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Dernière mise à jour:
2025-03-31 21:00:08BOOK 2 - SPRING
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Maybe it was a dream. I was sitting on something that jumped and shook, causing me an excruciating pain in my wounded arm. I couldn’t move it away from my side, like it was tightly tied to my chest. Something firm and warm held me up. The wind was cold in my face. I tried to open my eyes and all I saw was dark.
The next thing I remember is the warmth of the sun on my skin. The air smelled of a puzzling mix of herbs and oils that threw me off.
I opened my eyes to a large room with a square open hearth in the middle of it. I saw bundles of herbs hanging from the ceiling beams, shelves full of jars, flasks and books, and a big sturdy table. It was like Teah’s place, only clean and neat.
I was lying on a real bed for the first time in my life, and sunlight came in through a window almost above my head.
My wounded arm was stretched by my side, splinted with long sticks from my shoulder to my wr
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The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 37
Tilda came back at sunrise, and she didn’t look happy to find me awake, my whole face swollen after crying so much.“Please, help me get up,” I begged.The healer hesitated, still observing me from under a mild frown. But she eventually let out an exasperated sigh and helped me sit up.“Let me take a look at your arm,” she said. “Don’t try to move your hand.”She removed the bandages and sticks, and I saw for the first time the three long parallel gashes. They’d been tightly sewn, and my whole arm looked bruised and swollen. I knew I was lucky they hadn’t just cut the whole arm off, because that was what Teah would’ve done without hesitation.Tilda held my elbow and my wrist, noticing the grimace I hurried to hide.“Does it hurt so much?” she asked, making me bend my elbow to rest my hand on my lap.I shook my head, clenching my teeth.“I need y
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-01The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 38
We sat down with them and Tilda told them I’d been helping her the day before.“If you can tell the herbs apart, I have several bags to sort out,” said Marla, the chief healer, from the head of the table.It was then that three human women walked in with big trays. The wolves kept silent while the humans moved around the table, serving breakfast. However, the way they traded looks reminded me of what Brenan had told me, and I figured they were talking with their minds.Marla thanked the human with a nod. They took a quick bow and left without a word. The moment they walked out, the wolves turned to me again.After they made me tell my encounter with the lion to the last detail, Tilda commented what she’d found out talking with me the day before, about the different uses I knew for herbs. That kept me as the focus of their attention, because all of them wanted to ask me what us human used this herb or that oil for.“A h
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-02The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 39
I opened my hand and found a wide black ribbon. I kissed it, fighting back my tears. It didn’t smell of him, but it anyway reminded me of all the moments we’d had together.“He cannot visit you openly, but he might sneak it unnoticed at night.”“Thank you so much,” I murmured.Brenan patted my head, chuckling.Tilda was back soon, with two human women carrying our lunch. Even though they talked aloud because I was there, I didn’t pay attention to the conversation between the healer and the young wolf while he ate. That ribbon had brought me back to life, and I was actually hungry for the first time.Later, when Tilda brought books, stylus and board, Brenan grabbed them.“I’ll take on her lessons today,” he said. “Come, Joy. The fresh air will help you feel better.”“Your mother said she’s not to leave these chambers yet,” Tilda warned.&ld
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-03The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 40
The lack of good rest added to my growing unease over the lack of news from the wolf, and they soon started taking a toll on me. I couldn’t even smile when Tilda allowed me to hang my wounded arm from a sling, instead of tying it up to my side.One morning, Tilda openly showed her worries when she found me pale and tired by the fire. I blamed it on the constant pain my arm still caused me, and I mentioned the nightmares for the first time.After having breakfast the two of us alone, she wrapped a light cloak around my shoulders and gave me a basket. I followed her to a door at the other end of the hallway, that opened to the outside. We climbed half a dozen steps and I realized this wasn’t an open part of the meadow, but a special garden for medicinal herbs and plants.Tilda took me to a patch of lemon balm and went on toward a marigold flowerbed.I filled my basket, without paying any attention to what I was doing. Keeping busy didn’t d
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-04The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 41
Aine showed up before noon, merry and beaming as usual.“Come, Joy!” she cried. “Come see your room!”“Come back for lunch,” Tilda said as I followed Aine out of the chamber.The girl took me by the hand down the hallway, past the healers’ chambers, up to a door right before a bend. We climbed the three steps and Aine opened the door wide, motioning for me to walk in. I stopped just past the doorway, looking around in disbelief.The room was as large as the cave, with two tall windows to my right. Two heavy sets of curtains were gathered with beautiful blue ribbons, to let the sunlight in. The stone floor disappeared under thick rugs. Between the windows was the tall, carved headboard of a wide bed, covered with warm blankets and a bearskin that made me giggle.Glass lamps and empty china vases rested on the night tables at each side of the bed. There was a set of washbowl and pitcher on a pretty table corn
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-05The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 42
We lingered there until sunset. We had tea with sweet snacks, studied for a while, folded and put my new wardrobe in the empty trunk.Aine noticed I was still upset about meeting with Aurora and sat me down before the fireplace. She brought the little chest and opened it on my lap, showing me brushes, ribbons, a little flask with a blue lotion smelling of anise and even a hand mirror.Then, she got busy with my hair while we went over the numbers, making me solve additions and subtractions without using my fingers. Tilda found us like that when she brought my dinner. She left the tray on the table and grabbed the other one.“I’ll take care of it,” she said when I asked where the kitchen was, to take it there myself. Then she looked around with an approving smile. “I hope you’ll be able to rest here.”Aine finished trying up my short braids in a ribbon and made me stand up and turn around.“Look at you! You&
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-06The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 43
I didn’t notice I was drifting off to sleep until I found myself in the woods, cornered by the lion once more. But this time it didn’t attack me, and it didn’t turn into the wolf to try to kill me. His voice in my ear was enough to rescue me from the nightmare.“Easy, my love, it was just a bad dream,” he whispered, kissing my hair, his strong arms holding me tight to his body.His voice, his warmth, the smell of his skin eased my fear like a magic spell.“Why can’t I live without you?” I mumbled, still shaken, resting my hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat.“I don’t know, child. But I’m glad you feel like I feel.”“I mean it,” I grumbled, sticking to his side.“Me too. This is all so strange. You’re a human stained by an immortal—”“A vampire.”“Oh, I can tell you’ve been learning new things a
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-07The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 44
His gentle kiss on my forehead woke me up.“I have to go, my love,” he whispered. “But I’ll be back after dinner.”I felt for his chest and noticed he was already dressed. So I tugged at his shirt to make him lean forward toward me and kiss him one last time.“I love you,” I muttered.“And I love you, my child. Have a good day.”He tucked me in as he used to. A moment later, a cold gust reached me when he opened the plank. I heard it scratch it the stone floor as he closed it, and his quick footsteps climbing a stair, up and away.I removed the blindfold and sank my face in his pillow, still warmth and smelling of him.The sun had just showed up above the eastern mountains. Tilda had said I could sleep in all I wanted, right? It wasn’t as nice as sleeping in his arms, but I didn’t feel like getting up yet.When I finally showed up at Tilda’s chamber, she lo
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-08
Latest chapter
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 62
This time, we found two male wolves standing outside an open door. I thought one of them could be the long-haired prince that came to the village every winter, his hair in a ponytail like back in January. He rested his hands on his hips, and looked like waiting for the other one to finish reading a paper he had in his hands. The reading wolf, standing at the doorway, might very well have been one of his two short-haired brothers.We were ten steps away when the one reading looked up with a scowl, pursing his nose like he was sniffing the air. His blue eyes looked straight at me with a glare that caused me a chill.The other prince turned to us. He hardly glanced at me before nodding at Ronda. The one with short hair ignored her completely, still glaring at me as we got closer to them. Before looking down, I got a glimpse of his nostrils slightly flapping, and I thought I heard him growl or snort under his breath. I sank my head between my shoulders, fighting back my ur
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 61
Ronda came when I was just back from taking the lunch tray to the kitchens. She was carrying two baskets full of the bright green lotion wolves used for their baths.She made me change my clothes, because they smelled of food, handed me one of the baskets and led me down the hall past the bend near my room. I’d never been past that bend. An old stone staircase started at the end of the bend, and Ronda led me up the stairs.The main level of the castle left me speechless, because it was like a fairy palace. Tall ceilings and wide hallways, with bright colorful tapestry and large painting hanging from the stone walls. The floors were made of big tiles of a white smooth streaked stone she called marble.Ronda wouldn’t let me pause to admire my surroundings, taking me down two broad hallways with heavy doors at both sides. Four wolfs were coming from the other end of the second hall, laughing like they were having the funniest of conversations,
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 60
The next morning, I found the cuff of his shirt showing out the trunk with my clothes. I took it and pressed it against my face, smiling. If I couldn’t spend the day with him, at least I could start it with his exquisite scent.Over breakfast, the list that Helga had given me passed from hand to hand around the healers’ table, causing murmurs and surprise.Kendra greeted me with her usual stern nod when I went to the kitchens. Heather hurried to me with her short, quick steps.“There you are, lionet. Come, come, we have a ton of peas to peel,” she said, nodding to the table where Rose and Primrose were working.I followed her, surprised by her friendly welcome. While Heather and Rose made room for me between them, I handed Primrose a small flask wrapped in a strip of paper.“For your finger,” I said, keeping my voice down. “This will help it heal and ease the pain. I wrote down the instructions for you.&rdq
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 59
He led me down a hallway that smelled of citrus and the oil from the lamps. We walked down a staircase with smooth steps, and then another hallway until a place that threw me off. It felt like we were outdoors, but the temperature and the stillness of the air told me we were still inside. It had to be a huge place. Then I noticed the humidity in the air. The floor was covered with big carved tiles, warm under my bare feet.The wolf put the small crate with his lotions and brushes in my hands.“Wait here, my child,” he said, kissing me.He walked away and I heard him take his clothes off before letting out that muffled gasp he couldn’t help when he changed. A moment later, he rubbed his furry head against my cheek.I took off the ribbon covering my eyes with a bright grin. He looked up and around, inviting me to do the same.The place was a true wonder. It was a hall large enough to fit three or four two-story village houses in it.
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 58
I nodded, pretending to read the woman’s small, tight handwriting, but I actually could only recognize the vowels.“Of course. I have them ready right tomorrow.”“That would be great. I can bring them to them.”“Wouldn’t you have any trouble, if they see you come back from this side with a basket of medicines?”“You’re right. I didn’t think about it.”“What time do you start your shift?”“It’s the dinner shift, from six to midnight.”“Good. I’ll take everything to the kitchens tomorrow, with detailed instructions for every remedy.”“You better come about this time, after we serve dinner upstairs.”“Of course. We can’t make them wait.”“Thank you, Joy.” Helga’s smile was open and honest. “I knew the rumors couldn’t be true.”
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 57
I stayed in the kitchens, helping anyway I could, until Kendra waved me over.“Enough for today, child. You’ve worked well, and you can come back tomorrow if you want.”I nodded with a quick bow, happy like Christmas. Before leaving, I waved goodbye at the three women. They were observing me, and flashed quick smiles at me.I found Tilda walking out of her chamber to go to Marla’s. She greeted me with a rare warm smile.“I’ve never seen you so happy,” she said, motioning for me to join her.“It’s the first time in my life I’m among humans who don’t insult me or abuse me because of how I look. I never thought it possible.”She paused to face me, and her grimace gave me a bad feeling. Especially because she hesitated before speaking.“You’re not supposed to know about it, but the cooks were warned against making any comment about your looks. They were in
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 56
That morning, I wore the dress I’d tried the night before, with the apron and the bonnet. For the first time since I’d gotten to the castle, I didn’t feel any pain in the arm the mountain lion had injured. I decided to let it be, putting the sling in the apron pocket just in case. I left my room carrying the tray with the dinner we’d never gotten to eat.I realized it was later than I’d thought when I found Almond and another woman cleaning Tilda’s chamber. Almond smiled hi at me. I noticed she didn’t look so congested anymore. I touched my nose, raising my eyebrows, and she nodded with another smile.Tilda came in from the other chambers and I faced them with my most docile ways, showing her the tray in my hands.“I’m taking this to the kitchens. Do you need anything from there? If not, I’d like to see if I can help there.”“Where’s your sling?” she asked.“I
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 55
I pushed my body against his hips, ignoring his attempt to stop me, and he froze for a long moment, to make sure I wasn’t in any kind of pain.His hips moved cautiously back, only a little, and then pushed forward again, his hands grabbing my waist to keep me from trying it again. Next, one of his hands moved under me to reach my groin. His fingers sneaked between the folds of my skin to rub my clit as his hips moved again, in synch with his fingers.I moaned and shivered, covered in sweat, my heart pounding in my chest, feeling him thrust inside me.He only let his need took over when he realized I was reaching my limit. Then his growls mixed with my moans and his hips pushed faster. I melted against his fingers at the same time he poured his seed in my guts, his fire becoming a part of my own climax.He dropped himself on top of me, panting, wrapping me in his intoxicating scent and warmth. He didn’t rush to leave my body, holding me out of
The Secret Love of the Wolf Prince 54
That afternoon, after a couple of hours studying with Aine in the meadow, I got back to my room to find something wrapped in fabric on my bed.I opened it and blushed so hard my ears burned. It was a translucent, low-cut petticoat. The short bodice wouldn’t cover my navel, and the long skirt was made with two independent folds of fabric that didn’t close by the front, nor behind.Then I noticed the small piece of paper that had fallen on the bearskin. I grabbed it and found three words written in a right-atilt, beautiful handwriting, big and clear so I could read it without any problem: I love you.I kissed the paper with tears in my eyes.That evening, I wore the daring petticoat, but decided to play a little joke on the wolf. So I put on one of the work dresses from my trunk, closed from the high collar down to my feet. I was adding apron and bonnet to the attire when Helga brought my dinner. She looked me up and down with a questio
