His beloved witch

Chapter 35: Present

-Andre-

"Dog!" I barked at the Lycan, who still stands strong. I f*****g hate him!

He should be on his knees, bleeding, wounded, with his bones broken after daily beat-ups by my guards since the day I found out what he did, but the current regulation does not allow it.

I want to torture him… if I could at least chain him in silver to the wall of his cell, I would be happier… but something tells me Blanche will not like such archaic practice. Even if it is not exactly forbidden by law.

The prison for regular criminals is far from the palace. However, Leon, as he is known among the Lycan militia, kept me from finding my mate. He is not a common felon; he is a traitor. Therefore, I have accommodated him in a special dungeon under the palace. Stefan’s idea of an underground facility was a suggestion from my father.

“Your Majesty, I did not know.” He did not look at my eyes. “I thought...”

Leonard must have felt the fury that burns under my cold demeanor. He took two steps back inside of his cell. Good. Because I still want to crush his skull against the walls, pull his brains out, break his body in two, and walk over his blood once it is over.

"I do not care what you thought. What you did is the problem. You lied to me; you fooled your King!" I was shaking at the end of my statement. The beast wants him to pay.

Whenever I think of him with Blanche... f**k, I would have tainted my soul by murdering this Lycan if, in a twist of destiny, Blanche had been with him. There is darkness in every soul, and I found which is mine now, but I am not a pup, and I am not just any Lycan.

Control yourself, Andre, I chanted to myself. Blanche is with me, in the light…

I will go back to a soft bed warmed by her, and he will stay here... She will not even give a thought to him. Leonard Walls is no one… he means nothing to her now.

“If I had known who she was for you, Your Highness… I would have never...” Is real his regret? Did he not understand my order? Even so... does it give him the right to deceive me? “But I accept the consequences of my actions. I will pay for my crimes as you deem appropriate." Leonard showed me his neck in submission.

I smirked darkly at his offering. I wanted to increase the power of my aura… I want to see him on his knees. But even if I would find pleasure in his humiliation, I need his help.

               “I will mind linking you from now on, dog.” My anger is noticeable in my link. He did not move, but I would not risk it. “Do not raise your eyes!”

During interrogations, Leonard informed me he was not aligned with any ally or enemy. He failed me because he wanted to. He coveted my witch.

I do not trust to speak openly about

what I came to say. I trust only a few… very few. That is why not everyone knows which part is playing before the time comes. I am prepared because I can sense where the following attack would come if given the chance.

My father should keep the secret about Blanche to himself, or even his daughters will be in danger. Yet, I do not trust him because if he speaks with Cara… Hmph...

Although, there are other loose ends.

               “Yes, Your Highness.”

               “My enemies will come to you. They want to get me thru Blanche.”

“You should kill me, then… I should not go to trial!”

I like his mind. He understands what I mean and the threat he represents for my Queen.

“I cannot stop what I started.”

What kind of King would I be if I did not submit to the laws I have passed? He must be judged for treason.

“Your Highness, would you expose Blanche to…?”

How does dare to say her name like that?

               “She is mine!” I roared at him close to the bars of his cell. The silver almost burning my skin… My canines emerged, and I felt my nails shifting into sharp claws. I am at the edge of transformation… The beast is asking me to tear him apart for his disrespect. “My Queen! My Blanche!”

Leonard nodded and raised his hands in surrender. He and his Lycan are in pain… I am a male; I can see it… but he better understand it! Blanche is mine. Only mine.

“I am sorry.” He took a deep breath and kneeled before me, keeping his distance.

I calmed myself. I need to do this right.

“I will tell you what I need from you, and you will decide if you are on my side or the side of the traitors.” Again, he nodded. “There is a way to save yourself.”

I hate to offer him a way out, but it is necessary.

“However, none of this will matter if you ever think of Blanche as female. She is the Queen of Lycans, my mate, my female... And I will kill you if you dare to breathe in her direction. Are we clear?”

Leonard heard me and nodded. His life is in his own hands now. This time, if he is lying to me, he is dead…

I found Adela at the foot of the stairs.

“Where did you go, your Highness? You did not summon me to help you.”

She can tell by my smell where I was.

I have not visited this dungeon for a while and Adela knows. Blanche and I were busy and now the boutique sent their best tailors and modistes to our palace plus her friends… it is chaotic. She even ordered expensive jewelry for her six ladies to attend the event, looking at their best. Even though her plan is in motion, I am worried.

“I saw you were busy with Francisco.” I half smiled, expecting her to blush or something.

Francisco stayed to help us, testing our security measures everywhere and even training practices. Adela is worse than me regarding trust and has followed him around whenever she can.

The warlock found Adela’s act amusing at first, but now he looks annoyed. I find it unsettling that they don't get along, while Blanche thinks it is just foreplay for them. Seriously, I just do not see that happening.

“I was just discussing his methods, your Highness. It was not even that important.”

Adela contained her irritation at the mention of the warlock. Blanche is wrong about this.

Francisco trained in a mock fight of one-to-one with Tom, the head of security for Blanche, and he proved warlocks like him are almost as strong as Lycans, just slower. Yet he compensated such a flaw with cleverness, precise hits while the overconfidence of the trained Lycan did the rest. He did not win but did not lose, either.

I said goodnight, called off her duties, and headed up to the room I share with Blanche.

My witch was already in bed, in a full-length pastel pink silk nightdress, cuddling Mina on our bed as if the cat were a baby. My heart skipped a beat at that sight, not only on the revealing cleavage but the tenderness in her. It was a sweet, heartwarming view.

I have marveled at my good fortune for the precious gift that Moon Goddess granted me with Blanche. But suddenly, I felt an unknown longing for the chance to have a child with my witch. Because looking at her like that, I realize I have never wanted a child, but I would want one with her… Only her.

“Where were you?” She asked me lazily while extending a hand. I approached her on our bed. She did not want to move the sleepy kitty

, and I gladly took her small hand in mine and gave her a light kiss on her lips as a greeting.

My mate does not have the senses of Lycans and cannot tell where I was or with who, but I felt dirty after being in the dungeons. I did not want to touch her before taking a shower.

"On royal duties… This is a twenty-four-hour, seven days a week job, my love." I joked and scurried to the bathroom.

Blanche expected more kisses, so she sensed something was off in me. I never deny her a kiss. Never...

I found the bathtub filled with water and rose petals. Blanche had prepared a warm bath for me.

“It is cold outside. I thought you would like something like this to warm up instead of a cold shower.”

She had left Mina in her small bed for cats, and standing at the frame of the door allowed me to see her figure back-lit. She is perfect, and my mouth waters.

"I know what I would like to warm up, but we cannot do that, can we?" I smiled at her suggestively, taking off my clothes to enjoy her gift, making sure she could enjoy the full view of what belonged to her… me.

Something I love about Blanche is that she does not blush easily. And I know when I am going too far to pull back my horses by the look on her face.

She arched an eyebrow at me and grabbed a small bottle from the cabinet as I sat in the bathtub.

“Naughty King.” Blanche giggled. “I have essences to relax you.” She kneeled, being careful with the nightdress. Wild fantasies appeared on my head at this new view, tensing my body.

"What makes you think I need to relax, female?" I said, laying back on the tub. She added the content from the bottle, and bubbles filled my tub.

"You mumble some things in your sleep." She explained. Her amber eyes focused on my face while the bubbles hid the rest.

Oh…

“Really? Because I have the best sleep next to you.”

“You are worried. I can tell that much from your behavior.”

I am...

Something can go wrong… My allies can betray me or deem my actions as over the line and turn their backs on me. Yet, desperate times require desperate measures; I need Blanche to be safe.

“You can share the burden with me. Tell me, I can help.”

Blanche is my mate, my equal.

“I have the acute sense that something can wrong... Terribly wrong.”

She smiled at me.

"I feel it, too." She grabbed the sponged and scrubbed my arms. It was an amazing sensation. Blanche is caring. "There are so many variables that… I guess it is normal to be afraid. We can only trust in each other, do our job, and wait for the best."

"My motto is to expect the best but be prepared for the worst."

I would like to trust her and tell her what I did… what I have as a backup plan. But right now, I want to enjoy her presence and her touch on my skin.

 “It is a good motto, but…”

“You have too many buts…” I laughed.

"I know, right?" She tittered, slightly distracted, still scrubbing my body. "But... if we spent too much time worrying, we would not enjoy the present, and the present is a gift itself."

“You are absolutely right, my Queen.”

I have noticed how Blanche's eyes shine whenever she is told she is right. There is an inner satisfaction in her when that happens.

               “What can we do to enjoy more our present?” I asked her, tempted to pull her inside the bathtub with me.

Blanche narrowed her eyes at me, guessing my thoughts.

“Do not even think about it, Andre! There is a baby in our room. I do not want to traumatize her.”

"We can be quiet…," I offered, although I knew we both make too much noise even when we do not consummate the deal. "We can close the door," I whispered in her ear. "You are worried about your pussy...cat, but you are here with me... I am naked.” I nibbled her ear and grabbed a boob, wetting her nightdress.

Blanche giggled and pulled away from me. Come on Blanche! I have long arms! I decided not to tell her.

"Stay put, King." She warned me, tittering. "I have just tried to do something nice for you, considering all the small things you do for me. I did not have ulterior motives, and I will not close that door! My pussycat is sleeping!”

“What little things?” I wanted to know.

I have given her expensive clothes, jewelry, shoes, purses, flowers, and none of that moved her heart towards me... even less earned me a bath from Blanche with her salts. What could I possibly do for this present?

"A jar with water on my nightstand because I noticed I get thirsty in the middle of the night…" she said without looking at me. "You lower the bath seat for me every time... you never forget it." Blanche grinned. "And you… you remember how I like my coffee every morning… There are more details; little things you do, and I appreciate them. I am stunned at how much you have learned about me and my habits.”

Because I love you, I wanted to say… But Blanche is not ready for my confession.

“I am crazy about you.” It is close enough, and it earned me her smile and a kiss.

After I finished my bath, I focused on the present… my present with Blanche.