The Last Spirit Wolf (Elena Norwood)

-Vera-

"Do we really have to do this?" I moan.

"Vera, we discussed this before, you can't turn into your wolf."

"But it will be much faster if I do!"

I'm pouting.

"Noah is right, doc. We can't risk anyone seeing you. These people probably have scouts beyond their "You're unbearable ever since you became beta, Eli. You don't have to kiss Noah's ass every time," I cr Eli's lycan scoffs, I assume in amusement.

So far, my wolf has been relegated to appear only at night and very far from the castle. Did I mention driving me mad.

Noah quickly disposes of his clothes and turns to his lycan in front of me, kneeling with his back to m I take a deep breathe, trying to control my temper, and get on his back.

Soon after, we are running past the forest, in the direction of our destination.

Five months have passed since we defeated Alistair. Five months of constant work trying to rebuild th came along.

Of course, Elden has seen to the return of the scholars and students. The library has been thoroughly help their teachers in hopes of becoming scholars themselves.

ry to look out for rogues," Eli says right before turning to his lycan form and putting our bags over his shoulders. arms and turn my head up to give him the stink eye.

o turn with a chaperone? I wish I was kidding. Noah has tasked either Eli or Lucas to watch over me when I turn on the nights that he can't be with me. It's

an climb up.

om to its former glory. We've had scholars, students, warriors, healers, and diplomats return to the castle to try and get back to what it was before Alistair

d and now houses a tiny army of people who are sorting, cleaning, and restoring books as we speak. Alongside them, students have come back as well to

I personally have overseen the return of the healers and have started a training course for women wh think they are deities. At first, I thought they had a reason to be so arrogant, but their 'medicine' wasn that cloth they give you, it is the only relief they'll provide. Why? Because Lycans can take it. That's it. have had several nightmares since learning this where Noah dies at their hands; had I known all of th I struggled with them for a few months, trying to make them understand that their practices were borderline barbaric, but they would just shut me down. Until one day, I had enough of their bullshit and planted myself at the entrance of the medical halls, not letting anyone in; I essentially sent them all home. Just like that.

to become nurses. It's been incredibly challenging, not only because I'm an outsider and a woman, but because healers are just a bunch of assholes who taught in my medical program... it is *that* outdated. They're brutes who don't even use anesthesia most of the time. Amputation? You better bite down on ll the reasoning behind it. I still have to suppress the urge to roll my eyes every time they explain procedures like that to me, simply because it's stupid. I re, I would have cut my own leg before letting them operate on him the day we defeated Alistair.

They had audiences with their King, whom I fortunately happen to be sleeping with, and it became clear since then that they had no protection from him whatsoever.

"I don't think you understand that if you don't do as she says, she will just train an entire generation of *doctors* without you. *You* are not necessary, she's invited you all here out of courtesy," Noah had told them. "Not to mention she's a healer in her own right, *and* a warrior, guess who lycans are going to favor?" Eli had said.

Ever since then, everyone got the point; either get in line, or leave. It's quite simple, though it angered me that they couldn't take my word for it and had to hear it from Noah and Eli. Not that it has been a smooth ride, they do as I say but through gritted teeth. If there is one thing that these past months have taught us, is that there is a lot more work to be done to return this kingdom to its former glory. But if there is one thing that they have taught me, is that I don't know if it's worth going back to its former glory. Even if lycans held great territories and were once incredibly rich, the policy of not changing, not evolving, was not started by Alistair; it was started and perpetuated by Noah's ancestors. Afterall, why fix something that isn't broken?

They stayed almost frozen in a gone by era, one that I read of in books as a *child* and even then, it was mere history to us, not a reality. They haven't expanded nor diversified their economic sectors, having agriculture as their main economic pillar. This was fine before because of the sheer amount of land they held and the gross number of farmers, but rogue invasions and pillage has naturally crippled such a fragile economy.

Indeed, Noah has a bigger task at hand than we could ever have imagined.

After several hours of running and walking, we stop at a clearing. Each lycan puts down their bags and shifts right in front of me; I avert my eyes since I don't feel like seeing any of them naked...ever.

Noah leans down, letting me get off his back and shifts, quickly putting on his clothes.

"Hey, how was that?" He asks me, taking my cold hands in his and rubbing them gently. I appreciate the warmth it provides and smile up at him.

"It was fine," I lie.

My core, arms, and legs are on fire from holding on to him this long. Running in my wolf form would have been much more pleasant.

"We should set up camp. It's getting rather late and we still have a day's worth of travel left," Lucas says.

"King? Could I have a word?" Council member William comes closer, interrupting us.

"Noah, please."

William smiles.

"Noah, could I have a word?"

Noah turns to me.

"No no, it's okay for her to listen, of course," he clarifies.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

With that, we begin walking away from the group so as to not be heard.

"So, I understand Caleb has already prepared you for what you might encounter once we get to our destination."

Our destination. Right.

Did I mention what this trip even was?

We are on a journey to visit all of the 'royal families' that used to support the crown; those rich families that used to give money to the Castle in exchange for well-trained soldiers to protect their land, and therefore, the kingdom's land.

Alistair cut them off, well aware of how the castle would suffer once they stopped giving him money, but it was a calculated risk. The only real Royal Family is Noah's family; hence they respect their position. But Alistair? He knew that any given day the families could plot against him and put their own King on the throne; afterall, Alexander was believed to be the last true King and since he had never publicly produced an heir, the power vacuum would have been too great had these families been left unchecked. In turn, Alistair sacrificed the protection they offered to the vast lycan territory, making them an easy target to rogue invasions. Which is why we're here. We need for them to protect their territories once again, with the support of the crown of course. "He did," Noah says.

"Well, as you both know, this is a distant part of my family, so even if Caleb explained the basics, I have to be honest with you," we both just stare at him, encouraging him to continue as he adjusts his throat, "well, Cecil, my second cousin, lost her husband to a rogue invasion. It has left their family structure crippled and in need of a male heir. Of course, Cecil is much too old to bear any more children, but she does have a daughter, the only child to come from her marriage. and she's uhm... of age," he finishes. Noah raises his eyebrow at him, but I can feel his anger rising as if it were my own.

"I - I know you were clear about this Your Highness, but the only way the Council found to have the families host us was to promise the... the possibility of you taking a wife."

Noah's jaw clenches furiously and William instinctively lowers his head.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, we tried everything, but they don't care for anything else, not even to regain their lands and riches, they want more. They want their sacrifices recognized and this is the only way."

I turn to look at Eli, Lucas, and Caleb who are now staring at us; their attention drawn by Noah's murderous aura.

As weird as it is, I think Noah before becoming King was not at his full warrior potential. He was never challenged, not really, but now that he has had to take command of an entire Kingdom, his presence is very hard to ignore; much like an Alpha for wolves. As wolves, we are *all* aware when an Alpha walks into a space. It makes me wonder if this is coming from his mother's side; his wolf side.

Caleb comes close to us, cautiously, having overheard at least the last bit of the conversation.

"Before you say anything, Noah, just know that you don't actually have to marry any of them. They were never promised you would take a wife, only that you would consider it. All we ask is that you, and Vera," he turns to look at me, "pretend like you're open to it." "Fine. Fine. Sorry, I have to get my temper in check." Noah says waving his hand dismissively. releasing the collective tension that his aura had created in all of us. "Now if you'd excuse me, I'd like some time alone with my mate."

He takes my hand and turns his back on Caleb and William, leading us into the forest.

"You know, you really don't have to scare them to death every time the topic..."

He kisses me before I can finish the sentence and I melt into his kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. It's a passionate kiss, one that we haven't shared in a long time. He uses his hands to freely roam over my back, my breasts, my legs, until he gets to my hips and lifts them, wrapping my legs around his hips.

I'm pinned up against a tree as he ravages my mouth, something I welcome and reciprocate.

When he breaks the kiss, we are both panting.

"We can't, not here," I tell him, painfully aware of both of our needs.

"I know, I know. I just... I miss you."

I look into his eyes and coup his face gently with both of my hands.

"I miss you, too."

I kiss him again, this time gently.

He moans.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've made love to you?"

"Don't remind me," I groan.

It's been weeks, maybe even a month already, since we've been intimate. It's just been very hard now that we were both working nonstop and he has Council meetings until the later hours of the night. The times we actually managed to share a bed, we are both too tired to do anything.

I put my forehead on his and close my eyes.

"We have to do this, Noah. Even if it's just pretending, it's what the kingdom needs."

"I know. I just don't want... you're not just side piece to me, and they're all making it seem like you should be. It makes me want to kill them all."

I chuckle.

"I'm glad you haven't given into your desires."

He sighs.

"Ok. We should get back. It's getting darker and we need to set up camp."

He lowers me to my feet and takes my hand, leading me back to the camp.

Then I realize something.

"So, your murderous aura..."

"Yeah, it's because we haven't had s*x."

I start laughing uncontrollably, tears rim my eyes and I have to stop walking to wipe at them. The great King Noah, savior of the lycan race and beast of legends, has been pissy because he hasn't been getting laid.

He clicks his tongue and throws me over his shoulder, spanking my b**t loudly.

"Keep laughing like that and I won't give a fuck if they all hear and see us."

This makes me laugh even harder. He really is in a mood.

Like this, we make our way back to camp where the others have thankfully already gotten started on tonight's dinner.