(LOCKE)
"No more," Corrine gasps out from under me, her hair fanned out around her head, her naked body littered with bite marks. She's covered in sweat, her legs wrapped around my waist as I fuck her in long, deep strokes. "I—I have to...."
The room is dark, the flickering flames from the fire the only source of light. Her clothes are scattered on the rug next to the fireplace. We had sex there first.
"You can sleep later," I grunt, and she throws her head back after a particularly punishing thrust. "And you don't have to wake up early tomorrow. Sleep in if you want. You're the fucking queen."
"Oh!" she moans as I ravage her breasts with my mouth. "I—I can't. Locke—"
I seize her mouth in a hungry kiss. "I like it better when you scream my name."
My chest is covered with her claw marks. So is my back. I watch her expression twist as she cums, and when she tightens around me, I allow myself to release inside her.
When I cage her between my arms again, she gives me an exhausted look. "Enough. You've barely let me sleep this whole week. Go away."
She was never this mouthy to me before, but intimacy has altered our relationship significantly. She knows that unless she shows me her teeth, I won't back off.
I lean forward, and she snaps, "Stop. Or I'll go sleep in my room!"
Sighing and admitting my defeat, I gather her in my arms. "This is your room. And when I come back next month, you'd better be sleeping here."
I pull the sheets up around us, and she snuggles against my chest.
"A month? That's a long time."
"It is. But the danger of the monsters is increasing, and we have to make sure they don't start attacking the villages nearby."
"Is it safe?" She's not looking at me, and I can feel her body tremble.
I kiss the top of her head, amused. "Are you worried about me?"
"I just want you to come back in one piece."
"This isn't the first time I'm going to fight on the border. "I feel the need to reassure the woman in my arms. "And there will be plenty of soldiers with me."
She doesn't respond at first, but I sense the tension within her small frame.
Finally, she whispers, "This is the first time you'll be away from me. I feel safer when you're around."
I look down at her, my heart tightening with a strange emotion. "This castle is your home. You'll be safe here, whether I'm around or not."
"It's not the same," she says quietly, burrowing into me.
I've always detested weakness, but my mate's reluctance to be apart from me and her dependence on me feel oddly satisfying.
"A month will pass without you even noticing it. Besides, you have plenty of things to busy yourself with. But you're not to leave the castle until I return. Not even to visit the nearby villages. And Rothan will be here with you. Both Rothan and Sigrid."
"Are you really going to leave Bella as your delegate?" she asks after a stretch of silence.
"If you don't want her in that role, I can reverse the decision." Since when have I been so desperate to please the small woman in my arms?
She shakes her head. "I trust your choice. I'm just being paranoid."
I play with her hair, and as her breathing begins to deepen, I wonder how I'm going to last a month without her. I have become so used to her existence, and ever since we consummated our relationship, it has grown by leaps and bounds.
I'll have to make sure to tell Rothan and Sigrid that one of them has to stay with Corrine at all times, even if that means Sigrid has to sleep in the same room as her. I don't want my mate alone. I'm sure she'll be safe here, but…
I glance toward the fire. Maybe I should increase the number of guards.
As I follow her into sleep, I tighten my hold around Corrine.
Just one month. It's not that big of a deal.
The day of my departure arrives. If it weren't for Derrick's urgent letter, I wouldn't be going. But one of my duties is to protect the Veil. It's a responsibility that I've always honored happily, but now, for the first time, it feels like a burden. And before I leave this afternoon, there are some things I must do.
Bella enters my office in response to my summons. She closes the door behind her before saying, "I thought you were heading out this morning."
"I've been delayed." I get to my feet. "Before I go, I want to remind you of Corrine's importance. Nothing should happen to her, Bella. Without her, we cannot investigate the rebels in the Eastern Kingdom. As long as the
royal family there believes we have Princess Ravenna, we have control over them."
She rolls her eyes. "I understand, Locke. Why do we have to have the same conversation again and again?"
"Because you're a hothead, and you're petty," I snap. "I don't want anything happening to her. She's an important tool. We need her as Princess Ravenna."
"Fine. I get it. Can I go now?"
I gesture toward the door with my hand, and when she opens it, Corrine is standing on the other side, her face pale.
I feel a sense of unease for some reason. Did she overhear our conversation?
She gives me a trembling smile and steps aside for Bella to pass by.
Bella nods at her, but I can sense her irritation.
"I wanted to give you this," Corrine says, holding a small box in front of her. She doesn't meet my gaze, and I wonder if she's unhappy over what she may have just heard.
"What is it?"
"Something to eat on the way."
Her voice is almost listless. I round my desk and walk over to her, taking her in my arms. My kiss is heated, and she responds as she always does, matching my desire. I could take her right here on this table.
"Make sure you listen to Healer Pat," I order her once I pull away. "And eat properly. Don't skip your meals, and don't overwork yourself."
She nods. "Okay."
"I'll be back before you know it." "Okay."
She's still not looking at me. I lift her head by her chin. "Corrine?"
"We're going to miss the full moon," she says, a shaky smile on her lips. Her eyes are glistening with tears. "I guess it worked out for the best."
I frown. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing," she almost whispers, handing me the box she brought with her. "I know it's silly, but I was just thinking about whether you would have something nice to eat during your trip. I asked one of the chefs to make some of those meat biscuits you like."
"Thanks."
"I should go." Without another word, she hurries out of the room, leaving me staring after her.
I look at the small box. Carrying it in my wolf form will be a hassle. Maybe I should just leave it here. I set it down on the desk, and after gathering my things, I begin to walk out. Pausing in the doorway, I glance at the box again before sighing and retrieving it.
As I leave the castle, I see Corrine standing on the balcony of her room, looking down at me. She meets my gaze, and for a moment, I think I see tears in her eyes.
"Look after her, Sigrid," I say quietly to the head maid, who is standing by me. "Not even a scratch should be on her when I return."
Sigrid nods, a soft smile on her lips. "Your mate will be fine. Go. Safe travels."
With one last look at the woman standing alone on her balcony, I transform. As I start to run, my wolf lets out a mournful howl.