Page 55 of Wolf Duke

The brown-haired healer glared at him. “Please do not risk your life and health with silver poisoning again, my king.”

“I swear,” he replied solemnly. “I’m feeling surprisingly well, considering.”

Her lips twitched. “As well as a generous dosing of enchanted water, I blended a marshmallow ointment for the wound sites, put apple cider vinegar compresses on your feet, and dripped dandelion tea down your throat. You’re going to need all your strength for the coming week.”

Alaric blushed. “Goddess, everyone really does know.”

“Aye. The news spread faster than wildfire. How could it not? Your true fated mate going into her breeding heat offers the chance of heirs to the Western throne!”

“And, ah, what is best for the queen?” he asked hesitantly.

The healer nodded approvingly. “A cool bath tonight. Plenty of food and drink. And I mean plenty. Like you’re feeding an entire castle. You’ll both be ravenous. Oh, and my king, you might be unaware, but if the queen conceives, she will change to wolf form shortly afterward and remain that way until after she delivers. That is how you know.”

Grateful beyond measure for the plain-spoken information, Alaric nodded. “Thank you again. See Mistress Blanche, she’ll pay in gold for your services.”

“Much obliged, my king,” said the healer, bobbing a curtsy then departing.

Soon after, Evaine appeared in the doorway, tearing into a juicy slab of rare beef. “So, I’m a little confused why every wolf in the area is offering me food, but I like it. What did the healer say?”

Goddess. Whether in human or wolf form, his mate truly was the most beautiful creature on this earth.

Alaric smiled as he stood. “She didn’t exactly say ‘you haven’t the sense of a turnip, Alaric’ but the sentiment was there.”

Evaine hesitated. “About that…”

“No, my queen. You were entirely correct. I put myself and others in danger, and if it weren’t for you and Wesley, I would have perished. I am indeed fortunate that my mate would rip out a throat for me. Perhaps you love me a little?” he finished hopefully, because he loved her so completely.

“A little?” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “I love you more than the moon and the stars and the sun. You fill my thoughts during the day and my dreams at night. I cannot imagine a world without my king. And you are my king. Mine. I will sleep and rut with you, dine and hunt with you, embrace your friends and shred your enemies. But most of all, I’ll love and cherish you. Forever.”

“Then Leto has blessed us both,” he replied, marching over to take her into his arms. “You are everything to me, Evie.”

She sighed happily and cuddled against him, then took another bite of meat. “I am rather relieved you wanted an embrace and not my beef. That would have ended badly for you.”

Alaric laughed. “Now, my beloved. About tomorrow…”

Epilogue

There were truly no words to describe the sheer incessant need that came with a royal she-wolf’s breeding heat.

Evaine moved restlessly on the bed, whimpering a little as the inferno within her began to rise again. Nothing could ease her except a screaming release. Although she gained a short respite each time Alaric used his tongue or fingers, the only time her blood cooled long enough to rest was after her mate’s cock had locked inside her, flooding her cunt with seed.

They’d not left this bedchamber in days. While all their subjects had been ordered to stay at least fifty feet away from Wolf’s Gate Tower to lessen the impact of her heat on them, Blanche had recruited a huge number of local wolves to act as temporary servants. They took turns bringing fresh food and wine, bathing water, messages, and linen, and left them outside the chamber door. It seemed the Cestrians were thrilled that such an important and special event had occurred in their town, and they all wanted to say that they’d served.

Evaine tried not to ponder the fact that every wolf in the Western Lands knew she was in her heat and that she and Alaric were rutting like wild beasts—it would be far too embarrassing. This was simply a sacrifice that came with being royal: certain aspects of your life would never be private, and a breeding heat which might result in a prince for the Western throne was one of them.

“Alaric,” she whispered. “I’m too hot.”

“One moment, sweetheart. I’ll get some fresh cool water,” said her mate, as he climbed off the bed and ambled over to the door.

Evaine licked her lips at the delectable sight. His perfect arse already carried several bite marks of appreciation, and his back was covered in scratches. There were, however, a few unblemished inches. She certainly needed to add to her canvas. “Hurry, my mate.”

Alaric glanced over his shoulder and winked. When he opened the chamber door to collect the fresh supplies: a bucket of herbed water, jug of wine, and a tray of sliced meats and honey cakes, he deliberately bent right over.

Oh, her king wished to tease? Evaine’s mouth watered, the inner flame rising higher and higher, and she growled. Then she sprang from the bed and walked to the coolest corner of the chamber, the one where they ate and bathed. It was far too warm for her in front of the fire.

“Sponge me,” Evaine purred, running her hands over her breasts and tweaking her nipples.

Alaric’s eyes glittered as he approached. First, he set down the food and wine, then he continued toward her with the herbed water. At the first touch of the deliciously cold liquid to her overheated skin, Evaine sighed in pleasure. But as he ran the sponge over her flesh, there were certain areas such as her back and legs that he gently scrubbed, whereas he offered no more than the briefest touch to her swollen nipples and aching center. Wicked wolf.