Rolfe let her sleep for a while but started with his ministrations soon after and Iona found herself bent over bed with her hands tied and her husband pounding her from behind. At the end of it, she was so sleepy and tired that she didn't even realize how was it that he was lying on the floor and she was lying over his chest, curled up like a kitten, his hands in her hair as he played with them, smelled them and tied them around his wrist. "Iona…" he called her name as if worshipping her. She stirred a little. "I think you are thoroughly fucked up, baby."

She giggled and he stilled. 

"I love that sound from you, love," he said. "You should laugh more."

"I think I keep laughing all the time," she said, sleepily. And yes, she was thoroughly fucked up. 

He got up with her in his lap and massaged her back with his large, calloused, efficient hands.. She groaned under his soft kneads on her back. There were red marks on her wrists, which he took and rubbed until all her marks were gone, until his magic soothed her and warmed her. "Thank you Rolfy," she murmured. "You are a very soft man." 

He smiled. "You are so beautifully fucked up, love. And I think that now you need good sleep." He lifted her off his lap and then pulled her up. He was so naked, and still erect as hell, but he scooped her up in his arms gently, because he knew that his wife didn't have the strength to move her legs. And he was proud of his work. He carried her to the bed as her head fell against his chest. Her exhaustion was over the top, because she was hardly bothered as to what he did to her. All she remembered was that he pulled the blanket over her, slipped beside her and held her close to his chest. He kissed her hair and whispered, "Sleep, love. I will be here when you wake up." 

And he was there when she tried to cover her face with her arm. Not only that, soft and firm lips kissed her temple, her forehead, forearm, leaving a trail till her chin and neck. She wanted to return the kisses, smell more of that pine and mist scent, but she was still not ready to wake up. She turned to the other side and hugged her pillow tightly and let out a soft moan. "No…" 

"Wake up, wife," Rolfe said in a soft voice. It was such a beautiful day to wake up with his wife in the bed. He had woken up a while back and watched her sleeping, as her eyes dashed beneath her eyelids, perhaps dreaming of him. 

"No…" she moaned again like a petulant child. 

"We have to reach Galahar before dawn, and we have less than an hour," he said as he turned her towards him. Much to his amusement, the girl nuzzled in the hair of his chest. Gods, what he would do to get inside her again, but he didn't want to tire her. He was sure that she was sore. 

She opened her eyes reluctantly and found that it was still dark on the outside. She found her husband's green eyes looking at her intently.

"Get up, love," he kissed her on her lips. "We have to reach Galahar. I can't wait to see you crowned as my queen." 

She giggled. "And I can't wait to see you crowned as my king." But suddenly her excitement made her skin flush. She was going to meet his people. She was going to be in Galahar as their queen. Would they accept her? She swallowed her saliva. She was an outsider, a werewolf, someone who didn't even belong to his species. How would his people take him? A sucked in a sharp breath at the thought. Her hand went to one of his horns and she caressed them gently. "I wish I had these," she said absent-mindedly. 

Rolfe understood what she was trying to convey. He held her palm and kissed it. "You are perfect the way you are, Iona. I wouldn't have wanted anything more or anything less." He brushed aside a strand of raven black hair that had fallen over her golden eyes. "Do you know that I feel I am the luckiest man in Galahar, in this Lore and perhaps in this world. After having lived for almost a hundred years, I have found my mate, and what could be better that I ended up marrying her? How many people get this chance? What you have done me is a favor?" He pressed a kiss in her palm again. "Get up, love. We are about to start on a new journey, and I want to take my first step with you." 

Tears came in her eyes but she smiled. "You are the best as far as flattery is concerned, husband." 

He let out a throaty laughter. "None of that was flattery," he said. 

Half an hour later when they were all dressed up, they went out to the main hall, which was now in a better shape after the fight that broke up between Ileus and Rolfe. A new wooden table and several chairs were there on which Ileus and his father-in-law were now lounging. Adrianna and Anastasia were talking amongst themselves. 

"Iona!" Anastasia said and came to stand with her. "How are you?" she asked, holding her hand with a wicked smile on her face. 

Iona blushed crimson. "I am fine," she muttered. 

Then Anastasia looked at Rolfe and said, "Your mother is getting wilder by the minute, Rolfe. She is demanding that you see her." 

Rolfe took a deep breath. All his good feelings dimmed hearing that information from Anastasia. Ileus and the rest had come to stand with them. "I was thinking of seeing her after the coronation." 

"You should see her now," Adrianna suggested. There was so much urgency in her eyes that Rolfe didn't counter her suggestion. 

"Okay!" he replied, his thoughts running in the opposite direction. 

"I will be there with you," said Ileus. 

"And me too," said Adrianna. She looked at Anastasia and Dmitri. "Keep Iona safe." 

"I will." 

"Please take her to the palace of Galahar," Rolfe requested. He just wanted her away from his mother. 

Iona shook her head. "I will stay here with you! You can't force me away."

"She is dangerous, Iona. Don't you know why she wants to see me?" Rolfe said with irritation in his voice. 

"I don't care why she wants to see you, Rolfe, but I will go to Galahar with you." 

When Iona snapped at him, all he could do was grit his teeth. "Okay, but be on your guard." He had to finish this conversation, which he had been delaying. He walked towards the dungeons with Ileus and Adrianna on his heels. 

Every step they took towards the dungeon was like a step in cold darkness, in something so vicious that it scraped over their minds like nails scraping over glass. Temperature plummeted by the time they reached the entrance. The guard sitting over there was shivering despite the layers of clothes he was wearing. And when they stepped inside, they realized why he was shaking. The whole place was covered with a thin layer of ice.

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