Chapter 62

Sixty-Two: Natalie Natalie's P.O.V.

Loud talking disrupted my sleep, and I fought the urge to yell at them to shut up. But I wasdistracted by the sparks shooting through my hand. I knew right away that it was Killian. I had feltthem before but never this extreme. Was this how he felt our bond? Was it because of the ceremonywhen I drank his blood, or was it because I had finally shifted and my wolf was present?

It felt as if I had drunk too much alcohol and had blacked out. I had no memory of last night beyondthe first stabbing of pain once I had been crowned the queen.

"Did I do it?" I mumbled in my sleep-infused and groggy voice. The talking stopped, and the sparksdanced over my cheeks as Killian cupped my face.

"You're awake. Thank the Goddess, you're awake!" He pressed a firm kiss down on my lips beforepulling back and kissing my nose and cheeks in a flurry of happiness. I giggled as I forced my eyesopen. His beautiful hazel eyes stared back at me with joy.

"What did she look like?" I wondered, the smile growing larger as I tried to feel in my mind for mywolf.

Killian pulled back, and the room fell silent.

It was then that I realized I was not in our room. The overhead florescent lights were harsh, and Iglanced around the rows of empty beds and the healers who were watching me with sad smiles. Myhead fell back against the pillow as my hope was crushed.

"No. No. No. No." The repeated whisper had Killian pulling back slightly, rubbing his hands backover my hair as if he were smoothing it down.

"Baby, you didn't shift." His words were the final crack in the damn, and a tear silently fell over mycheek.

"No! I felt her! I was going to shift!" My protests were wasted on deaf ears as I dug harder in mymind to find any trace or proof of my wolf's presence.

If Killian's blood and the full moon didn't help me shift, I had the feeling that nothing would. I wasgoing to be trapped in a human body forever. I would never be strong enough to save Killian on thebattlefield, and I would never feel whole. My parents were probably rolling in their graves at myfailure.

A flash of resentment toward the Goddess flooded my system. She was toying with me. She waspunishing me for something I wasn't even aware I had done. Was it this life or a past one that I hadoffended Her so?

She gave me my parents and made sure they would find me and take me into their lives, just tohave them turn on me when I failed to live up to their expectations. She gave me a wolf but refusedto let me shift. She gave me a mate and a crown, but she would be taking that away too when Ifailed to save my mate. I would be a human among a field of supernatural creatures. Even if I didsave Killian, there was no way I would be walking away alive.

One bite from a vampire, and I would be dead. The poison would be too much for my frail humanbody.

"We can try again! We have a plan. We just need you to get better first.” Killian insisted. Theheartbreak in his eyes had me closing my own. I didn't need to see how I had let him down too. Hedeserved a strong queen, and I would do my best to give him that. But I also needed a moment toembrace my emotions before I pushed them back down and stood tall next to him.

"It's not going to happen. Just forget about it." I whispered before opening my eyes as Killian usedhis thumbs to wipe away the tear tracks down my cheeks. "I just need to train harder. I won't let youdown.”

I tried not to imagine the glee my old pack must have been feeling as they watched me fail to shiftonce again. I would prove them all wrong one day.

I would become stronger in my current form, and become unstoppable.

"Woe is you." Joselin's bitter voice said as she approached. "We haven't tried everything, don't getall mopey.”

My eyebrows lowered as I glared at Joselin unamused. Normally, I found the way she interactedwith people to be entertaining, but I really just wanted to punch her right now. "Do tell then. What'sthe plan? You want to take my blood and run tests on it? Then what? If Killian's blood and markdidn't help me shift, I am fairly positive that nothing will!"

Killian chuckled, but I didn't find any of this amusing. We should be on our honeymoon of sortsright now, locked in our bedroom and ravishing each other until the real world forced us to returnto it. Instead, I was the only one in a bed, and I had a bitchy witch taunting me "I want to take you to the Sanctum of Light as soon as you are feeling better. I think it will be goodfor you." His explanation only left me with even more questions, and I waited patiently for him toelaborate. Instead, his eyes moved up to the male healer, and the unfamiliar man nodded oncebefore making himself scarce. It was only when we were alone that he spoke again. "There has to bemore than just a wolf in your lineage.

Most hybrids have one side dominate the other, and the weaker side fades away over time. I think..."Joselin cleared her throat loudly, and Killian rolled his eyes with annoyance before continuing.

"WE think both sides are fighting to overpower the other, which is why the dominant one hasn'tcome forward yet. The Sanctum of Light is a very powerful place, some believe it is a directconnection with the Goddess, it may help the stronger side to rise up.” I nodded in understanding,but I didn't fully agree with him.

I truly felt hopeless, but I didn't want them to know that. Not when I knew it would just cause Joselinto mock me again for 'moping'.

"I trust you." I held Killian's gaze, wanting him to know that I meant it. I may not believe it wouldwork, whatever the Sanctum of Light was, but I trusted that he would only do what he thought wasbest for me.

That was something I could always count on. Him.

The idea of being a hybrid was unsettling. Maybe I would take Joselin up on her offer to test myblood. There had to be some way to find out what I was. What I really wanted was for there to be away to force my wolf forward. If going to this place would help with that, then I would do it. I justwasn't going to get my hopes up.

"You had me scared to death, my love," Killian whispered as he pressed a kiss to my lips, but myeyes were wide as I stared at him.

That was twice that he said the word love to me in the past twenty-four hours. Twice now, I felt myheart stop from excitement and happiness.

"I'm sorry," I whispered and took a deep breath, enjoying the way he smelled. The fact that he wasstill in his suit pants with the top few buttons of his shirt undone and his sleeves rolled up on hisforearms had me ready to melt. He looked like he was ready for a photo shoot. "When can we leavefor the Sanctum?"

"As soon as you are feeling up for it. I would prefer to get there and back before the council startsto show up, so we only have a few days." Killian growled when he mentioned the council, stillpouting that they were coming at all. But I knew that we needed the help. If our enemies couldcurse and cast spells on our people without us knowing or being able to track the spell, then theywere stronger than we were prepared for.

My eyes flickered over to the windows, seeing it was still dark out. It had to have been earlymorning still unless I had slept the day away.

"When the sun comes up?" I asked, knowing I would need some more sleep before being able totravel. Killian pursed his lips before nodding and sliding his arms under me to pick me up.

"When the sun comes up.” He agreed, carrying me away from the infirmary as Joselin disappeared."For now we will go to bed, my queen. We will leave at sun up.”