A soon-to-be Queen who only wanted right now to sit and ignore everyone. “Thank you.” I motioned to our couch. “I’d like to rest now if everyone’s questions are through.”
I wasn’t sure if anyone opened their mouths to object because Ezra moved to block their gazes, giving me a tiny shove with his hand when they couldn’t see, pushing me toward our couch. It was appreciated, but I still glanced at him a little baffled. Understanding hit me only after the lights went out. Before that, it took him sitting down next to me on the couch, hitting the button to make the footrest pop out, maneuvering his legs so I could use it, too – Jack and Pearl also getting comfortable — and the lights flashing the warning for the movie’s start. It took for him to lean over the side of the couch and throw our comforter blanket that we had brought across us — big enough to cover the four of us easily without anyone complaining, although, we might grumble later about the bits of popcorn crumbled on it.
Then as the lights dimmed, the previews starting loudly on the speakers situated around the arena, his arm was instantly snaking its way behind my back against the couch, our now shoeless feet –curled around each other for comfort — hidden. He gripped my hip almost brutally while his other hand glided across my leg to clutch my inner thigh under the blanket. Only then did the light bulb in my head turn on as he exhaled heavily — a bit shakily — his entire body relaxing, though I hadn’t even noticed it was strung tight, lost in my own thoughts.
Huh. My eyes darted to him as the movie started. Apparently, it wasn’t only Shifters who needed touch when they were upset. And that was what he was. Upset. Extremely so. It was…sweet. Tilting my mouth to this ear, I whispered so quietly no one would hear but him, “I’m alright, Ezra.”
He nodded jerkily once, his grip only tightening. “The medic healed you.”
Realizing just how hard it had been for him to watch and not interfere, as I more than likely would have done if the situation had been reversed, I placed my hand on his hard thigh, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you.”
He grunted, and then murmured, “Hush.” His eyes darted to mine, dipping over my features. “Watch the movie.”
And sometime during the middle of the first show, I yawned heavily, tired from the workout with Elder Merrick, King Fergus, and King Kincaid, then my more intimate workout with Ezra, and lastly the challenges, the expensive whiskey having settled my rolling stomach and thoughts. I fell asleep, perfectly content in our sanctuary…only to be woken later.
A clapping sounded, and I heard King Venclaire bark, “Wake up, Prodigies.”
I growled, my wolf sounding, snuggling further into the warmth.
“Fuck off,” Ezra’s voice vibrated against my ear, his arms tightening around me.
“Five more minutes,” Pearl slurred.
“Hell…chickens,” Jack groused.
It was the snickering that really woke me.
And the sound of…Elder Jacobs…muttering, “Chickens?”
“Kill ‘em…bastards,” Jack snorted.
Jack mumbling unintelligibly in his sleep was nothing new, but hearing Elder Jacobs and King Venclaire? Well, that wasn’t normal. Nor were the many chuckles sounding.
My head and Ezra’s popped up at the same time, and I blinked blurrily. “Huh?” I pulled my hand out from underneath the blanket, rubbing my eyes to see better in the bright light. “Who’s there?”
Ezra’s predator growled loud in my ear, sounding ferocious, though he apparently had the same problem as me with his sight, taking a hand off my hip to rub his eyes. “Answer her!”
Someone whistled long and high, followed by, “Someone’s testy when they wake up.” That would be King Nelson’s voice off to my right.
“You have no idea,” Cahal’s voice muttered, sounding exasperated, directly in front of me. “I don’t know how many bedroom doors, alarm clocks, and light switches we went through during his teenage years.”
I shook my head, still hearing Jack and Pearl snoring, and squinted through the light. I went completely still. I had no clue how Ezra and I had ended up on the ground, but there it was. We were lying in front of the couch, half concealed by the blanket, which was wrapped under us and protecting us from the hard, cold floor. All the Kings and Antonio’s posse were standing in front of our couch, spread out like a bad fucking dream. “Nightmare. It’s got to be.”
“Jack had it right the first time,” Ezra grumbled, basically lying on top of me. “It’s hell.”
“With brooms,” I muttered, brushing hair out of my face and staring at what King Kincaid held, firmly ignoring some of the looks we were receiving waking like this.
“And dustpans,” he mumbled, eyes on what Elder Jacobs held, even as I felt him carefully removing his other hand from under my shirt, where he had been gripping my breast. One of his favorite sleeping positions. Just not exactly appropriate for our current audience. Again, thankfully, the blanket partially covered us.
I nodded toward King Fergus’s hand. Stalling. Giving Ezra just a bit more time. “Pearl can Windex.”