl who was an assassin not that long ago. A girl who was struggling to put food on the table for her sister and herself. I can't believe it's happening, and I'm terrified they won't
The Shifter King Chapter 49: Take It
I rush to Althea's room, pounding on the door. "It's me! Everything is okay!" I shout. She throws open the door, crashing into me with her arms wide. I laugh, spinning her around and squeezing tightly. "Theo?" she asks when I release her. "Waiting for you, I'm sure," I tell her with a grin. She kisses me on the cheek before she takes off down the hall. I smile, happy to see my sister so joyful. I would give anything to keep her in this state. And maybe we could. I make my way back to the king. We shut the bedroom door behind us, and he helps me take my corset off. The armor saved my life more than once and it showed. There were a few holes in the hide that prevented a puncture to my chest. He carefully bandages my shoulder, taking his time with gentle movements. I'm so exhausted, I almost fall asleep as he does. When Ambrose is finally done, he carries me to the bed and lays beside me, wrapping his arms around me. We don't say a word. We don't need to. I know he's awa
The Shifter King Chapter 48: The Lone Wolf
"No!" I shriek. "Hush!" Elric hisses behind me, but my voice has done enough. The disruption causes Sebastian to pause, glancing at me. The momentary distraction is enough for Ambrose. He shoves him off with a sudden burst of energy. Sebastian falls back, his focus returning to the fight. Then, they're at it again. I'm not sure how much time passes watching them fight. There are a few moments where I think one of them will finally kill the other, but neither is able to get the upper hand. Their coats are turning red. Ambrose's white fur is stained crimson and I've lost track of how many wounds he has. After what seems like an eternity, the fight shifts. Ambrose can tell his brother is getting tired, so he toys with him. I watch as Sebastian's exhaustion becomes more and more evident. Finally, Ambrose lunges, landing on the prince and pinning him beneath him. Sebastian lets out a roar, attempting to get up. But he can't. He's too tired, his energy is spent. Ambrose sta
The Shifter King Chapter 47: To the Death
Before the prince can make a move, Ambrose takes a step forward. I watch as he lets out a growl so loud and deep, the room seems to vibrate. I almost lose my balance, leaning against the king to catch myself. The room stops. I observe as the fighting stops, all the shifters turning to the king and prince like they have no other choice but to listen. I'm not sure what happened, but I can guess Ambrose used his authority to make them stop. I don't know why. Ambrose shifts, human beside me once again. Sebastian pauses but shifts a second later. "There won't be much of a pack left if we continue fighting, brother," Ambrose says. "Let's finish this. You and me. Whoever wins takes the crown and will be the Alpha." Sebastian glances at his pack, considering. There are already a few dead bodies, I can't tell how many. If they keep at it, everyone will be dead or wounded. Even with Elric, they are evenly matched in strength. "To the death," the prince says. "No," I gasp. "Ambros
The Shifter King Chapter 46: She-Wolf
It happens in a flash. Ambrose is beside me and then he's shifted, lunging over the table toward his brother. Sebastian meets him in his own wolf form and there's a clash of fur and snarling. I yank the sword from under the table, shoving my chair back and out of the way. When I look back again, the whole hall has shifted. They're tearing at each other's throats, snapping and biting. A moment of pure fear shoots through me. I'm not equipped for this. I don't know who I was kidding. I don't have time to consider options as Elysia stalks toward me, still in her human form. "I've been waiting a long time for this, b*tch," she growls at me. "Why? Because the man you love was in love with me?" I snap back. I figured she was in love with one of the brothers, but she just confirmed which one. "I should've known you were working with him. You were the noble that gave the kill order to Lucas and then imprisoned him. But he was able to escape, and you murdered him, didn't you?"
The Shifter King Chapter 45: His Choice
The time for the banquet arrives. I'm nervous. Despite all my preparation and instinctive skill, I'm worried it's not enough. Althea helps me get ready. She braids my hair and then pins it up on my head. The dress I'm wearing was made specifically for tonight. The corseted top is part of the armor. It stretches up my chest and down my arms, fashionable yet strong. The skirt opens in the front, revealing the tight pants I'm wearing underneath. At my hip is my dagger along with two more knives at each ankle. The back of the skirt is laced with silver and I've hidden additional weapons in the fabric. When the time comes, I can detach the skirt entirely and leave it behind. I look at myself in the mirror. I feel surprisingly comfortable in this outfit like it was crafted to be worn only by me. And in a way, it was. It's an assassin's dress. Mine. I'd come to this palace on a job to assassinate the king. Now, I would work by his side to eliminate the threat of his brother. How? I
The Shifter King Chapter 44: The Past Returned
Friday arrives faster than I want it to. The banquet is tomorrow night and there's no way to know if Sebastian will come. As Alpha, Ambrose has a way of speaking to his pack without saying a word aloud. The message was sent a few times: The ball at the end of the week is to honor the prince and the true king.A deliberate antagonization that was sure to hit its mark. Although, there's no way to tell if Sebastian was listening and would come. We had to leave that to fate. I haven't forgotten my conversation with Elysia, but she's managed to disappear. When I ask Ambrose about her whereabouts, he frowns, unaware that she is missing. "It doesn't matter," he says, taking my hand. "Hera…I don't want you there tomorrow night." "What?" "It's too dangerous. If he shows, he'll be bringing those that back him, too. There's sure to be a fight. I can't protect you while I'm fighting my brother." I glare at him. "I won't need it, Ambrose. I've taken everything into account by hidin
The Shifter King Chapter 43: Bait and Hook
It's been a week. The shifters can't find him. Every time they get close to where they think the prince may be, he vanishes. I have the theory that he's leaving false clues and we actually don't know at all where he is. Ambrose is starting to believe the same. We spend our time waiting for news. The king reinforces security, paranoid about my safety despite my protest. Even Althea becomes impatient as she waits for Theo to return with news. "This isn't working," I tell him. It's evening as I sit across the table from him. Our dinner has grown cold as neither of us has an appetite. "We need to lure him out." "I'm not sure how you think we will manage that," he responds.I consider that for a moment. If I was determined to kill my mark but they were in hiding, I'd research what could convince them to come out. Usually, it's an event or I would make someone they love appear to be in danger. Neither of those really apply here. Sebastian wouldn't reappear for his brother unless
The Shifter King Chapter 42: Understanding
I lift the dagger and swipe as he strikes out at me. The tip catches his skin and he recoils, hissing in pain. But it isn't enough to deter him. He moves in a flash, coming toward me with his teeth bared. I let my instincts take over, dodging him and slicing at him again. This time, my dagger meets the skin along his arm, blood beading to the surface. The silver does its job, making him pause for a moment."Hera," he growls. He takes a step back staring at me with fury. "I don't want to hurt you."I know he could, too. The silver will cut and hurt him, but he's faster and stronger than me. He could easily kill me and the look on his face is telling me he wouldn't think twice about it. Anything we may have had isn't taking precedence over his mission. "Then don't," I respond. I won't win a physical fight but maybe I can talk him down. "Come with me. We'll go to the king and he will decide your punishment. Ask for forgiveness, Sebastian. Please." Sebastian scoffs at me. "He'll
