After the king's announcement, dinner was served. I was appreciative for the meal for no other reason than it took attention away from me. I could see eyes still glance my way as Phalen moved to his seat on the other side of Emerson.
It was nerve wracking. Honestly. I could barely taste the food as my jitters crawled through my chest and settled like a heavy weight in my stomach.
I could see how becoming a princess was protecting me from open rudeness and carried a weight of protection. However, suddenly, I worried that it would make it harder to find a mate. Would any male even want to talk to the obviously protected princess? Or would the ones who did talk to me do so just for the climb in status? My mind whirled in confused chaos.
"Your cooking was better." Em leaned over to whisper in my ear.
I blushed. Both at the compliment and for the small jump I made as he startled me out of my thoughts. "I'll remember that for your birthday."
His mouth opened to say something and then he stopped, he looked around the room and then looked at me. "No one can remember your birthday being listed in the records we reviewed. When is it?"
"May."
"May what?"
I sighed. I knew he could find the information on his own anyway. "The first."
"So, in six weeks. Good to know."
Rolling my eyes, I tried to turn the tables. "And you?"
He shrugged. The white shirt of his tux contrasting sharply with the black vest and tie he still hadn't removed. "I'm a New Year's baby. You missed me already." He chuckled. "Phalen though, his is in three weeks."
"Well, then maybe he would like breakfast in bed for his birthday."
Em's eyes grew wide. "Where's mine?"
"Your birthday isn't until New Years. You snooze, you lose." My hand patted his knee in consolation. I wasn't sure what I found more funny, the low growl rumbling from his chest or the pout on his face. "Too cute. But it still won't work, Your Highness." I shook my head as I smirked.
"My request is for something with bacon and sausage." Phalen leaned over, obviously over hearing my conversation with Em.
"I used to make a potato casserole with leeks, sausage and a white cheddar sauce. I'm sure I can add bacon to it, and eggs and fruit salad on the side."
The king licked his lips. "Deal."
At that, Em whimpered. He actually whimpered.
Phalen lost it, he roared out laughing at his brother and the whole room froze at the interaction. Had they ever seen the king laugh? I wasn't sure they had with the way several people watched with bugged out eyes and slacked jaws.
However, it was a reminder of my surroundings. We weren't in the private suites anymore. Shit.
Dinner continued rather uneventfully through dessert. However, as the last of the dishes were being cleared away, Phalen stood from his seat and walked over to me. "You know, it's tradition that the king starts the first dance." He offered his hand to me. "May I have this dance?"
My cheeks warmed in my embarrassment. "I've never danced before. I'd rather try that in private before I trip and make a fool of myself."
"I'd never let you fall." That was some confidence. Not that the king had ever fallen behind in any of his promises or confident declarations that I was aware of. It must have come with the crown.
With a gulp and nervous butterflies in my stomach, I rose to take his hand. He lead me toward the dance floor on the other side of the hall. We had to pass through everyone else. Eyes and whispers followed our every move. The closer I walked to strange males, the more my skin crawled like spiders racing up my spine.
"You should be dancing with other women." I whispered.
He shrugged as he pulled me to a stop in the middle of the dance floor. "I'd rather dance with you and save myself the headache of dealing with overzealous pursuits." He waggled his brows.
"Ew. I don't need details." The music started and with it, I found Phalen's arm around my waist and my hand, raised in his. He was an amazing dancer who knew just how to guide my steps so that we didn't trip over each other and he managed to not step on my clumsy feet, though I nearly stepped on his a few times. My eyes moved as I tried to watch the steps, only to realize that it made me dizzy, then up to our joined hands. It wasn't a complicated dance, but I found his hands helped him lead the direction we were to go. I could anticipate the movements more by watching our hands.
Yet, before long, my legs started to tremble from the exertion. I had sat most of the evening, but just the walk from the table to the floor and the small amount of dancing was enough to tire me out. Before I could ask, I found Emerson ready to lead me back and Liz there to take my place with the king.
"Thank you for the dance, Rose." He grinned.
"You're welcome, Your Majesty."
I tried, I really did try to make it back to our table before I collapsed, but I just couldn't do it. "Your Highness, I have to sit. Please."
He helped me to a seat next to a couple I had seen him talk to earlier. "Alpha Aiden, Luna Evelyn, may I introduce you to my new niece, I guess, Princess Rose." He paused. "That is gonna take some getting used to."
The couple smiled. "Your Highness. He surprised you too? Your brother sure does know how to pull out the big guns." Alpha Aiden laughed.
"Tell me about it." Emerson groaned. "But I'm not complaining. It was brilliant and perfect." He squeezed my shoulder. "Princess, this is Alpha Aiden and his mate Evelyn. Evelyn has been helping us get the clinic up and running."
"A clinic neither of you told me anything about." I pouted.
"You kept it from her?" Evelyn gasped.
Fingers scratched at the back of his auburn hair in discomfort. "We kind of had a lot going on."
Slowly the men stepped away slightly in their own conversation, leaving me with Evelyn. She reached a hand over to mine. "You know, you are very brave to be here tonight."
I shrugged. "The king is worried about me." My voice was soft as I nervously watched every male who moved around me.
"As is the prince." She added.
I nodded slightly. "He asked that I at least try. So, I'm trying."
"What do you think of all of this?"
I let out a breath and glanced around. We had stopped in the middle of the chaos. "It's overwhelming."
There was a sadness in her eyes, not one of judgement or pity, just sympathy. "I was one of his victims you know." I started to say something, but she cut me off and continued. "I'm not trying to make you feel worse or remind you of your past. Just know that if you ever want someone to talk to. You can always call me. Most people don't understand. Hell, I can't understand your pain. What happened to me was only a fragment of your's. But you can be honest with me." Her hand squeezed tighter.
I fought back the tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I refused to cry in front of everyone. I had no voice, no words for what it meant to know she didn't hate me, to know she was offering support. All I could do was nod.
"Your Highness." A male voice pulled us from our conversation. I looked up to see Alpha Zachary, the new alpha for Midnight Meadows pack. He had grown quite a bit since the last time I had seen him. He was a few years older than me, but I still saw him around the pack school when I served lunch, until he graduated and joined the pack warriors. After that, I lost track of him.
I gulped as I tried to wet my dry throat. I didn't really want to see everyone. "Alpha. Congratulations on your new title, Zachary."
He sighed and knelt down to address me at my level. He reached out a hand, but stopped when I flinched. "I'm sorry for everything you went through Rose."
Lost in the emotions of facing Zachary and the sensory overload of so many people around me, I nearly missed it.
A scent so old in my memory, I questioned if it was even real.
A wolf.
A male.
The scents of the forest mixed with burnt fur and sulfur.
My fingers clutching into the skirt of my dress, making tight fists that I was sure would tear the fabric. I turned my head every direction, searching. But I didn't know what I was searching for. I didn't know who I was searching for.
My heart picked up, creating thundering rhythms.
"Princess?" I vaguely heard the voices. "Rose?"
Warm hands wrapped around my face. "Rose, look at me." Emerson. I could see but I couldn't focus, or speak. My panic too high. He nodded. "I've got you, I'll get you out of here."
I pressed my head into his neck as he carried me back to the royal suites while I tried to get my breathing under control. Just the feel of him, his scent, knowing he would protect me, was enough to warm my freezing body, to help pull me out of the cold abyss of my panic.
Eventually, I felt the soft bed of my room as he laid me in the center of the bed and sat next to me. "Just breathe Rose bud." His fingers brushed a few stray strands of hair out of my face as a gasped in ragged breaths. "You're safe."
Minutes ticked by as I slowly climbed out, only to fall apart in the tears once again. Em stretched out across the bed as he rocked me as he had done many times before.
When my tears slowed, he pulled back and looked in my eyes. "What happened? I'll kill Zachary for whatever he said to set you off." He growled.
I shook my head. It wasn't Zachary.
How do I explain?
But when I moved my hand to wipe away my tears, I found there was something in it. I didn't remember being handed anything or taking a note of any kind. It was simply in my lap when my hands clenched. And as I was about to toss it to the side, I smelled it.
Male. Wolf. Forest. Burnt fur. Sulfur.
It was from him.
I opened the note.
"Be careful of your lying Prince. He murdered his last mate, and he will try to kill you before long. No better than the fool, Donnie boy turned out to be. But don't worry, I'll kill him for you. I'll have you again."