Chains to Crowns
Chapter 16

Klara woke early so decided to watch over the balcony, the former King’s words still echoing in her head. Marc always went on a run in the early hours and she enjoyed watching his wolf when he came back.

She sat cross-legged, her face peering between the stone pillars; waiting. Soon enough, the now-familiar raven furred wolf appeared out of the trees. His massive paws depressing the grass with every step. She noticed she could see more than usual, she could even see his eyes from this height which she hadn’t been able to do before. She frowned but was surprised to see Marc’s wolf eyes were identical to his human eyes.

Another movement caught her eye as another wolf slipped through the trees, Marc’s furry head turned to the straw furred wolf. An uneasy feeling started in Klara’s stomach, her wolf growling lowly at the straw wolf. The pair padded to two piles of clothes and shifted back to skin form.

Klara’s heart panged in jealousy. They didn’t seem to care that they were both furless as they chatted while they dressed. Klara could easily make out the conversation; “Thanks for joining me again,” Marc’s voice floated up to the balcony.

“That’s OK my King, it was fun, I think you’re getting faster,” her voice high pitched, flirtatious. She flipped her sun-kissed flaxen hair, her perky full breasts still on display. Klara looked down to her much flatter chest, although they were a little bigger than when she first came.

Klara looked back up, Marc had his back to the balcony so she couldn’t see his face. While the woman was on full display to her, her breasts bounced as she popped her voluptuous hip to the side. “What do you want to do now?” Her eyelashes fluttered.

Klara began to feel sick to her stomach, her wolf pining and scratching to get out. Her wolf wanted to rip the female whose hands were now on her mate, and so did she. The blonde’s hands trailing down Marc’s bicep. “You know… I know you have a little pet upstairs, but don’t you want a real female?” She stepped forward, her breasts an inch from Marc’s bare chest. "Don't you miss this?"

Klara let out an animalistic whine, should she confront him? Her wolf was about ready to burst from her skin. She couldn’t bear to watch anymore, he was like every male. She scrambled from the balcony. Tears stinging her eyes.

If that was the kind of mate Marc wanted, Klara knew she couldn’t compete. She sat on the bed, head down. Her limp plain brown hair falling in curtains around her face, she was nothing compared to that female, she peered at her scrawny legs, whereby her legs were full; muscular. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat, he would send her back just like his father wanted. She wasn’t what he needed as a mate, he needed a queen. Was Klara a queen? No. She was nothing.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but she’d decided she would have to go back, she knew the problems her father was giving Marc. It would be easier to just give her father what he wanted; her. Just before she stood to tell Marc she was leaving, a knock sounded on the door but she didn’t react, the door opened almost silently. “Do you want breakfast, beautiful?” he asked as if nothing was wrong, as if there hadn’t been some female’s hands all over him. She shook her head in response.

Marc cocked his head slightly before padding across the floor, kneeling in front of Klara. “What’s the matter?” He reached to pull her head to look at him but she turned from him.

“You’re going to send me back, I’m going back,” she whispered.

“Why would I ever do that?”

“Because I’m not you’re Queen, and it’ll be easier for you… So I’ll go.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Marc cupped her face and made her look at him, tears were building just above her eyelids. Until she blinked when two large tears glided silently down her cheeks. Marc thumbed them away. “I saw you… I can’t compete,” she breathed, not really wanting him to hear.

“Saw what?” his confusion growing. "I know father was out of line last night but-"

Klara gestured to the balcony. “Am I really your pet?” she whispered, cutting him off as more tears spilt.

“Of course you’re not,” Marc’s voice came out a little harsh. “Darling, she’s nothing,” he implored.

“You let her touch you… you ran with her… she’s pretty.” Klara spoke, defeated.

“You’re made for me, no female can ever compare to you.” He tried to catch her eye but she refused to look at him. “Let my father on your land… the attacks will stop.”

“He’ll take you!”

“Then you can be with her!” She pushed Marc away, and to both their surprise, Marc fell backwards with the force. Klara looked at her hands as if she’d just sprouted extra fingers.

Marc righted himself, standing in front of her. Marc had never felt a push that hard, “Klara… push me again.” The Laura issue was long forgotten in his mind. Klara stood, she didn’t want to push Marc; he would hurt her. But she was angry another female had laid her hand on him. She frowned up to him, she’d taken him by surprise that was all, he was unsteady.

“Push me,” he whispered down to her. Marc’s stance ready as if about to spar. Klara’s wolf responded, pushing to the front thinking of the memory and their imaginations going crazy with what happened after. They both shoved Marc in the chest. Marc’s eyes widened, the gold almost shining as he stumbled five steps, catching himself just before he landed in the chair behind him. A smile found his lips before he grinned from ear to ear. “That was amazing,” he breathed, sinking into the chair. Klara just stood there. Befuddled.

“Wait…” Marc looked up after thirty seconds of them being still. “Can you see better? Hear better?” Klara frowned, how did he know? She nodded, she could see everything from the balcony when before she hadn’t been able to see his wolf’s eyes. The room seemed sharper, cleaner. She hadn’t even realised the small amount of blur until… well now she couldn’t see it she couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed.

“You’re mine,” a small gravely edge to her voice suggested it wasn’t her that had spoken. She lifted her head and her baby blue eyes had turned electric. “How dare you allow a female to touch you,” the snarl had lost most of Klara’s voice.

Marc blinked, Klara’s wolf had never spoken to him, Klara had never challenged him. The change in her was sudden and out of character.

She took a threatening step towards him and now it was his wolf’s turn to push forward. Marc stood. “Klara,” his voice deeper, almost echoing, “You pushed a King, you disrespect me,” it was unusual for the royal wolf to speak, he snarled and growled to get what he wanted. “You disrespect an Alpha… your mate,” wolf Klara growled back.

Marc’s lips twisted into a grin, canines showing. “Why have you not shown yourself, your human needed you.” Klara’s own canines extended, upper lip curling while they extended past her bottom lip. “I was always here King. The creature that brought us into the world placed enough silver in this little body to kill her… I was healing her.” The electric blue eyes flashed, their eyes locked in a gaze that many would consider disrespect. “You should have told my human, we would have counteracted the silver.”

“You know what would have helped… stop being submissive and mark us,” she hissed.

“I’m not submissive!” he roared.

“Prove it, bitch,” Klara’s wolf sneered at him.