Heart of the Wolf Prince

Chapter 27

When I woke that morning in Kohl's warm embrace, I rolled over and nipped at his jaw, coaxing him from the depths of sleep. He eventually wakes too, and sleepy kisses turned to sleepy sex. A little more awake from our earth-shattering orgasms, we ran into the shower and made love again. We couldn't get enough of each other.

Now, we both lie naked in his bed once again, Kohl's damp hair wetting his pillow while mine fans out on the expanse of his chest. Kohl rakes his fingers through my hair, and I close my eyes against the sensation, tempted to fall asleep again. Being here like this, with him, is pure bliss.

Kohl nuzzles my hair. "I still can't believe it," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the dampness of my hair. I look up at him, a smile tugging on my lips. His eyes are a low-burning fire of lust and sleep, and I'm certain mine must look the same.

"Neither can I. I'm still scared I'm going to wake up any moment now, alone in my bed..."

Kohl pulls me towards him, so our faces are just inches apart. He trails a thumb over my lips, my cheekbone, my jaw. He admires me like one would admire an artwork; appreciative, awestruck. "I don't want to leave here. I just want to stay here all day with you—" he presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth, "—and fuck until we have no other option but to collapse into each other's arms."

My loins throb at the roughness of his tone, but I shake my head. "You have duties to foresee, prince, and not just court ones. You still have to find a way for us to be together."

Kohl groans, and I suppress a grin.

"I know, but I don't know where to start. I thought on it during the night, but the main problem isn't the kingdom – they'll listen to whoever's ruling. No, the real issue lies with my father."

A razor lodges itself in my throat. "Will you have to challenge him, then?"

Kohl shrugs, frowning. Typically, a Gahndor royal can only succeed the throne once their ruling parent has died, or if they challenge them for it. However, challenges are usually only done by a prince after he has taken a wife, meaning Kohl would have to marry someone first, and that definitely can't be me with his father on the throne. Still, there's nothing stopping him from doing it before he takes a bride...

"I might have to, but it's high-risk. I'm not as strong as him yet. I could try and assassinate him but that's high-risk as well. He could always just kill me and sire another heir with my mother; I'm sure he wouldn't miss me much."

I swallow thickly. "Then I don't know if I want you doing that..."

Kohl turns to look at me then. "No, Naomi. I don't care what it takes, or how much danger it puts me in. If it gives us a shot at being together, then I'll do anything. I promised you I'd fight and I'm not going back on that."

I swallow, feeling both elated by his conviction and terrified for him. "Okay... that means you need to train for it. And if you're going to train for it, then I will too."

"What do you mean?"

I hesitate for a moment. "I can summon fire, Kohl. If for whatever reason the challenge goes awry, I can jump in and burn him to a crisp. It's not ideal, but you can pardon me once you succeed the throne. It can work—"

Kohl is shaking his head before I even finish. "No, Naomi, you're not putting yourself in danger like that. This is between my father and I, and if for some reason you attack him and he survives, you'll be dead before sundown. Besides, what would the kingdom think if you intervened? You know challenges are supposed to be one-on-one. Taking the throne by foul play could cause an uprising."

I swallow, tempted to say that I couldn't give less of a shit what the kingdom thinks when Kohl's life is at risk, but I nod all the same. I know he only wants to keep me safe, which I know I should be grateful for, but I can't bring myself to feel that way. Not when Kohl is endangering himself for my sake.