Chapter Wolf Actions
Stefan
Every fibre of my being screams at me to flee the manor and distance myself from Harlyn. I'm meant to be marrying Diandra and the longer I am around Harlyn, the more I want her.
Yet, Ghost is against my wishes, every since that conversation with Samuel, I've been searching relentlessly for Harlyn. I've searched most of the rooms within the manor and she isn't there.
It's not my choice to find her, mind you. I would rather avoid Harlyn right now until my mind is in a settled play. Ghost, my not-so-loyal wolf, is set to speak to her. Him, not me, not that he can, as she doesn't have a wolf. With his annoying strength, he pushes me on this quest to find her and speak to her. I've no idea what Ghost is wanting to accomplish by speaking to her.
Well, by me speaking to her, as he can't. Still, he seems convinced she has answers, but he won't tell me what answers.
I feel like something is hidden, and Ghost feels it as well. We both feel another connection to Halryn and not the bond and it's a connection I've never felt before. I feel like Harlyn is hiding herself away.
Curse you, Ghost.
I feel myself dangling on the edge of sanity and lay the blame squarely at Ghost’s feet. Harlyn has no part in this; she seems unaware of my existence. Yet Ghost persists in his single-minded fixation, a relentless force driving me to the brink of madness.
Maybe his persistence is right, maybe what we're feeling is true, and there is something hidden and a truth we need to uncover. With Ghost's primal instincts, he can sense something is different. Either that, or he's fixated on her, grasping at straws and wanting to punish me for rejecting her. I deserve it. I know I do.
No, there is something. Since Harlyn arrived, there's been a feeling of something else happening. Like there is more there that can't be seen in her. We can feel it, however.
Finally, I spot Harlyn with Lucy in one of the rooms and walk towards them on a mission. Lucy notices me, and I see Harlyn’s lips moving like she is speaking.
“Forgive the interruption, Lucy, but I must speak with Harlyn on important matters,” I say, standing beside them, not knowing what I need to speak to her about. Lucy peers up at me.
“Matters that are important?” Lucy asks. “With Harlyn?” She’s not a fool; there’s something, but I don’t even know why I want to talk to her yet.
“Yes.” That’s my only reply. I watch Lucy look between us.
“With Harlyn?” Lucy asks again.
“Yes, with Harlyn, now leave.” I raise my voice, and Lucy nods before standing. She walks towards me and stops.
“If you so much as hurt a small portion of her again, Stefan, I swear, you won’t find that crown again after I shove it somewhere painful.” I step back, shocked by my sister. Does she know? I turn from her to Harlyn.
“Leave us, Lucy.” I insist, and she nods.
“Harlyn, I will wait for you near the south wing for our lady's night,” Lucy says, embracing her slightly before walking away, her eyes glaring at me as she does.
I watch as Harlyn stands.
“Your Majesty, what can I do for you?” Harlyn asks. She gracefully steps back from me. Her demeanour is poised yet guarded. Why do I feel like she is hiding something from me? That feeling is there; something is missing from her.
“You spoke with her, didn’t you?” I press, unable to fathom how Lucy could know I had hurt Harlyn otherwise. “What were you two speaking about?” I ask.
“It would be improper of me to disclose the details to you, Your Majesty. It was women’s talk,” Harlyn responds, her words laced with a hint of mockery that pricks at my pride.
She's right, however. It would be improper of her to tell me; however, I can ask her if I was the subject of the conversation.
“And was I the subject of this ‘women’s talk’?” I ask. I didn't want to be, but now I do. I'm not sure why, but I feel like I want to be someone she speaks of.
“You? Why would we discuss you?” Harlyn replies, her expression almost playful, though it stings nonetheless. Did she just answer my question with another question?
“I apologise, Your Majesty. Our discussion did not revolve around you. There was no reason for it to,” she continues. I hate the way she is saying that like I'm nothing important to her.
We don't speak, and I take her in and try to evaluate my feelings toward her. She looks at me like she is annoyed by me, and I can't blame her for it.
I can hear Ghost in my mind saying part of her is missing; that makes no sense. She is standing here, right in front of me. I do understand, however. I can feel that other connection, the new one, but it's not whole. It's like part of her is missing. What does that mean?
"Harlyn, have you..." I stop. What do I say? Ask her if she left part of herself at home. No, that won't work. "Can you feel..." No, can't ask that either. I'm useless right now; so much for being the king, spoken well, poised and elegant; I'm failing at it all.
Harlyn looks at me, puzzled, and I choose to avoid voicing my suspicions. “You are still not allowed to tell anyone, Harlyn. You cannot speak of what happened before you left,” I remind her. I need to reevaluate things; she's my mate, and I would accept her. However, I need to figure out my family's feelings towards her first. My standing as the king can be quickly removed if I make a wrong move.
“What happened before my departure, Your Majesty?” she asks. She looks like she has no idea.
Is she joking? “You know what I’m referring to, Harlyn. Your birthday, when you came to my quarters.” I explain, expecting her to acknowledge the day I had rejected her.
“On my birthday, in your quarters?” Her expression remains genuinely puzzled, and a chill runs down my spine. How could she forget?
“Harlyn, please, do not joke ignorance,” I insist, my frustration mounting. Why is she pretending not to remember?
“I assure you, Your Majesty, I am not joking ignorance. I genuinely have no recollection of what you’re speaking of. How can I discuss something I have no memory of?” she counters, her words cutting through the tension like a knife.
But her apparent forgetfulness sends a shiver down my spine. How could she forget something so monumental that had shaped our relationship? Is she just mocking me? I deserve it. Then again, the look in her eyes shows she is angry at me. Is that why she's playing dumb?
Is she trying to hurt me back because she's angry at me?
“The bond and my rejection of it,” I say, annoyed.
“Oh, that?” She asks, looking at me.
“Yes, that; now you can stop playing dumb and act like you have no memory of it,” I say, feeling annoyed.
“I wasn’t playing dumb, Your Majesty. I honestly forgot about it.” She pauses and smiles at me. “Isn’t that what you wanted? This wretch to forget about you and leave you alone?”
My blood boils over at her words. Is she for real? I never wanted her to forget. I never wanted her to leave me alone, not deep down anyway.
“Is that all, Your Majesty? I must see the Princess. Tonight is her night after all,” she announces, turning to leave.
“No, you’re not going anywhere,” I reply. My hand reached out to grasp hers.
Damn you, Ghost. Why does he keep touching her?
“Your eyes?” She peers at me, but I don’t have time for that right now.
“Forget about that. You’re not leaving until we finish this conversation, Harlyn,” I declare, my frustration boiling over. No one else would dare to walk away from me mid-discussion except her. She seems utterly unfazed by my presence, as if I were inconsequential.
I see the anger building in her eyes, but I can't let this go. I'm not even sure why, but until I know my parents standing on Harlyn, I can't have her mention our bond, it could get her hurt.