It’s my father’s crown.
It’smycrown.
But once it lands on Lucan’s head, he’ll be the king and the title will be lost to me and my future pups forever.
I picture it in my mind, all floating away… the dream of being Wolf King, of taking care of my people, and most sacredly, of seeing Calista as our queen. I want that more than anything.
More and more, the crowd is turning my way, watching as their prince returns, shocked that I’m not dead as Lucan most certainly told them. But the murmur of the crowd has not yet reached the dais. The ceremony is proceeding… and it’s almost over.
Tell them you’re back, I tell my wolf.As loudly as you can.
He skids to a stop, throws his head back, and lets out a deep, primal howl. It comes booming out from the deepest part of my wolf’s chest, carrying the full weight of alpha authority and dominance. It rolls across the courtyard like thunder, freezing every shifter in attendance.
Everything stops.
Everyone goes silent.
The high priest stares at me in shock.
Lucan turns his head and sneers when he sees me.
Go! Now!
The crowd parts as my wolf sprints toward the dais.
I hear the words of shock as I run.
“The prince?—”
“He’s alive?—”
“Back from the dead?—”
“It’s really him?—”
I shift at the edge of the dais, morphing into my human form at full sprint. The change rips through me fast and violent. I land on the stairs and race up them with my chest heaving, eyes locked on Lucan.
He leaps to his feet and takes a step back. His face is a kaleidoscope of expressions, cycling rapidly through shock, fury,disbelief, and something that might be fear before it settles into the cold, composed mask I know so well.
“Cousin,” he says coolly. “I wasn’t expecting to see you at my coronation.”
“Step off the dais, Lucan.”
“No one orders me around in my kingdom.”
“You know whose rightful kingdom it is. You know what my father wanted.”
“Your father is dead. He no longer gets a say in the matter.”
He turns to the high priest. “Crown me.”
“Don’t,” I say, stepping forward.
The high priest hesitates, looking from Lucan to me and back again.
I turn to my pack. “I am the rightful heir to the great Wolf King Axton,” I bellow out to the sea of shifters. “I was betrayed by my own blood. Left for dead in the river by this usurper. Even now, he tries to steal the crown from me, fromus.”
The pack erupts into angry murmuring. Some call my name. Some shout in anger at Lucan. Some continue to stare at me as if I’m a ghost.
