Her Unwanted Mate On The Throne

Chapter 45 They were heard nearby

Prince William stayed silent for hours, Doris didn’t bother to try and start another conversation. She was starting to get used to his mood swings and she didn’t want to feed into another one that might blow up into something more. He kept glancing out the small window every ten minutes to make sure all was in order, but something uneasy settled in Doris. It was too quiet. The air felt thick and normally she would be glad of the silence-but for some reason it only felt off. Doris wondered if William had felt it too. He hadn’t tried to sleep once, instead he seemed more alert than ever. She couldn’t help but worry that he was running on little to no sleep for almost two days. How much longer could he last before exhaustion took him over? “William-“ Doris said hesitantly. He dropped the curtain and turned to face her. His eyes were a little red and his hair was an absolute mess in the way that she found looked handsome on him. She shook those thoughts away and cleared her throat.“ Perhaps it might be a good idea—“ The carriage came to a sudden halt that slid Doris out of her seat and right into his waiting arms. They both stilled as they strained to listen for any voices or movement, he silently seated her beside him and opened the curtain an inch to peer outside. Doris tried to calm her breath, afraid to make even the smallest sounds incase a rogue was nearby to hear it. A loud thud hit the side of the carriage and shook

the inside. William opened the curtain wider to see a crazed man hanging off the side of the carriage, Doris gasped. Was this a rogue? He bared his teeth at William and let his bloodied fingers stain everything he touched. “I can smell you in there, prince. Come out to play.” The guards were quick to pull him off, she flinched when she heard one of them shriek. William forced the door open and closed it quickly behind him so she couldn’t follow. Doris quickly scooted over to open the curtain and see what was happening. The man stood in rags outside the carriage with his hands coated in blood up to his elbows. Everything about him blended in with the snow, if she hadn’t seen the blood, she might have missed him entirely. He had long, white hair and eyes almost as light as the ground beneath him. When he smiled, she saw his sharp teeth poke out of his gums as if he were about to rip apart everyone around him. William stood in front of the carriage door as if he was guarding it, though she knew it only looked that way from where she was seated. “You know I could smell your royal blood for miles, prince.” The man taunted and licked his teeth. The guards surrounded him as if he was in the center of a circle. “All alone out here, I see. Where’s your pack?” William lifted his chin. He refused to let his gaze leave the deranged man for even a second. A trail of blood dripped from the man though he didn’t look injured. Doris’s eyes followed it to see it led to a guard by the carriage-his head laid several feet away from his body. She covered her mouth and closed the curtain a little more so the man wouldn’t see her. His eyes seemed to find her anyway. A smirk fell

They’re near enough, don’t you worry.” He took a step closer with his eyes still fixed on the carriage. He inhaled deeply, “Who’s that in there? Do I smell a girl?” William took a step forward, she couldn’t see his

skull before I shatter your nose for even seeking her out.” “I seem to have

man raised his claws to strike him. William’s shirt came away at the top, she saw his blood drip in the snow from where he must have

a scar, but she knew there must have been one. He didn’t look at her once as the carriage started to move again. Only when they stopped a few hours later did he finally say something. “We’re going to stop to rest for the night. There’s a creak near the edge of camp if you need to clean up, but don’t stray too far.” He spoke with his eyes out the window as if

a few chairs for other guards to rest. “Excuse me.” She spoke quietly as she crunched her boots in the snow to reach him. He turned and offered a tired smile. “Do you know where I am supposed to sleep for the night?” “Oh-” He glanced over his shoulder to the larger tent behind them. Clearly that one was meant for the prince. “William requested you stay with him.” Doris felt her cheeks immediately redden, she took a small step back. “Surely he was mistaken.” “No, I wasn’t.” His deep voice interrupted. He stood with the flap of his tent wide opened and half of his shirt already unbuttoned as if he’d been in the middle