The Awakening! I had done it!
I peered up at Ezra, whose fangs were also showing, and grinned hugely. “I did it!”
His face was slowly turning from scary-furious to normal. “You were unconscious.” He might now look like he was fine, but his voice held a very real worry.
I blushed brightly, mumbling, “I just fainted.” I picked at his robe, embarrassed, pulling at it a few times. “I was…overwhelmed.” A quick thought to the Kings listening in, and I added, “The Awakening’s huge. I was nervous.” Truth.
Jack’s hands lowered, and the ring of water disappeared. “You fainted? Like a girl?”
Pearl had already lowered King Fergus, and she was wiping tears off her face as she grumbled hotly, “She is a girl, you moron.” She stomped in my direction, and shoved my shoulder hard, blubbering, “You scared me.” Another shove of my shoulder, then she was hugging me around Ezra’s hold on me, bawling like a babe.
I patted her shoulder awkwardly, because of Ezra, but I hushed her, worrying a smidge about our “no touching” policy, and, ever so slowly, it dawned on me. My friends had thought my unconscious state had been because of my hybrid nature. From what had been happening, it appeared as if they had been protecting me. Keeping the Kings away from me. As Jack pulled Pearl away, comforting her, I muttered quickly, “I really did just faint. That’s all.”
Still in wolf form, King Kincaid took another lurking step forward, his teeth bared.
Ezra completely ignored him to shake me in his hold, all but shouting, “When was the last time you ate? You don’t just faint like that! I know you didn’t eat lunch, so when was your last meal?”
That stopped me, as I rubbed my ear closest to his mouth. I hadn’t eaten breakfast because my stomach had been in knots. Dinner last night…nope, too busy and too nervous, but I had drank from Jack. I had skipped lunch the day before, dealing with one of my touch-friendly subjects. “It’s been awhile.” No wonder every time I had puked today it had been…unpleasant.
His Vampire growled, but he sat me on my feet gently. He was unexpectedly gone. A second later the gym door banged open and closed.
Stunned, I gawked at his speed.
Swiftly, King Kincaid was rubbing against me, his furred body warm as he circled me, growling a little with the movement. Protective and pissed, he was marking his territory. I guess I should have been happy he wasn’t peeing on me. He was my King, and I was his subject. Not only that, his wolf considered me as part of his family. I really was surprised he hadn’t attacked Ezra.
King Nelson marched to Jack and Pearl. “Why did you stop us from helping her?”
“Yes, please explain,” King Fergus ordered through clenched teeth.
“Er…” Pearl, dear God, Pearl, the atrocious liar, began fumbling, “You see, we—”
Jack stepped in front of her and cut her off, stating factually, “We knew she wasn’t feeling well before. She was really nervous.” He shrugged. “She’s our friend. We wanted to help her. We were afraid you might be upset with her.” Not really great excuses, but he had kept it truth to all, not stupid enough to be dishonest with King Kincaid in his wolf form and able to scent deception easily.
King Venclaire was staring at the door Ezra had disappeared through, but he murmured calmly, “We wouldn’t have yelled at her for fainting.” A quick glance to me, then back to the door. “Although, you really need to take better care of yourself. I know the Awakening can be nerve-racking the first time, but not eating beforehand was inadvisable and foolish.”
King Nelson still looked furious, and he pointed directly at Jack’s face. “Don’t ever try that on me again.” His finger swung to Pearl. “And don’t you ever use your powers against a King, or Elder, if they’ve done nothing wrong.” He frowned. “You know better than that.”
King Fergus stretched, popping his back. “She didn’t hurt me. She just stopped my progress.” He shot Pearl a swift, cross glance. “Be grateful I didn’t retaliate.” Quickly, she nodded, and he turned his glare on Jack. “Do that again, and I’ll have you digging wells with only a shovel, and magically filling them, for the next month.”
Jack nodded promptly.