Chapter: sixteen

The rest of the journey home was uneventful. They drove through the night and most of the following day.

The sight of the castle was a welcome relief for Aylin. As she had anticipated, Quill and Angus were waiting for them outside.

Quill opened the door for Aylin and helped her out. “You’re back sooner than expected.”

Ezekiel came around the car and tossed his bag to Quill. “We ran into some trouble on the road.”

His gaze shifted to Aylin, and Quill understood what he meant.

Ezekiel put a comforting hand on Aylin’s back and they headed inside. “We need to freshen up, then we’ll have a meeting.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Ezekiel and Aylin went to their room to wash off the dust of their journey.

Ezekiel began to undress immediately while Aylin started to put away their belongings.

When she turned around, she was taken aback to see Ezekiel standing there, completely naked, a mischievous grin on his face.

Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red, which only made his grin wider. “Still shy, love?”

She nodded silently and went back to unpacking.

Ezekiel was a bit disappointed by her reaction, so he decided to turn things up a notch. He wrapped his arms around her and planted a soft kiss on her mark.

Her body trembled in response, and he felt himself harden. “Join me in the shower,” he whispered in her ear.

She leaned back against his chest, feeling a warmth she had never experienced before. Every part of her body was tingling, and she felt a heat pooling in her core. “You’re such a tease,” she murmured.

“It’s not teasing if I follow through,” he replied.

He slowly unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down. Once they were off, he removed her shirt and tossed it somewhere in the room.

Unable to resist any longer, he spun her around and hoisted her over his shoulder.

Aylin was a bit disoriented as she felt Ezekiel’s shoulder pressing into her stomach. Before she could complain about the discomfort, she found herself standing in the bathroom.

She looked up at him, her cheeks still flushed. He chuckled and bent down to kiss her softly.

She ran her hands over his shoulders, feeling his muscles tense under her touch.

“We won’t make it to the meeting if we start this now.” Her voice was shaky as she felt his lips moving against her skin.

He grunted in response, and she giggled. Suddenly, she was lifted off her feet.

Ezekiel picked her up by the waist and backed them both into the shower.

He quickly removed her bra and panties, and growled appreciatively. “This is how I like to see you.”

~“Hey, you two! Get moving. We have a meeting!”~ Quill’s voice echoed in their minds.

~“Who do you think you’re talking to?!”~ Ezekiel growled back.

~“Enough, both of you! We’ll hurry up.”~ Aylin intervened before things got out of hand.

Ezekiel glared at her, crossing his arms over his chest. “Don’t give me that look. If I hadn’t stepped in, there would have been a fight.”

Ignoring his glare, Aylin turned on the shower. Suddenly, she found herself pressed against the cold tiles.

Ezekiel pinned her to the wall, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. “Do you know how naughty you are?” he whispered seductively in her ear.

Aylin squirmed a bit, but she knew it was pointless. He was much stronger and bigger than her.

“Ah-ah. If you struggle, your punishment will be twice as bad.”

She managed to turn her head slightly and spoke into the wall. “You’re a cruel mate, Your Majesty.”

“Maybe I’m just reminding you who your alpha is, my queen.”

His words sent a shiver down her spine.

Seeing her tremble, he took his chance. He buried his face in her hair, and his hands began to wander.

He could smell her arousal, and it drove him wild. “You make me crazy, baby.”

“Zeke…please,” Aylin pleaded.

He grabbed her hips and pushed her forward. “Are you ready for me, baby?”

She placed her hands on the wall and looked back at him. His eyes were filled with desire. As she felt him at her entrance, a moan escaped her lips.

He pushed himself inside her, and she threw her head back in ecstasy. “Oh, God… more… oh, God, Zeke, please.”

Their moans filled the bathroom, growing louder and more urgent. Hearing Aylin moan his name spurred Ezekiel on.

Being inside her was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

Hearing her call his name as he thrust into her, feeling her nails digging into his arms—it was all too much.

He felt a knot forming in his stomach. He slowed his thrusts, feeling himself harden even more. With one final thrust, he came inside her.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, the shower still running. “I love you so much,” he panted, kissing her hair.

Aylin pulled away slowly, feeling pleasantly sore. She pressed her forehead against his wet chest and smiled. “I love you too.”

“We should probably actually shower now.”

They shared a laugh before washing up.

***

After getting dressed, they headed to the throne room and then to the outdoor area where the entire pack was gathered.

Aylin was nervous the whole time, wondering how the pack would react when Ezekiel announced that he had found his luna.

The wolves knew how sternly their king ruled. It wouldn’t be surprising if they didn’t think she was good enough for the pack.

Quill was waiting for them in the throne room, a scowl on his face. “You two are late.”

Aylin kept her gaze low, letting Ezekiel take the lead. “We’re here, so zip it.”

A chuckle bubbled up in her throat, but she disguised it with a cough. “Sorry, something tickled my throat.”

Ezekiel rolled his eyes and led the way outside.

“Ready, Aylin?”

“Not even close,” she confessed to the warrior.

“Don’t sweat it. I’ll be right there with you. Zeke will go out first and talk to everyone.”

As they rounded the corner, a large stage came into view, a dark red curtain separating them from the pack members and the backstage area.

The crowd’s chatter was deafening, even from a distance. The only silver lining was that she couldn’t see how many people were there.

But that only made her more nervous, wondering just how many eyes would be on her.

The moment the king stepped onto the stage, howls filled the air, then quieted down after a few moments.

Ezekiel began to speak. “Members of the Royal Outland Silver Blood Pack, I bring both good and bad news.

“Firstly, I’m here to announce that I’ve found my luna and queen.”

Howls echoed through the air once more.

“She arrived unexpectedly, but I trust you will show her the same respect and honor you’ve always shown me.”

Quill had a hard time persuading Aylin to step onto the stage, but eventually, she did.

She stepped out. The crowd was a sea of faces. Hundreds, maybe thousands. Or maybe that was just her imagination running wild.

The king extended his arm, and Aylin moved closer to him. She took his hand in hers, and they stood together in front of the entire pack. “This is Aylin Turner, my mate, luna, and queen.”

For a moment, there was a deafening silence. Then, low howls began, gradually growing until the entire pack was howling in respect for their new queen.

Aylin’s heart filled with warmth, hearing her new pack accept her. She squeezed Ezekiel’s hand, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

When the howls died down, every pack member kneeled in unison. Stunned, Aylin turned to her mate.

“You’re the queen now,” Ezekiel said.

“Rise, everyone.” Ezekiel’s voice rang out.

As the crowd rose to their feet, all eyes were on them.

“Another threat is upon us. Some of you may remember the war my father fought against the demons years ago. The demons have targeted our pack once again.”

Whispers spread through the crowd.

“This time, I won’t rest until every last demon that threatens this world is dead. They’ve taken too much, and now we fight.”

Quill noticed something out of the corner of his eye while Ezekiel was speaking.

He alerted the other warriors, and they began to move cautiously through the crowd. A familiar smell hit Quill’s nose. “Oh, shit!” he muttered.

Pushing through the crowd, he saw Ana with a gun aimed directly at Aylin.

~“Move, everyone! Protect the queen!”~

Ezekiel, noticing the commotion, moved to shield Aylin, but he wasn’t quick enough.

When the chaos subsided, Aylin was lying on her side, eyes closed.

Ezekiel rushed to her side, brushing her hair away from her face. “Sweetheart, open your eyes. Please! Don’t do this to me!”

In the background, Ezekiel heard Quill calling for the pack doctor, but his gaze never left his mate. Tears fell from his eyes onto her cheeks.

Holding her head in his lap, Ezekiel held her close. A small noise from her made him look up. “Aylin?”

He looked at her hand. Blood was seeping from it. Confused, he opened her hand to find the bullet. “What the hell?” he whispered, looking down at her.

She opened her eyes, and the only pain she felt was in her head. After catching the bullet, she’d fallen and hit her head hard on the wooden stage.

“Zeke,” she whimpered, opening her eyes wider. “Did anyone get hurt?”

A small laugh escaped his tear-streaked face, “Yeah, you did.”

“My head hurts,” she complained.

The king gently helped her sit up as the pack doctor rushed toward the stage with the warriors following. “Where’s the queen?”

Quill hurried over to them, only to be left dumbfounded. “What happened?”

She showed them the bullet, and there was only a scratch on her hand. “I don’t understand it either.”

“Your Majesty, may I examine the queen?”

Ezekiel growled lowly but allowed it.

The doctor checked her vitals, pulse, and pupils and concluded that the only issue was the large bump on the side of her head. “I recommend you rest for a day or two. You’ll likely have a headache.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” she said, smiling genuinely.

After helping Aylin to her feet, Ezekiel wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Make sure the perpetrator is locked up.”

“Already done.”

“I’m taking the queen inside.”

Everyone made way for them.

Once they were in their room, Ezekiel helped Aylin onto the bed, but he was left with questions. How was it even possible for someone to catch a bullet like that?

Even with werewolf reflexes, no one could move that fast. There was no denying it now; the king’s mate was part demon.