That non-sensical greeting was all the warning I got before the she-wolf pulled out a needle and jabbed it into the side of Amanda’s bare arm.
Amanda immediately went limp on the bed, her mad eyes falling closed.
But to my horror, Priscilla continued between her legs, audibly licking at her friend’s heat like some kind of animal.
The tall woman made a slighttskingsound behind her teeth.
“Frey darling, could you help this one give up her feast?”
Like a soldier commanded, the short and stout possible they-wolf plucked Priscilla from between Amanda’s legs, physically lifting her from the bed.
“Sorry, luv, I understand the compulsion. Believe me. But once she’s passed out, you no longer have consent.”
As grateful as I was for their medical and physical intervention, I had to lift both eyebrows.
“Nowyou Irish Wolves care about consent?” I asked my two saviors — but also total abettors if their completely non-bothered expressions were any indication.
“So, you come with sass on top of these loads of good looks!" The tall doctor snickered. "Oh, my brothers are going to have a time with you, aren’t they? But I like you already,mo banríon.”
“Your brothers?” I asked, shaking my head.
“Aw, forgot to introduce myself.” She transferred the needle she’d used to sedate Amanda into a pack she wore around her waist and stuck out her hand. “Howya, I’m Astrid, the Wild and Sea Kings’ little sister.”
Sea
“I’m telling ye,we should’ve gone in ourselves!"
Wild wasn’t currently imprisoned inside the Kept Brides Habitat. In fact, we waited for Astrid and her mate Frey beyond the point where anyone inside the domed space could see us, behind the tape I'd laid down when I forbade the other males from gawking at our “guests."
Yet, the Wild King paced back and forth like an impatient predator in captivity waiting for his meal. "How does this look, then? Sending in a princess to do a king’s job? Also, what happened to sticking to the plan, True King?”
My wolf growled inside me in full agreement.
According to the plan I’d laid out to Sea and Wild Wolves, this was supposed to be the day we all rocked up to the habitat, like suitors of auld with a gallant offer to show them around the secret kingdom.
It had worked before — alright, nearly 500 years before, sure. But the point was that a couple of weeks of courting with good food,magical scenery, and absolutely nothing else to do outside of enjoying our unmated male’s company still felt like a winning formula.
We were meant to show them that we were more than the bride-thirsty wolves who’d shown up in the middle of a wedding reception to steal them away.
Instead, I’d been forced to make a new plan when our Mairinua came to the unexpected physical defense of the she-wolf meant for Lorcan and Ronan.
In truth, the last thirty-six hours had been excruciating, even though my castle sat far beyond where the heat smell could reach.
My wolf had stayed quiet while in our mate's vicinity. But as soon as we were out of it, he pitched a fit, demanding I return to her. Touch her. Smell her. Claim her into submission.
The memory of standing behind her with my hands around her shoulders had been assaulting me ever since we parted. And though I had technically "calmed down," the physical pain of being so hard it hurt continued to linger.
Still, I managed to maintain a stoic expression as I answered the Wild King. “This new tactic is the best way to help her learn.”
“Learn what?” Wild spat out the two words like bullets from a gun. “How to command us? Is she the True Queen, then? And ye and I the dogs she can order around?”
“Wild, you are being dramatic —”
“Ruff! Ruff!” Wild cut me off with his approximation of a bark. “Shall we pant andbeguntil our owner allows us back inside the prison we put her in?”
Alright, then, it is a truth foresworn through blooded and bound handshake by the mates of Mairi that Sea is the True King. Thatmeans that by right, mine was the Last Word in any and all disagreements between Ireland's rulers.
But the electric glow of Wild’s eyes made me suspect he was even closer to the edge than I was. Unlike myself, he was used to living in peace with the beast inside him. Going against his animal instinct to stay away as I'd commanded — well, that was probably a lifetime first. Furthermore, I was used to living in the secret kingdom twenty-four seven, but this was likely the longest the Wild King had been without access to the great outdoors since the original Cursed King was forced to give up his residence rights. Was it any wonder he paced back and forth like something caged?
