Chapter Seven
Insecure Heart
—
Riki peeked into the bedroom, having gotten dressed after his bath. He felt a wave of disappointment that Iason wasn't there, but then scolded himself for wanting the blonde's attention. He grumpily yanked on his boots, thudding around the room before storming out into the hall.
"Stupid," he hissed, his pounding footsteps shaking vases upon pedestals.
"Who's stupid?" a voice demanded, sounding right in front of Riki.
Riki jolted, nearly running straight into Raoul who had stepped out from his room. The mongrel gave a slight bow of his head, knowing if he caused a war with Raoul that Iason would be displeased. He didn't need Iason alone with Serena more because he had pissed the King off. "Sorry," he apologized softly.
Raoul raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Who is stupid?" he inquired.
"What?"
"You were mumbling as you were walking, and you called someone stupid," Raoul annoyedly reminded, crossing his arms. "Do you have memory loss?"
Riki gnashed his teeth. "I wasn't talking about anyone," he answered bitterly, then added. "Excuse me."
Raoul watched Riki leave, then called out. "Tell Iason I would like to speak with him once it is convenient for him," he ordered, then slipped back into his dimly lit lair.
—
Riki grumbled to himself silently as he searched around the entire castle, wondering where the hell they were chatting. Finally, when he was so fed up, he watched as both Iason and Serena exited one of the smaller private resting rooms.
"Ah, Riki!" Iason smiled, walking right up to him and pulling him close. He leaned in, smelling the scent of his mate and feeling nothing short of bliss. "Did you have a good bath?"
"It was fine," Riki returned, pushing back slightly as he felt his loins tighten with desire. He just wanted Iason to lay him flat on the floor and fuck him. "What did you guys do?"
Serena smiled, coming up to stand closer to the two men. "We discussed paintings and poetry," she answered. "This castle is full of many gems."
"I see," Riki muttered, then looked to Iason. "Raoul wants to talk to you some time by the way."
"Thank you," Iason nodded, then turned to Serena. "You can enjoy every art piece at your leisure now that you're here, do not hesitate," he encouraged, then clapped his hands together. "Let us go enjoy dinner now, shall we?"
—
Riki glared up from his meal, ignoring the questions and conversation around him. Everyone seemed to be just thrilled with Serena's presence at the table.
Raoul and Katze had been introduced shortly before the meal, and now the Secondary King was thrilled to engage in conversations of refined topics with another person. Even the redhead threw in a few pieces of the conversation, making Riki feel ultimately excluded.
He knew nothing about paintings, art, poetry of literature. He just knew the basics that Cal had forced upon him from Iason. Riki scowled, seemingly out of place at the dinner table. It just reminded him how far apart Iason and him truly were despite the efforts to sew their worlds together. Serena seemed to know everything that was mentioned, adding fuel for a conversation that seemed to please everyone except him.
Riki only spoke when Iason prompted him with questions he could answer. The rest of the time he remained an outcast among the group. He didn't belong here.
When the meal and chatter was over, Riki slipped away from the group. He excused himself, saying he needed to tend to himself. The moment he was free from the room, Riki hurried through the hall, then headed down the steps. He glanced over, making sure Iason wasn't following him, and continued his way through the alternating corridors until he reached a side exit. He pushed open the door, inhaling the scent of the pounding rain as the storm refused to let up.
Riki let the door close behind him, exposing himself to the rain. He felt the piercing stings of each icy drop pelt into his body, and it felt good to hurt externally instead of internally for once. Without a second thought, he closed his eyes and morphed into the smallest wolf form he could get into. He was surprised when he wormed his way out of the clothing to find he was back in his baby wolf form, perhaps it was because we was feeling vulnerable?
He whimpered as the rain pounded his tiny body, wishing he could shift into the next age of the wolf cub. But he needed to slip away, and this form was the only way he could do it! He wasn't going to leave permanently, he just needed to hide out for a bit and get his head straight.
As if to mock him, the rain started to pound harder, and drops started to freeze before they hit the ground, further pummeling him. Damn it! He rocked back in his tiny form, gaining momentum to leap off the step and run for the tree coverage.
Suddenly hands wrapped tightly around his body, pulling him up as he squirmed and whimpered in protest. "Riki!" Iason scolded, immediately going back inside to the safety of the castle. "What are you doing!" He held up the drenched, shivering and snorting pup who was protesting fiercely. "You fool! Are you trying to freeze yourself?"
Riki let out a sharp, and young bark in protest, biting at Iason's hands with his pointy baby teeth. Let me go, dammit! Lemme go!
"Stop, Riki!" Iason hissed, stuffing him between his tunic and outer robe. "I'm not letting you go back out. If you are upset we will talk, you don't need to run away!"
But I don't belong, Riki whimpered, shivering violently in Iason's arms. I never belonged. I never belonged here. Where do I belong?
"Foolish cub," Iason continued to scold, hurrying down the corridor. "You are at risk for getting sick with your heat cycle and you go and revert into your weakest form, then freeze yourself! What is wrong with you!"
Riki snuggled into Iason's warmth, wishing that it belonged solely to him. He wanted Iason as his own, and his only. Wolves mated for life, but he had never seen Guy as his true mate. They had a relationship similar to that of best friends and brothers but never mates for life. Iason and only Iason was his mate for life.
Iason noticed Riki's silence and became increasingly worried. He pressed his outer robe to the tiny shivering form, then rubbed to cause heat from friction. "Hey, hey, Riki. Stay with me here," he pleaded softly, finally arriving at his room. "Cal, get me towels, now!"
"Yes, Master!"
"And run the bath with warm water as fast as you can!" he added, freeing Riki from the soaked spot between the clothing layers and onto the bed. He frantically covered the very still form in blankets until Cal arrived with towels. "Riki, stay awake!"
Riki felt so incredibly weak and drained — physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. He could hear Iason calling him from a distance and feel a warm seeping into his bones, it was nice. Iason just knew how to fix everything. If only he could fix the hurting.
He tried to play off how much Iason having Serena as his possible Queen. That made her far more important and demanding of Iason's time. Iason and him were meant to be paired for life, and their relationship was even blessed by him becoming the King. But now it would just be overruled.
Riki yelped, splashing frantically as he felt water engulf his lower half. He jolted back from his distant reprieve, the sound of Iason's reassuring voice like angels welcoming him back from death. He panicked, clawing his way to Iason's chest despite his protests.
Iason leaned back, sitting on the tile floor and holding the shivering pup in his arms. "Riki," he sighed. "I know you're upset about Serena, but you have to believe me when I say that you are my number one priority in everything." He pet the shaking cub who was burying himself into his nape. "You are always my priority."
Riki suddenly felt the morphing break, sending his human self straight into Iason who tumbled back onto the floor. He straddled the King, staring down at him with glistening eyes. "Do you swear?" he demanded. "Do you swear as my mate for life, that even if she gives birth and becomes Queen, that I still have my place next to you?"
"Yes, love," Iason answered, hugging Riki's cold body to him. "Nothing can separate us. You are mine and I am yours."
"Fucking better be," Riki huffed, burying his face into Iason's nape and smelling his beautiful hair. "You've taken away everything outside of this place from me." He bit into the pale skin. "If you throw me back I won't have...anything." He bit exceptionally hard, causing Iason to cry out and blood to spill out onto the floor. "Don't you dare fucking throw me back! I won't...forgive you!"
"Ah...a...y-yes...Riki!" Iason stuttered, shocked by how much bite force Riki had. "I won't! I swear I won't!"
Riki let up on the bite, pulling back and replacing it with soothing licks to sop up the blood. "Good." When it was clean, he rested his head against Iason's chest, listening to the heartbeat that was his alone and let it calm him. "Good."
—
"Goodnight, Serena," Iason softly bid. "Do not hesitate at all to summon a maid if anything is inadequate."
Serena shook her head gently. "Everything is perfect, thank you."
Iason nodded. "Tomorrow, if the weather permits it, Riki and I will show you the castle grounds."
"Sounds wonderful," Serena smiled, her eyes lighting up.
Iason smiled. "Rest well," he said softly, then closed the door and crossed the hall to his own bedroom.
He opened the door, staring fondly at Riki who was exhausted and curled up on his half of the bed fast asleep. With a smile, Iason slipped in next to him, enveloping him into his arms and kissed his lips. "Good night, my dearest."
