Nora ran for the door and Kellan caught her by the waist. “I don’t think so, love.”
She clawed and scratched at him, using her combat training to try and get free. Her father was in danger. He needed help.
Kellan was bemused by his wife’s strength. She managed to score her fingernails across the side of his face. She drew blood and Kellan was half-proud of her.
In his stupor over witnessing her abilities, he must have hesitated, because she landed a hard knee to his kidney. Kellan grunted, but did not let go. He was the strongest wolf in the pack. His little mate was no match for him.
He carried her to the bed and held her down with one hand. He reached for his belt on the floor and his kidney suffered another blow.
Despite his efforts to avoid it, his cock hardened. He made note to revisit this in the future. Battling with her in bed was something he wanted to explore.
A punch to his mouth was enough to dampen his lust. He growled, seizing her wrists and slamming them above her head.
Holding them with his left hand, he looped the belt around them with his right. Nora was bucking like a madwoman, so he flung one leg over to straddle her ribs as he tightened the restraints.
It took longer than it should have. Nora was a skilled fighter. Yet another secret withheld from him.
“There,” he proclaimed once she was secured to the bed. Her feet were still loose, but he didn’t think she could get her arms free.
“Please, don’t do this, Kellan. My father … please!”
“Nora, calm yourself. I will find him. Did you think I would ignore the vision? I may be furious with him, but I’ll not ignore my father-in-law’s need for help. Trust me to do what is necessary.”
“But I can track him. The earth, it will tell me where he is.”
“As will my nose. Do not worry. I will handle it.”
“Don’t you dare leave me like this, Kellan.”
He ignored Nora as he started to dress, then thought better of it. He would leave the castle in wolf form, so he could track Edward.
“I will return as soon as I can.”
Kellan bent to kiss Nora. Instead of allowing it, she tried to hit his forehead with her own.
“Woman, will you calm down?” Kellan did not want to get his nose broken.
“How could you? Are you trying to ensure you’ve earned my abhorrence? Because I can assure you it’s working,” she seethed.
Kellan recoiled at the vehemence in her words. “No. Do not say that.”
“How could I not? You do not listen to me. You have no regard for me. You think of me as a witch. Do not pretend that you’re not disappointed I’m not a she-wolf. I bet if I was wolf you would let me go to my father. Instead, you’ve tied me to your bed like a damned animal.”
“You are tied to our bed, so I can ensure your safety, Nora. I will be gone from the castle and you refuse to stay put. I cannot concentrate on whatever your father is facing if I am worried about you. You are my mate. Nothing is more important to me than you. Do you hear me? Nothing. I care not that you are an elemental. I shouldn’t have called you a witch. I am sorrier than you could possibly know. My anger got the best of me. It won’t happen again. Just as you will not lie to me again. Mates do not lie to one another. Ever. I am hurt that you could do it so easily. But we’ll discuss it later. I have to go.”
Kellan had his hand on the door handle when Nora landed her final blow.
“I may be your mate, but you are not mine. I am Gwydion. We don’t have mates.”
He bowed his head as his heart filled with more sorrow than he had ever known. He took a calming breath, wanting to ward off the reaction he was having to Nora’s harsh words, but the grief inside him was too big to hide.
Kellan turned his head towards his wife, eyes wet from the enormity of his heartache.
Nora was shocked to see tears forming in Kellan’s eyes. One spilled and mixed with the blood from the scratches on his face. The ones Nora had put there only a moment before.
“I may not have your heart, Nora. But you have mine. You can wound it easily. Yet, I give it to you, freely, with no expectation of anything in return. I’ll endure your hatred to ensure your safety. For this, I’ll not apologize.”
With that, Kellan exited the bed chamber, leaving behind the only thing he had ever truly held onto—hope that his mate loved him.
