Stronger- #Wattys2019

Part 33

Taking slow, measured breaths, Nadine carefully stretched. Her injuries from the day before hadn't yet healed completely. She was sore and stiff. The rush of adrenaline had worn off shortly after the attack. The demands of being the king's mate had pushed her to do more than she was truly ready for through the night. Yet, in the quiet of the following morning, all she had left was the agony of healing.

She sighed realizing she was actually alone.

For the first time since she arrived at the university, Anna hadn't slept in the same room as her. Whatever the bubbly girl did at night, she always returned to sleep in her dorm room. And since arriving in the palace, there was no chasing her out of Nadine's room. The new beta female had gone full boar into protective mamma bear mode. It was smothering. However, the introvert had to admit, she kind of missed her roommate being there. It was nice to know someone cared for a reason other than mate bonds or power or worse, pity.

Anna simply cared about Nadine. Not her past, her future, or any assumptions.

It pulled at her heart. Perhaps that was what true friendship was? She wasn't sure. Whatever it was, the brunette was sweet, trying to protect the girl now announced to be the future queen. And it had taken a lot of begging on Yuri's part to convince her to sleep in his room.

It was cute really. One of the lingering instincts from natural wolves is the need for two mates to physically be near each other while courting. Sharing a bed while not having sex is a part of the process for wolves to build the ties between each other. It's possessive, but affectionate at the same time. It's a feral drive to stay together where you can fight off anyone else trying to usurp your mates affections. However, it also strengthens the intimate bonds between the pair as they revel in the chance to take care of each other, trusting in each other as they sleep, holding each other as their inner wolves bask in the feeling of completion, together with their soulmate.

Nadine was happy to see Anna moving forward with her mate. Establishing independence was one thing, for a few days. However, she couldn't push him away from such innocent intimacy for too long without leaving his wolf feeling rejected. Something the supposed future queen knew all too well. She didn't wish such a feeling on anyone.

Throwing the blanket back over her head, Nadine tried to go back to sleep, to stop her mind from wandering further. There would be no training as she was still healing and the alpha meetings had one more day of taking over the palace. Unfortunately, she was a creature of habit. She always woke early to train in the gym before the others were there. It was a quiet time where she could be herself, strong, focused, and productive... until others woke and she went back to trying to be invisible.

No matter how much she would prefer to sleep the day away, her body simply wouldn't let her drift off again. And the more she lay there, not sleeping, the more stiff she felt. She needed to get up.

Gently she made her way through her morning routine, pulling on loose sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt. However, as she pulled the soft black fabric over her shoulders and down her back, there was a knock at the door.

She grinned as she recognized the scent a moment before she opened the door.

"Morning half-pint."

Feigning shock, she placed a hand over her heart and gave an exaggerated facial expression. "What? No bowing down to your queen?"

For a brief moment Bruno looked a bit panicked. Then he gathered himself together. "Not if I'm training you. I told you, I don't care about that kind of stuff. I train how I train. Now, hop to it. We're going for a run."

"I thought you said no training during the alpha meetings."

He tilted his head and a broad smirk spread across his face. "Those meetings don't start again for a few hours. And it will be good to test your wolf out with your old alpha and his family still here. Not in the midst of a shit storm like yesterday, nor when the king is there to order her to stop. Rather, practice the needed self-control on a relaxing morning when she could think to do something stupid." He turned and headed down the hall while he continued to talk, fully expecting her to follow. "Now, tell me honestly. You healed enough to shift and run today?" Hazel eyes looked her over, assessing her slight limp.