"I'm sorry this happened to you. I wish I was there to protect you. I am here now. It's getting late, Sylvie, let's go to bed."
He was worried for her. She was probably exhausted and starving. Louve of all Wolves had done the unthinkable.
He gently took her by the hand and began leading her out of the chambers when he noticed she was limping badly.
He stopped, turned around, lifted her up, and sat her down at the foot of the bed.
"Let me see it." He told her in regards to her ankle. She lifted her skirts. He saw her ankle was swollen and already turning purple. "Dammit! Did the Physician give you anything for this?" He asked her.
Sylvie shook her head 'no'. "I hadn't noticed it until you showed up." She was telling him the truth.
Whitley and Adolf both entered Madame Bouvier's Suite. Even while he wore the white porcelain half-mask, Sylvie could see Adolf was perturbed. They could hear him fussing at Whitley upon the duo entering.
"Why was I nor my son notified immediately, Whitley?" He demanded of the Butler.
The Butler looked ashamed at his Master's tirade. He answered.
"I had it under control, Your Majesty."
"Ah, so what you are telling me is that you know more than the King Alpha? You are now King Alpha?" Adolf asked, daring Whitley to defy him.
Sylvie could feel the anger
.
"N-no, Your Majesty. I- Apologies, for overstepping. I should have alerted you both immediately when the situation occurred."
"You are damn right. Now get out my sight, Whitley. Before I change my mind and have you punished for insubordination."
Whitley walked quickly out of the room. Adolf stood on the opposite side of the bed, looking at Madame Bouvier. He showed no expression as he put his hands behind his back.
"She will live, but she will be on bed rest for a few weeks." He informed Sylvie and Randolf.
Sylvie knew Whitley had kept him informed as soon as Randolf sent for him. He walked around the bed and almost tripped on something. He looked down and saw it was a book. The book's title is "Unnatural Couplings". Madame Bouvier was many things, conniving, selfish, and greedy, but she was not perverse.
He held up the book Sylvie instantly blushed. Randolf let her ankle go, stood up, and took the book from his father's possession.
He could see by the red coloring on Sylvie's cheeks that the book was hers.
"Sylvie, did Bouvier give you this book?" He asked.
"N-no. Louve did. She said I should study it since that is what you and I are. Unnatural." Sylvie spoke innocently.
Randolf felt his blood run cold, Louve would be punished for this, and he couldn't wait to see to it...
Adolf kept his stern facade intact. He spoke then, "Son, please see to your wife and meet me in my study after."
"Yes, father." Randolf agreed. Without her knowing what was next, Randolf scooped Sylvie from the bed and carried her out of the room.
"Whitley, leave me," Adolf ordered.
He knew his butler wanted to protest, but knew his Master's temper was not to be played with in this moment, so he did as he was ordered, and he exited Madame Bouvier's chambers, making sure to close the double doors behind him.
Adolf slowly walked around the bed. Adolf couldn't help but feel that this was all his fault. He had tried to keep his distance from Alexa in the daytime. He had tried to convince everyone the only reason she was here was because she was a prisoner of war, but now seeing her in her beaten and unconscious state, he knew that was a lie.
When she had shown up on his doorstep a few months ago, he saw an opportunity and seized it. His Alexa was back in his life. Pride and his ego had kept him from sending for her after the silver nitrate explosion. His once handsome features were now marred and he looked like the monster inside everyone had claimed him to be. She, however, still looked the same. She hadn't aged a day.
She was still beautiful and vivacious. He tried to resist his need for her, but it was futile. He had used his power to get her in his arms. A foolish thing to do. He should have let her go back to the Island, but he like his son could not seal her fate.
Not when he knew the war that would take place. The safest place for her was here with him, or so he had thought. He had been wrong. He should have listened to her their last night together when she had told him of her concerns about her son's betrothed. He thought she was overreacting.
After all, Louve was well aware of the consequences when it came to violence displayed by a royal family member. He stopped pacing around the bed and sat down in the chair that was still beside it.
"Dammit, Alexa. What the hell did you do?" He whispered.
Either way, this had to be kept under wraps. With the Pack games less than a few days away no one could know his home was rife with dissent. He stood up, placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, and exited her room...
Randolf and Sylvie
Sylvie was a bit embarrassed by being physically carried to their bed chambers. She was pleasantly surprised to see the Physician was waiting by the door for them.
He bowed his head when they stopped in front of it.
"Your Majestys." He said, then opened the doors for them.
"Where would you like her, Doc?" Randolf asked the Physician.
"Anywhere will do." He confessed.
"I-I am fine. Really. You can put me down now." Sylvie spoke.
Randolf ignored her.
"Randolf..." She said.
He looked at her then with those familiar, haunting eyes of his, "You are not fine. Your ankle is swollen and your wrist doesn't look that great either."
He had her there. She looked down, breaking their intense gaze.
"Please, let me sit down on the chair." She suggested.
He saw no harm in her suggestion and did as she asked. He gently put her down a few inches in front of the chair.
The physician pulled up a small wooden stool. First, he examined her wrist. Then he examined her ankle. "You are correct, Your Majesty. She has injured both her wrist and ankle. It is a mild sprain. There are no signs of fractures or breaks."
Randolf hadn't realized he was holding his breath until the Physician gave him that news. It still did not ease his temper. Louve had gone too far.
"I will use a camphor salve and bind them both. Your bride will be right as rain in a week's time." He informed him.
"Very good, Doc. Thank you, for your service.
"No need to, Your Majesty that is what I am here for. I have been in your family's employment since you were a small pup. It is my honor." He pulled out clean rags and a small jar. He gently rubbed the salve on her swollen ankle and, with great care, wrapped it. Then he did the same for her wrist. He stood up and moved the stool out of the way.
"My Lady, you must keep your ankle elevated for the next three days." He informed her.
Sylvie had no idea what the word 'elevated' meant.
Randolf could see her confusion. He spoke for her then. "I will see that she does so. Thank you, doc." He said as he extended his hand. The Physician happily shook it.
"If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to send Whitley." He instructed Randolf and exited the room.
Randolf waited a few minutes before speaking. "Elevated means you must keep it upwards." He got an idea then.
He picked up the large chest that sat at the foot of their bed and placed it in front of the chair she sat in. Then, he grabbed three pillows from the bed and placed them atop the trunk.
He gently took her leg and lifted it, making sure to place her newly bandaged ankle on the pillows. Sylvie felt an immediate difference. Her ankle was throbbing less.
"Thank you." She replied.
"Stop thanking me. I am your husband it is my duty to see to your well-being." He answered in a gruff tone.
"I'm sorry." She automatically apologized.
Randolf wanted to scream. This woman had just witnessed a brutal attack a few hours ago, shortly after he had promised her no harm would come to her, and she was apologizing and thanking him.
"You have no need to be sorry, Sylive. The fault lies with me. I should have told my father about Louve and how allowing her to be around you was not in anyone's best interest, but the pack. "
Sylvie was confused. "What do you mean?" She asked.
He sat down in the chair beside her. "I know you are new here, and our customs are not your own and may seem strange to you. I was born to succeed my father and rule the Loux Garoux. Since I was born, I have been betrothed to Louve. Louve's family is powerful. They have helped us in ways, that if they had not, Werewolves and Lycans would have continued to overrun the world. Our success is greatly contributed to them."
"So why marry me?" She asked.