Chapter Nineteen

I awaken before Caleb. I feel horrible. I rush to the bathroom and throw up. I never thought that vomiting would make me feel better. I stand up and head over to the sink. Before I get there, I have to rush back to the toilet. Let me try this again, I rinse my face off and turn to the door. Caleb is standing there looking at me.

"Are you alright?"

Yes, I feel much better now. I'm sorry to wake you.

"It isn't much longer before we needed to get up anyway. We can just take our time getting ready for the day."

I go ahead and brush my teeth. Then pull my hair into a pony tail and put on a little makeup.

"So, what are your plans for today?"

I'm not sure yet might go for a drive to check out the stables. I love to ride.

"Ok just be careful."

I will. I go into my closet to pick out something to wear to the stables. I don't want to go the way I've been dressing. I pick out a pair of jeans and short sleeve shirt and put on my paddock boots. Oh crap, it hits me again. I run to the bathroom and vomit again. I wonder if I have caught a bug.

"Erica are you sure you are, ok? That's the third time this morning."

I don't know. I feel better again. Maybe I should hold off on visiting the stables today. Just in case I've caught something.

"Would you like to just stay in bed? I can get Caroline to bring you up some toast and ginger ale."

Yes, that might be for the best. I really don't want to put a lot on my stomach right now. Caleb goes out the door and I hear him talking to Caroline. She doesn't even knock, just comes right in.

"Ms. Taylor. I hear you aren't feeling well. Caleb said to bring you some toast and something to drink. I'll get that for you shortly. Do you need the doctor? One can come to your room if need be."

No. I don't think I need to see a doctor. She places her hand on my head.

"You don't have a fever. You might have a bug or could just be something you ate didn't agree with you. I'll be right back with your food."

She isn't gone long and comes back in my room.

"I brought you toast and some jams to choose from. Also, a couple cans of ginger ale and a coke." I'll leave you alone to rest."

I slowly eat and I'm feeling better. I decide to just lay in bed and watch tv for a little bit. I keep glancing over at the clock. It is now noon. I haven't gotten sick anymore. I'm going to see if I'm able to move around and not get sick. Ok I feel like myself. Maybe it was just something I had ate. I'm going to head on to the stables like I had planned. I put my clothes back on and head down.

The door man asks, is there anything I need?

Yes, Sir. I need a car. I would like to visit the stables. Just then two men step forward.

"We will escort Ms. Taylor to the stables. Here there is a suv we can take parked right there."

I walk with them to the suv and get inside. Once we are all in. They turn to me.

"We are James and Tyler, the two guardsmen Caleb has appointed to keep a watch over you."

Oh, Caleb said, you both would be keeping a distance."

"We were told to but you needed a vehicle and we also drive the Alpha's family as part of our duties. So, no one should suspect anything by us driving you."

Ok, thank you. We start down the driveway and turn down another road. I can see the horses in the pastures. There aren't many of them. Maybe more are in other fields. Suddenly we come to a stop. There are two wolves standing in front of the vehicle.

"Ms. Taylor stay here and lock the doors as soon as we get out. Do Not let anyone in."

The two wolves start running toward the vehicle. My guards radio for assistance and jump out the suv quickly trying to stop the attackers. I lock the doors and slide to the middle seat of the suv. My guards have not changed into wolves to fight them. I hope they can manage. Soon more suvs come sliding up to a stop. More palace guards come running by to join the fight. It isn't long they have to two apprehended. A couple of the other guards drag the two by my vehicle and throw them into the back of their suv. James and Tyler come back and climb into the vehicle. Are you two ok? Who were they?

"We aren't sure who they are but we will find out and how they got in here. And yes, we are ok. Now how about that tour of the stables."

They just act as though that didn't just happen. We arrive in front of one of the barns. We get out and they walk with me. There is only two people taking care of the palace horses. The barn doesn't have any horses in it. Are they all in the pastures? One of the grooms speaks.

"Yes, there aren't many here. They haven't bought any new ones in years and they stopped breeding them. The family seems to have lost interest in the stables."

That is sad. I love horses. I could never lose interest in them. Just the smell of the barn makes me want to ride. Maybe I'll come down and ride one day soon.

"Ms. Taylor that would be great. We need some movement down here. Every day is the same. It gets boring. There are a couple arenas out back and a dressage arena between these two barns."

Thank you. I'll definitely be back. We go back to the suvs and head back to the palace. As soon as we pull up. Caleb comes running out to me.

"Erica, are you ok? I'm so sorry that happened. Thank You men for keeping my fiancée safe."

I'm fine. Did you find out who those wolves are?

"Come on inside. We will talk in the Alpha's office."

We head up to the office and every staff member we pass are saying how happy they are that I am ok. We reach the office. The Alpha and Luna are sitting inside.

"My dear. We are so happy that you are ok. We haven't been able to get out of the two men about who hired them. But we do know they are from the last group of recruits we had in training to be guards. We had let them go because they were not good enough. We also don't know yet as to how they got back into the palace grounds. They are currently in the prison."

I'm sorry I probably should have just stayed in the palace today. I got to feeling better so I just wanted to see the stables. Caleb speaks up.

"None of this was your fault. I'm glad you are feeling better. But I do have something to tell everyone in here. Erica told me her plans to tour the stables this morning but then decided to stay here because she wasn't feeling well. No one had known her plans to go to the stables. But I did mention it to the Beta as we met in the hall this morning. I think he could be behind the attack."

I wonder what the wolves had planned for me. If they had accomplished taking down my guards. I definitely won't venture out again without making sure they are with me.

"Come on everyone I'm tired. Lets go down to the dining hall."

The Alpha is right. It has been a long tiring day and we are hungry. So, we all walk down together. We enter the dining hall and the staff is waiting with our meals. Each of us take our seats and eat our meal. We finish. Caleb and I head back to my quarters.

"I'm going to get a few clothes from my room. I'll be right back."

I go ahead and get in the shower. What a day it has been. I never would have thought something like that would happen. I hear my rooms door slam and Caleb cussing. I get out the shower, dry off and throw on my robe. He has gone into my closet. Is everything ok?

"Yes, it is now. I've brought me several changes of clothes over. I'll be out in a minute, just hanging them up.

He walks into the bedroom from the closet. Caleb what happened to your face? There is a big red streak on the left side.

"Leah had let herself into my room. I had forgotten she had a key to get to this floor. I took it from her and she smacked me. She wanted to talk I told her to leave. That I was getting a few things to go stay with you and she went completely mad."

Caleb she is having a hard time getting over you.

"No, she is having a hard time with knowing that after I become Alpha her family will have to move out of the palace. She also had it in her head that I would take her as my Luna. And I am guilty for helping put it there. I never thought I would love you and that you would have been my mate. I had told her that I would reject you. But there is no way I can do that. My soul belongs to my mate, you, Erica."

I love you, Caleb. Get washed up and lets go to sleep. He goes in the bathroom and takes a shower. I get into bed. I love how his scent just explodes in the steam. He comes out and climbs into bed next to me. We cuddle and fall asleep.