Chapter 13

-Kit-

Fawn, Fern, my dad and I are sitting in mine and Trynnian’s room, playing with my kitten once again. My husband deliberately left us alone, so we can catch up.

“Kit, Trynnian mentioned some...political unrest within the castle,” my father begins, and I nod, thinking over the clear split in the royal family here. “He wants us to take you home with us, for your safety.”

I snap my head up. Trynnian hadn’t said anything about that to me. “Really? He didn’t tell me,” I say quietly. My dad nods, patting my shoulder. “We want to bring you home, but we can’t right now.”

My heart stings a bit, but I nod, staring at the floor. “Give us a month, and we could. It’s just, at this very instant, things are complicated and sneaking you out of the castle would guarantee another war.”

“It’s fine. I understand,” I say, but we can all hear the disappointment in my tone. “I’m sorry, son. Obviously your safety means everything to me, but we lost too many wolves in the war. We need time to heal, and so do you. So, for now, you’ll stay here. BUT, I promise, we’ll come get you.”

I feel my mood lift a little, and I hug my father once more. They’ll be leaving in the morning, and although I’m sad to not go with them, I can survive for a month here.

Besides, then I get more time with Trynnian.

Not that that matters, I’ll be leaving him eventually anyway. That thought stings too. Frowning, I stroke down the length of the kitten’s back, smiling as she latches her teeth onto my hand, biting me with her tiny little teeth. It’s adorable.

It gets late, and although Trynnian offered to stay in a different room so I could curl up with my family, I refuse. If we huddle together tonight, it’ll be harder to let them go tomorrow. Instead, I curl up next to Trynnian.

Now that my back has healed a lot, I can sleep as the little spoon. Trynnian presses up against my back, his arm slung over my waist as he rests his chin on top of my head. I have to bend my legs so they don’t peek out the other end of the bed, but it’s worth it.

Trynnian’s breath on my neck is relaxing, his presence and heat is comforting, his words are healing. Trynnian thinks I’ll heal faster at home, which may be true, but I’m healing quite well with him too.

—————

Morning arrives, and with it, my family leaves. The king doesn’t even show his face, and Cordiana is visibly irritated. She exchanged hushed words with my alpha, before I get three more crushing embraces from the wolves.

We all cry again, but at least this time they leave halfway through, and my tears slowly dry afterwards. Trynnian takes the day off from his duties so that he can be by my side, which I am very grateful for - he is very good at comforting me.

When evening falls once again, I try and eat more than the day before, and Trynnian visibly beams at me. I have to get strong, so I can protect him. The pack. So I can protect the pack. I’ll be leaving him anyway, so it’s not like I’ll be much use to him.

Pushing a fake smile onto my face as we snuggle to sleep, Trynnian notices it instantly. He rolls me over, so that I’m facing him. “What’s wrong?” He asks gently, letting his thumb trace my jaw line until his thumb finds my lips, letting it linger on my lower lip.

I sigh, taking his hand from my face, only to lean in to kiss him lightly. He smiles, before lacing his fingers into my hair. “You’ll be back with them soon,” he whispers into my mouth. I shake my head, pulling back a little so I can see his eyes.

Pressing a small kiss to the freckle beneath his left eye, I cup his cheek. “I miss them, but I’ll miss you too when I have to leave.” Surprise shudders through Trynnian’s eyes, before his expression lands on sadness.

“I’m flattered, but you won’t miss me.”

I frown. “Yes I will.” What’s he even saying?

Trynnian shakes his head, tracing the scar on my cheek. “You’ve known me for like a week and a half. And I know we’re getting to know each other or whatever, but Kit- I’m the first person who’s not actively tortured you in five years. It’s natural that you’d become attached to me.”

I stare at him - he thinks my feelings for him aren’t real? I can see how he came to that conclusion, and it has me wondering what if he’s right? What if I only feel this way because I haven’t known anyone else who treats me like this?

He plays with a strand of my hair, smiling sadly. “You’ll find someone else, a werewolf like you. I know we’re technically married but I doubt any wolf will care about a human ceremony. You’ll find someone you can truly love, and you’ll heal, and be happy. And knowing that makes me happy,” he says quietly.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “You want me to be with someone else?”

Trynnian nods slowly, and I see a tear race down from his eye. “Yes. For your own happiness. I can’t give you that, not while Karlisle hates werewolves as much as it does, not while the king is on the throne, and not while the second prince is looking to stab anyone in the back. You could never be happy here.”

I shake my head, now adamant in conveying my thoughts to Trynnian. “I won’t forget you. I won’t...I won’t wait for you per say - if I realise I do love a wolf, it will be that way. But,” I explain, pecking him on the lips quickly.

“If I realise my heart is with you, then I will never forget you, and I will wait as long as it takes.”