My heart drops as I watch her run away from me for the second time. I felt as if I was fourteen all over again. I couldn't move my feet to follow her. A cold chill froze my spine. My palms sweated in anxiety of never seeing her beautiful face when I go after her.
The big difference this time is the ten guards silently following her at a distance. They would protect her with their lives. No wolf would come near her; rogue or loyal. I couldn't chance them wanting to hurt her out of jealousy.
She wouldn't escape this time. The royal guards are equipped with four of the world's best trackers. She's worn my scent since the moment I marked her flawless skin. There is no dodging those men.
Not wanting to waste a moment I stand and glare down the whore in front of me. Is this what I've allowed to happen? The women of the castle believe they can step over my own mate? I've heard a few rumors. Ones where they would try to get pregnant with my pups, knowing I would have to mate with her.
Being blind to the world had to stop. I couldn't allow the women of the castle to harass my mate. The chances of her staying with me are low to begin with. If one were to confront her, she might run.
"Derek," I yell with urgency. This will be settled here and now. I may be the Prince of werewolves, but Derek, well let's just say you want him on your side during the war.
"Yes, my Prince?" Walking out of the shadows, he comes to stand directly behind Juliet. He already knew what I was going to ask. Dark black hair matches his midnight brown eyes. Strong jaw fit perfectly with the deadly lethal body.
If we had to fight for power, I wouldn't win. Simple as that.
As my personal guard we've become quite close. He knows my next move before I do.
"Take her to the dungeons for treason against the crown," I command. Anger pulses beneath my skin. Veins bulge at the thought of scaring Claudia away because a female came onto me. I won't stand for any female or male to get in between Claudia and I's future together. She will be mine and if I have to punish others for interfering I will.
"What? Caden, baby." She reaches out to touch my chest. Derek pulls her back by her shirt. Growling at him, she turns her big wide eyes on me. "We've had plenty of amazing nights together, why stop for one girl? You're a Prince, you can have as many women as there are days in a year. I love pleasuring you, my love. Please don't push me away," she purrs seductively. "You love it when I go down on you. Why waste a good thing?"
What did I see in her? Clearly she is incapable of kindness. She cakes on make-up to the point I bet she looks completely different with it off.
Without a word from me Derek ties her hands behind her back. He doesn't take kindly to his Princess being threatened.
"Once you're done with this piece of thrash, call on all the maids and high born ladies to the ballroom. Inform them nicely that if they so much as whisper a harsh word against my mate and their future Queen, I will charge them with treason and send them down to the dungeons. They can keep the male prisoners company for a week or two. I'm sure they will gladly give them rough pleasure." Snarling I crunch my hands into fists. "That is what you wanted right?" Snarling at the whore in front of me.
"Will do your highness." Bowing he drags a kicking and screaming whore away.
Turning away, I bolt into the forest. Following her delicious scent. I had to be near her. Giving her a heads start, I pray she has calm down and not believed I didn't want her. That is the furthest from the truth.
Jogging for nearly five minutes I come to a small clearing. Stars twinkling high above in the sky, shine brightly down on the lone figure surrounded by delphiniums. The moon glistening off her smooth skin. Even with wearing sweatpants and a hoodie she can still take my breath away.
What I wouldn't give to kiss her light pink lips.
Taking a step out into the frequent flowers, I fiddle with my fingers. Clearly she is fuming mad. Her steps could be heard from inside the forest. She isn't masking her sounds as she should be. Anyone could be out here to cause her harm.
At that thought my heart raises. "Spayder, is there a threat?" As the head tracker he would be able to hear supposedly silent wolves from miles away.
"No your highness. All is quiet. We will surround her if there is one. I promise no one will kidnap or harm a hair on her head. You have my word." His gruff voice responds with loyalty. I've known these men since I was in my pre-teens. I trusted them with my life. They wouldn't fail me or her.
Bringing my attention back to my beauty I see her staring straight at me. The air in my lungs gets stuck. Her eyes were a molten of fury and hurt.
I knew her wolf to be fueling her anger. Female wolves in heat could be extremely temperamental. They craved their mates touch to the point they would kill to get it.
As of right now, I'm not too sure if she would or not. She looks as if she wants to murder me instead.
"What do you want? Your whore didn't satisfy you?" She screams out. Her hands going up into the air.
Stunned into silence, I gawk at her. She just screamed at me. Ever since I met her two days ago, all she has been is meek.
"What cat got your tongue? Did you come to demand I lay on my back and spread my legs for you?" Screaming, she kicks some of the purple delphiniums around her. I could feel how deeply rooted her anger was.
Is that what she believes I want from her? It couldn't be. She will be my equal.
"Answer me dammit! I thought we were getting along even if there were a few bumps." Dropping to her knees she cries into her hands.
Without thinking I race through the distance between us. Falling to the ground I pull her into my arms. Her struggles only made me tighten my grip. "I won't let you leave me Claudia." Sliding onto my bottom I pull her between my legs, her back to my chest. "You have it all wrong, sweetheart. I could care less about those other women. I do not want them. I want you. Only you Claudia," I whisper softly in her hair.
"How can you become angry at my friends when I haven't slept with them, but allow your whore's to roam freely around the castle? Tempting you at every turn? How is that fair?" Sobbing she tries to yank out of my grip once more. "Double standards are fair."
She is right. How could I be so stupid? I placed double standards on her. Forcing her friends away, but keeping mine close isn't the way to solve our problems. "I had Derek inform them, that if they cause any trouble for us, they will be joining the traitors in jail."
"Do you believe that will solve the problems? I know which ones you've slept with. How am I to live in the castle surround by your past lovers? Do you deem their ugly snares and jab's at me to be alright? Because that's what will happen to me. Who knows how far they will go to push me away. One day I could eat a piece of meat and drop dead. Or take a shower in acid. Females are vicious creatures when they are denied what they desire." She flings her arms around, trying to escape my strong grip.
No, I won't allow it. If they try to kill her, I won't hesitate to kill them. Instead of a quick and painless death they will see what the torture chambers look like, while hanging from the ceiling.
"What do you want me to do?" I ask desperately. Her pain is building and I fear she will explode and I will lose her for good. Whatever it takes to gain her trust back, I'll do it.
Shaking her head she keeps quite.
"Please tell me. I'll do anything to keep you by my side, Claudia." With one hand firmly wrapped around her waist I gently brush a lock of hair behind her ear, giving me a small glimpse of her breathe taking beauty.
"I can't ask to kick them out. It would be wrong of me. They have families. There is nothing you could do to ease my fears, my Prince."
Frowning, I tilt my head up towards the cold sky. I wouldn't let the tears fall. I deserve the ache deep in my chest. She does not. She deserves to laugh and smile without a care in the world. To be brought breakfast in bed and go running in wolf form by my side. Not this.
"Please call me Caden. We are mates, my title means nothing to you. I know I have no right to ask you of anything Claudia. As my mate you are my equal. Nothing less." I could feel her struggles slowing down. Not sure if it was because she felt something for me or if her anger was finally dispersing.
"What your brother said, is it true? Did you actually go around peeking into bedrooms to ogle naked men? To watch as they pleasured themselves?" I whisper with strained anger. No one but me should occupy her attention. Thought I wouldn't blame her, if she sought after male attention. I sure as heck didn't give it to her.
Snorting, she punches me in the thigh before throwing her head back into my nose. A small snap followed by a gush of blood runs down my face. She broke my nose. With my hand on my nose she jumps up and away from me.
"Taylor was trying to anger you. Show you a thin piece of hurt that I felt. Yes, I peeked into rooms, but if I found a person naked I ran for the hills. No way did I stay and watch. That's disgusting!" She screams. "Unlike you, I stayed loyal to the one man I was destined to be paired with." Pushing off the ground I stand with my hand over my nose. Blocking the flow of blood.
"Loyal? You went out on dates with my traitor best friend! How is that being loyal to me?" I yell back.
Storming around, she punches me in the face. What is with this women and beating me up?
Taking her anger, I hold my hands clenched at my sides. I was taught to never hit a women. I would be stupid to start now.
"He took me out of the castle on days or nights when I couldn't stand being near you. How do you think I felt when I would see you flirt with others? He knew how my heart ached. He knew I would run to my secret room and cry myself to sleep." Poking me in the stomach, she stares me down. Eyes black as coal. Her wolf was speaking with her. "That traitor, as you so like to call him protected me all these years. Not from you, but from myself. If it wasn't for him, I would be dead by now."
"It should have been me protecting you. It should have been my arms wrapped around you at night. Your tears drenching my shirt." Shouting into the night's cold air, I don't care that my guards could hear us. They wouldn't utter a damn word of this conversation.
"How do you suppose I went about doing that?" She croaks. Her voice raspy from crying. "Should I have walked up to you while you had your tongue down another's throat? Are you honestly that stupid to believe I would have allowed you to touch me after having your hands all over her body?"
I watch as she turns around and screams into the air before dropping to the ground. Sobs breaking the dead silence.
My heart heaves at the torture I saw in her eyes. We broke each other down these past years. I thought she was having a blast hurting me. Instead she nearly died because of my stupidity.
No more. No way am I repeating any actions I took. From now on, I will prove to her that she's all I need. All I want.
Starting with releasing her our best friend. I may not like it, but if it mends the riffs between us, than I'm willing to work with him.
"If I release and pardon Nikolai, will you give me a chance?" I murmur. I knew she heard me as her sobbing cut off instantly. My hand reached out to rub her back. Instead it dropped to my side. I was too afraid to touch her. To see her flinch away from my touch.
"What?" Gasping she spins around while standing up. "You would do that for me? Knowing all he has done? I thought you hated him, wanted to kill him?"
Facing me, I clench my fist at the tear streaks staining her rosy cheeks. Her eyes search mine, in fear of my words being lies.
"If you agree to try and work things out between us, then yes, I will pardon him. Of course he will have restrictions."
Twiddling her fingers, she digs her shoe into the dirt. "Like?" She was scared for her friend. It was hard not to see.
I was in a bind. I wanted to punish him. Go a few grounds in wolf form. Because of that damn bond between them, I can't lay a single finger on him without her feeling it.
"He has to stay away from you until we mate." I bring my hand up to stop her from speaking. These would be my punishment to him. "No speaking between the blood bond. If we are to correct our past actions, we need no interference. As a low ranking wolf he will have to prove himself again. Each day and night he will spend training. Doing the grunt work. If either of you complain about his punishment I'll send him right back to where he is."
I wouldn't budge on this. Compared to other's he was getting a slap on the wrist.
Nodding her head, I watch has her shoulders sag. "I guess that's reasonable. He won't be killed at least."
"As for us, we will be spending nearly all our time together. I have certain duties I cannot shy away from. While I'm busy you may do what your heart desires, as long as it doesn't cause harm to you."
Her silence was scaring me. I wish she would respond back.
"Am I to still clean your rooms?" Her question shocks me.
"Of course not. You're my mate, you clean nothing but that body of yours." Taking a step towards her, I go to reach out and touch her. My skin crawled at the distance between us. Marcus and I yearned for her smooth skin to touch ours, even if it's for a few minutes. The reassurance it will give us will be great.
"What am I to do with my time? My family works during the day to keep a living. I can't not help out."
Frowning I realize she must have forgotten her family moved rooms. "Your parents and brother are no longer servants Claudia. As my mate you've given your family status."
"What does that mean?" The distance between us shrank with each question. I had to get to her. The tears stopped flowing, but the streaks down her rosy cheeks remind me of my failures.
"They will still work for the kingdom. If your father wishes to work with the military he may. Your mother may be your companion if that's what she wants." Taking another step, I reach out slowly to brush my fingers gently down her cheek. "And that brother of yours may stay out of trouble, being one of your personal guards. That is after he is trained by Commander Togen."
"If they do not wish to do those jobs, are they able to change them?" I knew it wasn't the time to think with a muddled mind, but when she nibbled on her bottom lip all the blood in my body sank to my lower region.
It didn't help that I could smell her heat. Her wolf has been calling out to Marcus this whole time. Torturing him to make his move on Claudia.
I had to stand my ground and not frighten her away.
"Thank you." I feel my chest rise as she nudges my hand with her face. It was the first action of love towards me from her. A tiny bit of giddiness sparked deep inside me. I hungered for more. Tons more.
I watch as she closes her eyes with a sigh. "May I retire to my bedroom? I feel the weight of the day sinking deep within my body." As her eyes open I realize her wolf has backed down. This is now my Claudia.
"Would it be too soon for me to wrap my arm around you as we walk back to the castle?" I knew she might say no, but I still tried.
"To soon," She whisper as she pulls away and heads towards the castle.
As we begin our journey back, I feel the guards surround us.
Passing the patio I see a maid clearing the food off the table. How I wish I could have fed the dessert to Claudia. Someday I will. I swear.
Walking throughout the castle I notice it's cleared out. My father's doing no doubt. He probably wanted no one to witness my unfaithful activities.
I will have explaining to do tomorrow. He will demand an update on how things are progressing. Not that he imagines I've gotten far.
Studying Claudia I come to realize she is exactly how I imagined her to be. She held herself up even with all the weight on her shoulders.
I wonder how long it will take for her natural brown hair to grow back. I've dreamed of running my fingers through her hair for years, as we lay in bed. Her head resting on my chest as her fingers draw patterns on my stomach.
Shaking those thoughts away I focus on not pinning her to the wall and devouring every inch of her. I pray we fix things soon as I doubt we will be able to withstand her heat for too long.
Reaching my door, I open it slowly for her. Without words, I pull a sheet, pillow and blanket out of the nearby closet and head towards the couch in the far corner.
"You may take the bed. I know if I sleep in it with you, we won't' be doing much sleeping." Smirking at the red tint to her cheeks I feel pride blossom in my chest. My chore for the week is to get her to smile.
After getting ready for bed I turn the lights off and lay down on the comfortable couch. Over the years, I've slept on it multiple of times. To disgusted of myself to sleep on the bed where my mate should have been. Instead it lay empty and cold. Untouched.
A small shuffling brought my attention towards the bed. White creamy skin stuck out in the dark room. With the moon's slivers hitting the bed, I felt my heart lurch at the breath taking exquisiteness in front of me. She ranked way above any female. They stood no chance in her shadow.
My eyes followed her every movement, from crawling under the sheets to rolling on her side.
"Sweet dreams my Prince," her silky voice slithers over my cold skin, warming it up.
"Be careful my love, the way you purr my title might force me to break a promise to myself. I want to wait until your read, not a second before."
Chuckling at her intake of air, I continue to stare at her as her eyes droop closed.
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Authors Note: Thank you for reading. You guys are awesome. I love waking up in the morning and being able to read all your comments. I had nearly 500 last time. Holy crap!!! haha, but I loved it. I had started to plan the next chapter in my head right then and there.
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Chapter Questions:
Once the announcement is made, will other females continue to seek Caden out?
Will Nik actually be released?
How will their relationship go? blossom or disaster?
Should Nik still have his strength?
So how is everyone doing? Are you still enjoying my book? If you have any questions i haven't answerd and you want answered, leave it on the next chapter. The Q&A will always follow the latest updated chapter. that is until i finish the book.
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