Crave ✔

Chapter 17

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Chapter 17

       "My lady."

       I blinked over at the large wolf-borne standing just outside of the door, his golden eyes soft for once as they gazed down at me. I couldn't even force my lips to smile at the concern on his face.

       "You are going too?" I was certain my voice sounded as miserable as I felt, but I cared little about showing him that weakness.

       Terif stared down at me, his large body covered in the same armor as most of the others, except for the silver badge of his rank gleaming brightly on his breastplate. "I am our greatest warrior. There was a reason the King had sent me to guard you in the Lower Kingdom."

       I could only nod at him before turning from the door and walking away. There was no reason to stay there any longer. Not only was Eirik risking his life for a territory that was barely his, but Terif was as well. It didn't surprise me, he would do anything the King asked him to.

       "Emrie, wait." The General called after me, but I hardly paused as I stepped onto the large marble staircase. The fact that he didn't say 'Lady' in front of my name never even registered.

       I didn't get far before the wolf was at my side, his golden eyes flashing in the off light of the hall. "You shouldn't worry too much about him." He started slowly, his voice warm as it washed over my depressed, slumped shoulders. And this was the same wolf-borne who called me a nuisance barely a week before.

       I licked my bottom lip and gazed over the large railing at my side. It seemed none of them understood.

       "The King is a great warrior. His reputation is well earned. Nothing will happen."

       I knew he was trying to reassure me, and honestly I knew I was being a little overdramatic- but it was just the fact of the matter.

       "Terif," I started softly, my voice almost a pathetic wobble as I leaned heavily against the porcelain railing. "Do you have a mate?" Something dark flashed across his golden gaze, and for a minute I had actually felt bad for asking- but then his face was back to that somewhat emotionless mask.

       "No."

       There was a hard bite to his voice, one that sent an icy chill straight down my spine. It was a tone of loss... But that was just something I would have to wonder over later.

       "If you had one, and they asked you not to go, would you stay?"

       That hard look of his mask slowly fell as he stopped walking just a step below me, his golden eyes staring softly to the side. "North is just not used to having someone that cares as you do. You just have to be patient-"

       "Would you stay?" I felt bad for cutting him off, but I didn't want to hear any more excuses. What I wanted to hear was what I knew for a fact. The King couldn't care less about how I felt, or what I was supposed to be to him.

        Terif paused, his dark voice silent before he let out a gruff sigh and gripped gently onto the top of my arm. Even a step above him he still towered over me, and I had to crane my head up just to look at him. I wanted to say I was surprised at the sadness in his golden eyes, but I was expecting something close to it anyways.