I heard a growl on the other side of the thick, wooden doorframe. Kane was there, and that growl was for me. I jumped back. But with a moment of silence, I edged to the door and pressed my ear to it. All I could hear was the sound of what I could only decipher was him getting dressed.
The distinct sound of his boots on the marble floor resonated through into the bathroom as they grew further and further away. "Sarah, get this cleaned up. See if the broken pieces of that can be repaired. It belonged to my family. I will send Wulfgar to stand at the door."
I had no words to describe the depth of my regret for my actions in that moment. I don’t even know what it was that I’d grabbed. But knowing that it was an heirloom, that made my guilt so much worse.
I could hear more rustling around the room, presumably as the women started to do as they were told just as the bedroom door opened and then slammed shut. I turned, putting my back to the door, sliding down it to the floor. With my head in my hands, I started to cry.
It wasn’t a moment before a soft knock echoed through the door. “Auriena? My dear, are you alright?” She spoke again, but it wasn’t to me. “I can help her, but only once she calms down.”
There was no reply vocally, so I assumed she spoke to Sarah. Reaching over and pulling a towel off its hook, I wrapped it around me. I could feel the concern radiating off of them. I could feel them on the other side of the wood. But I couldn’t bring myself to pull out of my emotions.
The bedroom door opened again, and I heard the men talking in the hallway. Kane’s anger still clear in his tone. “Your station is to keep security of my kingdom established, not calculate my schedule. Unless you have forgotten yourself, when I say that I have a matter to attend to, you wait. Is that clear?”
Dorian’s reply came through gritted teeth. “Yes, my liege.”
“Do we have an issue with my personal life?” Kane asked someone else.
Wulfgar cleared his throat. “Only if you’re asking about your choice of leadership around here. Otherwise? No. Clearly, by the look of the two women you have huddled by your bathroom door and the absence of your bride, you need to deal with something.”
“His choice of leadership. You dare question my ability to lead the army I’ve help lead for years?” Dorian roared with anger.
“I dare question a man that has, more than once, overstepped the bounds of his station directly with his king,” Wulfgar retorted.
“Fine words coming from a raider,” Dorian lashed out.
Clattering of metal and the sound of a scuffle echoed into the room. Then, Kane’s voice boomed over it all. “Enough!”
They fell silent.
I heard him step into the room but stop. “Dorian, I will meet you in the foyer. Wulfgar, please stand guard. You will be staying here, at your post, when I leave. Is that understood gentlemen?”
“Yes,” Wulfgar replied.
“My liege.” Dorian must have complied by the sounds of footsteps stomping away from the room.
Kane crossed back into the room. I heard Indrell and Sarah move to the side of the doorway, making room for him as he knocked, gently for him. “Auriena?” When I didn’t respond with anything more than a sniffle and a hiccup, I heard him sigh. “Sarah, Indrell, please leave us.”
One set of lighter footsteps started to retreat, but the others, Indrell’s, didn’t right away. "Her hormones and energy shifts are not in her control right now. Yours should be." I heard her move away toward the in the same direction as Sarah.
“Come.” Wulfgar beckoned them.
As the door closed, I heard Indrell. “He went back for her.” Her tone was wistful.
Kane knocked again. “Auri, answer me.”
“Is that a command?” I managed to croak out the words.
“Auriena…” he growled.
“Kane…” I mimicked his tone.
“Please let me in.” He tried to sound sweet, but I could hear the controlled frustration behind his words.
I turned and pressed the side of my face to the door. “Did I hurt you?”
"I thought you were scolding me," he replied.
“Did I hurt you?” I repeated. “When I threw the thing at you.”
“Yes. But I will heal,” he moved closer to the door.
“But I broke something special to you, and you’re angry with me.” I stood, still pressed to the wood before me.
I could feel his energies pushing through to me. It was a mixture of alpha male aggression and a longing. There was a sense of love that blanketed the rest. The feel of it turned me, and I found myself, with both hands flat on the door, my entire body leaned against it. Yet, that very strong stubborn side of me refused to go to him no matter how much I wanted to.
"You clearly did not pay attention to my tone or the smile on my face." I pulled the towel up around me more.
“No. I did not,” he agreed.
I scoffed. "You yelled at me."
"I'm standing here trying to apologize for that. Through a door," he said.
Again, I scoffed. “I have not heard any apology.”
He sighed heavily. “I am sorry, little one. I should not have lost my temper with you.”
"You scared me." I still did not open the door, but my defenses were weakening.
“I know. But I now understand how you felt when you were angry with me being so open with showing myself or you to others. I did not like it.” A sense of regret filtered out with his
