Luc watched Henri pounding away at the new come of aged soldiers in the name of "training" throughout the vast grassy plains. They have all shifted except for him and they still couldn't even touch him.

He finally decided to intervene when Henri threw one of them into the river. Even if the soldiers loved training with their king, but they weren't used to seeing him on edge, and he wasn't going to let their perceptions change of his brother.

He ran over just as Henri was about to get ambushed by three young soldiers desperately trying to get a blow in.

Luc put his hand up and blew a whistle stopping them on their tracks.

Henri visibly frustrated, turned to look at him with his eyebrows up.

He gestured for him to follow him away from prying ears.

"Henri... Aren't you overdoing it a bit?"

"Not at all, they haven't hit me once it's my duty to..."

"Henri please cut the shit. We both know what's going on...

JUST Go talk to her."

He sighed heavily and put his hands on his pockets and looked up at the sky, a cool breeze playing with the loose strands of hair from his man bun.

"She asked for space to think. I owe her that after everything."

"Ok then..

Well, I think it's time for me to activate my brother-in-law/best friend card and go see her. Come find us when you are tired of roughing up those poor bastards."

Just as he was walking away he could hear Henri yelling at the young soldiers to take 5 and not a minute more.

Time for him to get these two back together before Henri either explodes or kill someone.

*********

Leave it to her to sniff out the library in this small city called a house.

Even if she was brought several bags filled with new clothes, underwear and shoes that no doubt costed a small fortune, she was still wearing another one of his oversized shirts and boxers. She found out quick enough, that it somehow appeased the animal within her since she was still staying away from Henri.

At times, she was literally aching being away from him, but instead of making her want to find him to help ease the pain, it only reinforced her decision to staying away.

She wasn't about to have some unforseen force dictate what she was supposed to do. If she is to be with him, she needed to be sure it was indeed her decision.

It has been two days since she last saw him, but she also knew he was around checking up on her, just never let her see him giving her the space she asked for.

She was huddled in the back of their library on the floor with piles of books surrounding her, completely lost to the world, devouring as much info about this new world she fell in as possible.

"It's good to see someone make use of this place." Said a poised and measured voice startling her.

She was so engrossed by what she was reading she didn't even hear, smell or sense the lady standing in front of her with a crystal tray with a gold finish filled with two sandwiches, fruits and a drink.

She frowned thinking about how that didn't correlate with some of the info she's read in some of the books.

" I'm sorry dear, i did not mean to scare you. You've been cooped up here since early this morning and i worried you did not get anything in that belly of yours"

Suddenly remembering her manners, she quickly got up to her feet and offered the lady a small smile.

She had never seen her before, but she was beautiful. Dirty blonde hair tied in a clean tight bun, the end braided down to her hips. Not one hair out of place. She gave off a powerful and confident air. She was dressed rather simply with a blue dress, but it was obvious that it was of great quality.

No way was she a maid.

"I'm sorry... I may have forgotten to eat." She said sheepishly while desperately trying to pat down and fix her unruly curly hair.

"I've noticed, so i brought you this. " the lady chuckled motioning the tray she was still holding.

"Oh thank you so very much. You really did not need to but i really appreciate it." she answered springing into action and quickly retrieved the tray and safely placed it on top of two neatly piled of books on the floor.

"Where are my manners, we never got to formerly meet. The name is Marie Geneviève Beausejour."

Natalia eyes widened at the realization and that's when she noticed those emerald green eyes of hers.

"Natalia Charles" she answered taking the offered hand. "It's wonderful to meet you... your majesty"

"Oh please just call me Mrs. Beausejour."

Natalia almost chuckled thinking how she thought she was about to tell her that she could call her Marie.

"Come dear, we need to talk. Follow me...don't forget your meal."

Before getting an answer, she started walking away expecting Natalia to just follow her.

She picked back up the tray and started following Mrs. Beausejour, glancing back at the pile of books making a mental note to come back and put them all back in their rightful places.

She led her to the kitchen, and Natalia could swear she saw another kitchen downstairs when she was exploring earlier. How many kitchens does one need?

Mrs. Beausejour gestured towards a stool in front of the island, then walked around it to stand across her.

Her posture had changed, and the friendly earlier vibe was replaced by a no-nonsense-business like aura.

Natalia automatically lost her appetite, but she nonetheless sat down and began to slowly munch on a sandwich thinking that it might be rude not to eat the food the Queen personally brought her.

It was hard not to squirm under her watchful intense gaze, it felt as if she was counting all her pores, until she couldn't take it anymore and asked "You wanted to talk Mrs Beausejour?"

"Yes, but i wanted to observe first the person who has been messing with my son's mind"

Natalia almost choked on a grape and started coughing hitting her chest.

"Eat slowly dear, or have you no training."

All right that's it. Doesn't matter if she was Jesus Christ himself, she had no right to speak to her this way.

"Do we have a problem ma'am?"

Marie's eyes darkened but she quickly found her composure again.

"My son deserves better."

"You don't even know me."

"I've done my research."

"Well goody for you."

"You are an arrogant one aren't you?"

"Only to those whom deserves it."

"I'm your Queen and i will never let my son take as mate a nobody from nowhere. He'll have his fun then throw you out like all the others"

Ok now she was getting pissed and apparently so did her cat. It was one thing to talk nonsense, but now she was trying to come between her and her mate.

"Your son is an adult and i doubt you have much say on whom he gets with." she say between her teeth keeping down a growl trying desperately to control herself.

"I have more say than you think dear, after all you wouldn't be just his wife but our Queen as well, and there is no way i will let a non-born to sit on that throne!"

"Is that a form of bigotry that exists within the shifting community?"

"Bigotry??? HOW DARE YOU?!"

"Well🤷🏽‍♀️... If the shoe fits and all that jazz."

"Have you no respect?!"

"Respect is earned ma'am." She answered her with a hard gaze refusing to be the first to bow down.

For a brief moment she thought she saw a glimpse of what might have looked like her being impressed, but she had to have been seeing things. This woman standing in front of her obviously despised her.

"I just want what is best for my son."

"According to the Moon Goddess, I'm who's best for him. I thought she was important to you guys." She muttered.

"I don't believe you are his true mate, there's no such things anymore."

"That's not what my cat been yelling at me for two days now."

The Queen's eyes bulged out of her head, and in a blink she was in front of her on her side sitting on the stool next to her.

'Whoa... Cool... Will i also have that speed? '

"Whatever do you mean by your cat yelling at you? " Seemingly already forgot about their contentious conversation, that just happened... Just now.

She was a bit taken aback by her sudden change of demeanor. But before she could answer...

"BESTIE!!!!"

The Queen groaned, but a smile adorned her face nonetheless as if she couldn't help it at the sight of her son.

"Maman, is everything ok ?" he asked giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Bien sur (of course) Luc, we were only talking and getting to know each other a bit."

"Oh ok... Well i need to borrow my best friend for a moment if you don't mind."

"Best friend?"

Natalia couldn't help but giggle. She really liked Luc and his antics.

"Bestie are you laughing at me?"

She blushed and smiled.

She's never been called that before.

As a matter of fact she's never had a best friend before.

"You are silly."

Luc smile widened loving that he made her feel better. He didn't miss the tension between her and his mom he felt walking in the room.

Knowing his mother, she was probably testing the heck out of Natalia. But he feared she was not yet ready for these types of mental games.

"Do you want to go walk around a bit, I'll show you around."

"Oh that would be lovely!"

"Ok, go change and I'll wait here."

She looked down at the clothes she was wearing and he could tell she felt uneasy.

"Are you ok?"

"Ugh... I don't know. My cat feels better when i have his clothes on and she is annoying and i don't know how else to appease her."

"I could think of a way Natalia." he said kindly.

Mrs. Beausejour, sat back watching the back and forth and found it interesting how her demeanor had completely changed from earlier. She was sweet to him. Actually she was nice to her as well until she went into defensive mode.

Maybe she could be a good Queen after all?

"What way?" asked Natalia.

"He is hurting too bestie."

She looks down at her hands. "Is he!?!..... But... I think i need more time."

"To do what?"

"To understand more about how i feel? When he is around me, its difficult to think."

"Probably the mate bond."

"So you too believe of this nonsense of her being his true mate?" asked the Queen.

"Yes mom, it's the truth."

Their attentions were drawn to the entrance when they've overheard a conversation between Henri and another woman.

"Ah that would be Tina." Mrs Beausejour exclaimed smiling mischievously.

Luc groaned and pinch the bridge of his nose shaking his head.

"And... Who is Tina?"

"She was chosen for Henri since childhood by us and her family to being our next Queen and his wife."

Just then, Henri walked into the kitchen with a petite black girl with very well defined arms and a small afro puff clinging to him like her life depended on it.

From the way she felt right now, her life might depend on it for real.

He was trying to get her off of him without hurting her, but she looked like she had multiple hands constantly grabbing him somewhere else.

"Awwwe cmon! Henri, we haven't seen each other in so long! Let's go have some fun together, i promise you won't regret it" she said in a seductive tone and a wink.

So, they've slept together.

Did she just wink at her man?

Did. That. Bitch. Just WINK at...

The rest of the world blurred out except her. She could hear voices calling out, but they sounded far far away. She was going to shred that bitch to a million pieces.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY MATE!" she growled her voice deeper than she's ever heard before.

"Henri who the hell is this?" asked Tina, but she let go of him nonetheless.

Henri's held his gaze to Natalia. Goddess he missed her, and she was wearing his clothes which warmed his heart to no end.

Without a second thought and ignoring the seething woman next to him, he reached out and snaked his arms around her pulling her in. Sparks exploded and they both simultaneously let out a heavy sigh of contentment.

She burrowed her nose to his neck just where she'd marked him and took a long drawn out breath in. His embrace tightened around her, and she rubbed her cheek to his chest purring unconsciously.

He grabbed her thighs and made her jump up straddling his waist, then he walked out of the room without a word.

Luc turned to her mother who was dumbfounded.

"Now do you believe mom? They really are true mates."

*******

In no time they've reached his wing in the palace and he instructed all the workers there to leave for the rest of the day, while still holding her in place against him.

She didn't seemed like she wanted to move anyway. She was glued to him her nose constantly nuzzling his neck sending all kinds of tortuous sensations straight to his nether region.

Once he was sure everyone migrated somewhere else, he found the nearest wall and pushed her into it.

"Two days!

48 hours...

Quarante-huit heures...

Quarantotto ore..."

He whispered in her hair while grinding on her.

She was already panting and soaked.

"I know... I know... I'm sorry."

"Look at me"

She kept her head burrowed in his neck.

"Do i need to remind you of the consequences of you not listening Ms. Natalia?"

She tensed up for a second, and hesitantly looked up at him.

He watched as her eyes roamed down to his lips and she licked the bottom of hers. A rumble left his chest and he couldn't help but squashed his lips to hers. To his delight, she opened up almost immediately giving him access to plunder his tongue in claiming and familiarize himself to every corner of her mouth all over again. When their tongues met, he swallowed her moan and he bucked harder into her making her feel how hard she's gotten him.

They broke out for air. And he put their foreheads together and whisper to her. "Kitten... Don't ever do that again."

"I'm sorry baby, i just needed to know that..."

"Yes?" He asked urging her to continue.

"I needed to make sure that, the way we feel towards each other is real, and not because of the mate bond."

He lifted her chin up to look into her eyes.

"Is that what you were really worried about kitten?"

She nodded yes pouting a bit with her slightly swollen lips evidence of their recent kiss, and he wanted nothing more then to resume their activities. But this was too important. He couldn't have her forever wondering if what they had was real or not.

"Natalia, no magic on earth is strong enough to make you fall truly in love with someone else." She narrowed her eyes at him not completely believing him.

He sighed, let her down on her feet, held her waist for a few seconds making sure she was steady. Then took her hand, needing the constant contact, to lead her into one of the many sitting rooms.

He sat on the dark brown leather couch and pulled her down to his lap.

"Listen sweetheart, we need to speak about this and get you to understand... The mate bond can not in any ways make us love each other. From what i understand, it's just there to help tear down any doubts, apprehension the mates might feel in getting to know each other. It forces them to want to spend time together, that's why it feels so good touching one another. " he says gliding his hand up and down her arm. She hitched her breath, and her eyes darkened with need.

His thumb grazed her already hardened nipple, she bit her bottom lip and gasped when he took it and squeezed it between his fingers. And he continued on: " how we feel towards each other kitten, no one and nothing can fabricate it or take it away.

" Are you sure? "

" Yes beautiful, I'm sure your cat probably told you that already . "

" I didn't want to believe her because she is one horny creature always plaguing me with how she feels, and 99% of the times it's all about jumping your bones."

Henri tilt his head back laughing out loud for the first time in weeks, and she reveled in it. She truly loved seeing him happy.

" But what about you beautiful, do you not want to jump my bones? "

She pretended to think about the question, taking a pensive pose putting the tip her index finger on her chin smirking away.

The smirk fell right off her face though when she felt his hand cupping her mound between her legs, slowly stroking it up and down through the boxers.

"Look at you kitten, already so wet for me. You are a needy little thing aren't you?" He asked kissing that sensitive spot behind her ear. "Answer me Natalia."

"Yesss sir..." She hissed.

"Whose pussy is this?" he growled out while pinching on her clit through her short prompting her to close her thighs around his hand.

"Yours."

"Yesss MINE! You've kept me away for two days kitten. You know you'll have to get punished right?"

At that thought, a new gush flooded her panties.

"Yes sir. Whatever you want."

"Good girl... Let's go take a quick shower. I've got a surprise for you."

He wasted no time giving them each a quick shower trying hard to hold down the need to bury himself in her.

After drying them up, she stood there naked in front of him almost shaking in anticipation, worrying that her arousal was going to start leaking down her legs.

"Go to the bed, keep your feet on the ground, bend over with your ams behind your back."

There was no room to disobey, he was in his dominant mode and used that deep gutteral husky tone that always gets her knees weak under her.

She did as asked and waited patiently for him to retrieve whatever he was getting in his closet...

He emerged a minute later with few items that got her gulping.

He aligned them neatly in front of her face and line of visions each item he was going to use on her tonight.

First was a set of velcro handcuffs, a flogger. It would be the first time he was using this on her. She was both apprehensive and excited. Then there was a strap on with a pretty big black dildo attached to it.

Wait what?

Henri stood there and watched her reactions to each item and chuckled at her gaping mouth when she's noticed the strap on.

"Don't worry about that for now kitten, because for right now there's a lot you need to get punished for."

She knew he was punishing himself too, because his cock was already rock hard glistening from precum. She licked her lips dying for a taste.

He groaned at the movement, and told her to put her head down and handcuffed her wrists on her back.

He picked up the flogger and she instinctively moved.

He held her down with one hand, while caressing her plush derrière with the strands of the flogger.

With his knee, he opened her legs wider, and in that moment she could feel his member pressed hard against her and she whimpered with need silently begging him to take her.

"Shhh.... Patience sweetheart. Trust me I'm going to take you soon and in every which ways i can think ok, but first..."

Then she felt the sting of the first blow. She tried again to move away.

"Natalia, i won't make you count, but if you try to move away again, i will be starting over. Is that clear kitten?"

She shook her head yes.

"Words beautiful"

"Yes sir."

"Good girl."