The Alpha King (Kingdom of Askara #1)(27)

Kit blinked and the food dried in his mouth. Swallowing quickly, he followed it with a sip of water in a covered jug. The thought of breakfast, something so normal for Luca, had given him pause because he suddenly realized how different his life was going to be. He had never eaten breakfast, just served it. He glanced around the large room that in two years he had never been inside. He knew the layout of the kitchens in the pack house but he had never been on this floor and had no idea it was so...he didn’t want to call it luxury, it wasn’t his idea of luxury. The size of the bedroom, even though the bed had been soft, was a slap in the face to the kitchen boys who would be huddled together on the stone floors of the cellar, scratchy straw all that was between them and the hard floor. It seemed wrong to enjoy it. Maybe he could talk to Luca. Luca had been very fair yesterday.

He picked up the dark blue pants and the paler silk shirt, and pulled the shirt into his face. Breathed deeply. So soft, even better than what he had taken off, and for someone used to coarse rags it was heaven. He heard the horse’s hooves outside and rushed to the window. It was Luca. Well, no—it was Luca and what looked like the biggest horse Kit had ever seen in his life. And what was even more worrying, it looked like Luca was about to get on the huge beast. Wolves didn’t ride very well. It was an accepted fact, and Kit hoped Luca knew what he was doing.

Kit turned and stumbled, sudden pain knifing his head and making him want to vomit back his breakfast. He clasped his head and fell to his knees. An image of Luca played in his brain. Luca mounting the horse. Luca riding the horse through the forest. A sharp noise. The horse spooking, rearing. Luca falling off.

And finally, Luca lying on the ground, his eyes staring sightless at the sky.

Kit dragged himself upright, turned, and banged on the glass screaming Luca’s name. He was too high up, and the now repaired window didn’t open. He swung around, and nearly fell again as he staggered to the door. He had to reach Luca.

Kit ran. He ran to the stairs and clattered down them. He ignored Tara just coming in from the kitchen. He ignored the servants as they stepped aside. His head was pounding and his heart drummed to the same beat. Kit raced to the door just as Luca swung the horse around, the black stallion prancing on its feet. Kit appeared just as Luca let the horse have its head, and the powerful animal snatched the bit. Without thinking, without hesitating, Kit cried out in fear and stepped in front of the huge animal to halt its path.

The horse reared and everyone shouted. The last image in Kit’s head before he closed his eyes was the powerful hooves about to strike him. Kit felt the pressure between his shoulders and then he was sprawling to the floor, the ground hard, unyielding. Rolling, he just had the thought the wall would stop him when it did. He hadn’t thought his head would hit it first and as the pain lanced the back of his head, suddenly he wasn’t thinking anything at all.

****

Guards ran to take the animal as Luca threw himself down to reach Kit. Luca’s heart was gonna crash through his ribs, and in an instant he was there. Kneeling, gathering something infinitely precious to him. What the hell was Kit doing? He had nearly killed him, and Asher, being the nearest, had pushed him out of the way just in time. Nial ran over. Someone had taken his horse as well. Nial was a gifted horseman and they’d wanted to see how capable Luca was. There was just going to be him and Nial. He hadn’t wanted an audience.

Reverently, gently, Luca ignored the guards and the offers of help. Sam yelled for the servants but Luca was praying that whatever he had done to Kit’s back would work a second time. He balanced Kit’s slight weight in his arms, and for the second time in two days he carried him unconscious inside and up to their rooms.

“Sire,” Sam ran in front, opening the doors and pulling the cover off the bed.

“Leave us,” Luca ground out to what seemed like half the pack who had followed them in. Asher stood there looking like he was about to die, and Luca took a breath. “Wait outside.” He wasn’t ready for everyone to know what he could do. He heard Tara run in behind Sam and Sam hurriedly explaining what had happened. Tara was begging him to lay Kit down so she could see. “Silence,” Luca growled, harsher than he had intended He strode to the bed. “Leave me,” he ordered, and heard Sam pushing a protesting Tara out of the door in front of him, then silence as they were alone.

Luca had panicked when he had seen Kit. So still, so pale. He had no idea what had made him risk his life by stepping in front of the horse.

Luca didn’t lay on the bed, but walked to the large chair in the corner and sank down cradling Kit’s limp body protectively. He gathered him close, gently, and closed his eyes. Willed with everything in him for Kit to wake, to be safe.

An awareness prickled at the edge of his mind. He opened his eyes to the blue of another pair staring at him steadily. Luca made a very unmanly noise in the back of his throat, pressed his forehead into Kit’s neck, and just breathed. The soft scent. Kit’s soft scent. Lemons, and woodsy. A hint of spice and a whole load of perfect.

He lifted his head. “Why? Why the hell would you scare me like that? What if I hadn’t been able to do this?” Kit dropped his gaze, seemed fascinated with Luca’s shirt. “Don’t you realize how important you are to me?” Luca asked softly, his voice quieter as the indignation, fear, and worry bled out.

Am I?

Luca placed a gentle finger under Kit’s chin and lifted his face. His eyes glinted with unshed tears.