Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 31

"Jade." His hand found hers – the one that wasn't still wrapped around the chain like it was the only thing keeping her grounded, which it was. Instantly, her mind rushed into silence. A part of her was grateful, but she couldn't afford not to know what people were thinking. They all considered her the enemy and therefore they had to be hers.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she said.

Aaron shook his head and placed a tender hand against her face, tipping her head back. "You are doing really well. And you look gorgeous."

She did look gorgeous. She also looked like someone she didn't recognise. She pulled back, pressing her pendant tighter into her palm. It hurt like a feral rogue's bite and she blinked to keep tears from jumping into her eyes. She had to get out of there. Her gaze flicked back to the doors behind her. Would he let her go if she wanted to? He had to. She wasn't his prisoner. Or was she? Was this all an elaborate ruse to capture her and torture information out of her?

"There is no reason to panic." He moved to touch her again, but she drew back.

No reason? Did he not know how his people thought of her? Did he not know all Royal Wolves were pompous, self-righteous bastards? Did he not know the only reason they didn't want him to reject her on the spot was because they wanted to see her fumble and fail a bit longer?

Aaron turned to his guards. "Leave us."

"Your Highness –" one of them said, eyes straying to Jade.

"I said: Leave us."

The energy radiating off him was enough to make the strongest warrior tremble. The men bowed and briskly moved back towards the door from which they'd entered. They left the room and the doors were closed. And then they were alone.

She wished she had Parker's gift. She could disappear in the blink of an eye and no one would be able to stop her, let alone find her. She could poof herself to the other side of Andior.

"This needs to stop," Aaron said. He stepped forward and while Jade was still working out what he was aiming at, he forced her hand away from her necklace. She stared at him in stunned silence when he moved his hands to the back of her neck and unclasped the chain.

"No, you can't do that." She reached for it. "Give it back. It's not yours. Give it back." It was a good thing no one was in the room with them, because talking to the crown prince like that was surely prohibited.

He winced when he accidentally touched the front of the pendant. "How can you wear this? It is outrageous."

"We've been over this. Several times, in fact. I have to."

"It hurts you." He grabbed her right hand, forcing her palm upwards. The skin was red and throbbing.

"It'll be gone in an hour." She pulled loose. "You have to give it back." Why was she so short? She moved to steal it from his grasp, but he merely raised his arm and she couldn't reach it. The pendant dangled from his fingers, tempting her.

"You are not getting it back. It is harmful."

"It is the only thing that works. You have to give it back. It is my property."

He shook his head and let the chain slip into his pocket. "I cannot let you injure yourself. It is dangerous. And I most certainly cannot let you wear it at court."

There it was, the truth of it: he was ashamed of her.

"If you are so embarrassed of my ways, then you should not have asked me to come here. You do not get to steal my property. Give it back!" Her eyes flashed bright blue. Her wolf adored Aaron, but no one – no one – was taking their stuff and telling them what to do.

"Control yourself," Aaron said, frowning at her wolf shining through. "You cannot behave like that here."

"Behave like what? A werewolf?" What had she been thinking? She couldn't do this. Couldn't do any of this. "This was a mistake. I want to go home." Only home wasn't home anymore, and Midnight Moon was hardly a substitute. She flinched, trying to tune out the noise of the Royal Wolves walking about, but she couldn't. The whole castle was buzzing with the news of her arrival, and if she had to hear one more unfiltered opinion about her and her pack... Her hand shot to her neck, but found it crudely bare. "I need it back."

He just stood there, watching her like he had never laid eyes on anything quite like her before – and not in a good way. What had he imagined? That she would naturally fit in at court? That she had the skills required not to make a fool of herself?

"I am not giving it back. You need to learn to live without it. Silver is not the answer."

"Since when? You didn't seem so against silver when your father used it against my sister." The words were out before she knew it and she froze, and so did he. He stared at her, his lips parted, but no sound leaving his mouth.

Who was he, even? The thought struck her so hard she nearly cried. She had known him a week – that was it. She had no clue who he was. She had no clue what he liked or disliked, had no clue what kind of friends he had, how his family treated him, what he dreamt of. She had no clue, and neither did he. They were strangers. Complete and utter strangers.

"I had nothing to do with that," he said.

"But you didn't stop it." Her head pounded so hard she revisited the idea of throwing up. She should probably teach classes in how to get your mate to reject you fastest, because she was heading there at lightning speed.

She needed out, but that would be admitting defeat and she was still a Shadow Walker – no matter what Ryleigh told her. She was no coward.

"No," he said. "I did not. I am not in the habit of questioning my father's actions."

She bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood. It was only with the greatest show of self-restraint she managed to swallow the words burning on the tip of her tongue: Maybe you should. 

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A/N: Next chapter will pick up where this one left off (it was getting too long), so stay tuned ;) 

Thank you for reading!