9 Withered flower 　　 　

Anna POV 　　He caught hold of my hand and looked into my eyes. 　　“You are freezing. The cloth is soaked with blood.” He touched my wound. I felt really weak and had lost good amount of energy from walking for a long period of time. 　　“Hold onto me tight.” He ordered and I looked at him with a frown. 　　“I won’t hurt you. Just hold me tight.” He said. I hesitantly wrapped my hands around him and closed my eyes. 　　Before I knew what was happening, I felt my skin touching a wolf flaws. I opened my eyes in confusion to see that Aiden had half shifted in his black wolf form and was running with inhuman speed through the quiet road. 　　I gasped ar how fast he was running. Of course he was a Lycan and Lycans were often fast in running. Report even says, they were faster than vampires which I haven’t confirmed. 　　I held onto him as the calm wind continued to run over my face, making my hair cover my eyes. 　　When I removed the strands of hairs from my eyes with one of my hand, I saw that we were at the castle. He didn’t stop there. He picked me up and carried me in his arms. 　　“Your highness...... What are you doing?” I was stunned. 　　The maids who were passing by couldn’t help but glance at us a second time as he walked. 　　We reached his room and he opened the door before laying me on the bed. I was stunned and unable to speak from what just happened. 　　He placed the lantern on the big table in the room and light it up. He walked towards the cupboard and picked up the things required to treat the wound. 　　He raised his hand up and slowly removed the cloth which was wrapped around my forehead. My face turned sour as he removed the cloth on my forehead making me wince in pain. If not of the water which had touched my skin, the cloth would have been difficult to remove as it would get stuck on my forehead. 　　He dabbed the cotton on the wound and the pain was worse compared to the previous one. Once he had cleaned the wound area, he applied some other things before rubbing some ointment on the wound. 　　“How did you got the wound?” He asked. 　　At his question, I frowned trying to think of what happened back in the forest but I didn’t remember anything. Was it when the carriage tumbled? 　　“It was when the carriage tumbled.” I answered. 　　I was deep in thoughts at what happened on my forehead. Thinking of how I spent hours in the forest over and over again in my head. 　　I could feel King Aiden’s hands as it moved gently on my forehead. 　　“You don’t have to worry, I would accompany to the market tomorrow to get whatever you need.” He said. 　　“You cannot come with me. You are the King. Moreover I am not interested in buying anything again.” I frowned. 　　“Is it about the coachman that died?” He asked. 　　“It’s not about him.” I lied. “I just don’t want to go there for now.” 　　“Okay but we still have somewhere else to go.” He said. 　　“Where?” I raised a brow. 　　“The orphanage.” He replied. “I visits there once in every month as it is my mother’s wish for us to go.” 　　“Your mother likes visiting the orphanage?” I inquired. 　　“Hmm....” He nodded. “She used to love the children there. When I was still young, she would take me there.” 　　“Ahh!” I flinched in pain when his hand touched the wound. 　　The next day when after getting dressed by Hannah, I stepped out of the room. 　　“Where is the King?” I asked. 　　“Something came up early this morning so he left.” Hannah answered. 　　“Okay.” I nodded. 　　On my way to the dining room, I could feel the eyes of the servants staring down at me like I was a disgusting sight. Even when I caught them staring down at me, they continued to look at me without breaking gaze. 　　“Why are they staring at me like that?” I whispered to Hannah. 　　“Milady they must be curious with what’s going on between you and the Lycan King. We saw you two enter the castle last night in an improper position that doesn’t feel right.” She answered. 　　So most of the maidens saw us last night? I felt really embarrassed with what has happened and if I could rewind time, I could have walked on my feet to my room. 　　Entering the dining room, I breathed out in relief that King Aiden would not be having breakfast with me. There was nothing to worry about him talking out of line or twisting my words. 　　Having him around me, made me feel uncomfortable somehow. The way he speaks out of point and would always wants to touch me makes my heart beat fast all the time. 　　After I was done eating, I decided 　　to go to the garden. Sitting down in the garden, I watched the mountain fountain which was couple steps away from where I sat. 　　I wondered where Katherine was right now. It has been two days now and she didn’t bother to send any letters on how she was coping there. I know she was with Jack. Why was she so smitten by that man? 　　Was there something so interesting about him that she couldn’t get out of her mind? She was away and didn’t even bother to ask about her fiancé to see how he was doing. She didn’t care! And later on she will put the blame on me. 　　My eyes slowly moved to the flowers and I saw that one of the flowers were bad. It was withered and the maids might have not seen it while taking the weeds off. 　　Walking closer to the flowers, I bent down and brought my hand to touch the flowers when all of a sudden it sprang up. My eyes widened at this and I took a couple of steps backward to see it i was imagining. 　　Did the flower just sprang on it’s own or what just happened? I looked at it again and saw that the flowers that was withered some time ago was now healthy. 　　Seeing Hannah, I stood up instantly from the ground. 　　“Milady do you need anything?” She asked. 　　“No. I am okay.” I plastered a smile on my face. 　　Seeing her walk away, I asked. “Does the flowers grow back on it’s own after withering?” 　　“Flowers? They do not grow back again once they had withered, why do you ask?” Hannah looked at me curiously. 　　“Nothing.” I smiled at her. “I..... Uhm.... Give me a cup of tea and snacks.” 　　Hannah left and before five minutes she came back with the snacks and a cup of tea. 　　I took the plate of freshly baked biscuit and took a bite from it. I picked one of the withered flowers which was on the ground and when I touched it, it changed colour from rusty brown to white colour. 　　My eyebrows furrowed as I continued to stare at the flower. My first thought was that something was wrong with me until the flower turned dead in my hand again.