The Beast And The Blessed

Sixty-Two: Natalie

Natalie's P.O.V.

Loud talking disrupted my sleep, and I fought the urge to yell at them to shut up. But I was distracted by the sparks shooting through my hand. I knew right away that it was Killian. I had felt them before but never this extreme. Was this how he felt our bond? Was it because of the ceremony when I drank his blood, or was it because I had finally shifted and my wolf was present?

It felt as if I had drunk too much alcohol and had blacked out. I had no memory of last night beyond the first stabbing of pain once I had been crowned the queen.

"Did I do it?" I mumbled in my sleep-infused and groggy voice. The talking stopped, and the sparks danced over my cheeks as Killian cupped my face.

"You're awake. Thank the Goddess, you're awake!" He pressed a firm kiss down on my lips before pulling back and kissing my nose and cheeks in a flurry of happiness. I giggled as I forced my eyes open. His beautiful hazel eyes stared back at me with joy.

"What did she look like?" I wondered, the smile growing larger as I tried to feel in my mind for my wolf.

Killian pulled back, and the room fell silent.

It was then that I realized I was not in our room. The overhead florescent lights were harsh, and I glanced around the rows of empty beds and the healers who were watching me with sad smiles. My head fell back against the pillow as my hope was crushed.

"No. No. No. No." The repeated whisper had Killian pulling back slightly, rubbing his hands back over my hair as if he were smoothing it down.

didn't shift." His words were the final crack in the

ears as I dug harder in my mind to find any

body forever. I would never be strong enough to save Killian on the battlefield, and I would

flooded my system. She was toying with me. She was punishing me for something I wasn't even aware I had done. Was it this

on me when I failed to live up to their expectations. She gave me a wolf but refused to let me shift. She gave me a mate and a crown, but she would be taking that away too when I failed to save my mate. I would be a human among a field of

bite from a vampire, and I would be dead. The

you to get better first." Killian insisted. The heartbreak in his eyes had me closing my own. I didn't need to see how I had let him down too. He deserved a strong queen, and I would do my best to give him that. But I also needed a moment to

eyes as Killian used his thumbs to wipe away the tear tracks down my cheeks. "I just need to train harder. I won't let

my old pack must have been feeling as they watched me fail to shift once again. I would prove them all

in my

as she approached. "We haven't tried everything, don't get

to punch her right now. "Do tell then. What's the plan? You want

ravishing each other until the real world forced us to return to it. Instead, I was the only one in a

take you to the Sanctum of Light as soon as you are feeling better. I think it will be good for you." His explanation only left me with even more questions, and I waited patiently for him to elaborate. Instead, his eyes

dominate the other, and the weaker side

Killian rolled his

one hasn't come forward yet. The Sanctum of Light is a very powerful place, some believe it is a direct connection with the Goddess, it may help the stronger side to rise up." I nodded