Adealine’s eyes widen and she holds my attention as her lips part. I pull myself up and fight the urge to laugh as she stares at me in shock. She leans back so we don’t bump heads. I tuck the strand into my pants pocket before she can try and swipe it back from me.
Now that I was sitting up a foot away from her face, her cheeks flushed and she looked away from me. I’ve always known that I was easy on the eyes but I’ve never really put too much thought into it. Seeing her staring at me the way she is, has changed that. I like that she’s staring. I’m having an effect on her and I can’t help the giddiness that spreads a blush across my cheeks. I’ve never wanted someone to like me as much as I do right now.
I may have just turned thirteen but I’ve been working since I was a child. My body was long and lean. I’ve always been bigger than others my age. My long curly black hair was the only thing I received from my father.
Only the offspring of an Alpha had strong dark-colored hair. It was a bloodline thing supposedly. Black and brown were the telltale signs of an Alpha or an heir. I was good looking and the little princess noticed. The name fit. She was a Princess. My smile broke out and her eyes dropped to my perfectly straight teeth. If my sister was here she’d roll her eyes at me.
“The name’s Shane, your highness,” I said as I dipped my head. I’d seen a few of the older guys pull this off. They called it, “the smolder” and Goddess, whatever it was that a smolder did, I wanted it to work on her.
“Ugh,” Adealine groaned. “You’re so… so…”
“So pretty?” I suggested helpfully.
“No. You’re so… full of—”
“Ah,” I whispered while I put a finger to her lips. “I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you. Princesses don’t speak like that.”
“The hell with that! You’re full of shit and I’m not a princess,” Adea blurted out. I laughed. I couldn’t stop, I couldn’t even keep my eyes open as I laughed. She smiled and burst into laughter with me.
“Goddess,” I sighed. “You’re not like any other Princess I’ve met,” I said in mock seriousness. Her brows furrowed and her forehead wrinkled. She radiated innocence and beauty.
“Do you know a lot of Princesses?” She asked. Nervously, she swiped a strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear. She was nervous?
“Mm, quite a few,” I laughed.
No, I don’t know any other princesses. I’m a butcher, I rarely even leave the slaughter hall but my princess didn’t need to know that. She bit on the inside of her cheek.
“Well then,” she said as she got to her feet. She dusted her dress off and I smiled. “As much as I would love to sit here all day and talk to you about all the princesses you know, I have things to do, places to be, and people to see.”
“Oh?” I asked.
She was jealous and I liked that. I liked that she was being possessive of me. I liked that she didn’t want me talking about other princesses. I liked that she couldn’t continue her indifferent act. My wolf hadn’t spoken to me in a long time, but I knew from the quiet purr that he agreed. I quickly rose to my feet and flinched. I grabbed my stomach immediately and her eyes lowered to where we both knew I would be bruising.
“What about what I’m owed?” I stalled. It was a cheap shot but I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted this moment with her to last for a little longer. I don’t know what was wrong with me.
“What you are owed...?” She asked. Her right eyebrow curved as she stared at me and her lip curled. Despite the attitude coming off of her in waves, I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was already giving in.
“Didn’t you say that this was all your fault?” I dipped my chin and gestured down my torso. Her eyes tracked my movements and I suppressed my smile though I knew my eyes were bright with mischief.
“I suppose I did,” she murmured thoughtfully. Her features softened and I knew I’d won her over for a few minutes longer.
“What are you going to do about it? Are you going to take responsibility for me, or are you like your father? Are you going to leave me here bleeding and bruised?” I asked with an edge of pain to my voice.
Her eyes widened and I knew my words had struck true. Perfect. I would say whatever I needed to hold her attention. I’d do whatever it took to stay by her side. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to stay in someone’s presence as much as I do right now. She was highly addictive, I needed more and more of her with every passing moment. I needed her to stay.
She clenched her jaw and her eyes lit up for the first time since I first lay eyes on her when I first walked into the courtyard. I liked this look in her eye. The other one she had had been obedient and Princesses shouldn’t be submissive, not this princess. She was going to be a Queen, and Queens bowed to no one.
“No, I’m not going to leave you here. I’m nothing like my father.”
She reached for me, her fingers wrapping around my arm, and pulled. She was small but I leaned in so she could pull my weight easily. I didn’t care that my body hurt as I followed her, I didn’t care that every breath I took was painful as she dragged me behind her, I didn’t even care where she was taking me. At this moment, I knew that I would follow this girl anywhere.
“We have to be quick,” she whispered.
There was a bit of a limp in her walk but I was sure I imagined it. That or the shoes on her feet were too tight. She led me through the packhouse doors. I’ve never been in here before. The only time I came around here was when I had to fill in for Mitch’s nephew, which wasn’t often, and I was never permitted inside. I usually met the kitchen staff out front or by the entrance to the kitchen. White stone walls stretched two stories high, her shoes clicked against the floor, white trim followed us as we walked into a room that had two mahogany double doors on each side. Everything was so white, so clean here, as clean as her. I didn’t care to take in my surroundings, I kept my gaze on her and her hair that bounced as she walked. She came to a stop in front of dark wooden stairs that seemed to lead up to the Goddess herself. She yanked at my arm and my feet moved by her command. We headed up the insanely long set of steps. Surprisingly enough, we didn’t pass anyone on the way. I was pu
I knew it and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to stop looking at her. As soon as I left here, I would focus only on Mavy. I wouldn’t think about the princess who slept in the room at the top of the staircase. I wouldn’t wonder about the books on her shelves. I wouldn’t wonder if any of them were scandalous. No, I would remember that it’s only Mavy and I against the world. Slowly, I made my way to her bed. Mahogany wood was the theme in this packhouse but more so in her room. Her bed matched her vanity and the frame around her mirror. I smirked, Princess had grown up in the lap of luxury. She deserves nothing less. I took a seat at the edge of the bed and watched her continue to rifle through supplies. When she had everything she needed, she turned from the mirror and faced me. Clenching her jaw, she straightened her back and closed the distance between us. She hesitated for a second, only a second, before she placed the supplies beside me on the bed. She took a step toward me, success
When she walked back to me, she had a tube of ointment in hand. Her shoulders were tense, and her gaze firm as she made up her mind. She still had a limp in her step and a thought crossed my mind. A terrible thought, one I didn’t think could be possible. If he had easily slapped her outside, what happened behind closed doors? When she got to me, she squeezed a bit of the ointment onto her finger. I felt a jolt of pain as her finger prodded a bruise. In a flash, I grabbed her hips and threw her down onto the bed. Her dress rode up but my mind wasn’t on that. All thoughts of being close to her had scattered in the wind. I needed to check, I needed to know. My suspicions were confirmed as I was met with smooth skin marked with bruises. New dark purple bruises lay on top of older yellowing ones. My heart dropped into my stomach. Scrapes and cuts started on her legs and ran all the way up her thighs. I had a suspicion they went higher. “What are you doing?!” She hissed. Her eyes darted t
I held her while she poured her heart out. I didn’t judge her, I didn’t try to make it better because there was nothing I could do. When she was done, she wiped her cheeks. Looking up into my eyes she burst into a fit of laughter.“I’m sorry. I don’t know what just happened.” She turned her face to look out the window. The sun was starting to set. “Goddess, I need to go!” She uncurled herself from my grasp and hopped to her feet. “… and you need to leave here without being seen. I’m surprised no one has come for me yet!”“Leave without being seen? I can do that.”“How?” She whined as she rushed to the vanity.“I’m good at hiding.”“Are you though?” She asked. Her tone revealed her disbelief.“Yes. It’s a skill, and just think, no one is looking FOR me. Don’t worry. I’ll make it out without being seen.”“How are you going to manage that? We’re up four flights of stairs and people are most likely walking around now. What’s the plan?” Adealine asked.I watched Adealine as she sat in her
AdeaThe day was as hot as it was humid, with air so thick you could practically cut it with a knife. The people prayed for a sign of rain, but there wasn’t a cloud in sight. It’s funny how things like caring about the weather started to matter the older I got. At almost fourteen, I knew what a drought would do to our crops. It was announced that every pack member was to gather in the meeting hall. Pulling my gaze from the window, I turned to face the people as they made their way in.I sat to the far left of my father, Alpha Eduard Biscoff of the Clear Mountain pack. He wore a white dress shirt tucked into his fitted black slacks. A red vest was fastened at the front and gold rings adorned his fingers. He had a full head of brown hair, where mine was curly, his was straight. The air pulsing with tension spoke volumes as he held his head as high as only a King could. His gray eyes glared at the pack members as they poured into the hall.The only buffer between my father and myself was
It felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the room. I’d never seen him before, but I didn’t need an introduction. I knew who he was. From the light scar at the corner of his brow and the green of his eyes, I knew instantly who he was. The man that had just entered the Meeting Hall was Ethan of the Crimson pack. His broad shoulders, muscular chest, brown tousled hair and piercing green eyes made it clear. My future King had arrived. Seeing him, I knew why we were called to the Meeting Hall. We were here to welcome Alpha Ethan.He towered over his men by at least two feet. He wore a white dress shirt that hung loosely. His shirt did little to hide the muscles beneath it. He was tall, his long legs gave an impressive stance. He paired his ensemble with black shiny boots.Ethan was mouthwatering and I knew every woman who sat in this hall today would agree. Just glancing around, I saw the jealous glares shoot all across the room. I knew any one of them would happily volunteer to
Two years laterShane“Shane!”My Princess’s voice cut through my concentration, demanding my focus. I internally groaned and jumped at the thought of her being here at this moment. I had been on the hunt all day before a prey willingly walked into my trap. I didn’t flinch as she called me again. I knew she was here, any moment now, she would walk through that door and see me, if she hadn’t already.Pretending I couldn’t hear her, I stuck my tongue down Evangeline’s throat and grabbed her breast. Her arms were wrapped around me, her mouth was open, wet, and inviting. I squeezed hard and she cried out as the pleasure mixed with pain. She didn’t tell me to stop, she never did. She was good at giving me what I wanted. No matter how dark, no matter how depraved, she always let me do whatever it was I wanted. She ground against me as she widened her legs. The door opened and the sound of her footsteps announced her arrival.“Shane!” Adea hissed through the darkness.Tonight was the masquer
Had I not been a wolf, I wouldn’t have heard her. I heard her loud and clear, and I didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. I was stuck between wanting to see him and wanting to take her far away from him. Why was he here? She wasn’t even of age yet. Why now? We were supposed to have time, she still had time. The bastard was being selfish, this was too quick and I wanted to rip him apart. The thought of him claiming her before her time made my blood boil. Over my cold, dead body would he take her.As if sending my inner turmoil, Adea stopped. She turned toward me and for the first time tonight, I saw the real fear in her eyes. Why hadn’t I heard it when she called me? Why hadn’t I been able to hear how scared she was? It wasn’t just worry, it was fear. I was such a dumbass. I had been too focused on making her jealous or angry. I had wanted her to say something,to demand that I stay away from everyone except her.I had wanted her to claim me but I’d been stupid, too focused on m