8.Prince’s bride

Chloe

The moment we stepped down the first step, the whispers started. Well, they weren’t really whispers with my superior wolf hearing.

“Who is that?”

“Is that Prince Adrian’s bride?”

“He never escorts anyone!”

“She must be special!”

“They think we’re together,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, making sure to keep my bright, coached smile in place. I’d learned it in one of my many lessons on how to be a Princess.

Adrian ignored me just as surely as he was ignoring the whispers. I shouldn’t be hurt, but I was. As if sensing my unhappiness, Adrian whispered at the halfway mark, “They’re just upset because you’re beautiful, and they can’t place you. Wolves are gossips – they all want to be the first person to figure out who you are.”

I was stunned, not by his pronouncement, but because he’d called me beautiful. And he’d dropped it so casually as if it was the most natural thing in the world to say. I wanted to turn and see if he was looking at me, but I didn’t dare take my gaze off the crowd in front of me.

I knew, somewhere out there, Caden was a guest, and I just prayed I was able to avoid him for the rest of the night. I didn’t need him waltzing back into my life and causing problems.

When we reached the bottom step, Adrian held out my hand for King Charles to take. He did with a flourish, turning both of us to the crowd, and announced with the brightest smile I’d ever seen, “My daughter, Princess Harper.”

The room froze, silent for two long heartbeats while everyone processed what the King had just said. I saw several attendees who looked like they were about to faint at the pronouncement, and King Charles gave me a knowing smile. He’d wanted the dramatics, and by god, he’d got them.

As if they were of one mind, the room seemed to swell towards us.

“I’m right here, Princess,” Adrian’s cool voice whispered in my ear, and I turned to the right to find he’d planted himself right next to me, so I was flanked by him and the King. While normally his quiet presence made me nervous, I was comforted by it now. He was solid and real, and I knew where his priorities lay. He wouldn’t do anything to cause me harm.

The wolves in attendance formed a curving line, all waiting to meet me. King Charles squeezed my hand. “Show time, daughter.”

By the time the music started up, I was exhausted. I’d easily met 200 people, all of whom had curtsied and tittered over me as if I were a shiny new toy. I knew that this type of behavior wouldn’t last forever, but I couldn’t help but grow more and more annoyed with it.

Adrian disappeared for a spell and then returned, lowering his mouth to my ear to whisper, “Alpha Caden from your old pack is in attendance. He’s in the middle of the crowd now.” I turned and easily spotted Caden, my heart going into overdrive. “He’s been looking for you, although discretely. It’d be best if you avoided him.”

I turned to Adrian with a frown. “How do you know this?”

Adrain raised an eyebrow in mockery, but his eyes were soft. “I am the future King Alpha, Harper. I have my spies everywhere.”

I frowned at him, but he simply gave me a mock salute and disappeared back into the fray.

“It’s time for the first dance,” King Charles declared, and the crowd moved to the sides to open up the middle of the floor to dancing.

He didn’t have to say it, but I knew I had to pick my partner before anyone else would step foot on the dance floor. I cast my gaze around the room, finding more than one Alpha staring at me, hopefully, Caden included. Dear Moon Goddess, that would be the absolute worst-case scenario.

I could dance with Alexander, but he had been the victim of all my toe stomping when I was learning to dance, and I knew he was still hesitant on the fancier steps because of it.

My eyes landed on Bryce, who sent me a cheeky grin. Bryce was Adrian’s best friend and one of the few people who had been allowed to meet me before this ball. He was flirty and kind, and I knew he was a fantastic dancer. Confident in my decision, I floated across the dance floor to meet him.

I thought he was about to reach out to me, but at the last moment, he stepped back, confusion plainly written across his face. I frowned at him, unsure what this meant, when Adrian stepped in front of his friend and scooped me into his arms, immediately turning us into the middle of the dance floor.

I was stunned; luckily, Alexander had spent hours teaching me to dance, so the steps were second nature, and I didn’t have to think about them.

In the last three months, not once had Adrian offered to dance with me. Alexander was my primary partner, but even King Charles and Knox had been convinced to dance with me several times to get me used to different partners. Adrian had stoutly refused, always having a reason not to. I’d considered that perhaps he couldn’t dance, but he was proving that assumption wrong.

He twirled me across the dance floor, faster and faster, until the only thing I could focus on was his face. He wasn’t smiling – he never smiled – but I was pretty sure his lips were turned up slightly at the corners as he watched me.

My heart was nearly beating out of my chest, and it wasn’t from the dance. No, it was Adrian’s presence that was making my heart go haywire, and I couldn’t figure out why. He was my half-brother. We were related by blood.

When the song ended, Adrian stepped back, keeping my hand in his, and bent over it, giving the back of my hand a soft kiss before straightening up.

“That was…” I trailed off, searching his face. I couldn’t be the only one dizzy from whatever we’d just shared.

Adrian stared down at me impassively. Before either of us was forced to say anything else, Bryce appeared and beamed at me. “I would love the honor of your next dance, Princess Harper.”

“Of course,” I told him, gracing him with a bright smile I didn’t feel. I felt Adrain’s hard gaze on my back as we walked back out onto the floor.

Bryce wrapped me in his arms and started dancing, although he wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as Adrian had been.

“You know,” Bryce said, gazing down at me with his smile still in place, “I’ve never seen Adrian so interested in another living thing.”

“Oh?” I said lightly, hoping I didn’t give any of my conflicting emotions away. “What do you mean?”

“Besides him being the most standoffish prick known to werewolf kind, I’ve never seen him willingly touch another person.”

I almost stumbled, but I caught myself at the last moment. “What do you mean?”

Bryce gave me a knowing glance. “He’s touched you more tonight than I’ve seen him touch everyone else for as long as I’ve known him.”

“You’re reading too much into this,” I tried, hoping I could convince the both of us.

Bryce chuckled. “Then can you explain why he’s looking at me like he wants to draw and quarter me?”

I glanced over Bryce’s shoulder as he turned us, and I spotted Adian in the crowd, a glass in his hand, staring angrily at Bryce.

“He’s my half-brother,” I stuttered, turning back to Bryce. I tried to keep my fear from my face, but by the soft look he gave me, I knew he knew how I felt, at least a little.

“Adrian is cold and distant, but he’s a good wolf. He’ll make an excellent King.”

“I have no doubt.” And I didn’t. I’d seen Adrian with the staff, and while he was never warm, he was always kind and considerate. He never asked too much of anyone and made sure everyone was taken care of. I admired him for this – it couldn’t have been easy.

A glint of mischief appeared in Bryce’s eyes. “Want to test it?”

“Test what?”

“Adrian, of course.”

I gazed up at my partner, debating my answer. I really shouldn’t. I should say no, but my curiosity got the best of me. “Sure.”

“Watch this,” Bryce beamed, twirling us around the dance floor faster and faster. I wasn’t sure what he intended to do, but when the song ended, we were positioned right in front of Adrian, who’d sat this song out. With the last beat of the song, Bryce leaned down and kissed the strip of forehead above my mask.

It was a chaste kiss, and we both knew it meant nothing. We did.

There was the bright cracking sound of glass, and we turned in tandem to stare at Adrian. He was glaring at Bryce, fire in his eyes, his hand dripping blood and glass from where he’d crushed the drink he’d been holding.

“Told you,” Bryce laughed, walking away.

I stared at Adrian, more confused than ever.

Before I could ask him what he meant, rough hands grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Bryce. I gasped at the sudden movement and turned to Adrian in confusion. As rough as his movements had been, his hands were still gentle on me, and I didn’t feel threatened at all by his presence.

“So protective,” Bryce laughed, but it sounded forced to my ears. Maybe it wasn’t, though. Perhaps I was just reading too much into the situation because my nerves were fried. When Adrian didn’t respond or let go of my arms, Bryce laughed and said, “It was a joke, Adrian. Nothing but a joke, and there was no need for you to take it so seriously.” He lowered his voice, so only the three of us could hear. “You’re causing a scene, Adrian. That’s the last thing any of us need right now.”

Agreeing, I glared at Adrian. “What is your problem?” I hissed, hoping no one else had witnessed his strange behavior.

Adrian was behaving less like a brother and more like a possessive mate.