"What are you training her for if you aren't going to let her fight?" I only just catch the words that Reynolds whispered. Ryder drops his eyes closed and breathes out softly. "We all know that whether I say that she fights or not she'll end up fighting. The rebels are relentless. The number of lives lost throughout the packs is close to reaching the thousands. Soon they'll have the strength to make their way onto the castle grounds and the first thing there are going to go for is her. If they get to her, they get to me – to the throne." "You can't increase anymore of the fighter's patrols, or add more, they're being pushed enough as it with the extra rounds and you'll leave the town defenceless. We should contact the pack alphas. If we take only five of their greatest warriors our numbers will be increased greatly." Reynolds words didn't falter. He was a fighter despite the relaxed look he held he would protect his kingdom till his death and I could hear that in his voice now. Taking a few steps back I lower myself down onto the closest seat. "I've already contacted them. They should arrive in three days." Ryder's voice was tense as he walked out from behind his desk. He was coming closer to me as I noticed that Reynolds was leaving the suite. When Ryder rounds the corner his eyes fall on me and quickly he gets a look of knowing. Bending down he gives me a soft look before he rubs his hands over my knees. "How much of that did you hear?" Darting my tongue out I lick my lips before I answer, "The first thing I heard was Reynolds ask why you were training me again." Squeezing my knee again he pulls me so I can wind my legs around him. "I'm sorry that you had to hear that. That stress shouldn't be put on your shoulders this early or at your age." "That's my job now isn't it?" I breathe out, my hands moving up to cup his cheeks. "I'm your mate. That means I was born to stand beside you, I was born to care for them the way that you do." Taking a deep breath, Ryder leans his cheek into my hand. "You are so much more than I deserve Charlotte." My heart tightened hearing those words. I liked hearing him call me Charlotte. It was him that I didn't deserve though. A few months ago, the best I ever thought I could achieve was getting to eighteen and having the confidence to be in a women's shelter without the worry that I'd be taken back to Carlett. "Should we go start that training?" I ask distracting him from our original topic. When Ryder stands up he takes me with him before he unwinds my legs from his waist and lowered me to the ground. "Can you go put a jacket on? It's still cold outside. We have long winters here." Shaking my head I run my hand over his nude chest. Shocking tingles shot up my arm as I touch his warm skin. "Shouldn't you at least put a shirt on?" He chuckles his hands squeezing my waist. "I have a higher body temperature to you. Plus I like the way your thoughts change whenever your eyes move over me." Heat moves up my cheeks and neck as I drop my head down against his chest. His scent just turns me on more though. *** Ryder had me positioned slightly behind him as we walk further down the castle grounds then I ever had been before. I could easily tell by the number of guards that were practically glued to us, were because of the rebels. I enjoyed being out on the grounds despite the cold air that was nipping at my skin even through the thick fur jacket that Ryder had forced over my shoulders. I was glad for it now. Although the past few years of my life were spent outside on the streets, and I never wish that life on anyone, there was a freeing feeling that I got when I could breathe in the fresh air. When Reynolds and Cole come into sight, all the guards around us spread out and form a sought of barrier around us. The thought confused me slightly. Ryder was one of the strongest wolves ever know to their kind and was practically invisible but if something were to ever happen to him they would all be left defenceless. That is until I give birth to a new royal. I hadn't noticed that we had stopped until Ryder gave my hand a squeeze. Looking away from all the guards I notice that I'm now stood facing a target a few feet away from me and in Cole's hands is a bow and arrow. "You freeze up with hand to hand," Ryder whispers against my ear as he steps behind me, his hands wrapping around my forearms. "But you actually knew how to throw a blade. So I'm going to teach you how to use one of these." Ryder takes the bow and arrow from Cole. I eye the weapon as Ryder slowly wraps my hands around it. It felt intimidating to hold something like this in my hands but I was much more aware of the warmth of Ryder pressed into my back. "Like the blade this arrow is titanium, so it will hold the same weight as a silver one but we don't want to kill anyone right now if you miss." Ryder had chuckled but I was nervous. I wasn't used to confrontation but I was now being taught to use one of the most extreme parts of it. Like he always does, Ryder senses my unease. "It's ok, we'll take it slow." "Just breathe," I feel the way that he takes a deep breath, his chest parting from my back almost forcing me to breathe as well and move with him. Ryder turns the both of us and gently raises the both of our arms. He runs his hand along my front arm making sure that it stays straight, the shocks continue as he pulls back my other arm and the string of the bow with it. When his thumb rubs over my lips I let out a quiet, breathy moan. "Later baby, later." He says to me, his lips gently running over the sensitive mark on my neck. "Now follow the line of the arrow and release." My fingers let go of the string and the arrow is shot forward, sinking into one of the outer rings of the target with a thump. Ryder chuckles as his hands land on my waist after he's passed me another arrow and I'm drawing it without his aid. "Now you just have to keep going until you hit the centre." I felt he should have stepped back away from me but he still held his position behind me, glaring at anybody who looked at me longer than they should have. Ryder's possessiveness used to make me nervous but now it was something that turned me on. Especially when I realised how possessive I was of him now that we had mated. He was mine and I was his. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt him, even if it meant conquering the things that made me uncomfortable. I wasn't going to lose him.