Peter and Louis were at the edge of the border, and a look of relief appeared on their faces when both the king and I rode up.

"Belle," Peter breathed out with a sigh of relief, and I had a feeling that he was happy he could finally talk to me again. "Wh-"

I shook my head while I slowed Riser down until he stopped in front of them. "We need to get the bullets out of the king first before I answer any questions," I said. "He's lost a lot of blood, and I am worried that we are running out of time."

My cousin and Louis looked at each other before they nodded, turned around, and ran to the castle, and Riser followed them at the same speed.

I made sure that both the king and Pippa stayed on my horse, trusting the grip of my legs to keep me on my horse while I held onto them.

I stayed silent while I followed my cousin and friend, my whole body shaking from the cold and fear because I had no idea what was in store for me when he woke up.

Finally, we reached the castle, and both Louis and Peter stopped and looked at me while Riser stopped in front of them.

"You're shaking," Peter said, noticing mr shake.

I shook my head. "No time to worry about me just yet," I said, my teeth chattering slightly. "Is there a doctor here?"

"Yes," Peter confirmed and nodded. "He can't do much though bec-"

"He doesn't have thumbs, I know," I said, interrupting him, and slid off my horse with Pippa in my arms, "but I can still help out with his guidance. There was wolfsbane in the bullets, and I don't know what to do."

Again, Peter and Louis looked at each other before they looked at me.

"Bu-" Peter started, and I knew that he was worried about me.

"No, Peter," I said, interrupting him before he could get another word out. "I'll take care of myself later. Right now, we need to take care of him and his needs and make sure that he stays alive for the packs." I paused and narrowed my eyes while I stared at them, feeling this power that I never felt before. "Is that understood?"

They nodded and bowed slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty," they said in unison, and I brushed it off because I had no idea what they meant.

"Good." I set my dog down before I stood again. "I think I am going to need you two to get him off of Riser and into the infirmary, wherever that is." I looked around, noticing that almost everyone was still "nonexistent." "Where is Cameron?" I asked.

"Here," Camerom said and seemed to appear out of thin air. He bowed, and I ignored it. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you find the doctor and have him meet them in the infirmary or somewhere that isn't gross?"

"The infirmary is fine," Cameron said and bowed again. "Is there anything else?"

"Can you see if you can't get the king's room cleaned and not as holey?" I asked. "I don't think he will like waking up in the infirmary, and I am not sure that his room is clean enough for him."

Cameron narrowed his eyes and looked at me hesitantly. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice going a little higher, and I nodded in confirmation.

"If he is mad about it, then I will take the blame. No one will get hurt."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, deciding that I would worry about the consequences later. "Now, go."

Cameron nodded and bounded away to do what I asked.

"I'll see what I can do for Riser after we drop the king off at the infirmary," Peter said. He looked at Louis, and Louis nodded before he moved to the other side.

I watched as they lifted the king off of my horse's back and started to speed walk to the infirmary.

I looked at my horse and pointed in the direction of the barn. "Go," I said. "Wait in the barn; Pippa you too."

Riser snorted and nodded before he walked that way, and my dog followed.

I took a deep breath before I released it and followed the men to the infirmary, not sure how this was going to turn out but praying that everything was going to be fine.

Let's just take it a day at a time, I thought and picked up my pace until I was sprinting after them. For right now, it's time to take care of the king and face the consequences of stepping foot here again later. His Majesty's life comes first, no matter how much of a dick he was to me.

***

It took about five or six hours to finish taking care of the king and remove all of the bullets that were in his body, clean out the wolfsbane, and give him new blood to try and help his wolf heal them the rest of the way.

After getting him settled in his room, which also took awhile to do, I was able to take care of myself and my animals.

Apparently, I had a bullet graze my arm, and I didn't realize it until after I had finished taking care of the king and was able to take care of my animals.

All of that adrenaline and whatever wore off when I knew that he was safe and would be alive, so I almost crashed but didn't because I had to make sure that my animals were fed and that the pack had a very late breakfast ready.

Both Louis and Peter did what they could to help me and both had panicked when they saw that I was hurt too.

I wasn't fazed with the wound and cleaned and bandaged it before I went on with my business, grateful that it didn't require stitches.

After making sure that everyone was taken care of and taking care of myself, I sat by the king's side and waited for him to wake up, entrusting both Louis and Cameron to take care of the pack and other issues that may arise.

And for about three days, we were left to our own devices, the king passed out but alive.

I stayed near his side most of the time that he was passed out, only leaving when it was time to feed the pack or my animals.

Other than that, I would have a book and would read or sleep in the comfortable chair that they had brought me while I waited for the king to wake.

And that happened on the fourth day while I was reading a third book while Pippa slept at my feet.

The king groaned and stirred while he woke up, and I was instantly on my feet and at the door before he could wake up fully to see me in his room. "Wait," the king said while I put my hand on the door handle about to leave.

I hesitated and against my better judgment, I paused. My heart pounded hard in my chest, and I knew that he could tell that I was afraid. "Yes, Your Majesty?" I asked, surprised my voice didn't tremble. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you come back here?" he asked. "Please?" There was no animosity, no anger in his voice, something that I was surprised about because I thought he would be mad since he found me in his room.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and cleared my throat. I closed my eyes and gripped the door handle tighter, debating on whether or not I should do what he asked or not. "I should find the doctor," I said instead, "and tell him that you are awake."

The king shifted and groaned in pain, and I gripped the door handle tighter because all I wanted to do was go to him and make sure that he was safe. "You can do that later," he said softly. "Please, come here."

I took another deep, shuddering breath before I slowly nodded and cleared my throat. "Of course, Your Majesty," I said and turned around until I was facing him.

I looked down and walked that way, not looking at him. I stayed silent while I walked over to him, my heart beating hard in my chest.

"Look up."

I schooled my features so that I wouldn't let him see how nervous I was before I looked at him to see that he looked... different.

His dark brown eyes were no longer filled with anger or fear but with this calmness that I didn't realize he could possess. His fur seemed to glow brighter and looked lighter and healthier than it had.

The king looked more alive and well, which was weird because he had been on his deathbed only a couple of days ago.

The king kept his gaze on me and watched as I grew closer and closer until I was at his side and stopped. "You can sit," he said and gestured to the seat that I had inhabited for the past few days.

Again, I did what I was told and sat down still not sure what he wanted to do. I stayed silent and rubbed my hands together while I looked at him, waiting for him to do something.

The king looked nervous, something that I had not seen before. He cleared his throat and looked away before he looked at me again. "Thank you," he said softly while he bowed his head..

I shook my head and cleared my throat. "I should be thanking you, Your Majesty," I said. "You were the one that saved my life. I wasn't sure what would have happened if you hadn't shown up when you did."

"But you stayed," he said. "You protected me even after all of the shit that I had put you through." He looked at his paws before he looked at me, his eyes filled with pay and guilt. "Why?"

I looked at my hands and shrugged, my cheeks turning red. "Because it was the right thing to do," I said and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Would you have killed him?"

I looked at the king and pondered his question.

Would I have killed Conner if they didn't listen and didn't leave like I wanted.

Yes...

"I would have even if it meant getting killed too," I replied and stared at him with an unwavering gaze. "I would have killed him."

"Why?"

"Because the packs need you," I replied. "They need their king and need their king to be alive to help lead the packs." I gestured to the door as if to gesture outside of it where his pack was waiting for him. "They need you too, but they don't need you as this angry hating the world person that you have been for the past few years."

The king stayed silent and looked at his paws as if they were more interesting than anything else he had ever seen.

I bit back a sigh and cleared my throat while I stood again, and the king didn't look at me. "I'll get the pack doctor here so that he can look you over," I said. "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty." I curtsied before I started to make my way to the door again.

"Reif," he said, and I paused and looked at him again. He stared at me with wide eyes as if he didn't know why he told me his name or something but didn't want to say something different. "Please, call me Reif."

I bit back a small smile and nodded. "Of course... Reif," I said.

And with that, I opened the door and walked out, leaving my dog with him and closed the door behind me, grateful that there was no animosity between us.

Thank you, Goddess.

Thank you...