29: Well, Shit.

**Coal**

The second that my mate's rage hit my system I was on my feet and rushing away from my laptop. Alpha Grace called out to me several times, but I couldn't be bothered. Raegan was pissed, and that wasn't good. She was supposed to be taking it easy.

Just as I left the office, a panicked mind link came through from one of my dungeon guards. She linked me that Raegan was in Kai's cell, and they couldn't get close to her without being shocked by what they assumed was a forcefield.

I cursed and hastened.

Arsen started to pace internally and unconsciously lent me his speed so that we were moving faster. As soon as we reached the steps that led to the dungeons, the putrid stench of urine hit me.

I gagged but forced myself forward. We usually kept this place clean, so the fact that the stench was permeating really said something.

"Raegan!" I called out the closer I got. Blood started to mingle with the smell of piss.

I saw the guards first. They were shaking, their eyes focused on the cell we'd locked the former prince in. I followed their gazes and gasped.

My mate stood covered in crimson. Her eyes blankly looked down at a mangled heap of what had to have at one point been Kai.

My eyes went wide, and Arsen whispered one word once more to me.

*Mate.*

The word, though wasn't spoken out loud, seemed to get Raegan's attention, and her head snapped in my direction.

I swallowed thickly, "Raegan--" I started to say, but I was cut off. She had moved to stand in front of me faster than I could perceive, and then a sharp pain radiated through my neck.

I gasped and placed my hands on her hips and she yanked my hair to pull my head to the side. Her canines were stuck in my neck, and slowly the pain started to make way to pleasure. I moaned involuntarily, and she growled against my flesh.

"Raegan," I whispered, my hands gripping her tighter as the sensation of her teeth in my neck sent shivers down my spine and blood straight to my dick.

She growled again, and dug her teeth deeper, sucking a little as she did so. It seemed like time stood still while she marked me, and then she retracted her canines and licked the wound until her mark was sealed into my skin forevermore.

I didn't let go of her hips as she pulled back from me.

"*Mine*," she growled at me, her eyes locking on mine as she gripped my jaw and chin firmly.

"Yours," I breathed out the word.

She huffed a little and then buried her face in the crook of my neck.

The blood from her clothes rubbed off onto me and coated us both. I cringed.

"Raegan," I called.

She grumbled incoherently.

"We're covered in blood," I whispered.

"Tired," she responded, moving her hands from around me to in between us and tucking them between our chests.

I sighed and scooped her into my arms before turning. She still was underweight, and Arsen and I both wanted to see that change sooner rather than later. We knew how much she detested that she had lost weight. It was hard not to notice how our once self-confident mate now would scowl at herself in the mirror or avoid looking at her body entirely.

"Let's shower and then you can nap," I said to her while I started to make my way back to our suite.

"Your room," she muttered, curling against my chest. Cute wasn't a word I usually attributed to her, and it was strange that while she was covered in blood after brutally murdering a man was the time that I thought she was in fact, cute.

"Okay, love, okay."

I did as she asked, and took her to the Alpha suite instead of the Luna. I set her on the toilet and started the shower for her, testing the heat until it was right.

"Let me know if you want me to carry you to bed," I said and kissed her forehead.

She gripped my wrist before I could walk away.

"Shower with me," she said, looking up at me with wide doe eyes.

I nodded.

The sparks between us had returned tenfold, and her marking me made her emotions so much clearer to me.

She was really tired, and... empty, almost. I hated that she felt that way, so if she wanted me to stay with her, I would.

I helped her up, and then took her clothes off of her before setting her back on the toilet seat. Then I undressed myself, and held her against my side as we entered the shower.

With a careful touch, I lathered her up with soap to scrub Kai's blood from her skin. I took my time making sure every part of her was cleaned and rid of his scent and his blood. She didn't seem to mind as she leaned back against me and purred softly.

Her eyes were closed as I took the handheld showerhead and rinsed her off, making sure to spend more time than necessary in massaging her scalp.

When she was rid of the grime, I set her gently on the shower chair we'd gotten upon her return, and then scrubbed myself clean.

After that, I turned off the water and wrapped us both in towels before carrying her to the bed.

She giggled softly when I set her on the mattress, and I smiled before going to the closet and getting a t-shirt, shorts, and boxers.

I dressed myself in the shorts, and then dressed her in the t-shirt and boxers.

Soon, she was out like a light.

When her breath was evened out for a consecutive period of time long enough that I knew she wouldn't wake, I put on a shirt before I made my way silently from our room, and back down the hall. I linked Hannah and Emily to meet me in my office on my floor.

Once in my office, I began pacing the length of it in wait for them to join me.

The second the door was open, I leaned against my desk and pinched the bridge of my nose, "please tell me there is some way, some how that this was self-defense, and the council *won't* have a reason to come and detain my mate for killing that son of a bitch."

Emily sighed, "it wasn't."

"Is there any way that we can make it *look* like it was?" Hannah asked her.

She pursed her lips and considered it.

"We could say that he intentionally triggered her and she reacted on base instinct to protect herself in the re-animation of her trauma." Emily offered.

"I don't like that," I frowned, "I don't think it would bode well for us to paint trauma as a motive for murder. It could stigmatize those who have experienced trauma and have disorders related to said trauma."

"How about we just say 'fuck it' and let the council know the truth?" Hannah asked.

A low growl reverberated out of my chest. "And let them take my mate?"

"They wouldn't dare." Hannah shook her head.

"Like hell they wouldn't," Emily scoffed.

"No, no, seriously." Hannah put her hands up in front of her in a pleading gesture, "Hear me out, if they did detain her Majesty, it would make *them* look like absolute shit. There is no way that they would make it out unscathed if they did that. Right now, the whole of Wolven kind is against Kai. They are out for blood for what he has done, and they want to see justice served in the most natural way that we, as wolves, know."

"Death." Emily added.

"Exactly," Hannah nodded, "so, we tell the truth to the people first, and the council will have no choice but to roll with it. Lest they get themselves thrown out of power immediately and without consequences on the Monarchy's end."

I frowned deeply, "I--"

"Ask the Queen." Hannah interrupted me, stopping me from protesting her train of thought.

My frown turned into a scowl.

I didn't want to burden my mate. Nor did I crave the feeling of making her consider the best way to evade imprisonment.

"It's her life," Emily sighed, "my daughter should be allowed to make this decision for herself."

And with that, it was decided.