#Chapter 2 Meeting King Harvey

King?!

Managing to raise my exhausted eyelids, I blink once. My vision fails and blurs all at once.

Awake! Awake, stay awake, stay awake.

Shaking my head, I manage to blink and keep my eyes open.

Gamma Kevin throws me to the ground harshly. He scrambles to his knees in front of me, trembling in pure horror in a puddle of my innocent blood.

“King Harvey.” Gamma Kevin’s voice shakes with his body. “I know I am in the wrong, please forgive me!”

In his bone-chilling fear, Gamma Kevin has reverted to his human form. He pants in fear. All that bravado is long gone.

A massive figure stands in front of him. I only see the endless muscular expanse of his back. The telltale sign of his dusty red cloak adorned with black fur makes me freeze. He wears a silk black suit underneath to match.

Slowly, the figure bends down and with practiced elegance grabs Gamma Kevin by the front of his shirt. He had picked up Gamma Kevin as if he weighed nothing.

“I have not authorized any acts of violence.” The figure speaks with defined authority, yet somehow remains elegant in his delivery.

He is King Harvey!

I hurt a werewolf in front of the illusive Alpha King, this is a death sentence!

My heart leaps up into my throat.

King Harvey’s voice is low and deep, utterly calm and hypnotic.

All the wolves shrink backwards, with bowed heads. No one looks at Gamma Kevin, who struggles to breathe out of fear. Blood from my knife continues to drip down his face.

King Harvey turns his head to stare directly at me, gazing into my eyes. He throws the werewolf in his hand casually, and Gamma Kevin collides with the marble wall with a shaking thud.

This power is beyond my wildest dreams.

Next, he steps forward to me. Everyone stops breathing at once.

“Oh, she will be killed!” A woman says from the sidelines and I wince.

Cold fear clogs my heart and stops me from breathing all together. I shut my eyes and do everything to breathe but find myself gasping twice.

My heart palpitates as I finally muster to lift my head at him.

A heart of ice, cruelty, and steel, that is his synonym.

Desperately I try to scramble backwards, but my wound stops me. Pathetically, all I can do is watch as he gets closer and closer to me. He gazes down at me coldly.

A pang of despair shatters my heart, will I be killed?

His red cape’s touching my blood. Massive, calloused overly warm hands cup my face. I stare into his gentle brown eyes and find myself mystified by his masculine face. A stone jaw and high cheekbones.

My ears ring as my mouth dries, I begin to shake. The stinging flesh on my back sticks to my dress painfully.

Just a moment before I pass out, King Harvey hugs me against the fear in everyone’s eyes.

He whispers in my ear. “Didn’t expect that I would find my mate here…”

Mate?!

I close my eyes to my fears.

One Night Later…

Awaking to hushed voice, I almost toss myself out of bed.

“Have you heard? King Harvey has brought this wounded human woman back with him yesterday! What a waste of resources! And we must tend to her! It is rumored she is his mate! Can you imagine?”

“What?” An older woman’s voice asks in shock. She clears her voice then continues in a motherly tone, “How is a human… If King Harvey was to have a mate, perhaps a human would understand his kindness best. Yet, the King has never approached any woman, human or werewolf? Why now? Is it his heat?”

“Doris, how can the King’s mate be a human being?” The young maid spits disdainfully. “A lowly weak human being!”

Doris sighs helplessly. “He never discusses that! We just believe he recycles energy, that is why he is so powerful! He is always in control of his emotions and power. Heats can’t be recycled. His wolf must be driving him.”

I take a deep breath and allow myself to see my surroundings. I am in a massive silk covered canopy princess bed. The silk that surrounds me is the exact shade of King Harvey’s velvet cloak. I know that because there is a little heart-shaped lamp with the same shade on, on the circular table to my right.

The room is accented by crème and gold pieces, perhaps a wolf head? On the corners of the walls.

Where am I? Where is Sally? Is she okay? How is my sister?

I feel stronger than when King Harvey carried me away.

Taking a deep breath, I stop myself from shaking, the sharp unabating pain in my back is an ugly reminder I almost died yesterday.

“Human, are you awake?” A maid calls from behind the oak door that is open ajar. A soft yellow light comes from behind it.

As I attempt to adjust my sitting position because of the fiery pain, the feeling of being ripped open kills me.

Gasping and hissing in pain, I stop myself from yelling by biting into my fist. Pulling my teeth away from my hand at the taste of blood, I leave a string of blood on the sheets. I frown.

“Human!? What are you doing? You like to make messes?! Here!” The young maid splashes a cold pitcher of water in my face.

The cold shock of water drenches my wounds and I swallow a scream.

“Enough! Leave the child alone!!” The older maid rushes into the room with a first aid kit and gives me a kind smile.

“THIS IS KING HARVEY’S MATE!?” The first younger maid yells and then stares at me with wide eyes.

Mate?!

I begin to hyperventilate at the thought. Her shock makes this all real. Maybe I should not be here. What choice do I have? I need to get home to my sister.

“As far as I know, yes!” The older maid says in a serious but low voice. “Now, go clean! I must tend to her!”

“Heal.” The young maid commands icily.

The old maid shoos her away then makes me lie on my stomach.

“I will stitch you your back, human.” The old maid promises sweetly.

“Thank you…” I whisper, not sure what else to say.

The old maid rubs my back with alcohol, and I hiss as hot tears running down my face.

How am I, his mate? Impossible!

The young maid looked at me with malicious eyes. She looked like she wanted to tear me into countless pieces, and I couldn't help shaking.

I can't stay here! My sister is still waiting for me at home!

Just as I was planning how to escape, the young maid's voice sounded again.

“As King Harvey’s mate, on the night of the full moon, in three days, you must have sex with him.” The young maid’s voice appears out of the blue. Her voice is cold.

I am frozen.