Annoying the Alpha King

♛ Chapter 8

♛ "I need to visit my brother's grave, Kendrew. It's not a 'wish', it's a 'need'." I stood in our bedroom with my hands on my hips, desperately trying to get my pig-headed mate to understand. I let him 'feel' this, I let him know my thoughts, I was beyond desperate actually, I needed to see my brother's grave. This obsession had been growing since our mating and I needed to do this one thing. I've given up everything and this is all I've asked.

Ever since I met with Shiner this need for me to confront my past has been growing, it was practically all I could think about. I knew it was dangerous, but if I didn't go I knew I'd explode. It was just a matter of time and place. I had been concentrating on building some small mental blocks, and now had the ability to create my own mental filters that at least let him know I didn't want him in my mind. He could get past these easily, but it would provoke a fight if he did.

Kendrew was tying his tie facing the mirror, then glanced at me in the mirror with a stern expression. Sighing he replied, "Aislin, we've been over and over this. It's simply not safe right now. You know the political environment right now, you've sat in cabinet meetings and read the security briefs. If caught you would not just be executed, you'd be tortured and torn apart piece by piece."

Kendrew stopped and closed his eyes, trying to control his emotions and his breathing. He kept such tight control of both his human and wolf halves, I admired him for that. And hated the fact he wouldn't budge. And apparently his grip on his tie was so tight that I heard the fabric rip.

"Shit!" was all he yelled as he turned and walked into the clothes room to select another one. I refused to call it a 'closet', since it was practically as large as my former apartment. Kendrew reappeared a minute later and started to tie another one, this time it had thin red stripes running around it.

Looking at me again, Kendrew repeated, "No, Aislin. And you understand why. I'm not letting you get yourself killed." Finally satisfied with his tie he turned and walked to me, grabbing me hard by the shoulders and slammed me into him.

Kissing me hard, but not enough to hurt he started growling a warning. Then pulling back he said again with anger in his voice. "No, Aislin, we can talk about going later after the crisis is over. I'm not a monster, mate, I know you need to do this. But now is not the time."

Letting go and stepping back, he looked me in the eye and continued, "Please meet me in my office to meet with the High Commanders, we need to finalize the strategy to put a stop to the European war."

Then smiling at me and noticing my continued silence, he ran a finger over my cheek and down to my marks. I just closed my eyes at the immediate sparks that ran through my system. "Please."

I nodded my head, then turned and walked to the clothing room since I needed to wear something more appropriate than sweats. I heard the door close, checked to make sure my mental filters were up and strong, then slumped down the wall and pulled my knees to my chest. I lowered my head then cried. I just couldn't help it, I just needed to cry. Maybe it was finally the pressure of all the crap I'd been through lately, I don't know.

Kendrew has been working with his cabinet to avert two wars right now. One was in the middle of America, the Texas wolves had banded together in retaliation for the Wyoming and Colorado consolidated packs who had been dipping down low and killing wolves as retaliation for decades of a strange feud. The other was already raging in Europe near Hungary, and Kendrew would be there if he hadn't found his mate. I knew he was stressed, I knew thousands- even tens of thousands- of lives were at stake. And Kendrew needed me by him now to keep his wolf calm.