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“That is still my desire daughter, I’m glad we came to an accord.” A feral grin crosses his lips as he looks over at Ari as she enters the infirmary. “You will travel with Princess Arianna back to her pack and visit with them for the first betrothal ball. I have already made her family aware of the changes because of our current situation.” Coldly, he motions back to my brother as if he’s nothing more than just a legacy to him.
I kiss my brother on his cheek before moving over to kiss mother’s cheek. Standing before my father again, I curtsey before leaving the room, uttering no more words. It makes no sense to waste my breath on a man who doesn’t give a crap about his kids beyond what their existence can do for him. Ari follows closely behind me as we head to my suite on the far side of the castle.
Once inside my chambers, the floodgates open, and I drop to my knees, crying hysterically. Sobs rack my body to the point I cough occasionally, trying to catch my breath. Ari kneels beside me with a box of tissues as she gently rubs between my shoulder blades, trying to soothe me. “The good news is we get to hang out while we wait for this betrothal ball nonsense to get underway. Knowing my father, he’s going to want me to travel with you so that I’m safe.” She smiles, trying to find a positive in this sea of negativity.
“Having you at my side through this nightmare definitely makes this bitter pill a little easier to swallow.” Gently, I wipe my face and blow my nose before laughing. “I feel sorry for the male that ends up my mate. Besides my brother and several jerks for boyfriends, my father set the bar pretty low for all the other guys; I definitely have trust issues.” Ari and I laugh hysterically. Sadly, what I say is true. My father was as warm as a blizzard growing up. Mother wasn’t much better, but at least she made an attempt. It’s the exact reason why they are only mother and father to me, not Mom and Dad. I reserve Mom and Dad for people that actually love you and give a fuck. Those two have zero fucks to give to me. They are all reserved for the precious heir, my brother.
“Let’s get you showered and packed up. My dad has sent a car for us. The driver should be here in about forty-five minutes.” Ari’s smile is infectious as she herds me into the bathroom. She encourages me to get going so that we aren’t late leaving.
The prospect of leaving my family’s pack lands is as exciting as it is scary to me. Each pack’s element is easily determined by our hair and eye color. In about ten to fifteen years, that won’t hold true anymore. One of the big changes father made was allowing inter-pack marriages. Jilda, who works in the graveyard with me, is mated to a Water Wolf. Their daughter has green eyes and her father’s pale blond hair. That little girl is so beautiful; she definitely took the best attributes from both species.
Hot water caresses my bare form as I try to think about all the positive things about to happen. I complete my shower in record time and dry off just as quickly. Ari left out my favorite jeans and fitted emerald-green sweater. Rolling my eyes, I look at the color of the sweater and my eyes in the mirror. It’s almost a perfect match, except my eyes glow, even in my human form. “I’m ready, Ari.” I shout from the bathroom as I apply my black eyeliner and mascara. Digging through my makeup bag, I find my favorite silver shadow and dab it to my eyelids.
I walk out into my bedroom with my makeup bag in hand and my travel bag with my favorite hair care products. I know they probably have the same stuff at Ari’s house; it makes me feel better to bring my own with me. Ari is on the phone with her brother Kaedyn because her brother Amun is acting out again. I laugh softly to myself and shake my head.
“I promise I’ll behave, Kaedyn!” As I walk past Ari, I scream and go to my bedroom door. Her pack’s driver has arrived to take the bags from us. Motioning toward my belongings, he and one of the castle staff grab everything and escort us downstairs. Slowly, I move through the halls, looking at all the family pictures on my way out.
Poor Ari is in a heated debate still with her brother as we head toward the front door. Still no sign of mother or father, not shocking. The heir to the kingdom is in the infirmary, and the spare is being sent away. It would have been nice to feel like a priority just this once. Then again, I feel bad for Ryker; his life has been planned and micromanaged since he drew his first breath. Sometimes being second born isn’t so bad.
Ari and I climb into the back of the SUV that has come to pick us up. We slide across the luxurious leather seats, and I’m surrounded by bulletproof blacked-out glass. Raising a brow in question, I stare at my best friend while she still argues with her older brother. She stifles a laugh looking at me, then sets her phone down on her lap, placing it on mute. “Dad worries about the safety of royals while traveling and the possibility of ‘being shot’,” she says, making air quotations with her fingers.
I nod my head and gaze out the window as the driver slowly pulls away from the castle of my youth. Several of the castle staff that have known me since birth line the driveway, waving goodbye to me. Unfortunately, they’ve seen this before, and they know the second born always leaves, never to return except for visits.
Roughly, I rub my eyes, wiping away the rogue tears that are trying to escape. I refuse to cry at a time like this. I knew this was coming after my sixteenth birthday when my father laid out his plans for my life. Thankfully, he didn’t force me into the marriage he originally had planned. Then again, it’s kind of difficult to force your daughter to marry a dead man. The prince from the Wildling pack was supposed to be my mate to join the Wildlings with the elementals. In retrospect, it probably wouldn’t have been a bad pairing since the wildlings directly access mana.
Reaching into my carry-on bag, I pull out the file that my mother provided me. The folder contains photos of the princes from each kingdom, breaking down who is who in their families. It defines their jobs and their significance to the wolven community. She’s also given me a second envelope that details all the different noble houses in each kingdom. Mother’s thought process was that if I couldn’t find my true mate, I could choose wisely from those available that may be suitable to me. Suitable, tolerable, one I don’t want to maim daily.
I set the file down on my lap and raise both my hands up to cover my eyes. “What have I gotten myself into?” I say softly to no one in particular. Ari rests her hand on my shoulder and starts rubbing it again. She’s still complaining to her brother, but taking the time to comfort me as well.
I raised my head briefly and look at her with a forced smile. Ari is definitely taking it better than I am about this whole setup. She’s excited about going from kingdom to kingdom to find her mate. It’s something that she’s dreamed of since she was a young child. Shaking my head, I rest my elbows on my knees and place my head in my hands.
Raising my right hand in front of me, I manipulate the shadows in my hand. The blackened wisps dance around my palm and over the tips of my fingers like flames. At my whim, they take whatever shape that I desire. The shadows gather in my hand, first shifting to a shadow cat—next, the wisps to a wine glass, and so on. My mother tells me I have better control over the shadows than any of the wolves that have come before me. She says it’s a blessing. I feel it’s more of a curse.
Ari finally hangs up the phone and turns to face me. “My brother says that we can have the pool house to ourselves so that nobody will disturb us. Kaedyn and Amun wish for you to be as comfortable as possible since it’s your first-time off pack lands.” She giggles and shakes her head. “I’m guessing they’re hoping that you’re their mate. After all, they set the pool house up better than the east wing.” Excitedly, she grips my hands and smiles. “The pool house backs up to our private forest that nobody other than us royals can run or hunt.”
I watch Ari squeal and bounce excitedly in her seat, and I can’t help but share her enthusiasm. It would be nice to stretch my legs and allow my paws to sink into the soft earth once again. I smile and twist myself sideways to lean my head against the chair so I’m facing Ari directly. “Tell me of your homeland. What’s it like? Is it as beautiful as I imagine?”
Her eyes light up and glow faintly with the power of her wolf. “We protect the woods like no other. There are so many species of trees and bushes that only grow on the castle grounds.” She sighs and closes her eyes. “The king and queen have various exotic wild game flown in monthly so that our animals do not become bored with hunting the same thing repeatedly.” A soft s mile plays upon her rose-colored lips.
Ari reaches out and grips my hands, smiling as brightly as the sun. “Will you hunt with me? Teach me to track game since my brothers won’t do it.” Her eyes plead with me as she gives my hands another squeeze, hoping to get me to be her teacher.
“Of course, I will. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help my bestie out?” I smile just as excited as she does. “Let’s face it, the only game I’ve been able to hunt for the last ten years has been things that do not belong in the graveyard. You know, the random rabbit, the occasional deer, geese when they’re dumb enough to nest by the pond.” I laugh to myself, thinking about how pathetic my hunts have been lately.
“A real hunt would be divine, Ari. Who knows, I might find my mate while I’m tracking a deer. Perhaps my howl or my scent might call to him, getting him to defy logic and track what he knows is his.” I take on my father’s sinister grin, thinking to myself that the average wolf is nowhere near as large as I am. The prospect of a male tracking me sets my heart aflame; anticipation makes my blood thrum with excitement and adrenaline.
“See, this will be the absolute best vacation ever!” Ari says, punctuating the word ever. “I’ll be perfectly honest with you, Bella. I really hope one of my brothers is your mate.” A sadness appears in her eyes briefly as she looks up at me.
“What’s the matter Ari? Why do you look so sad?” I close the distance between us and pull her flush to my chest, hugging her as sobs rack her body.
“I’m just so frightened that my brothers won’t find their mate because of how lightly built they are. They are stocky for our species, but they are light for wolves.” She sighs again and just nuzzles my neck, seeking comfort. I tighten my arms around her, further holding her as tightly as I can without hurting her. “What female in her right mind wants a light -built male that may not be able to defend her if danger ever came?”
I pull back from her. Using my left hand, I raise her chin and cup her cheek. “My grandmother once said to me it’s not the size of the wolf that counts. It’s the size of the fight in the wolf that makes the difference. If they are half as driven as you are, I’m sure they’ll be just fine.” I smile before leaning forward and kissing her on her forehead. Ari’s been the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister. Besides being my best friend, she has become a huge chunk of my world, someone I love and will protect without question.
Chapter2
Belladonna
The crunchof stone under the tires of the car awakens me from my nap. Ari’s head rests on my left shoulder, with her arm around my waist. Being the youngest child in her family, she constantly craves attention and affection. Slowly my eyes drift to take in the scenery as we make the slow drive up the main entrance to the palace grounds. In the distance, the palace comes into view; tall white pillars hold up the ornate awning over the main entrance. Unlike my pack’s palace, this one is more modern and seems more like a rather large mansion than a medieval castle.
