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Queen Calista stood before the full-length mirror in her chambers, watching her ladies make adjustments to the ivory silk of her nightgown.
Queen Calista endures seven years of a loveless marriage until a night of hope and heartbreak with the Alpha King unfolds.
Key Takeaways
- A marriage without love can cause deep emotional pain and isolation.
- Hope and desire for motherhood can persist despite years of rejection.
- Duty and alliance often complicate personal relationships in royal settings.
- Emotional resilience and dignity help individuals cope with private suffering.
- The story foreshadows a potential change in the dynamics of Calista and Jared’s relationship.
Summary
- Queen Calista feels like a ghost in her marriage, untouched by her husband Jared for seven years.
- Despite societal pressure and whispers about her barrenness, Calista longs to become a mother.
- Her sister Mira offers fertility tonic and emotional support, but Calista knows the real issue is her husband's rejection.
- Each month, Calista visits Jared’s chambers hoping for intimacy, but he drugs himself to avoid her.
- Calista struggles with the pain of a marriage based on alliance and duty, not love or affection.
- She yearns for a child, willing to accept distance and coldness if only to be a mother.
- The story explores themes of loneliness, hope, duty, and the desire for connection.
- The transcript hints at a turning point where Jared’s attitude and their relationship may change.
- Calista’s dignity and resilience are central as she navigates her private suffering and public role.
- The narrative is set in a royal fantasy world with elements of magic and political intrigue.
Chapters
- 00:00Calista Prepares for the Night
- 02:37The Pain of Childlessness
- 04:55Memories of the Wedding
- 07:25Approaching the King's Chambers
- 09:45Jared Drugged Himself
- 12:01Political and Court Intrigue
- 14:47Tense Ballroom Moments
- 22:10Emotional Confrontations and Revelations
- 27:03Hope and Forgiveness
- 30:21Ruling and Raising an Heir
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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The fabric whispered against her skin like a ghost, appropriate since that's what she felt like most days.
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A ghost in her own marriage.
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"You look beautiful, Your Majesty," the maid said softly.
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"Tonight will be different. I can feel it."
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Calista's reflection stared back at her with eyes that had learned not to hope over the last seven years.
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Seven years of walking to her husband's chambers once a month with her heart fluttering like a caged bird, only to return at dawn with that same heart a little more bruised.
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"Yes, perhaps it will," she murmured, forcing a smile on her face. What else could she say?
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That she'd stopped believing in different somewhere around the third year of her marriage.
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The door burst open, and her sister Mira swept in carrying a small vial of amber liquid.
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Where Calista had inherited their mother's golden hair and quiet composure, Mira was all fire—dark curls, flashing eyes, and opinions she never bothered to contain.
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"I brought you something," she said. "It's a fertility tonic. Old magic from the southern covens, guaranteed to—"
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"Mira, Calista, I don't need it. You've been trying for seven years."
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Mira's eyes shone with fierce protectiveness. "The court whispers, they say you're—"
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"I know what they say," Calista interrupted firmly.
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She'd heard it in corridors, seen it in pitying glances, felt it in the way conversation died when she entered rooms where noble ladies gathered with their children.
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They called her the barren queen. And why wouldn't they? After seven years, she hadn't yet given the kingdom an heir.
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She watched those other women, the way they cradled their babies, the casual ease with which they adjusted a blanket or soothed a cry.
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Such simple gestures that looked like magic to her—an impossible, forbidden gift.
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"Then let me help you prove them wrong."
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Mira squeezed her hand. "Please. You'd be such a wonderful mother, Calista. I see how you are with the children in the village."
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"Stop." The word came out sharper than intended. Calista and her voice. "Thank you, but no amount of fertility magic could fix a marriage that had never been consummated."
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The problem wasn't her womb but the ten feet of careful distance her husband maintained between them at all times.
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But she couldn't say that. She remained as untouched by the king as the day she'd wed him.
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The shame of it, the confusion, the hurt—it was a private ache she'd learned to carry alone for the sake of their reputation, the kingdom.
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"Thank you," she said finally, tucking the vial away.
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A maid appeared with Calista's robe.
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"It's time, Your Majesty."
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Calista squared her shoulders. Seven years had taught her many things, but perhaps the most valuable was this: dignity could be worn like armor.
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The walk to the king's chambers felt longer each month. Through the portrait gallery, past down the corridor where moonlight spilled through tall windows, and the worst of all, past a nursery that remained cruelly empty.
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Tonight she stood in the doorway, imagining it filled with life, her heart beating too fast.
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For what? If tonight was different? What if her husband was waiting? What if he looked at her, reached for her?
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What if tonight was the night she finally got to become a mother?
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She crushed the thought before it could take root.
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She'd been nineteen when they'd married, terrified and foolish enough to hope. When Jared had taken her hand during the ceremony, for one breathless moment she'd felt a pull, a recognition, something that whispered mate.
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Then he'd released her hand and escorted her to her chambers.
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"Our marriage serves its purpose," he'd said, voice cold. "The alliance is secured. That is enough."
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But it wasn't enough.
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Not for the kingdom that needed an heir, not for the wedding contract that stipulated they'd try.
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Not for her heart, which had somehow decided to want impossible things: a husband who looked at her like she mattered and a child to love with every piece of herself.
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And so, as per the marriage agreement, once a month she would come to his chambers so they would try.
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Except they never did.
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Calista reached the king's chambers and paused, her palm pressed flat against the heavy oak door.
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Behind this door lay her husband, and the thought had her wolf stirring beneath her skin, whining softly.
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Tonight would be no different, she knew that. And yet something close to hope beat its wings dangerously against her ribs.
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Not hope for his love—she'd buried that dream long ago. But hope for a child that she couldn't let go of.
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Calista's door. The king's chambers were dark except for dying embers in the fireplace. Heavy curtains blocked the moonlight, casting everything in shades of shadow.
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"Your Majesty?" Her voice came out softer than intended, almost tentative.
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Silence. But not the heavy silence of emptiness.
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Someone was here. She could feel it, an awareness that prickled along her skin whenever Jared was near.
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Her bare feet whispered across thick carpets as she moved deeper into the room. She could make out the massive four-poster bed against the far wall, its curtains drawn.
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With each step, her wolf stirred as her husband's scent wrapped around her like a physical touch.
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Wild and clean and utterly male, filling her lungs until she felt light-headed. Her wolf whined, a sound of longing that made her chest ache.
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She shouldn't want him. Seven years of rejection should have killed whatever foolish thing lived in her chest.
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But God's help her, her pace quickened despite herself. Maybe tonight. Maybe this time.
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Her hands trembled as she reached the bed. She could hear breathing now, deep, even.
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Please, she thought, please just let this work. I don't need you to love me. I just need hope and dread warring in her throat.
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Jared lay on his back, chest rising and falling in the deep rhythm of sleep.
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Moonlight filtering through a gap in the curtains painted him in silver and shadow. The hard planes of his face, the dark sweep of his lashes, the strong column of his throat.
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Even deep in sleep, he looked like a king—powerful, untouchable, hers in name only.
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"Jared." She spoke louder this time, leaning over him.
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Nothing. Not even a flutter of his eyelids.
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Calista, against the hurt rising in her throat. Maybe he was simply exhausted. But then her foot struck something on the floor.
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She looked down and saw a small glass vial lying on its side by the bed, empty.
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Calista bent slowly, bringing it to her nose, then she froze. She stared at the empty vial, then at her husband's too-still form.
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Understanding crashed over her. This was a sleeping draft. He drugged himself. Her husband had drugged himself rather than be awake when she arrived.
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"Why?" The word escaped before she could stop it.
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Calista's shoulders shook hard, harder than she'd ever dared touch him.
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"Jared, wake up." His head lolled slightly, but his eyes remained closed. Whatever he'd taken, it had pulled him deep under.
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"How dare you?" she whispered, her voice shaking. "I'm your wife. I'm your wife, and you—you drugged yourself unconscious rather than—" Her voice broke as she stared at his sleeping face.
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"I don't need your love," she said softer now. "I know what this marriage is. I know it's duty, alliance, nothing more.
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Most queens don't get even what I have. You listen to my counsel. You let me rule beside you. You're never cruel. I can live with distance.
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I can live with separate chambers and formal addresses and you looking through me like I'm made of glass."
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Her hand tightened on the vial. "But a child, Jared. Just—just give me a child."
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Her voice cracked. "I don't care if we spend the rest of our lives in separate towers, but let me be a mother. Let me hold our baby in my arms."
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She pressed her free hand to her chest where the ache had lived for seven years.
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But he couldn't hear her. He'd made sure of that.
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Calista sat on the edge of the bed.
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Why go to such extremes? If he truly found her so unbearable, why not simply refuse outright?
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Was simply knowing she was there really so unpleasant?
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A single tear slipped down her cheek.
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She let herself have—
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And beside her, Jared slept on, drugged into oblivion, his hand still reaching across the empty space where hers had been.
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Chapter two. The ballroom glittered with candlelight and jewels, filled with music and laughter as Calista sat at the high table, spine straight, smile fixed.
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Below her husband was twirling Princess Lorelei of the Western Isles through a waltz with effortless grace.
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Had been for the past 15 minutes, in fact. And while this was political courtesy, Jared had never once asked his own wife to dance.
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Not just tonight, ever. He would dance with visiting dignitaries, with noble women whose favor mattered politically, but never with Calista.
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So while she watched them turn and spin, her husband's hand at the princess's waist, something ugly twisted in her chest.
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"Isn't Princess Lorelei lovely?" someone whispered to her right. Calista's spine stiffened. "Well, she's certainly fertile." another voice responded. "Perhaps his majesty is considering "After 7 years with no heir?" a duchess said.
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"Can you blame him?" Calista's fingers trembled, reaching for her wine glass. On the dance floor, Jared bowed to Princess Lorelei, who curtsied with a dazzling smile.
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For a moment Calista thought, hoped, he might return to the high table. His chair beside her had sat empty for an hour now.
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Instead, Lady Melisande appeared at his elbow and Jared nodded with that same courteous distance.
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"Your majesty." a voice said. A man bowed before her, tall, fair-haired with warm brown eyes and a kind smile.
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"Ambassador Kieran." he supplied. "Of course." Calista forced brightness into her voice. "Forgive me, it's been a busy evening." "No forgiveness necessary." His eyes held genuine warmth.
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"I've been meaning to talk to her majesty about a certain point blocking the trade agreement between our kingdoms." Calista nodded.
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There had been contentions with the signing of the treaty between there and the ambassador's kingdom.
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"Do tell." she encouraged. The ambassador's head bowed, ever polite. "I wonder." he said, "if your majesty might honor me with a dance while we discuss it." He glanced toward the floor where Jared was spinning Lady Melisande through another turn.
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"It seems a crime that you should sit alone while the festivities continues." Heat flushed Calista's cheeks. He was offering her an escape, she realized.
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A way to show the court that even if her husband wouldn't dance with her, someone did.
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"I she hesitated, aware of how it might look. But what did it matter? People were already talking.
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"All right, lead the way." she said. Kieran's smile widened. She was aware of eyes following them as he led her to the dance floor, but Kieran's hand was steady at her back and she hadn't danced in so long.
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"Her majesty is very graceful." Kieran said as they turned. "Her majesty is well aware." Calista replied.
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Kind of him to ask her to dance, but she didn't need his pity in the form of excessive flattery.
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Beside, something in the air changed. The temperature, the light, the weight of it all.
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It was subtle at first, a prickle at the base of her neck, the unmistakable sensation of being seen, watched.
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Her next inhale caught halfway in her throat. Jared. Across the hall, amidst a sea of silks and gold, his gaze locked on hers.
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She raised her chin slightly, held his gaze for a deliberate beat longer than necessary.
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"Yes." her look said. "Some people don't find it so horrible being near me. Surprised?" Then Kieran spun her away and the connection broke.
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But she still felt him. Jared's gaze burning between her shoulder blades, scorching hot, unrelenting.
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"I'm sorry for what they say." Kieran observed quietly. "All those whispers about you." Calista's pulse jumped. The air was thicker now, laced with tension, with Jared's scent.
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It was making it hard for her to focus. "Whispers?" she said, raising a brow.
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"It's not a queen's place to worry about whispers." Chastised, the ambassador bowed his head.
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"Forgive me, your highness." He stopped, softened his tone. "I just can't bear hearing someone who's been as helpful and attentive to my people's needs in our negotiations be the subject of such baseless cruelty." Calista gave him a brief smile,
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acknowledging the apology. At the end of the floor, Jared had stopped dancing, something focused now in the way he was watching them.
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"I'm most grateful." Kieran said against her ear, "for her majesty's kindness and diligence." Calista's head snapped back towards his.
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"My diligence, ambassador." she said, "stems from the duty I bear to protect my people's best interest.
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It was no personal favor towards you." To her surprise, the ambassador smiled. "Of course." he purred.
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As they moved through the waltz, Calista became hyper-aware of everything. The whispers spreading through the crowd, the heat of bodies and candles making the room feel stifling, but above all, him.
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Jared. Every turn brought him back into view and each turn Calista's breath shortened. "Forgive me for saying so, your majesty." Kieran said quietly, "but the court is unkind to you." Calista stiffened, though she didn't take her eyes off Jared.
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He'd moved closer to the dance floor now, prowling along its edge. "I don't know what you mean." she said distractedly.
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"Please." Kieran paused. "You seem alone, even in a room full of people." Another turn and Jared was there again, closer this time. His silver eyes had gone cold, sharper, beautiful.
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She swallowed hard. "Your husband doesn't dance with you often." Kieran insisted. "He's busy." she snapped.
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Jared's nostrils flared slightly and his eyes, gods, his eyes had darkened to steel. "Ambassador." Calista began, thinking of interrupting their dance.
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"Do you know what I think?" He pulled her infinitesimally closer. "I think the whispers are wrong.
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I think the fault lies not with you." "His majesty and I have an arrangement." Calista said stiffly. "If you'll excuse "Forgive me." But Kieran didn't sound sorry.
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"It's just that I see a woman wasting away in a marriage that gives her nothing. I "Ambassador." Calista said carefully.
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"I think we should finish this dance without further inappropriate conversation." "Of course." Kieran's smile didn't fade.
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"Though I wonder if you really find it inappropriate or if perhaps you're just not used to someone speaking honestly to you." But Calista was barely listening.
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In 7 years, she had never seen Jared lose control, not once. Now he looked like he was seconds away from shifting in the middle of the ballroom.
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"I think." she said quietly, "we should stop "You know." Kieran continued as if she hadn't spoken, "there are ways to address your situation discreetly." Calista's steps faltered.
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"Excuse me?" she asked. "A woman like you, young, healthy, clearly not the problem. You have options.
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If your husband cannot or will not give you what you need The ambassador's thumb traced a small circle at her waist.
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"I have rooms here in the castle." Kieran murmured. "No one would need to know.
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And perhaps in a few months the court would finally have something to celebrate besides gossip." The world seemed to slow.
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He was offering himself, offering to to give her a child. The temptation that ripped through Calista was so fierce it stole her breath and a hand clamped down on Kieran's shoulder.
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The grip was so tight his face went white. Ambassador, Jared said. His voice was perfectly controlled, perfectly courteous, but his jaw was locked so tight it looked painful.
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And his eyes gold, pure gold. The entire ballroom had gone quiet. Even the music had faltered, trailing off into uncertain silence.
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Your majesty. She greeted keeping her face and tone calm. He looked down at her.
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And for one breathless second their eyes met. This close she could feel the power thrumming through her husband.
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Could sense the barely leased strength in the hand gripping Kieran's shoulder. I need a word, Jared continued, still addressing the ambassador in that terrifyingly controlled voice.
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Now. Calista's training as queen snapped into place. The Eastern territories were crucial allies. Making a public scene before they could discuss how to handle this wasn't wise.
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Your majesty. She repeated firmly stepping forward. Perhaps we could Not now, Calista. Jared said his eyes snapping to hers.
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Calista's thoughts scattered. Her name. He'd used her name. In seven years of marriage he'd called her by her name maybe twice.
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And never never in public. She stared at him, at this man who was her husband but looked like a stranger.
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This wasn't the cold controlled king she knew. His gaze raked over her, possessive, hungry, wild. And for one impossible moment the rest of the ballroom ceased to exist.
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There was only him looking at her like like she belonged to him. The intensity of it stole her breath.
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Your majesty. Kieran protested as Jared began leading him towards the door. Please, I meant no disrespect.
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I said move. People were staring now. The music faltered. Conversation died in ripples spreading outward from where Calista stood alone in the middle of the dance floor.
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Then, as soon as they disappeared from view the whispers started. And Calista stood perfectly still, heart racing, skin flushed, unable to process what had just happened.
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Chapter three. Calista's chambers had never felt smaller. She paced from the window to the door and back again, her evening gown swishing with each agitated turn.
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What had just happened? She'd sent three different servants with orders to bring word of Jared, of the ambassador, of anything.
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The not knowing was torture. The way Jared had looked at her in seven years she'd never seen him like that.
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The door burst open. Calista. Mira swept in without knocking. Oh my gods, Calista, did you see him?
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Calista turned from the window, stomach sinking. He was practically feral. Mira closed the door behind her. I've never seen anything like it.
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I don't see why you're so excited. Calista pulled her hands free. He caused a scene in front of the entire court.
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He was jealous, Mira interrupted, magnificently jealous, which means Oh, Calista, you're pregnant. You have to be.
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Calista stopped mid-stride. Sorry, what? She asked. It all makes sense, Mira exclaimed. Alphas become incredibly possessive when their mate is carrying their child. And just look at the way he practically murdered that poor ambassador.
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Gods. Calista pressed a hand to her forehead. This could cause a diplomatic crisis. But it won't. Mira said confidently.
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Not once they know you're pregnant. It's perfectly natural for an alpha to be aggressive when his mate is I'm not pregnant, Calista cried out.
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Of course you are, Mira insisted. Sister. Calista's voice was flat, exhausted. I know I'm not. Because Jared and I never spent the night together.
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Mira stared at her confused. What do you mean? I saw you leave your rooms.
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I was there. Calista said quietly. But nothing happened. Mira frowned. So you're not pregnant because you didn't that night. She resumed.
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Calista nodded. But you have before, right? Mira's eyes searched her face. I mean, not this time, but in the past seven years Calista looked away.
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Calista? Mira's voice had gone very careful. You have at some point consummated your marriage right?
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No, Calista said, never. Mira's mouth opened, closed, opened again. But that's that's impossible. She protested. You've been married for seven years. I'm aware, Calista snapped.
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We're supposed to be trying, but trying requires two willing participants. Mira sank onto the edge of Calista's bed.
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Calista, this is Do you understand how dangerous this is? For you, for our family.
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The marriage could be declared invalid. Mira was quiet for a long moment processing. But why?
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She stood beginning to pace. Even if he doesn't particularly like you, I can't believe the king would be so disgusted that he couldn't fulfill his obligations.
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An heir isn't just about desire, it's about duty, she continued. And Jared is nothing if not dutiful.
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He needs an heir as much as you do. She turned to face Calista. There has to be a reason he's A sharp knock at the door made them both jump right as it flew open. Jared filled the doorway.
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He looked wrong. His jacket was gone, his shirt partially unlaced, and his chest heaved with harsh breaths.
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Calista watched him step into the room, his movements prowling, not the careful measured steps she watched for seven years.
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This was a hunter. A wolf. Out. He said lowly. Mira's eyes went wide. She glanced at Calista.
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I said out. Jared growled making her flinch. Mira, it's fine, Calista managed. Go. Jared's gaze fixed on Calista with an intensity that made her skin prickle.
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She lifted her chin forcing herself to meet those burning eyes. What happened earlier? She asked.
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I hope you came to explain yourself. Jared didn't answer. Just kept staring at her, nostrils flaring slightly.
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Scenting. What's wrong? She asked. You're not acting like yourself. Like myself? His laugh was harsh and took another step forward.
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Yes. She said holding her ground. You assaulted a foreign ambassador in the middle of a state function.
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This isn't like you, Jared. You're His scent hit her then and she paused. It was wild, mixed with something that made her wolf whine low in her chest.
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Do you have any idea what you've done? Her voice was too breathless. The Eastern territories could take this as an act of aggression.
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What I've done? Jared snapped affronted. He was close enough now that she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact.
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He was propositioning you. He accused deadly quiet. I heard him. Every word he whispered in your ear.
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Calista's breath caught. So what if he was? She forced the words out. I can handle inappropriate advances.
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Handle it? Jared sneered. The words came out on a growl and suddenly he was closing the distance in two powerful strides that had her stumbling backward against the stone wall.
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I've handled it before. She said. I don't need you to suddenly decide to His hand slammed against the wall beside her head and she growled in protest, her wolf responding with aggression.
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You're saying there's been other He stopped, jaw working. When he spoke again his voice was strained.
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How many? He asked. It doesn't matter. She snapped. Ladies proposition you all the time. I've seen them. That woman at the winter solstice ball practically I've never been unfaithful. Jared exclaimed.
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The words cut through her tirade like a knife. His words and the wounded look he sent her.
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Not once, he continued voice rough. I made vows to you, Calista. I've honored them.
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The fight drained out of her at that because it was true. She'd watched him for seven years, watched women throw themselves at him and he'd always been distant.
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Just like he was with her. I know. She said softer now. I know you haven't.
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Something in his expression cracked. He was hurt, she realized. Then why? He asked. Why were you considering his offer?
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I wasn't. She stopped because that was a lie. For one desperate moment she had been.
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I don't care about that man. She swore. I don't want him. I just I want a baby.
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I want to be a mother. That's all I've ever wanted and I Calista. Jared attempted.
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You have to understand. She cried out. Every month I walk past that empty nursery.
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Every month I hope that maybe this time you'll She choked on the words. But you never do. You're never even awake.
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Silence. Silence during which she kept her eyes down unable to look at him. I warned you. She heard him say.
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His voice was barely a whisper. Before we married, I told you I would never claim you, never touch you, that this would be a marriage on paper only.
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You agreed. I was 19, Kaylee cried. My kingdom needed this alliance. I didn't have a choice, but I never She swallowed.
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I thought that maybe you'd change your mind, she confessed. I didn't know what it would feel like to watch you from afar, to want you and know you.
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I'm trying to protect you, Jareth cried, the words exploding out of him. You don't understand, Kaylee, if I touch you.
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He stopped, breathing hard. One day, he said finally, roughly, "Soon, I promise you. Soon you'll have your child." Her breath caught. Surely she hadn't heard right.
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"What?" she asked, grabbing onto his arm. "Soon," he repeated, "just not yet." Hope, dangerous, painful hope bloomed in her chest.
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"Do you mean it?" she asked. He nodded. Just once. But it was enough. The happiness that flooded through her was so intense it hurt.
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She reached up without thinking, her hand cupping his cheek, and he froze at the contact, every muscle going rigid.
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But he didn't pull away. "I'm so happy," she whispered, almost shy. "I thought for so long I thought you couldn't stand the sight of me." Something in his expression shattered.
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His eyes closed, and the sound that escaped him was almost pained. She laughed, the sound breathless and joyful.
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"I'm going to be a mother," she said, barely daring to believe it. His eyes opened, and she saw everything in that gaze, the want, the need, and beneath it something that looked like agony.
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But she was too happy to care. She kissed him. Just a soft press of her lips to his, sweet and grateful.
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"Thank you," she whispered against his mouth. "Thank you. Thank you." His hand shot into her hair, fisting in the golden strands, and he kissed her back with desperate, consuming hunger.
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Kaylee gasped at the sudden intensity, and he swallowed the sound. It felt like seven years of denied want finally breaking free.
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She arched into him with a breathless laugh that turned into a gasp as his mouth left hers to trail down her jaw.
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"Jareth," she breathed, and there was so much joy in saying his name like this.
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Then his mouth was on her throat, his teeth scraping across her pulse point. Sharp enough that the joy faltered, replaced by a spike of sensation that was too intense.
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She moaned his name, and he froze. For one heartbeat, neither of them moved. "No," Jareth said, the word was barely audible, choked. "I'm sorry, I can't." Then he tore himself away with such violence that she stumbled.
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"But," Kaylee protested, reaching for him. "You just said "I know what I said." Jareth ran a trembling hand through his hair. "And I meant it. Soon, but not not tonight." Only then did he glance at her, and the
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anguish in his eyes stole her breath. Then he was gone, the door slamming behind him.
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Chapter 4 Kaylee stood outside Jareth's chambers, staring at the oak door that had remained closed for 4 days.
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"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," the guard said. "His Majesty has given strict orders. No one is to enter." "I'm his wife." Kaylee kept her voice level. "Surely that counts for "Especially not you, Your Majesty. Those were his exact words."
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The words stung. After that night in her chambers, after he'd kissed her, promised her a child, looked at her like she was everything, he'd vanished.
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"Is he ill?" she asked. "Has a healer seen him?" Kaylee's stomach clenched. Alpha shifters didn't get sick. Their constitutions were too strong.
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"The king is not himself," was all the guard said. "Perhaps speak with your sister. She's been consulting with the healers." Dread pulled in Kaylee's stomach as she hurried toward Mira's chambers.
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She found her sister surrounded by vials and herbs, expression troubled. "Mira, tell me what's happening. No one will let me see my husband." Mira set down her pestle.
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"He's been taking suppressants." "Excuse me?" Kaylee blinked. "Suppressants, to turn off the edge, the instinct." "I know what suppressants are." Kaylee's mind raced.
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They were used to dampen a wolf's primal urges, but Jareth had always been in perfect control.
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"He's been taking them for a while," Mira said quietly. "A long while, apparently, and in significant quantities." "How long?" "The head healer said he's been requesting them regularly for years." "And you didn't tell me?" Kaylee's voice rose.
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"I only just found out. The healers came to me because they were desperate." Anger flared in Kaylee's chest. "How much has he taken? This can't be healthy." "I know. That's why I made him something stronger, a dose that should actually
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work." Mira pressed a small vial into her hands. "The problem is no one can get close enough to give it to him. He's barely verbal aggressive." Kaylee stared at the pale blue liquid.
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"Then how you. You're his wife. His wolf will recognize you." Four days of him suffering, refusing help because he was too proud or too stubborn.
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"I'll do it," she said. The guards moved aside as Kaylee approached Jareth's chambers again.
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"I'm acting on the healers' orders," Kaylee announced. "Open the door." The first thing that Kaylee noticed was the heat, the kind that steals air from your lungs and leaves your skin tingling.
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The second thing was Jareth's scent. It wrapped around her like a pelt and a shroud until her wolf stirred and pressed forward.
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Her mouth went dry as she stepped forward in the darkness. Jareth stood at the window with his back to her, shirtless, gleaming with sweat.
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He looked carved from heat and held together by will alone, and the sight of his bare back, the breadth of him, tugged at something in her.
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"Your Majesty," she murmured. A growl came out of him like thunder trapped in stone. Warning. Threat.
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Leave. The word wasn't spoken, but she felt it. The hair at her nape lifted.
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Still, she clenched her fists and stood her ground. "Jareth," she insisted. His head tipped, not enough to see her, enough to sense her.
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She watched the flare of his nostrils, the minute shift of muscle along his spine.
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"I brought medicine," she said, "from the healers." She took one step, and then his head snapped, tracking her with a predator's precision, the gold of his gaze a low fire banked behind the silver gone to ash.
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That look landed on her body like touch. She felt it all the way down her spine.
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"Please," she said, "let me help." Silence stretched, taut, humming. He looked wild. He looked hurt. He looked like a man standing between himself and disaster with nothing but his teeth.
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But when his gaze locked with hers, something human flared within the gold. Recognition, yes, but worse or maybe better need.
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Her lips parted. She drew him in on the inhale and felt the ache answer.
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"I'm not afraid of you," she said. "I know you won't hurt me." A laugh snagged and broke on his tongue.
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His head thunked back against stone, a surrender that would have been arrogance in any other man. On him, it was control, the raw, harder kind.
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When he swallowed, she watched his Adam's apple jump like a heartbeat, and small tremor ran through her knees.
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She steadied herself with a breath that tasted of him. "Come on," she told him. "Let me help, please." She lifted the vial.
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His eyes fixed on it, then on her mouth, then back, hunger simple and humiliatingly human, thirsty burning suffering.
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Her own hunger answered with a soft clench low in her belly. "Water first," she told him, voice low, practical.
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She reached for a pitcher, miraculously left standing, poured with shaking hands. "Drink," she said.
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He reached. His hand shook. Water lipped over the rim. She caught his wrist to steady him.
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He went still. Slowly, gods, so slowly, his gaze lifted from their joint hands to her face, and the nakedness there stopped her heart.
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"Drink," she whispered again. Together they guided the glass. A bead of water slipped free and tracked along the cut of his jaw to his chin.
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She twitched with the impulse to catch it with her mouth, and she bit the inside of her lip instead.
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He shut his eyes, a shudder ripped through him, and lifted his free hand to cover hers, pressing her palm to his chest like an oath.
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She answered by splaying her fingers wider over his heart and stepping into his heat until there was only an inch of air between them.
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That inch hurt. She wanted it gone. "The medicine," she managed. She had to let go to uncork the vial.
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When she did, he made a sound, low, distressed, and his hand clamped around her wrist.
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She worked the stopper one-handed and held the glass to his mouth. He didn't glance at it, not once.
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He watched her. And being watched like that made her feel bare and beautiful and burning.
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The vial emptied. She lowered it. For one heartbeat, nothing moved. Then his body locked. His pupils blew wide until the gold rimmed black.
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Jareth? She laid her free palm to his cheek. A sound came from him, a ruined thing between groan and growl.
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His mouth brushed her palm once, twice, not quite kissing, scenting her, claiming her with the softest, most devastating contact of all.
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Then the tremors took him whole. No. No. She tried the bed. They made it three steps before gravity had its will.
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They went down together and the floor was unyielding. His back hit the bed frame and she knelt between his thighs.
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His panting was harsh, rasping. The fever spiked and his eyes Jareth, please. She coaxed him. Look at me.
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He did. What looked back made something inside her break open. Not just need, not just desire, but pain.
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What do you need? She asked. Tell me how to help you. He buried his face in the curve where neck meets shoulder, breathing her like she was air after drowning, and all the tight, clenched places in her body
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softened because this this was what seven years had starved in her, being needed by him.
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A growl vibrated against her skin, pain stitched to desire. And she tilted her head farther, bearing more, hips fitting instinctively to the solid heat of him.
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I'm here, she whispered, fingers in his hair. I'm right here. His mouth found hers with ruinous hunger.
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His hands were everywhere, mapping the length of her spine, hauling her closer. Teeth scraped, tongue soothed, she arched without meaning to.
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Yes, she breathed. Yes, I want this. His fingers found the fastenings of her dress and a thread surrendered with an audible rip.
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Skin met skin and the world stopped. He stilled with his forehead against hers, trembling with restraint, and she trembled, too, not with fear, with wanting.
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Her hands slid over his shoulders, urging, and he rocked against her once, then again when she rose to meet him.
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She pulled him down. The sound that tore out of him was relief turned animal, and she answered with a soft, shocked sound of her own.
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After that, there were no seams between moments, only heat and homecoming. She felt his wolf surge forward, his mouth dragging down her throat, teeth testing her skin.
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Please, she said. The bite landed clean and perfect. Emotion flooded her, not hers, his.
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Need, yes, and fierce love. The seven years of hunger, the self-denial, and beneath it, this is goodbye.
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You're not going to lose me, she gasped. I'll always be yours. She claimed him back, her teeth in his shoulder, sealing promise with flesh.
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The bond locked between them, unbreakable. His emotions, love, relief, gratitude, nearly undid her. And still that echo of farewell, sharper now, like a man committing a map to memory before the road is taken.
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The pleasure turned unignorable, a steady radiance. When it broke, it did so like sunlight through storm.
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She believed it would be enough. She had to. Chapter 5 Cally woke to warmth and Jareth's steady heartbeat beneath her cheek.
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For one perfect moment, she let herself exist in this, his solid presence, the contentment radiating through their bond.
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Then his breathing changed. She felt the moment awareness return to him, felt confusion ripple through the bond.
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She lifted her head to find him staring at the ceiling, stunned. Jareth? Her voice came out uncertain.
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His gaze dropped to where they were tangled together, the evidence of what they'd done written in marks on her throat.
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We He swallowed hard. We're bonded. It wasn't a question. It was shock. The emotion hit her through their connection, feeling terrifyingly like regret.
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Yes. She tried to keep her voice steady. I'm really happy to finally be your mate.
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Jareth flinched. The smile died on her lips. Through the bond, guilt crashed over her in waves.
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I'm sorry, Jareth said, pulling away and sitting up. She sat up, too, clutching the sheet to her chest.
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You're sorry? Her voice came out small. I wasn't in my right mind, he explained.
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Stop, Cally whispered. You were perfect. I wanted this. Something in his expression cracked. Do you regret it? She asked.
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His eyes met hers. No, Jareth swore. I could never regret you. He grabbed her hand, sincerity flowing through their bond.
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Then what? She wanted to scream, but before she could ask, he was kissing her soft desperate.
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Then he pulled away abruptly. I have council meetings, Jareth said, climbing out of bed. Things I've neglected.
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You're leaving? Cally asked, disbelieving. I have duties, he replied, not meeting her eyes. You should rest.
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Then he was gone, the door closing with painful finality. It was Mira who finally broke the silence.
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She swept into Cally's chambers unannounced, her face bright with excitement. Cally, is it true you and Jareth are bonded? She asked.
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Cally looked up from where she sat by the window. Yes, she nodded. That's wonderful.
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Mira pulled Cally into an embrace. The marriage is secure now. No one can contest it. And surely now that you're bonded, it's only a matter of time before Before what?
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Cally pulled away, her voice flat. Before he can stand to be in the same room with me?
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Mira's smile faltered. What do you mean? He regrets it, Mira. Cally said. The bond.
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He regrets everything about that night. Mira stopped, something shifting in her expression. He's a bit confused, maybe, but with time, Cally he'll realize this was for the best.
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What do you mean this? Cally asked with a frown. Did you do something? Mira grimaced.
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Cally, you have to understand I was only trying to help, she said. Something cold settled in Cally's stomach.
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Help how? The potion I gave you, Mira confessed. It wasn't exactly a suppressant. What did you just say? Cally asked.
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It was more of an amplifier, Mira confessed, sheepish, to make sure he couldn't fight what he was already feeling.
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Cally's jaw dropped and Mira hurriedly reached for her hands. You wanted him so badly, Cally. You wanted a child. I just I helped make that happen.
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Cally jerked away as if burned. You drugged him? She exclaimed. You drugged my husband into wanting to I freed him, Mira insisted. He clearly wanted you already. Anyone could see that.
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That's not Cally's voice shook. Mira That's not how consent works. He wanted it, Mira said firmly. The potion didn't create desire that wasn't there. It just removed the barriers.
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It removed his choice. Cally screamed, horror building in her chest. Oh gods, what did you do? What did we do?
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We secured the kingdom. Mira gripped her shoulders. You're safe now Cally. Safe? Cally shoved her away.
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Do you understand what you've done? This is treason, Mira. You drugged the king. You manipulated him.
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She stopped, a sob catching in her throat. I thought he wanted me, and now he regrets the bond.
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What are you going to do? Mira asked quietly. Cally looked out the window at the castle grounds below.
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I don't know, she whispered. The next three weeks were torture. Jareth avoided her, not obviously. He still attended state functions with her, still consulted her on matters of governance, but he was never alone with her.
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Cally tried not to let it break her, tried to maintain her dignity, her composure, but then she found it. She was pregnant.
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Pregnant with the child she'd wanted desperately for seven years, and joy and terror warred in her chest.
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Because would Jareth even want it? She had to tell him, had to find a way to tell him despite the walls he'd built between them.
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Standing outside his study, heart hammering against her ribs, she raised her hand to knock, then froze.
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Must confess something about that night, Your Majesty. That was the head healer's voice. Cally's hand dropped.
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What is it? Jareth replied. The potion lady Mira provided a pause. It wasn't a suppressant.
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Silence, long and terrible. What? Jareth's voice had gone very quiet. It was the opposite.
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An amplifier. It would have intensified your instincts rather than suppressing them. I'm so sorry, Your Majesty.
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We didn't know. A drug. Jareth's voice was hollow, stunned. But why? Most likely, Your Majesty.
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The healer hesitated. In hope of conceiving an heir. Kaelie's hand flew to her mouth.
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Through the bond, Jareth's emotion exploded. Shock and terror and something that felt like devastation.
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Your Majesty? The healer sounded concerned. Kaelie heard movement, pacing, the sound of something being knocked over.
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It's been a month. Jareth was rambling. Gods, what if Kaelie's already Kaelie backed away from the door, heart pounding so hard she thought it might break through her ribs.
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Jareth knew. He knew what Mira had done and he thought he had to think that Kaelie had been part of it.
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Kaelie turned and ran. She found Mira in her workroom grinding herbs with methodical precision.
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Mira? Kaelie said. Jareth, he knows about the potion, about what you did. The pestle fell from Mira's hands, clattering against the table.
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We have to leave, Kaelie said. Now, before he finds us. Leave? Mira stared at her.
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Kaelie, you can't he's your husband. He doesn't want me. Kaelie said. He doesn't want this baby.
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He'll be relieved if we disappear, he might spare us. Mira, I have to protect my child.
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They slipped out through the servant passages, Kaelie leading the way with the surety of someone who'd spent seven years learning every corner of the castle.
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The stables were blessedly empty this time of day. Kaelie and Mira saddled two horses with trembling hands, working in silence.
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Your Majesty? Behind them, the castle grew smaller, the only home Kaelie had known for seven years.
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Her hand moved to her stomach as they galloped down the forest road. Not a queen anymore, not a wife.
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Just a mother trying to protect her child from a father who didn't want them.
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Chapter 6 The cottage was small, remote enough that no one would think to look here, deep enough in the forest that their scent trails would be confused by deer and fox.
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It was also slowly killing her. Kaelie barely recognized the woman looking back. Hollow cheeks, dark circles under her eyes.
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Her wolf clawed at her constantly, desperate, suffering, needing her mate with an urgency that bordered on madness.
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You need to eat. Mira set down a bowl of soup. Please, Kaelie. I'm fine. Kaelie protested.
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You're not. Mira's voice cracked. Bonding sickness is real. Newly mated wolves separated like this, it's potentially fatal.
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Kaelie's hand moved to her still flat stomach. I'm protecting my baby. That's all that matters.
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Before Mira could respond, a howl split the air, distant but unmistakable, male, alpha, and achingly familiar.
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Kaelie's wolf surged, slamming against her control so hard she gasped. Him. He'd found them.
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No. Kaelie struggled to her feet, swaying. No, we have to we have to run.
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You can barely stand. Mira caught her before she could fall. Kaelie, please. The next minutes passed in a blur.
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Mira tried to get her to lie down, to rest, but Kaelie couldn't. Her wolf was going mad, pacing, whining, desperate to get to him.
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She hated herself for it. Hated that her body betrayed her like this. But she couldn't stop it.
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The door slammed open. Jareth filled the doorway, looking worse than she'd ever seen him. Gaunt face, dark circles, wild hair, rumpled clothes, like he'd been dying, too.
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Their eyes met and the bond roared to life. The walls shattered and suddenly she felt everything.
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His relief, his joy, his fear, his love. Kaelie. He murmured. Then he was there, catching her as her legs gave out.
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The moment they touched, the bond flooded open and life poured back into her. Jareth made a sound against her hair, something between sob and growl.
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I thought you'd been taken. He choked out. I couldn't feel you, couldn't find you.
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He pulled back to look at her, the tears tracking down her face. I'm sorry, Jareth. Kaelie stopped.
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Because his nostrils had flared. His eyes had gone wide. Through the bond, shock rippled through him.
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Kaelie. His hand trembled toward her stomach. Are you Yes. The words burst out with tears. I'm pregnant. I'm so sorry, Jareth. I know you didn't want this.
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I heard you with the healer, heard the horror in your voice when you realized Horror?
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Jareth stared at her. Kaelie, what are you talking about? You said a baby like it was the worst thing.
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I felt your terror through the bond. No Kaelie. His hands framed her face. You misunderstood. I didn't mean He dropped to his knees and Kaelie gasped as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face to her stomach.
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You're carrying our child. He breathed against her. Everything I've wanted and never thought I could have.
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Kaelie gasped. Through the bond, his emotions flooded clear. Fear was there, sharp and connected to something hidden.
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But the joy was real. The love was real. I thought you regretted it. She whispered. The bond, you avoided me for weeks.
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The kingdom will have an heir. He stood slowly, his hands moving to cradle her face.
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You'll be a mother. I'll be a father. That's what matters. That's all that matters.
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Jareth. Kaelie bit her lip. About that night. About the potion you took, which Mira made.
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Jareth's expression shuttered slightly. I know about the potion. He said. Well, I didn't. She gripped his arms.
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I swear to you, Jareth, I didn't know what Mira had done. I never would have if I'd known.
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She sank to her knees, mirroring his earlier position. I'm begging you. Please forgive me. Forgive us.
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Kaelie. Jareth pulled her back to her feet. Stop, there's nothing to forgive. But the drug Do you really think he said quietly, that a potion made me want you?
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She opened her mouth, closed it. I've wanted you since the day we met. He told her.
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Since you walked down that aisle in your wedding dress. Since the first time you smiled at me.
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His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer. Then why did you fight it?
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The question burst out of her. Why stay away all those years? Why keep that distance when you wanted It doesn't matter anymore.
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He cut her off and she felt him deliberately push down whatever answer he'd been about to give.
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All that matters is you're safe, you're here. We're having a baby. He pulled her close again, burying his face in her hair, and she felt him breathe her in like he'd been drowning without her scent.
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I'm sorry I ran. She whispered against his chest. I'm sorry I made you think you needed to.
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Kaelie melted into his touch, her hands fisting in his shirt. Through the bond, his emotions washed over her.
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The joy was overwhelming, all consuming. But through the bond, beneath all the joy and love and relief, she felt something else.
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Grief. Deep and profound, like he was already mourning something he hadn't lost yet. Chapter 7 The months that followed were the happiest of Kaelie's life.
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Gone was the distant king she'd known for seven years, replaced by someone who couldn't bear to be apart from her.
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Don't want to waste a moment. He'd say, pressing kisses to her shoulder. I want to remember everything.
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You're going to spoil me. She teased one morning as he helped her from bed, her belly round at 6 months.
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Good. He replied, pressing a kiss to her temple, then to her stomach. That's exactly what I intend to do.
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And he did. Gifts appeared daily. Soft blankets for the nursery, books for the baby, jeweled combs for her hair.
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When she protested, he simply pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she forgot her complaints.
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Let me. He'd murmur. Please, let me give you everything. Through the bond, she could feel his joy.
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But sometimes, in quiet moments, something else flickered beneath. What's wrong? She asked one afternoon.
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He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Just thinking how lucky I am. At 8 months, Kaelie found Jareth in his study writing by candlelight.
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Working? She pressed a kiss to his hair. You should be in bed. He startled, quickly gathering papers.
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Just correspondence. But she'd glimpsed the words. To my child, multiple letters sealed with wax.
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Love letters to the baby? Yes, something like that. He said, pulling her onto his lap.
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Just thoughts I want them to know. The contractions started 2 weeks later. Kaylee gripped Jareth's hand as pain rolled through her.
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Mira moved efficiently around the room. Hours blurred together. "I can see the head." Mira announced.
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"One more push." Kaylee bore down and then a cry. "It's a boy." Mira's voice was thick with emotion.
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"A healthy baby boy." Mira cleaned him before placing him in Kaylee's arms. He was perfect, tiny and red-faced.
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"Hello." Kaylee breathed. "I'm your mother." "He's beautiful." Jareth's voice was wrecked. His hand reached for their son's tiny fist.
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The baby gripped his finger and Jareth made a fast sob. "Do you want to hold him?" Jareth nodded and Kaylee transferred their son into his arms.
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She watched emotions play across his face. Joy wonder love and beneath it all, grief.
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"He has your eyes." Jareth said through tears. "He'll have your courage." Kaylee said softly.
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"He'll have you." Jareth replied. "That's all he'll really need." The phrasing you, not us, made her chest tight.
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A cold wind swept through the room, extinguishing every candle. Through the bond she felt Jareth's horror spike with a thought.
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"She's here." "Jareth, what's happening?" The temperature dropped until their breath misted. And then a woman appeared.
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Beautiful in a way that was wrong, too perfect, too cold. She smiled and Kaylee's wolf whimpered in terror.
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"Jareth." The woman purred. "How lovely to see you again." "And I see congratulations are in order." Kaylee's body went rigid. "Who are you?
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How dare you come here unannounced?" "Unannounced?" The woman laughed. "I've announced myself a long time ago, didn't I, darling? Almost 8 years ago now to be exact." Jareth said nothing, handing the baby back to Kaylee.
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"And now I'm here to collect what's owed to me." The woman said. "We had an agreement, Jareth." "10 years without claiming your wife." "Fail and any child conceived in your marriage would belong to me." Kaylee's breath stopped. She looked to
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Jareth waiting for denial. "You could have at least waited until tomorrow." He said coldly instead.
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The woman laughed. "A bargain is a bargain, Wolf King, and you kept your end admirably." "Well, until you didn't." "8 years without touching your pretty little mate." "I'll admit I didn't think you had it in you." "Such restraint, all to protect this."
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She gestured to the baby and Kaylee felt ice in her veins. "The child was born in year eight of your marriage." The woman continued.
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"Well within our agreement, which means he's mine." "No." Kaylee clutched her son tighter. "No, you can't take him." "Henry will stay here with his mother." Jareth stated. "Take me instead." Silence.
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"Jareth." Kaylee's protest died seeing his face. He'd known this was coming. "And why?" The woman said slowly. "Would I accept that trade?" "Because it's what you wanted all along." Jareth said quietly.
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The woman's smile turned sharp. "Well, if you insist." "What are you talking about?" Kaylee protested. "I don't understand." "Of course you don't, little queen." The woman said.
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"He couldn't tell you." "It was part of the deal. It would have been too easy for him should you've known." "Known what?" Kaylee interrupted.
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"Your husband and I were in love once." "Long before you entered the picture, he was mine and promised himself to me." "That's not." Kaylee looked to Jareth.
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"It's true." He said quietly. "I'd swore I'd marry her." "A vow he broke." The woman said bitterly.
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"The moment he laid eyes on you." "His fated mate. He took one look at you and suddenly I meant nothing." "Years of promises gone in an instant." "Well, what was I to do against the powerful magic of fated bonds?" The
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woman continued. "Except ask my beloved to prove his commitment." "If he could hold off claiming his supposed destiny for 10 years, he would be free of the promise he'd made to me." Her eyes turned cold.
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"But if he failed, I believe I deserve compensation for him choosing to leave me, didn't I?" "You wanted him to suffer?" Kaylee breathed.
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"I wanted him to regret choosing you." "To realize what he'd given up." She looked at Jareth.
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"But you never did, did you?" "Even after 7 years of denying yourself, even knowing what it would cost." "I will always choose her." He said simply.
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The woman's expression hardened. "We'll see." "The child is owed to me. That was our bargain." "No." Jareth stepped forward. "You've won. Take me. Let them go." "Jareth." Kaylee's voice broke.
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"I thought you said you would always choose her." The witch snapped. "And I do." "I choose her happiness here with her baby." "She wants to be a mother. She can live without my love." "But not without Henry." "Think about it."
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Jareth continued steadily. "I'll finally be yours, the way you always wanted." The woman studied him.
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"You would come willingly to the Fae realm? Serve me for eternity? Be mine?" "Yes, in exchange for my mate and child living free, untormented, unharmed." "Jareth, no." Kaylee screamed. "We'll find another way." "There is no other way." Jareth turned to her. "This is the only
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way to save you both." He knelt beside the bed. "Listen to me. You're going to be fine." "Raise Henry." "Rule the kingdom." "Live." Kaylee shook her head. "Not without you." "Yes, without me." Jareth's thumbs brushed away her tears.
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"You don't need me, Kaylee. You never did." "But I love you." She gripped his wrists desperately.
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"We both do." "Please." "You're my fated mate." He whispered. "From the moment I saw you, I knew." "I tried to fight it, tried to honor my commitment to her, but I couldn't." His voice roughened.
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"I couldn't stay away from you, so I made a choice, you over everything." "Then choose me now." She was sobbing. "Choose us." "I am." He pressed his forehead to hers.
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Through the bond his love flooded her, overwhelming and absolute. And beneath it, his certainty that this was the only way.
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"I love you." He said fiercely. "I have loved every day of these 8 years." "Jareth." He kissed her.
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Deep and desperate and achingly tender. Then he pressed a kiss to baby Henry's forehead.
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"Take care of your mother." He whispered. Then he stood. And Kaylee felt him begin to close their bond.
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"Do we have an agreement?" He asked the woman, his voice going cold and formal.
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She smiled, triumphant and cruel. "The child and his mother will live unbothered, unharmed, free to rule and live as they wish." Her smile widened.
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"And you, Jareth, will be mine." "For eternity." She extended her hand and Jareth took it.
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"No." Kaylee's voice was raw, broken. They began to fade, Jareth and the woman dissolving like mist in sunlight.
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"I'll come for you." Kaylee screamed. "Do you hear me, Jareth? I'll find you. I swear it." The last thing she felt through the bond before it closed completely was his love.
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And then he was gone. Epilogue. 3 years later. Kaylee stood at the nursery window, watching the last rays of sunset paint the sky in shades of amber and rose.
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Behind her, she could hear Henry's delighted giggles as Mira helped him build towers from wooden blocks.
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"Mama look." Her son's voice, so clear now, so full of life, made her smile.
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"Big tower." She turned to find him beaming at her. His dark hair falling into eyes that were unmistakably hers, green and bright and full of wonder.
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But his smile, that was all Jareth. "Very big." She agreed, crossing to kneel beside him. "The biggest tower in all the kingdom." "Like Papa's castle?" The question didn't hurt anymore.
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Not the way it had in those first months when every mention of Jareth had felt like a knife between her ribs.
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"Yes." She said softly. "Just like Papa's castle." "Tell the story?" Henry climbed into her lap, nestling against her with the easy trust of a well-loved child.
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"About Papa?" Kaylee wrapped her arms around her son, breathing in the scent of him.
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"Which story?" She asked. "The one where Papa saves me." Her throat tightened, but she kept her voice steady.
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"Once upon a time there was a king who loved his queen and his baby prince more than anything in the world." As she spoke, Mira quietly excused herself, leaving them alone.
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Kaylee told Henry the truth. Not all of it. He was too young for that.
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But enough. About the brave king who made a sacrifice to keep his family safe.
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About love that was stronger than magic, stronger than curses, stronger than time itself. But papa's coming back, right? Henry asked when she finished, his small hand patting her cheek.
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One day. The certainty in her voice surprised even her. When the time is right.
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Do you promise? Henry asked, hopeful. Kelly kissed his forehead. I promise to never stop believing he will.
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It wasn't quite the same thing, but Henry seemed satisfied. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, and she carried him to his bed, the one Jareth had commissioned.
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As she tucked him in, Henry reached for the ring that hung on a chain around his neck, Jareth's father's ring, the one meant for him when he was older.
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He'd insisted on wearing it after she told him it was from papa. Love you, mama. He mumbled, already half asleep.
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I love you, too, my brave boy. She stroked his hair until his breathing evened out, then sat for a long moment just watching him.
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This This was what Jareth had given her. Not just a child, though Henry was more precious than any treasure, but this certainty, this peace, this knowledge that she had been loved, was loved, with a fierce, selfless devotion that had defined every choice
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Jareth made for eight years. She'd spent seven years thinking she was alone in her marriage, thinking she wasn't wanted, wasn't enough.
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How wrong she'd been. Every moment of distance had been love. Every time he'd walked away had been him protecting her.
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Every sacrifice had been for her and the child they'd create together. She understood now, finally, completely, she understood.
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Rising, Kelly crossed to the window. The moon was full tonight, bright and luminous. Somewhere in some fae realm she couldn't reach, couldn't even imagine, Jareth could see this same moon.
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The bond between them was severed. She couldn't feel him anymore, couldn't sense his emotions or his presence.
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That connection was gone. But the love wasn't. Love didn't need a bond, didn't need proximity or magic or even words.
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It existed in the choices they'd made, the son who carried both of them in his smile and his spirit.
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I'm doing well. She said softly to the night, to the man she couldn't reach, but refused to stop talking to.
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The kingdom is prospering. The harvest was good this year. You'd be proud. A breeze stirred the curtains, cool and gentle.
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Henry is growing so fast. He has your courage, I think, and your stubbornness. She laughed quietly.
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He asks about you every day, wants to know everything. Her hand moved to her chest, to the place where the bond used to live.
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I'm not in a hurry. She continued, I know you wouldn't want me to abandon Henry to chase across realms looking for you.
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So, I'm waiting, raising our son, ruling our kingdom, living the life you sacrificed everything to give me.
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Her voice dropped to a whisper. But I haven't forgotten. I will never forget. The moon offered no response, but she didn't need one.
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She knew, with the same certainty she knew the sun would rise tomorrow, that somewhere Jareth was thinking of her too wondering about their son, hoping they were happy.
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And they were. Despite everything, they were. Because he'd loved her enough to let her go, and she loved him enough to wait.
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Not in despair, not frozen in grief, but living fully, raising their son, ruling justly, all the things he'd believed she could do.
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And one day, when Henry was older, when the kingdom was secure, when the time was right, she would find him.
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She didn't know how yet, didn't know when, but she would. Until then, she would prove Jareth right about her.
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And when they finally stood face to face again, she would tell him what she'd learned in their years apart.
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That marriage wasn't just the vows or the bond or the moments of passion. It was choosing each other again and again, even when separated by realms and curses and impossible distances.
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It was faith. It was patience. It was love that didn't give up. He'd spent eight years choosing her from afar.
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Now she would do the same. Wait for me. She whispered to the moon, to the wind, to the mate she couldn't feel but knew was listening somehow.
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However long it takes, wait for me. Behind her, Henry stirred in his sleep, murmuring something that sounded like papa.
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Kelly smiled, tears pricking her eyes, not sad tears, but grateful ones. She had everything she'd ever wanted.
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A child she adored, a kingdom she served well, the knowledge that she was loved beyond measure.
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And someday, when the stars aligned and fate allowed, she would have him, too. She would have her husband again. She would find a way.
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But for tonight, this life he'd given her, it was enough. Before you go, if you'd like to explore Adrian's past and discover the truth behind his curse, my brand new exclusive story, The Wishmaker's Curse, is now available on Patreon. Tier 3 members,
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the inner circle, get one exclusive story every month, plus weekly bonus chapters and other special content.
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But if you don't want to subscribe, that's okay. You can also get The Wishmaker's Curse as a single purchase this time.
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Your support there truly helps me create longer, deeper stories, the kind I can't always share on YouTube every week.
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Thank you so much for listening and for being part of this community. You'll find all the links below.
Topics:Alpha KingQueen Calistaroyal marriageromancefertilityhoperejectionfantasy romancepolitical allianceemotional resilience
