Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
He and I were constantly on shaky ground. The old and mostly untrue adage that wolves didn’t get along with dragons was accurate in our case, but even still, his look held commiseration and pity. “Heard about the true mate. Tough break.”
He had no idea—especially since she was out right now with someone who had clearly interested her.
A list of who it might be scrolled through my head as I handed off my stuff to a palace assistant and stalked down the hall. I could feel the pull of her throbbing in my core, her location somewhere to the northeast. Stationary.
“Beta, there you are.” Hadriel jogged up to me, then kept jogging to keep pace.
“Why aren’t you with Aurelia?” I growled.
“Yes, about that. Don’t worry, she is in great hands. She went out to the flowers to check on her moon lily thing and Arleth sent her back with Hannon.”
Hannon.
The fucking phoenix.
Trust Aurelia to find the one being I could not kill.
“They’re out— Well, I can tell you know where they are,” Hadriel said. “Fuck this running. I’m doing way too much of it today. Anyway, sir, they’re just talking.”
That feeling of attraction rattled my nerves. Hannon was handsome. Anyone with eyes could see that.
“They’re about to be fucking done talking.”
“Yes, well, if I may.” He cleared his throat nervously. “You do not have a claim on her, sir. She is newly out of an abusive relationship. It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t romantic. She needs to find her feet. She needs to figure out who she is. Your crowding her isn’t going to make her come around. She’s stubborn, remember? She needs to find an attachment to you on her own, outside of the push from the true mate bond.”
“She found an attachment to me on our way here. She’s denying it, instead of deepening it.”
“You can’t blame her for being wary of an attachment formed after you took her against her will. You’re the only male she’s known outside of her village. She doesn’t even know her wolf. You need to give her time.”
“So that she can find an attachment with someone else?”
“So that she can realize she doesn’t want an attachment with someone else. And come to trust that nature chose wisely.”
I reached the back door and, instead of pushing it open, punched it. Glass shattered. Wood tore away from one of the hinges.
The feeling of her finding someone else attractive caused rage to run through my middle. Everything in me screamed, Mine! End the threat to my claim!
But Hadriel was right. I’d burned her life down and propped myself up as the only safe space she had to run to. It wasn’t fair. Aurelia was in a new place with a new animal. An alpha animal, too, one pushing and pulling at her. She needed a little freedom to meet new people and figure things out. She didn’t understand how to work with her primal side, and she’d need time to learn her wolf and merge everything together. My role right now should be supportive, guiding her through this time. It was what an alpha did. What a mate did. I had to trust that Aurelia would see, in time, that we fit together. That it wasn’t just an attraction, an urge; not with us.
I took a deep breath to calm the rage. If it wasn’t for the years of high-level training and constantly working on my control, this would’ve been beyond me. As it was, it took every ounce of effort I possessed to turn around slowly, unclench my fists and jaw, and stay inside the castle.
“Make sure she is dressed. We have an appointment with the royals.” I pushed forward.
“Oh, and sir?” Hadriel huffed. “Fucking jogging. Why do people do this for fun?” He caught up to me again. “Just so you know, it was accidentally mentioned to her that you two are true mates. She didn’t know what that was, so then it was explained.”
I slowed. “And?” I looked over at him. “Was she mad?”
“No. She seemed kind of dazed. I don’t think she really knew how to take the news. It didn’t have the same impact on her as it would on . . . well, normal people. The hazard of not growing up as a shifter, I guess. Or with any friends. Or people who even wanted to talk to her.”
Just my fucking luck. My true mate—a legendary thing, a gift from the gods—didn’t realize the significance. The hits just kept coming.
“Go get her ready,” I said, picking up the pace again. I needed a cold shower, or maybe to fight. I doubted the king would be pleased if I threatened him, so a shower it was.
Five minutes before our appointment, Hadriel brought Aurelia to meet me outside the throne room. Her new clothes wouldn’t be ready from the seamster for several days, so she wore one of Hadriel’s outfits, the jacket sleeves rolled at the wrist and the pants rolled at the bottom—basically swimming in his clothes. Hadriel and Vemar walked behind her wearing similar outfits. The only things obviously different were their shoes—Aurelia wore her boots while the men wore their velvet shoes.