It was nearly midnight by the time they reached Castle Burghard. It was too dark for Kellan to point out all the things he wanted to show her. He would be patient. They had a lifetime to explore these lands.

  Knowing they would be arriving late and his mate would be tired, he had asked his people to keep their distance. He hoped Nora wasn’t expecting a grand reception tonight. From the looks of her, he knew he had made the right decision.

  Nora yawned into her hand. He could smell her exhaustion. He was impressed with her resilience. Not once had she complained during the journey. Yes, fate had paired him well.

  Kellan guided Nora’s horse to the base of the stairs below the main doors of the castle, which were already open, waiting in welcome for their new queen. He dismounted and came around to the far side of Ghost, petting her head.

  “You’ve taken good care of your mistress, Ghost. Now let me carry your burden. Take a rest.”

  Nora smiled sleepily at how Kellan spoke to her horse. She appreciated his love of animals. Though, it came as no surprise, considering the spirit of a wolf resided somewhere inside him.

  “So, I am a burden already?” Nora teased, too sleepy to monitor what came out of her mouth.

  She wasn’t sure if acting so informally was acceptable now they had arrived, but her body was about to give out and she simply could not temper her words. She would worry about acting like a queen tomorrow.

  Kellan chuckled and shook his head as he reached for Nora, anxious to have her in his arms.

  “Never. I simply wanted to comfort your horse. Come here, sweet wife.”

  She had trouble swinging her leg over Ghost’s back. Nora winced as her body protested her movements. She had been in the same position for far too long and she could barely keep her eyes open.

  Once she could bring her leg around, Nora tried to steady herself so she didn’t fall. She immediately felt Kellan’s hand on her hip. He must have noticed she was about to collapse.

  Nora let herself slide down into Kellan’s waiting arms. He had one arm under her legs while the other supported her back. Normally, she would refuse being handled in such a manner. Tonight, she didn’t have the energy.

  “Wait!” Mara shouted from her horse. “Her tonic. She must have it.”

  Kellan refrained from rolling his eyes at the woman. Why his mate would need a governess at the age of twenty was beyond him.

  Edward had informed Kellan that Mara would act as a handmaiden and companion, not a governess. Kellan wasn’t so sure Mara agreed with her new role.

  “Not tonight. My wife needs to rest.”

  “But—”

  “No,” was his only response before turning his back on her. He would not tolerate argument.

  Kellan carried his bride up the steps and across the threshold of the castle. The tension in his body, the tautness that had taken residence inside him for five long years, began to ease. His mate was finally home.

  He looked down at Nora, wanting to say the right words to mark the occasion. But his beautiful wife was sound asleep.

  Instead of being disappointed the marriage would not be consummated on the eve of their union, Kellan was delighted Nora felt safe enough to fall asleep in his arms. He kissed her forehead and carried her deeper into the castle.

  Chapter 5

  Nora awoke to the feel of sunlight on her face and the sound of birds chirping in the distance. She rolled and stretched, trying to wake up her aching body.

  She tried to recall why her body was hurting. Oh, yes, the long journey on the back of Ghost, she thought as the previous day’s events flitted about her mind.

  Nora pictured the dress she’d worn for the ceremony. Had she really gotten married? She knew she had, but it didn’t feel real, not even when her father had announced they were bound.

  Now, in the hours of morning, it seemed yesterday was nothing but a dream. Nora knew it wasn’t, but she hadn’t quite come to terms with it—hadn’t quite accepted she was in a stranger’s bed.

  Nora shifted and felt a dull pain in her lower extremities. She had ridden Ghost for almost fifteen hours, and would surely never ride again, judging by the chafed skin she knew was on her thighs. As she ran her hand along the inside of her legs, inspecting, she heard a sharp exhale of air and her eyes flew open.

  “Perhaps my mate would prefer her husband to take care of that?” Kellan cooed from a seat in front of a small table on the other side of the room.

  From where she lay on the bed, Nora could see his very bare, very muscled chest. A shirtless Kellan was a sight to behold.

  The fog of sleep vanished, and was replaced with pure adrenaline. It pumped through her veins, heightening her senses. She wasn’t frightened, but he had surprised her.

  Which was stupid on her part. Of course, Kellan would be here when she awoke. This was his room and she was his wife.

  Nora had assumed the morning after her wedding, she’d wake up with Kellan in their bed. She refused to decipher why she was marginally offended he was sitting a few feet away. She could never admit aloud she’d looked forward to lying next to him.

  She had never woken up with a male in her bed—or even in her room. She blanked her expression. He would easily know she was uncomfortable.

  This was not the best way to start their first day together. Yesterday may have been the binding ceremony, but the rest of their waking hours were spent travelling. Nora thought of this as their first official day together.

  Last night had been their wedding night. Had they …? No, she would not be so exhausted as to have no memory of such an event. Although, she had no recollection of anything once Kellan pulled her from her horse.

  Nora sat up and the bedding fell to her waist. Cold air hit her chest and her nipples pebbled. Great Goddess! She was naked!

  She jerked the blankets up to cover herself, looking anywhere but at her husband. She knew it wasn’t very “wifely” of her, but she was still an innocent and no man had ever seen her body.

  “Y-you undressed me?” Nora stammered, angry with her shaky voice. She knew she must be beet red from head to toe.

  She was instructed to never show weakness to a wolf, yet here she was, stuttering like a coward. Nora forced her gaze to meet his. He looked every bit the predator ready to pounce. At least he was gentleman enough to keep his eyes on hers.

  “I did. I doubted you would want anyone else to do it.”

  Nora’s eyes grew large and she looked away, embarrassed she didn’t remember her husband removing every thread of her clothing.

  Kellan sighed at his wife’s incapacity to face him. He could tell she was embarrassed. He scented some other emotions, too, but they were altering so fast he had trouble interpreting them all. They buzzed around like a dragon fly caught in a jar.

  Nora was all over the place and his wolf wanted to soothe her. He leaned forward and placed one hand on the bed.

  “Nora, you are not comfortable being alone with me yet. But I would like you to know you need not hide from me. In fact, I prefer that you never hide from me.”

  Nora was unable to look him in the eye. Instead she turned her head further and noticed the other side of the bed was not made. She had not slept alone last night.

  She didn’t remember lying with him. One half of her felt she’d been slighted while the other half was relieved.

  Kellan moved to the side of the bed and sat down next to Nora. She finally noticed that he, too, was nude, and radiating so much heat she could have sworn there was a flame going in the stone fireplace. Coupled with the heat of her own embarrassment, she was surprised she hadn’t melted.

  Despite only noticing his nakedness in her peripheral, Nora’s body hummed with awareness. She was tempted to look but she did not allow herself the treat.

  She was afraid, yet also intrigued—and most definitely curious. She had, after all, envisioned and wondered about the first night with her husband countless times.

  Kellan was extremely attractive, and many women would want to be with him. Last night, a more practiced female assuredly would have stayed awake to experience him, to allow him to take his pleasure as was his right.

  It made Nora feel unworthy and ashamed of her innocence. Her tangled web of contradictory emotions was getting to her. She needed to make things right.

  “I am sorry, Kellan. You were probably expecting last night to … you know… and I …” she trailed off, unable to continue. So much for making things right.

  Nora felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her eyes flooded with tears. She had already failed at the most important task expected of her. Even now, she wasn’t sure she could do it, or if Kellan wanted her in that way. He wouldn’t be attracted to a female in tears.

  “Nora?” Kellan said, his voice soft.

  She could not bring herself to look at him.

  “Nora?” he repeated more forcefully, much like he had spoken to his men yesterday.

  Slowly she turned her head, her cheeks wet from her lament. He must have been the most disappointed wolf to ever live. A she-wolf would know what to do and would not be so timid with her body.

  A warm finger nudged her face to tilt up towards his. He clasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, holding her in place.

  “Do. Not. Hide. Not from me.”

  She clutched the blanket tighter, afraid to let go. As if reading her mind, Kellan shook his head.

  “I’m not talking about your modesty. Nakedness is something wolves are born into being comfortable with. It is in our nature, but not in yours. I understand this, Nora. I was referring to your eyes, to your emotions. Do not hide them. Nothing in this life is more important to me than my mate. Nothing.”

  Kellan did his best to make his meaning clear to her. He could not handle the tears in her eyes. Seeing his mate like this was torment. He was continuously getting a variety of conflicting scents from her and knew she was battling with herself.

  He had hoped to spend the morning making love to Nora, but he would not take her when she was upset. He needed to comfort her and show her affection. Perhaps later in the day or tonight she would settle a bit more.

  Nora wiped her eyes, feeling like a silly child. Maybe she really hadn’t grown up after all. She still held on to fantasies of love and adoration for and from her husband.

  She suspected he was trying to be patient, but he had basically commanded her to share her emotions with him. That wasn’t the romance she had dreamt of.

  She wanted to believe she was important to Kellan. In truth, Nora knew she was important, necessary even, to produce heirs. Could he have meant she was important to him, as something beyond a means to procreate?

  To prevent herself from having false hope, she would concentrate on what she knew about wolves. Often her mind would fixate on some of the things Mara had told her, especially about Kellan’s need to mate her, to take her forcefully.

  Nora thought if she was compliant, it would be easier on her body … and her heart.

  She took a deep breath, centering herself.

  “Yes, of course. It would not do well to try to keep such things from you.”

  Kellan kissed her cheek and rubbed his thumbs under her eyes, wiping away the tears. He would do everything in his power to keep them at bay. He would not survive her unhappiness.

  Sleeping beside Nora had been a wonder to him. Kellan had never felt such content, hearing the steady beat of her heart as he held her close.

  Kellan wanted Nora to feel the joy he felt every time he thought of her. He wanted her to need him, to be an essential part of her very being, as she was to his. Kellan also wanted to lie with her—and soon.

  His mate was in his arms, in their mating bed, without a stitch of clothing. Kellan could easily be inside her in seconds. His body was filled with anticipation as he pictured it. Luckily, Kellan had tight control over his animalistic urges—for now.

  He wasn’t sure how long he could keep it up. It was the sweetest of tortures, but his wolf could only take so much.

  His pulse thrummed. His entire life had been leading up to this point in time, to when he was finally content, to when true happiness was at his fingertips.

  He lazily brushed the pads of his fingers down the sides of her neck and along her shoulders. It was meant to comfort, but Kellan was getting more and more worked up at the feel of his skin touching hers.

  Nora felt the air shift, and her body warmed in reaction to his. She searched his features for some sign of what he wanted, of what she should do. Kellan gave nothing away. He simply stared back at her, gently stroking her skin.

  Nora had been instructed on the act of sex and knew she should be accommodating. She did not know why he wasn’t attempting her. Mara had been adamant that wolves were overtly sexual, that Nora should prepare herself.

  Nora recalled the astonishment she felt when Mara explained the best way to avoid injury. She’d never heard of such a thing as being injured during intercourse. It was allegedly painful the first time, but being injured in the way Mara had described was something else entirely.

  Nora suspected Mara was exaggerating. How would the crone know? Nora paid attention anyway, unwilling to head into this totally unprepared.

  Deep breaths and forcing her muscles to relax would help. She could also try visualizing a peaceful setting and letting her mind focus on that until the act was over.

  None of what she was taught sounded like it could possibly be physically enjoyable. Nora could not understand why any female would want to take part in intercourse aside from the intimacy it must bring to lovers. Despite Mara’s tales, Nora remained curious.

  There was something about having Kellan inside her body that Nora wanted to experience. She accepted there would be no pleasure on her part, yet was hopeful it would link her to him on an emotional level.

  She had never thought she would have to be the one to initiate it. Something inside Nora told her that pleasing her husband now would be the right thing to do. She hoped it would also prevent much of the pain she had heard so much about—too much about. Mara was thorough in her descriptions.

  “Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any,” she tried to joke. Making light of things was more of Evelyn’s calling, but Nora needed to lift the mood.

  “For what?” Kellan frowned.

  Nora slid away from Kellan and lied down on her back. She mustered up her emotional strength and threw the covers off her body.

  Kellan made no move to touch her. The only sign he was affected was the hard tick in his jaw.

  Nora closed her eyes and, holding her breath, let her legs fall open. She was in position, waiting for him, ready to get it over with.

  “Dear Goddess, what happened to you, Nora?!” Kellan bellowed.

  Nora’s eyes flew open in fear. Had she done something wrong? This was the position Mara had said to assume the first time.

  She looked at her husband, but his eyes were on the lower half of her body. Then his hands were on her inner thighs, softly inspecting her skin.

  Nora looked down and gasped. Her inner thighs were purple and chafed. She knew they would be discolored. She didn’t anticipate how horrendous they would appear. She marveled at the apparent damage.

  Her legs were hurting, but they looked as though she’d not be able to walk. Her level of pain did not match the defacement of her skin. Never had she been so bruised.

  “Healer! You need a healer! How could I allow this to happen? Oh, Nora, forgive me. I am so sorry. I will get help. Just, wait, I will—”

  Nora put her hand on his arm to stop his ramblings. She tried very hard not to laugh at his alarmed state. She wasn’t hurt or harmed but, apparently, her husband believed she was dying.

  “Kellan, no. I am fine. Just a bit sore from riding. It looks far worse than it is. I bruise easily, I would have had markings even if we had only ridden a short distance.”

  Kellan looked horrified. “Then you shall never ride again! You will do nothing to get in such a state in the future. I won’t survive it!”

  Nora could no longer hold in the laughter. The big wolf couldn’t handle seeing his mate with an injury. At least the humor of the situation lessoned her discomfort over not having on clothing.

  His reaction was sweet, really, even if he was trying to dictate that she could no longer ride. If he couldn’t handle this, how would he handle being present for the birth of their children?

  The thought made her laughter stop. Their children. Someday there would be a piece of them both in her arms and the thought gave her pause.

  Nora realized she wanted a child. Even if Kellan didn’t really love her, he would love their children. Heat pooled low in her belly at the thought, similar to the way it had when she first saw him at the foot of the stairs, looking so handsome and strong.

  “Do not laugh, Nora. I am … beside myself.”

  Kellan pulled her up into his arms and rocked her, holding her tight to his chest. His protective instincts were out of control. Nora was in no danger, but he felt like he had to do something, had to take some course of action.

  He pushed his nose into the crook of her neck, rubbing his stubble against her skin, effectively marking her and calming himself. He took a deep, calming breath and in a blink, everything changed.

  The sweet perfume of his mate’s arousal permeated the air. In all his life, he would never forget this moment, the first time he scented Nora’s need for him. It set his body aflame and his control slipped until it was hanging by a thread.

  If his mate needed to be eased, he would do it, would do anything to bring her pleasure. But he would not enter her with her thighs injured as such. He would do nothing to harm her further.

  “Kellan?” she whispered, her face against his chest.

  “Shh, I know. I can scent your need. I will ease it. Trust me in this, Nora.”

  He pulled her away from his chest to better see her face. They shared a look and he knew she wanted—needed—him to take control.

  “Do you trust me, sweet wife?”

  She nodded, and Kellan’s blood sang with his wolf’s elation.

  Nora did not smell of fear. She was nervous, but not fearful. She was also excited and aroused. There was no other scent like it in all the world.

 

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