Chapter 7

That night the Kingdom of Burghard welcomed their new queen with a banquet in the large dining hall. Nora hadn’t given much thought to being called by the title of Queen, which was silly. She was married to the King. To his people, she was Queen Nora. What else would she be called?

She supposed she had thought of Kellan’s mother, Rhona, as Queen. Kellan’s father, Callum, had passed away decades ago after contracting sleeping sickness. Quite a few wolves around the kingdom had fallen ill with the disease. It had been difficult to stop the spread.

Nora had questions on the subject, though, not because she was nosy. It was because she wanted to know Kellan. But she did not want to dampen the evening’s festivities, or Kellan’s mood, so she shelved her questions for a later date.

Every wolf Nora met was polite, some more friendly than others, but always mannerly and respectful. She appreciated their efforts.

Rhona was especially happy to welcome her son’s mate to Burghard. She apologized to Nora for not attending the binding ceremony, but with things as they were in Imperium, Kellan had asked his mother to remain in the castle while he was gone.

Rhona could see how much Kellan adored his new mate and was elated he had found a true match. She and Kellan’s father had also been true mates.

His death nearly killed her because their life forces were joined. She fought to stay alive for the sake of her son who did not think himself worthy of replacing his father on the throne.

Nora had heard Rhona, whose hair was bright red and didn’t look a day over thirty, was over 300 years old. But she did not think it would be polite to ask during the banquet. She added it to the long list of questions she was building in her mind.

Sitting to the right of Nora, Rhona enjoyed listening to her tales of Gwydion and the way she told stories with humor and candor. Rhona could tell her new daughter-in-law was tough. She would need to be if she was to rule the wolves alongside Kellan. Nora also appeared humble and insisted that Rhona address her as Nora.

Kellan loved how each person that greeted Nora formally had been corrected by his wife and asked to use her familiar name. She sometimes cringed slightly when her name was preceded with ‘Queen.’

Kellan was rarely addressed formally in the castle. It was usually only in town or with people he wasn’t close to that would call him by his title instead of his name. He appreciated his wife felt the same way about such formalities. His wolves seemed to appreciate it as well.

They were currently sitting on a long, elevated platform, able to see the crowd who had joined them tonight. Nora invited Kellan’s mother and Foley to sit with them on the platform, which only took Foley by surprise. Rhona seemed to have taken it in stride, able to already see how gracious the new queen would be.

Nora was afraid it appeared as if they were looking down at their guests, but Kellan told her it was because the people would be curious and want to see her. He decided not to tell her they would also be curious about how a wolf would interact with an elemental mate and how she would react to him.

Elementals didn’t have mates. Their customs dictated a period of time where two people would get to know one another and then make the decision of compatibility.

Wolves who found their true mates knew immediately. They welcomed it and were grateful.

Nora may have felt like she had no choice in the matter. Kellan’s stomach dropped. He knew Nora was his, there was no question. But did Nora think of Kellan as hers? If she did not, he would make it so.

He looked at her profile as her stare shifted around the room, taking in the laughter and merriment. Her eyes twinkled in the firelight. Nora seemed to have changed slightly after spending time in the greenhouse earlier. And her scents had altered slightly. They were richer, fuller.

His thoughts drifted back to earlier in the day.

After they had shared lunch, Kellan met with the Council. There were some things needing his immediate attention. Later, he would confide in his wife. She was the daughter of a king and would be a good ear for him. But he did not want to worry her before the banquet.

Nora returned to the greenhouse and shut herself inside while Kellan was in the meeting room. When he returned to fetch her, she had just emerged.

Her clothing had been filthy, as had the skin on her hands and chest. It reminded him of how she looked the first time they met. Kellan laughed because he had never imagined she would be in there gardening.

Nora had seemed a bit self-conscious, but smiled when he rubbed a smudge of soil from her face and showed it to her. When he asked what she had been doing, she haughtily placed her hands on her hips and replied, “What do you think I’ve been doing in there?”

“Hopefully not ruining all of my hard work,” he had said.

Nora eyed him. “Your hard work?”

“Who do you think has been tending that greenhouse, Mate? No one has been allowed in there but me. And now it is only for you, unless you invite me inside.”

Instead of responding, she hugged him around his midsection. When she regained her composure, and stood up straight, she saw she had gotten dirt on his shirt and started wiping at it. Being that her hands were dirty, all she achieved was adding more dark streaks to the material.

Kellan smirked at his adorable wife.

“It’s nothing, Nora. In fact, it’s an excellent reason to go back to our chambers and bathe.” With that, he picked her up and carried her off.

He wished they had had more time alone after bathing, but they had needed to greet their guests as they arrived. When he washed her, Kellan noticed the bruising from the ride was almost completely gone.

He assumed it was confirmation elementals healed quickly, but forgot to ask her. He had been too distracted by Nora’s nakedness in the bath.

A noise in the banquet hall broke his daydream. Kellan shifted in his seat. Thinking about bathing his wife earlier affected him greatly. He was gratified she allowed it without complaint. Perhaps she was warming to him already.

“You’re staring,” she said, without looking at him.

“How can you tell?”

“I can feel it.” Nora twisted in her seat, facing him. “Every time you look at me, I feel it.”

Kellan reached for her hand and held it tight. Nora turned back to the crowd. She wondered how many of the wolves were disappointed with whom the universe had given to their king. And how many females were unhappy that it wasn’t one of them.

A few of the maidens, who were walking the aisles and filling pitchers, continuously looked up at the platform. It wasn’t curiosity over Nora’s arrival that had them looking. No, these maidens only had eyes for Kellan.

Nora found it unsettling how the females would so obviously stare at her husband when he wasn’t looking. He was a striking specimen, but he was also no longer available.

One of them waited until Kellan returned her stare to look away. Then she unabashedly flashed her light blue eyes at Nora for a second before turning back to her task.

The female was striking. Tall and lean, the opposite of Nora. Her long dark hair swung angrily around her tanned shoulders each time her consideration shifted from Kellan to Nora, then back to filling the drinks.

Nora had suspicions about this she-wolf.

“What is her name?” Nora asked her husband.

“Who?”

Nora slowly swiveled her head to the left, in Kellan’s direction. He knew very well what information Nora was seeking and he pointedly wanted to avoid the subject. His Nora was more observant than he realized. They stared at each other before Nora spoke again.

“You know very well of whom I am inquiring, Husband.”

Nora did her best to keep her face neutral, not that it mattered. Kellan could pick up her emotions without seeing or hearing her. He didn’t respond and, for a second, Nora thought he wouldn’t.

“Isla,” he sighed.

Nora nodded her head a few times, repeating the name inside her mind. Kellan leaned towards her, trying to scent her, when Nora pinched the skin on his hand.

“No. Do not scent me in this room, in front of all these wolves. Please.”

“But you are distressed over nothing. I need to know what you are feeling.”

Nora turned to observe Isla, who was hovering near. Wolves could hear from quite a distance, so she didn’t bother raising her voice.

“Then you can scent me in our marriage bed.”

Kellan laughed, though he was sure his wife hadn’t meant it to be funny. It was a warning. She was reminding Isla that Nora was the one married to the king. She was marking her territory. It was the way of the wolf and Kellan was stirred by his mate’s territorial reaction.

Once Isla was on the far side of the loud hall, Nora felt like she could breathe again. She did not like feeling jealous. She also loathed the idea Kellan had chosen to bed Isla at some point in his life, and Isla had wanted him in return. Who else in the room had been welcomed to his bed?

Nora was more like an obligation, an incubator in which to store the future King of Burghard. His gestures had been kind and thoughtful, but was he courting her or making things easier for himself?

Did Kellan even like her? Think her pretty? He laughed at her jests and said comforting words. But did he mean them? Just once, she wanted to smell his emotions.

“How long has it been?”

“Nora—”

“How long?”

“Years. Six? Seven, possibly? It wasn’t important enough to mark the passage time. I haven’t touched anyone since the day I found you. Not since I first saw you 2,007 days ago—and yes, I counted.”

Nora’s spine straightened. She had not expected this. It went against what she knew of wolves and their sexual proclivities. She was beginning to think she knew nothing of the Burghards.

One of those small thrills zapped her heart. Not only had he counted every day away from her, he’d abstained from fulfilling his physical needs.

“You went five and half years without …” she waved her hand, unable to say the word.

Rhona snickered, and Nora jumped, having forgotten her mother-in-law was seated close by.

“Oh, dear girl. My son has so much to teach you about wolves. Let this be your first lesson. We hear everything. You have no privacy in this room with that conversation.”

Rhona sternly looked across Nora at her son. “You’d best have the tough conversations sooner rather than later. Nora deserves to be on equal footing and not put into situations she doesn’t understand. Especially not with your former dalliances.”

Kellan’s face fell. He may be King, but he was still his mother’s son. She knew exactly how to set him straight. He had a feeling Nora shared this quality with her.

“Yes, Mother, you are right. Nora, we will talk more tonight. I promise to explain things to you. Is that acceptable?”

Nora nodded, thankful for how easily Rhona handled Kellan. Nora didn’t want to talk or think about anyone he had been with before her. She knew she had much to learn, but she never envisioned his sexual past would be on her list of things she needed to know. But Nora couldn’t help herself. Her jealousy demanded the information.

She resented that Rhona was right. Nora would not want to end up in a situation where she was uninformed or deemed ignorant.

She despised Isla’s knowing looks. Nora was half tempted to remove the female’s eyeballs from her skull. It was better she be prepared than not for future encounters. Removing eyeballs was not a queenly thing to do.

Kellan was lifetimes older than Nora and had become a skilled lover. That would have taken practice and experience. Of course, he would have been with others. Maybe she should thank Isla for his training?

The idea didn’t make the jealousy disappear, but it did make her smile at how ill-mannered it would be to say aloud. Evelyn would be proud.

Kellan relaxed, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek then brushed his lips across it.

Nora did her best to return his grin. This wasn’t the time or place for serious dialogue. When she turned to face front again, a body was blocking her view.

“Isla,” Kellan warned.

“Good evening, Kellan,” Isla tilted her head in greeting. “The Queen is out of drink. I came to fill it.”

“Very well. Be quick about it,” he snapped.

Isla swiftly refilled Nora’s cup. Nora thanked her, and prayed Isla wasn’t catching hints of whatever emotions were coming off Nora’s skin. Kellan, needing to touch and comfort, put his hand on Nora’s knee to stop its bounce.

It wasn’t lost on him that Nora did not tell Isla to address her in the familiar. He hid his pleasure at her jealousy as best he could by taking a large gulp of mead, thinking he might be in for a long night, and looking forward to it.