Page 13 of The Wolf King

“Leave now.” My voice is shaking. “And Lord Sebastian will let you live.”

“Your lord is a bit busy right now,” says Magnus. “It’s just us, and you. I thought we could take the time to get to know each other better. What do you say?”

I want to clutch my arms over my body as he looks me up, but I do not want to lower the small blade. My nightdress is too thin and the ratlike one leers at my breasts. My nipples are hard due to the cold.

“Get. Out,” I hiss.

Magnus chuckles. “Come on, sweetheart. There’s no need to be like—”

The door to my room swings open.

“Out.” A low growl comes from the doorway.

The three males stiffen.

The alpha stands there. He’s wearing a crumpled white linen shirt and high boots as well as his red tartan kilt. His face looks like it is carved from thunder and stone. “Out.”

Magnus swallows, before a smile twists back onto his face and he turns. “It’s just a bit of fun—”

“Now,”says the alpha.

The alpha is bigger than the other three wolves, and there’s something in his eyes that promises death. Magnus seems to realize that, and shakes his head.

“Come on, lads. Time to get the fuck out of here.” He grins and gives me a mock bow. “Until we meet again, Your Highness.”

The alpha shuts the door behind them. My mouth is dry and my head is whirling. Is he my savior? Or does he have something even worse in mind?

“Are you hurt?” he asks.

I hold up the letter opener and curse my trembling hand.

“I’m sorry about them. Their whole clan—” His green eyes darken. “They’ll pay for it later.”

“You need to leave.”

“Aye. I do.” He swallows, and his gaze moves from the wardrobe to the crescent moon through the window. As the silence extends between us, I hear more shouting in the castle. “Do you have a warm cloak?”

“Why?”

“It’s cold outside.”

“I don’t see why that is of any relevance to me,” I say, my voice higher in pitch than I’d like it to be.

A flicker of regret crosses his face. “Aye, you do.”

A humorless laugh escapes my lips and I step back. “You can’t possibly think I’m going with you.”

“You are, Princess.”

“You... you won’t hurt me,” I say.

He sighs. “That’s where you’re wrong. I won’t kill you. And I won’t lay a finger on you in the way those bastards were threatening. But you’re coming with me. And if I have to overpower you in order to make that happen, I can’t promise that won’t hurt.”

I narrow my eyes, tilting my chin up. “I helped you, earlier.”

“Aye, you did. And I appreciate that, Princess. I really do. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m taking you with me.”

When he steps forward, I brandish the letter opener before me. “Stay back.”

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