Queen of the Lycan, Karina Espinosa [accelerated reader books .TXT] 📗

with your fists, you’ll lose against me. Remember that next time you set up a challenge and remember that as the days lead up to my coronation. I don’t break easily.”

“Princess,” Ranulf growled, cutting off the rest of my tirade. He didn’t want me giving them any more ammunition to use against me.

“Pick him up!” Jacob ordered some of the younger councilmen. They rushed to lift William, still knocked out, off the floor. Without a backward glance, Jacob and the rest of them stormed out of the Guard’s Tower in a flurry of ruffled indignation.

“Hells bells, Princess, that was amazing!” Liam came up to me as the other guards murmured their excited agreement. “Ye should be guarding me instead of the other way around!” he laughed.

Ranulf glared at him and Liam’s smile dropped. With that look, Ranulf told him he was getting a little too chummy with a member of the royal family.

“It’s okay, Ranulf.” I held up a hand and turned to Liam. “Maybe you should hire me. How much are you willing to pay?” I laughed and he smiled broadly.

“Yer all right, Princess.” He bowed and excused himself to get back to training.

I turned to Bash and Ranulf and my smile dropped. “Okay, guys, I’m ready to collapse,” I murmured. “Get me to my room, now.”

Bash started to pick me up in a cradle but I shook my head slightly, knowing if I didn’t walk out of there on my own, I would lose the respect for which I’d just fought. Understanding my train of thought, Bash led the way to the door and we hurried out of the tower.

3

As soon as we reached the guest wing and entered the living room, Bash lifted me and rushed to the bedroom. I gave a relieved sigh because I didn’t think I could have made it to the bedroom on my own. He set me on my feet long enough to pull the covers back and then he laid me gently on the bed.

“What can I do for you? Where does it hurt?” Bash asked as Ranulf entered the bedroom.

“My face,” I mumbled. “I feel like he rattled my brain.”

Ranulf grunted, “Aye. That hit was nasty. It should have knocked ye out.”

I tried to grin. Maybe I did. I didn’t know for sure, because I couldn’t feel my face move. “You would’ve liked that, wouldn’t you?”

Ranulf gave a long-suffering sigh. “Contrary to what ye may believe, Princess, I don want ye getting hurt. This is exactly what yer father didn’t want happening.”

“Don’t tell him,” I said quickly. “I’ll go into the forest and shift before he sees me.”

“I can nae keep this from him, Princess,” Ranulf scolded grimly, “but I’ll get a few guards to escort ye to the forest.” He turned and left the room, leaving me alone with Bash.

I peered at Bash and saw a storm brewing behind his ocean blue eyes. I was already dreading whatever he had to say. I knew accepting that challenge was reckless, but I’d been uptight and cooped up all week. That fight gave me the opportunity to release some pent-up energy.

“He could have killed you, Mackenzie,” Bash bit out stonily. “Did you think about that?”

I reached for his hand, but he jerked out of my reach. I let out a sigh. “He wouldn’t have killed me, Bash. William barely wanted to fight me as it was. Everything worked out; don’t stress.” I tried to sit up to punctuate my point, but every bone in my body chose that precise moment to protest. I couldn’t hide the wheeze that escaped my lips from the effort.

“Don’t – don’t move, Mackenzie.” Bash gently pushed me back down.

“I have to shift or else I’ll be sporting a shiner at my coronation,” I joked, but he didn’t find it the least bit funny. Tough crowd.

“It would be well deserved,” Bash growled. “You need to stop being so reckless, Kenz. You’re no longer in a position where you can think only about yourself. I thought we were past this.”

We were ... sort of. But he still didn’t understand that sometimes I just had an overabundance of energy that needed to be released, and no amount of sex – though fun in the moment, would help. It was why working at the SIU was so beneficial for me. Fighting in the streets and getting paid for it? It was a win – win. But now? I was stuck being a docile princess and my restless energy overflowed and made me cranky. I needed to expend it. So no, I wasn’t being reckless, I was merely trying to find release.

“I’m sorry, okay?” I reached for his hand again. This time he let me interlock our hands.

“Mackenzie!” Alexander yelled as he stormed into the guest wing, stomping through the living room and into the bedroom. He took one look at my face and his gray eyes widened in horror.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” I tried to ease his growing concern. “After I shift, I’ll be brand new. Fresh out the lot.” I attempted to wink but it probably looked like I had a bad twitch.

Alexander huffed and his whole face turned beet-red with anger. A vein on the side of his head started pulsing. “I told ye to lay low, Mackenzie,” he snapped, his voice low but firm.

“I won’t do it again, Alexander,” I promised lamely. “You have my word.”

And it was true. I wouldn’t stress him out any further than he already was. Glancing at Bash, I decided I wouldn’t worry him anymore, either. I needed to cool it and find another way to get rid of this pent-up energy.

Alexander exhaled loudly, accepting my promise. “Very well. There are some guards outside yer room, ready to take ye to the woods to shift.”

I smiled at him, or at least I tried to. “Thank you. Bash, can you help me up?”

Bash helped me out of bed, but I stopped short of letting him carry me, though I