The First King
Chapter 33

Prew stood near the edge of the camp, watching as the men traveled down to the nearby river. Many of them were cheering, excited about their victory. But she could not celebrate with them, not where they were going. She turned to her left, watching as a few she-wolves and female witches made their way to a more secluded section of the river. With a sigh, she spun on her heels and went toward the center of the camp.

She grabbed a bowl filled with water and some clean cloths as she made her way through the maze of tents and campfires. While the others went to the river to bathe, she would clean herself somewhere more private, somewhere Konrad would not be jealous because others could see her. But the only place, the only tent, that she was guaranteed privacy was Konrad's. Though Prew could wait for her own space to be set up, she was covered with patches of dried blood and dirt.

"I miss my tub," she mumbled as she entered the tent.

Once inside, she set the bowl down on a table. Prew looked back to the tent flap, ensuring it was shut before she undressed. When she was naked, she instinctually went to the chest at the foot of the bed, but then she froze. This wasn't her tent, and the clothes in the chest wouldn't be hers. With a groan, she slapped her hand onto her forehead. There were only two options for her: either she could put back on her dirty clothes and wait for her army to join them, or she could wear Konrad's clothing. Prew picked up one of his shirts and gave it a sniff.

"At least it's clean," she stated as she tossed it on the bed. After digging through the chest, she found a pair of pants. She would have to get a rope to tie around her waist to hold them up, but it was better than being nude or wearing a dress.

With clean clothes on hand, Prew dipped a washcloth into the water. She scrubbed her body, removing every crust of dirt or speck of blood. Though she would have preferred the use of warm water and sweet-smelling soaps, this was still doing the job. By the time she was clean, the water bowl was brown, and three used cloths sat beside it.

As her body dried off, Prew walked around the tent. Some papers were strewn about, but most were blank or reports from her. She sighed as she made her way to the bed. A part of her was hurting because of how Konrad had treated her. She had wanted to kiss him, to embrace him once she realized he was fine, but he only pecked her cheek. And then, it felt as if he was distancing himself from her... again.

Prew gasped when the tent flap opened, letting in the bright light from outside. She reached over and covered her body as best as she could with the shirt from the bed. Her heart raced as a man stepped inside the tent.

"Konrad," she murmured as he stood there, looking at her. He didn't speak or move; it was as if he was a statue. "I'm sorry. I wanted privacy so I could clean up. But I'm done now, so if you go back out, I shall get dressed and leave."

Leave? The word was like a knife to his heart. Even though he knew that she meant his tent, it didn't feel that way. The anger and jealousy that he had felt moments ago were now fading away. Here she was, his wife, his mate, standing nearly bare before him. She had not gone with the other women to wash but chose his tent—for privacy. Rowan's words began to gut him as he realized how wrong he truly was.

Konrad approached Prew, quickly closing the gap between them. He gripped her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers. As he kissed her, Konrad could feel her body tensing. His hands left her face and went down to her fists that tightly held the shirt. With gentle pressure, he lowered it, exposing her breasts. When the shirt finally fell to the floor, Prew pressed her body against his in an attempt to hide her nakedness.

"What are you doing?" She rasped after pulling away from the kiss.

"I'm doing what I should have done long ago," Konrad answered as he placed his hands on her hips, slowly backing her to the bed. "I'm going to lay with my wife, with my mate."

"But I'm not marked," she argued as her legs hit the bed.

"You will be by the time I'm done," he whispered into her ear. Prew shuddered at the words and warm air that brushed her skin. "Unless if this isn't what you want?"

"No," she interjected.

It was such a quick answer that Konrad released her, thinking she did not want him. But then, to his surprise, she crawled onto the bed. As he watched her settle in, he removed his pants. Prew bit her bottom lip at the sight of him, at his member. It caused Konrad to chuckle as he climbed on top of her.

Though his hands grazed her sides, his eyes traveled from between her legs to her breasts. He leaned in, kissing her lips with a fervent passion. There was a yearning that flamed within his chest. Even Nero could not deny the want that he had. The loneliness, the hurt, and the heartache were disappearing with each kiss, with each touch of their mate.

As he kissed down her neck, his right hand left her waist, sliding down to the mound between her legs. Using only his middle finger, he felt her folds, noticing the light moisture between them. He moved his finger upward until he found her bud. Prew gasped under him as he worked his finger in circles.

"You're so sensitive," he groaned as he looked at her face. Her eyes were closed tightly, and her skin was becoming flushed.

Prew mumbled something incoherent as she withered under him. A low growl of excitement rumbled through his chest as he listened to her.

"Tell me, mate, do you touch yourself?" He questioned as he increased the speed of his circles. But rather than speak, she merely shook her head up and down. "And who do you think about when you touch yourself?"

Prew opened her mouth, but instead of answering, she moaned. Konrad smirked as he pressed harder against her bud.

"I think about you," he asserted as he kissed down to her breasts. "Do you think about me?"

"Yes!" She admitted as his middle finger slipped between her folds, pushing through into her entrance.

Her answer delighted Konrad more than he had expected it to. Knowing that she thought of him warmed his chest.

"She is ours," Nero stated, finally caving to Konrad's desires. The last barrier that stood between him and Prew was now crumbling. With his wolf spirit in agreement, they would now be able to mark her, together. All other wolves would know who she was, who she belonged to.

"Konrad..." She moaned, pulling him from his daze.

"Yes, my mate," he murmured as his finger began to thrust faster. The walls around his digit began to tighten as she neared her climax. He kissed her breast, pulling a nipple into his mouth, slowly pushing her over the edge. Prew cried out, moaning as her body trembled under the euphoric sensation.

Konrad sat up and removed his finger from within her. He put the digit in his mouth, savoring the taste of her desire. One day, he would bury his face in her, but not now. Nero was itching to mark her, to make her theirs. As her trembling subsided and her body relaxed, Konrad moved forward, placing himself against her entrance.

He looked into her copper eyes, noticing how they sparkled as she watched him. There was a slight smile on her face; he could tell that she was content being there. It made his heart twinge, thinking about how she could have been his all this time. He pressed the tip of his member into her entrance before he leaned forward to kiss her again.

"This will hurt," he stated softly. "But I promise to do what I can to ease the pain."

"I trust you," Prew replied as her hands touched his face. She gripped his beard, keeping him in place so she could kiss him.

With her words, he slowly pushed himself into her. Though she tried to relax, her body tightened around his intrusion. Once his member was fully sheathed, he stopped. A few tears fell from her eyes as her body grew accustomed to him. Konrad rested his arms on the bed and gently kissed the salty tears that fell down her cheeks. Although his body was wanting more, he waited for her to relax.

Prew could not help but smile through her pain as she watched Konrad. There was so much worry and love that shined in his blue eyes. She ran her hands up his arms, and she could feel how tense he was. It made her curious how much he was holding back, all so she could be in as little pain as possible.

"Are you alright… with this?" He inquired after her tears dried up.

"It is uncomfortable," she answered honestly as she caressed his cheek. "But I don't want you to stop."

"Will you tell me if it gets to be too much?"

"Yes."

Konrad nodded as he pulled partially out. Prew inhaled a sharp breath when he pushed back in. At first, it was just friction and pressure for her. But then, it slowly changed. The discomfort that she felt was being mixed with pleasure. Her whimpers and winces were broken up by the moans that escaped her mouth. As his thrusts went a little faster and a little harder, her moans slowly became cries of pleasure.

Konrad relished in her sounds, in her calling out his name. It fueled him to do more, to give her more. And he planned to give her everything, to bring her over the edges of pleasure once again, but not now. He held back in anticipation for something more.

His hands gripped her hips tightly as his own climax neared. He was sure that she would be left with a bruise, but at the moment, he was drowning in his own pleasure. After a few seconds, he grunted as he leaned forward. Konrad kissed Prew before resting his body against hers. She was so warm, and her hardened nipples scraped across his chest with each breath she took. Though he wanted more, he had to remind himself that this was her first time. There was only so much that her body could take, especially as a human.

Human… He sometimes forgot that she did not have a wolf. With her blueberry scent, her strength and resolve, she reminded him of other Lunas. No. Prew reminded him so much of his mother. Had his parents survived, or had the witches not gone for their pack, he wondered what they would think of his human mate. Sure, she impressed several other alphas, but their opinions only held so much weight to him. As Prew ran her fingers along his back, Ava came to his mind. She had loved Prew, even to the point of defying his commands not to call her Luna. If his Grandmother felt this way for his mate, then perhaps so would his parents.

"What's wrong?" Prew questioned softly as her hands went to his hair. Konrad had been silent, and she could feel him trembling against her. At first, she assumed it was him being exhausted, but his breathing seemed to waver as he let out a deep exhale.

"I'm thinking about my parents," he answered as he looked at her. "I was wondering if they would like you. But, since Gran loved you, I believe they would, too. You are so strong, so brave, and very patient. Everyone likes to remind me how lucky I am that I have you. And I know that I blatantly pushed you away at times, but it was only because you drew me in. For a long time, I thought you made me question fate, but now I wonder if it was supposed to be you all this time. If you were the one that I was meant to be with. I cannot explain it, but being here, being with you, it is the most natural thing I've ever done. I almost wish the world around us could freeze so I could savor this moment with you for all of eternity. Do you feel it, Prew? Do you feel this pull like I do?"

"You are such an enigma to me," Prew murmured as she furrowed her brows. "You just gave me quite the declaration of love, and it is all because of fate and spiritual pulls. Your reasons behind why you feel things are so similar yet vastly different from mine. There are things that you feel that I never will, and it is because of your wolf, of your connection to some Goddess. To listen to you, to watch you, not only fills me with awe, it frightens me. But, in the end, I foolishly trust you. With that stupid grin and those bright blue eyes. You can be entirely selfless towards others while at the same time maintaining power and control. And yet, even during those times when you get temperamental and jealous, I still trust you. You make me feel safe, and you treat me as your equal. Something so few others do. I cannot say if you or I were made for one another, but what I can tell you is that I don't regret this arranged marriage. I don't regret you or any of this."

Prew placed her hand on his cheek as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. Konrad returned her kiss, but in doing so, it stirred Nero within his soul. He was growing impatient for his part in this: for the marking. As his canines began to extend, Konrad pulled himself back, away from Prew's lips. But when he looked at her, she had her head tilted to the right, exposing her left shoulder to him. His hand reached up, feeling from her collarbone up to her neck.

"This will be painful," he stated as he sighed. "I will try to make it so you don't just feel pain, but I don't know if it'll even help. I don't know what my bite will do to you."

"It's alright," Prew assured him with a smile. "I want this, just as much as you do."

Konrad leaned forward until his teeth just hovered over her shoulder. His tongue grazed her skin, causing Prew to shiver. As her body began to tense up in anticipation, Konrad moved his right hand down between her legs. With his fingers encircling her bud again, and her body relaxing under the pleasure, he finally bit into her shoulder.

Prew cried out instantly as his teeth pierced her skin. She gripped him tightly, doing her best to remain still. But the moment the venom seeped into her body, burning its way through her veins, Prew began to struggle. Even with Konrad rubbing her, the pleasure did not override the pain. It was as if her veins were on fire, and she screamed, begging for him to make the pain go away. Prew didn't even notice when Konrad stopped biting her. She was unaware when he pulled her into his arms and cradled her. All she could feel was pain, and all she could do was cry into him.

"I'm sorry," Konrad whispered as he tried to soothe her. "I'm so very sorry."

"Your Majesty?!" A frantic voice called out from outside the tent. The person did not wait for a response but quickly rushed in. Konrad looked up, noticing it was Sofia. The woman looked from him to Prew lying limp in his arms.

"What did you do?!" Sofia questioned with wide eyes.

"I-I marked her," Konrad explained as he moved Prew's hair, exposing the bite.

"Why did you mark her? She isn't a wolf!"

"This was her decision as much as mine!" He retorted with a growl. His grip around Prew tightened, but her cries still filled his ears, hurting his soul. Konrad closed his eyes as he pressed his cheek against her head. He mumbled something, but it wasn't audible.

"What was that?" Sofia questioned as she stepped closer.

"Can you heal her?" Konrad reiterated more clearly. "Please."

"I can try," Sofia replied as she hovered her hand over Prew's shoulder. The witch closed her eyes as she whispered a spell. Her hand began to glow white, and the blood that trickled from the wound finally stopped. But Prew kept crying; her pain, the burning within her veins, had not gone away.

"What's wrong?! Why isn't it working?!"

"I don't know," Sofia answered as she placed her hand on the back of Prew's head. Her hand began to shine again, and after a few seconds, Prew quieted down. Konrad looked down at her, noticing that she was passed out. "There, this should help."

"What did you do?"

"She is asleep, at least for a few hours," Sofia replied with a sigh. She ran her hand over Prew's silky hair before meeting Konrad's gaze. There was a light that flashed through Sofia's eyes as she stared. "I disagree with what you did. I don't care if she wanted it or not. She is human, and you are far from it. Whatever is hurting her, it is something I cannot heal. For her sake, I hope the pain is gone when she wakes."

Sofia stormed from the tent, and for a split second, Konrad could see the crowd gathering outside. But he did not care. All of the sounds, smells, and mind links were drowned out by Prew. Even though she was quiet and lying in his arms peacefully, everything in his body focused on her. He laid her back on the bed, gently resting her head on a pillow. Konrad lay beside her, holding her close to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he kissed her cheek. "I'm so very sorry."

For several hours, Konrad lay there, snuggled against Prew. At first, he ran his fingers along her skin. Touching her was calming and kept his mind off of the guilt. At some point, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from the day's events. But, after some time, something roused him from his slumber. It was the feel of something tickling the little hairs on his chest. His eyes shot open, noticing that it was Prew; she was running her fingers along his body.

"You're awake!" He gasped as he placed a hand on her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"My left arm is very stiff," she groaned as she attempted to move it. "But it doesn't burn anymore. What happened? I just remember being in excruciating pain, and the next thing I know, I replace you asleep against me."

"Sofia tried to heal you, and when it didn't work, she put you to sleep," Konrad explained as he pressed his forehead against hers. "I am so very sorry. I feel so incredibly guilty for the pain that I put you through."

"No, don't do that," she pleaded as she pulled away to look at him. Tears brimmed his eyes, and he looked so tired, so broken. It was the same face she had seen when Ava passed.

"Your screams crushed my soul in ways I never thought possible," he murmured. "I’ve put you through so much, not just tonight. I’ve tried to push you away, and each time, I found myself going back to you. But I was so wrapped up in my own feelings and inner turmoil, that I could never truly appreciate you. I know I’ve hurt you, and it disgusts me that it took me marking you to finally regret my actions. I can't imagine how much you hate me right now."

"But I don't hate you," she asserted as she gripped his beard tightly. "I told you that I don't regret us, and I still mean it. I know you’ve had your own inner demons to contend with. You and I were paired together at a time when neither of us could appreciate the other. And yes, you have hurt me, but there is plenty of time for you to make it up to me. But what you did tonight, what you and I did together, don’t apologize for that. You marking me may not mean anything to me or other humans, but it means everything to you and to your people. I know this. I wanted it because I wanted you; I wanted to be yours."

As tears fell down his cheeks, Konrad pulled Prew into a tight embrace. Neither were ready to say the words 'I love you.' Not yet. Their love for one another was only just blossoming; it was still delicate and fragile. Though it could easily be shattered under the weight of lies and betrayal, it could also grow with trust and understanding. At this moment, both were ready to take the plunge, to go down this unknown path that lay before them. It did not matter what challenges they may face; so long as they were together, they would endure it, for love endures all things.

This was my favorite chapter to write ❤️ What did you guys think of it?