Ivan's Queen
Chapter 18 - Protect You

*** This is a clean version of Chapter 18. For anyone who is over 18 years, you can replace a book on my profile called ‘The Forbidden Diaries’ which contains the explicit version. If any problems occur where you cannot view the book then you may have to follow me. Reading the explicit version is done at your own choice as I have made sure to notify you beforehand. ***

It’s midday when Lazarus enters my office with the regular box of mail. He lets it slam on the surface of my desk making me growl warningly. He smirks mischievously when I point out that he screwed up my writing. I almost want to grab Amelia and run back to Hawaii for another week. I let him sift through the letters and tell him to only focus on the ones that seem important.

“There’s a letter for Amelia!” I hear him laugh after a while before he takes a seat opposite me.

“What?” I frown in confusion as I sign off on a document. “We leave for the royal tour on Wednesday. I didn’t expect any letters or gifts before then.”

“Ivan...” Lazarus’ grave tone catches my attention and my eyes land on a familiar black seal of an eagle.

“Fuck!” I curse before snatching the letter from him and ripping it open. “What the hell?!”

It was the same style of drawing but this time it’s of Amelia tied to a chair with puddles of blood around her. Like before, it has no message except for her name underneath. Lazarus takes it off me and inspects it carefully. My fists clench as rage sweeps through me at the thought of someone hurting my mate. It’s one thing to threaten me but my mate? The second I replace out who this is they’re going to wish they never messed with me.

“I’ll look into this and report back when I replace something of interest.” Lazarus starts making his way toward the door with a somber expression.

“Get it done quickly!” I growl while Maksim and Konstantin snarl inside my head as I struggle to keep them at bay.

“Be patient. Act as if nothing is out of the ordinary.” He advises with a knowing look and I nod stiffly. “There might be a traitor among us.”

As soon as the door closes I punch my desk in frustration. Sighing, I lean back in my chair and pinch the bridge of my nose. I need to solve this before she gets hurt, I think to myself. Memories of how my enemies tortured and beat me come to mind and I replace myself panicking. The thought of her receiving the same injuries and wounds makes me sick.

My entire body starts to shake in distress and worry which makes me work harder to calm myself down. I can’t let anyone take her away from me. I’ve already put her through so much. Growling furiously when nothing seems to help me calm down, I decide on seeking her out. Knowing her touch will chase away all my fears I rush out of my office, desperate to replace her.

Following her sweet scent of chocolate and sea salt I eventually replace myself back in our room. I hear her humming softly in the bathroom and my tense muscles instantly relax. I open the door to replace her in a bath full of bubbles and her eyes seek out mine. As I make my way towards her I strip out of my clothes and can’t help but smirk when her beautiful eyes roam my body unashamedly. A rosy blush graces her cheeks when her gaze meets my knowing one and unable to resist, I kiss her warm skin as I slip in behind her.

“Are you okay?” She whispers after a moment of silence.

I hum in agreement as I press kisses to her bare shoulders and enjoy the way her body shivers. I love how sensitive she is to my touch and how her body responds so eagerly every time. Her hair is tied up in a bun and I growl softly before undoing it and letting the chocolate brown strands caress her sweet skin.

“Ivan!” She whines as she turns slightly to glare at me. “I felt your distress, please tell me what happened.”

“It’s nothing, Моя любовь.” I dismiss, not wanting to frighten her. (My love)

My beasts and I feel extremely protective over her right now. I don’t want her to stress over some stupid drawing that I can’t replace a way to trace yet. But she huffs before escaping my arms and making her way towards the other end of the large bathtub. Crossing her arms, she frowns at me and I can feel the displeasure rolling off her in waves.

“Amelia, get back here. I don’t want an argument right now.” I growl in frustration, itching to hold her close and protect her from any harm.

What is wrong with me? I groan to myself. We’re in our room, there’s nothing and nobody that can hurt her here and yet I keep worrying. That note has me so on edge!

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” She shrugs before picking up a book from a nearby stool and opening it.

I stare at her as my rage grows underneath the surface. I’m both stressed and angry that someone has threatened her and now she won’t let me hold her! She shrieks when I lunge at her and throw her book somewhere behind me as I pull her against my body. Glaring at her, I watch as she matches my ferocity and tries to shove me away.

“Stop it before I spank your little ass raw.” I snarl before grasping her wrists tightly.

“You’re on the couch until you decide to tell me!”

“Over my dead body!” Her eyes light up and a mischievous grin forms on her lips. I think I know what she’s going to threaten me with next. “I fucking dare you.”

“No sex for a week.” She whispers before biting down on my bottom lip and tugging it.

The change of emotion catches me off guard and she takes the opportunity to splash me with water. I hear her melodious laughter as I angrily wipe the soapy bubbles off my face. The soft and heavenly sound makes me regret what I’m about to do to her...only for a second though.

Grabbing her again, I step out of the bathtub before racing to our bed. Her eyes widen in shock when she realizes what I’m about to do before yelling that the sheets were just changed today. Not giving a fuck, I throw her onto the blankets and smirk at her furious expression. An angry Amelia is a funny Amelia because she looks like she can’t even hurt a fly.

Pouncing on her, I pin her arms down before sinking my teeth in my mark. A soft groan escapes her and I immediately scent her arousal. The sweet smell makes me grin and it makes me satisfied that I affect her so strongly.

As always whenever we get intimate a sweet blush graces her cheeks and spreads to the top of her chest. It’s a light hue of pink but it makes her look so innocent and delicate. I fucking love it and Maksim and Konstantin growl heatedly in agreement.

I make love to her and relish in the sounds of her sweet moans and gasps as she writhes underneath me in pleasure. As my fingertips roam over every inch of her skin, I commit every part of her to memory. As always, I lose myself in her comforting embrace and feel our bond rejoice with crazy tingles and sparks that dance in elation over my skin. Her kisses and touch intoxicate me and as we reach the peak of satisfaction, I feel drunk on her love.

A soft moan spills from her lips as I pull away and move to hover above her. Picking her up, I set her down in the bathroom and clean her skin before telling her to put on her pajamas. Grabbing a new set of sheets, I quickly change the bedding just as she emerges from the bathroom in my shirt...and nothing else. I arch a brow at her to which she just rolls her eyes playfully in response.

“Let’s be honest, you’re going to want me again in a few hours.” She winks before slipping under the covers.

“Sweet and smart.” I murmur with a smirk as I grab my boxers and put them on.

I get under the covers and immediately pull her close, inhaling her intoxicating scent. As always, she cuddles up to me and wraps an arm around my waist. Her nose nestles into the crook of my neck as she presses an open-mouthed kiss to my skin. My hand tightens on her hip as a reflex and she chuckles lowly, making me squeeze her ass cheek in warning.

We lay there in silence, still reeling from pleasure but I know she’s not going to give up. And I’m right. Not even two minutes later, my little mate squirms anxiously before looking up at me. I know right away that I’m going to give into her heavenly blue eyes and the fact makes me sigh in defeat.

“Ivan...” She calls softly and I look down at her in question. “Please?”

Sighing, I shake my head. “You’re such a curious little thing.”

“Always have been and you know that.” She nudges me gently with her elbow and I chuckle before nodding in agreement as memories of our childhood spent together come to mind.

“I have received two drawings of you and I that are quite disturbing. One has me hanging by a noose and the other has you tied to a chair with blood on the floor. Both have our names on it.” My jaw clenches as I want to replace out who is threatening us.

“Any idea who it is?” She sits up and turns to me.

Worry and fear line her features, exactly what I didn’t want. But she is my Queen and a stubborn one at that. She has a right to know.

“No.” I shake my head before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer so that she now rests on top of my body. “It’s a normal envelope but sealed by black wax with an eagle in the middle.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll replace them.” She whispers optimistically before sending love and reassurance through our bond.

“That we will. Nobody will hurt you, I promise.”