King Gaius p.o.vGreta and I had tried to coax the blue wolf to shift back into the princess, but either it couldn't or it wasn't inclined too. I waited as long as I could, but I couldn't go any longer without talking to Hilda."You'll keep an eye on her? Don't let anyone in here until she shifts back into herself," I warned."Of course, my lord," Greta looked at me as though I was crazy for even thinking that she would allow such a thing. I glanced at the clock on the mantle in the nursery. Two o'clock in the morning. It had been two hours since Isla had changed into the Wolf and it didn't look like she was going to turn back into a human any time soon. The wolf appeared to have overcome its initial shock of suddenly being an animal. It now around the room wreaking havoc. It would climb up the drapes and crawl back down onto the bed with tiny legs. Then it would run around the room, knocking over toys and running into various pieces of furniture. It had stumbled into the fire t
Isla sprinted down the empty hall, her skirts held tightly in her fists to avoid tripping over them. She chuckled softly as she hid behind a marble pillar. "Dammit, princess," the leader of her three guards, Gabriel, grumbled under his breath as he and the two others passed by her hiding place. She was quite adept at evading her guards, she'd had twenty-one years to hone in her skills, and her guards never seemed to catch on. She appreciated them, but they were suffocating. The large, blue clad men were never more than ten feet from her. "Sorry, Gabriel," she whispered and then took off in the direction from which she had come. Greta, her parents, and her guards chastised her on a nearly daily basis for evading their presence, but the wolf in her did not like being stalked. The wolf within her did not like much, but the one time they got along was when she was sneaking away from her supervisors. Although, even when she and her counterpart where on the best of terms, the wolf
"How many guests have arrived?" Isla asked her nurse."A few, but only the ones who live far away. The rest will arrive later this evening. Everyone is looking forward to celebrating with you, dear."Isla made a noise of agreement but a knot of worry had settled in her stomach as her wolf reappeared in her mind. It wanted nothing to do with this evening and she would most likely have a headache for most of the night, which she was not looking forward to. They traveled throughout the castle, passing servants who were rushing to finish preparing for the party. No one paid them any mind simply for that reason. Greta ushered Isla into her chambers, shutting the door in the faces of the guards. Isla looked around her tidy room and saw that her dress had arrived."Oh, Greta," Isla breathed in admiration. The gown was made of blue silk the color of the sapphire around her neck and the sleeves were a thin, nearly transparent fabric that flowed down nearly as long as her skirt. A silver
"How many guests have arrived?" Isla asked her nurse."A few, but only the ones who live far away. The rest will arrive later this evening. Everyone is looking forward to celebrating with you, dear."Isla made a noise of agreement but a knot of worry had settled in her stomach as her wolf reappeared in her mind. It wanted nothing to do with this evening and she would most likely have a headache for most of the night, which she was not looking forward to. They traveled throughout the castle, passing servants who were rushing to finish preparing for the party. No one paid them any mind simply for that reason. Greta ushered Isla into her chambers, shutting the door in the faces of the guards. Isla looked around her tidy room and saw that her dress had arrived."Oh, Greta," Isla breathed in admiration. The gown was made of blue silk the color of the sapphire around her neck and the sleeves were a thin, nearly transparent fabric that flowed down nearly as long as her skirt. A silver
Isla took a shaky breath as Greta pulled her into the hallway. The silk skirt of her gown flowed around her legs and dragged slightly on the floor, which made her look as though she were floating. Her three guards were waiting to escort her and they smiled at her appearance in appreciation. Greta had done a wonderful job making her look like a princess. Especially her hair. She had somehow tamed the unruly waves and coaxed them to flow around her in the most elegant of ways. The top layers of her hair were pinned back in a clip that matched both her gown and her necklace. Upon the piles of thick hair sat her tiara, silver and tantalizingly shiny. "My lady," A guard said as he bowed low. The other two guards followed his lead. Isla curtsied and smiled as her parents approached them.The queen adorned a deep purple gown with similar silver accents as Isla's. Her auburn hair was braided and wrapped around her head, with a few stray tendrils tickling her cheeks. The king wore his b
Chapter 15"I'm Isla," she offered. Though it was perhaps the most obvious thing she could have said, she couldn't stand the silent dancing.He glanced away from their feet and up at her face. His eyes were a plain brown, nothing to get excited about. "I know," he answered before looking back down at their feet. Isla refrained from rolling her eyes and tried to keep her irritation in check."And your name is...?" She left the question open ended.He looked up at her again, but this time his eyes were wide. He seemed surprised that she would even care what his name was."My father is Sir Anthony" he replied. And his eyes went back to watching their feet.Isla took a deep breath. Was the young man dense or what? At least she now knew that he was the son of one of her father's knights."I do believe I asked for your name," she reminded him in a sweet voice. Again, he seemed shocked that she cared."My name is also Anthony" he said meekly."You're named after your father?""After
Her wolf was so amazed at this act of affection that it didn't even get mad, it was simply confused.Isla was instantly addicted to the gentle way his lips moved against hers. She had never been kissed before, nor kissed anyone, but his lips guided hers in the intimate art. Her hands clasped his cheeks in a desperate attempt to keep his face near hers.Isla suddenly realized what was happening and how inappropriate it was. She jumped away, pushing him back and wiping her tear streaked cheeks frantically with the back of her hand. Her lips were tingling from his tenderness, and she wanted nothing more than to return to the strength of his arms, but she was the Princess, and her wants could not come first. "Sir Mikel, someone could see us." She smoothed her dress and took a deep breath through her nose. Her back straightened and she wiped a wavy tendril of hair back from her face.Mikel straightened up and nodded, bowing slightly. Sadness filled his eyes. "Of course, My lady. I'm
Isla felt the blood, which had been fueling her temper and flushed face, drain away. All that was left was a cold, clammy feeling that crawled over her skin. Even her wolf was unnerved by the response."M-my lord," she stuttered. To her dismay, her voice was weak and filled with trepidation."I've suspected for a while now, what you are, but now it's been confirmed," he sighed happily. "You're a monster.""I beg your pardon.""Don't lie to me, beast. You've done a wonderful job at hiding amongst the humans who don't know any better, but I can't be fooled. Not any longer. See, it has always troubled me why two wolves would have kept a human child alive. Why didn't they kill you? Where did they get you? But now I understand. They were your parents," he shook his head in disbelief."I don't understand," Isla admitted."What don't you understand?" he asked with the slightest roll of his eyes. He had the fall to be exasperated with her."My parents are the king and queen," she insiste
They both knew the two wolves they were searching for and would have immediately recognized their scents; this wolf was not one of them. But she needed their help. She was not there of her own free will, and likely wasn't going to be released anytime soon.Derulo kept his gaze focused on the carriage, which was beginning to move forward again. "What should we do?""Help her, obviously.""Kill them?""No, we don't need the suspicion of four dead bodies. Knock them out, grab her, and go."Derulo nodded once and without another word, the pair exploded from their cover and were on the guards in less than a second. They'd been fighting together for as long as Kelly could remember, it was second nature to them now.The mounted horses screamed in terror as their riders were dragged off their back. Kelly wrapped a strong arm around a man's throat and squeezed until he felt the man go slack. He began to chase down the man who was running down the road away from the fight when the carriage
"Dammit," Derulo muttered, lifting up his shirt and sticking his dark hand through the torn seam in the arm, where it had caught on a branch during their journey.Kelly chuckled and stuck another chuck of bread into his waiting mouth. His stomach had been growling angrily since dusk, and it was well towards midnight at this point. He chewed and swallowed before responding to his Beta. "Maybe you should learn to control that beast." He nodded over at the chestnut mare that was nibbling on the undergrowth near his own silver mount.Derulo sneered at his friend and pulled the torn shirt over his head. The white fabric stood out easily in the dark, especially with their enhanced eyesight. He ran a hand through the course, curly black hair that covered his head and lifted his plate of cold beans into his lap. "Not my fault the horse is nervous.""Really? You don't think your pissy wolf had anything to do with it?" Kelly tossed Derulo a loaf of bread from the saddlebag next to him whi
Isla felt the blood, which had been fueling her temper and flushed face, drain away. All that was left was a cold, clammy feeling that crawled over her skin. Even her wolf was unnerved by the response."M-my lord," she stuttered. To her dismay, her voice was weak and filled with trepidation."I've suspected for a while now, what you are, but now it's been confirmed," he sighed happily. "You're a monster.""I beg your pardon.""Don't lie to me, beast. You've done a wonderful job at hiding amongst the humans who don't know any better, but I can't be fooled. Not any longer. See, it has always troubled me why two wolves would have kept a human child alive. Why didn't they kill you? Where did they get you? But now I understand. They were your parents," he shook his head in disbelief."I don't understand," Isla admitted."What don't you understand?" he asked with the slightest roll of his eyes. He had the fall to be exasperated with her."My parents are the king and queen," she insiste
Her wolf was so amazed at this act of affection that it didn't even get mad, it was simply confused.Isla was instantly addicted to the gentle way his lips moved against hers. She had never been kissed before, nor kissed anyone, but his lips guided hers in the intimate art. Her hands clasped his cheeks in a desperate attempt to keep his face near hers.Isla suddenly realized what was happening and how inappropriate it was. She jumped away, pushing him back and wiping her tear streaked cheeks frantically with the back of her hand. Her lips were tingling from his tenderness, and she wanted nothing more than to return to the strength of his arms, but she was the Princess, and her wants could not come first. "Sir Mikel, someone could see us." She smoothed her dress and took a deep breath through her nose. Her back straightened and she wiped a wavy tendril of hair back from her face.Mikel straightened up and nodded, bowing slightly. Sadness filled his eyes. "Of course, My lady. I'm
Chapter 15"I'm Isla," she offered. Though it was perhaps the most obvious thing she could have said, she couldn't stand the silent dancing.He glanced away from their feet and up at her face. His eyes were a plain brown, nothing to get excited about. "I know," he answered before looking back down at their feet. Isla refrained from rolling her eyes and tried to keep her irritation in check."And your name is...?" She left the question open ended.He looked up at her again, but this time his eyes were wide. He seemed surprised that she would even care what his name was."My father is Sir Anthony" he replied. And his eyes went back to watching their feet.Isla took a deep breath. Was the young man dense or what? At least she now knew that he was the son of one of her father's knights."I do believe I asked for your name," she reminded him in a sweet voice. Again, he seemed shocked that she cared."My name is also Anthony" he said meekly."You're named after your father?""After
Isla took a shaky breath as Greta pulled her into the hallway. The silk skirt of her gown flowed around her legs and dragged slightly on the floor, which made her look as though she were floating. Her three guards were waiting to escort her and they smiled at her appearance in appreciation. Greta had done a wonderful job making her look like a princess. Especially her hair. She had somehow tamed the unruly waves and coaxed them to flow around her in the most elegant of ways. The top layers of her hair were pinned back in a clip that matched both her gown and her necklace. Upon the piles of thick hair sat her tiara, silver and tantalizingly shiny. "My lady," A guard said as he bowed low. The other two guards followed his lead. Isla curtsied and smiled as her parents approached them.The queen adorned a deep purple gown with similar silver accents as Isla's. Her auburn hair was braided and wrapped around her head, with a few stray tendrils tickling her cheeks. The king wore his b
"How many guests have arrived?" Isla asked her nurse."A few, but only the ones who live far away. The rest will arrive later this evening. Everyone is looking forward to celebrating with you, dear."Isla made a noise of agreement but a knot of worry had settled in her stomach as her wolf reappeared in her mind. It wanted nothing to do with this evening and she would most likely have a headache for most of the night, which she was not looking forward to. They traveled throughout the castle, passing servants who were rushing to finish preparing for the party. No one paid them any mind simply for that reason. Greta ushered Isla into her chambers, shutting the door in the faces of the guards. Isla looked around her tidy room and saw that her dress had arrived."Oh, Greta," Isla breathed in admiration. The gown was made of blue silk the color of the sapphire around her neck and the sleeves were a thin, nearly transparent fabric that flowed down nearly as long as her skirt. A silver
"How many guests have arrived?" Isla asked her nurse."A few, but only the ones who live far away. The rest will arrive later this evening. Everyone is looking forward to celebrating with you, dear."Isla made a noise of agreement but a knot of worry had settled in her stomach as her wolf reappeared in her mind. It wanted nothing to do with this evening and she would most likely have a headache for most of the night, which she was not looking forward to. They traveled throughout the castle, passing servants who were rushing to finish preparing for the party. No one paid them any mind simply for that reason. Greta ushered Isla into her chambers, shutting the door in the faces of the guards. Isla looked around her tidy room and saw that her dress had arrived."Oh, Greta," Isla breathed in admiration. The gown was made of blue silk the color of the sapphire around her neck and the sleeves were a thin, nearly transparent fabric that flowed down nearly as long as her skirt. A silver
Isla sprinted down the empty hall, her skirts held tightly in her fists to avoid tripping over them. She chuckled softly as she hid behind a marble pillar. "Dammit, princess," the leader of her three guards, Gabriel, grumbled under his breath as he and the two others passed by her hiding place. She was quite adept at evading her guards, she'd had twenty-one years to hone in her skills, and her guards never seemed to catch on. She appreciated them, but they were suffocating. The large, blue clad men were never more than ten feet from her. "Sorry, Gabriel," she whispered and then took off in the direction from which she had come. Greta, her parents, and her guards chastised her on a nearly daily basis for evading their presence, but the wolf in her did not like being stalked. The wolf within her did not like much, but the one time they got along was when she was sneaking away from her supervisors. Although, even when she and her counterpart where on the best of terms, the wolf