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“Search the lodge—he must be hiding somewhere.”
I turned back to gaze outside and that’s when I felt a slight pull toward the trees at the end of broad front yard. It was only a twinge, but it was definitely there. I called for one of the servants who were milling around nervously inside the front hall to bring me a torch.
“The rest of you keep searching in here. I’m going to go outside and take a look.”
I made my way slowly toward that tree line. The closer I got, the stronger that little tugging inside my chest became. It was so dark, I was practically feeling my way, and I was amazed and distraught over the idea that he’d run this far into the dark just to get away from me. When I got about ten feet away, I stopped and listened, but the only sound was the soft sighing of the trees. I scented his sweet smell on the breeze and knew he was close.
“Rory,” I called out in a low voice, so as not to startle him. “If you’re here, please don’t be scared of me. Surely you know that I’d never deliberately hurt you.” I stopped again, and I thought I might have heard a slight whimper, but I couldn’t be sure. “Please, sweetheart. If I hurt you, I’m sorry. We can figure this out, but only if you’ll let me take you back inside where it’s warm. Just step out and you have my word I’ll just take you back inside. We won’t try anymore tonight, I promise.”
I waited, not saying anything, and the woods were quiet—too quiet, though, and I thought I felt him there, listening. “Come out, princeling. Please.”
About fifteen feet away from where I was standing, farther down toward the main road, Rory stepped out of the trees. He was hugging himself and wouldn’t look at me, but a huge wave of relief washed over me. “Come take my hand, sweetheart.”
I held it out to him, and he glanced toward me. Lifting his chin, he walked slowly toward me, but stopped a few feet away. “I guess I’ve done it now, haven’t I? You think I’m like my mother, and you’ll have to tell the king.”
I dropped my hand but took a step toward him. “I’m not telling the king anything, because we don’t know anything for sure yet. And even if I did, I would never let him or anyone else hurt you. Do you believe me?”
“I believe you’d try not to. But I’ve lived with royals all my life. Kings and their queens don’t listen toanyone.They do as they like. You told me they chased my mother out of Morovia, and then sent assassins after her. I’m not even a citizen here—what makes you think they’d treat me differently?”
“You haven’t hurt anyone yet, Rory. And you are a citizen now. You’re my mate.”
“You say I haven’t hurt anyoneyet.Do you think they’ll just wait for that to happen?”
I shoved my hands in my pockets, because no, I didn’t think they would, and I didn’t want to lie to him. “I don’t know what they’ll do. I wish I did. But nothing will happen before your coronation. That’s far too important to my brother—that I be in place as Regent for you in the future. We can simply stay in Igella after your coronation, if we have to.”
“But what about your home here in Morovia? Your beautiful lodge?”
“Your life is more important to me.”
As I said the words, I realized they were absolutely true. I could never see him hurt, and so I’d do whatever it took to make sure he wasn’t. The royal hunting lodge belonged to my family, and not just to me. However, I’d moved out of the palace when Harrison married, and the lodge had long been my primary residence. No one in the family would ever expect me to leave it. I loved the old place far too much. But if it came down to that lodge or Rory’s safety, then the choice was easy.
“Don’t you think your brother would send assassins after me too?”
“He’d have no reason to. Harrison is a reasonable person. And if he tried, I could call oh half the army to back me and even come to Igella, if I asked them to. My pack and I have a lot of influence with the army. But let’s not borrow trouble. This is all just supposition, and nothing has happened yet.” I extended my hand again. “Please, princeling. Let’s go back inside.”
His shoulders slumped, but he took the few steps it took to bridge the gap between us, and he took my hand.
****
Rory
The next few weeks seemed to fly by. People say that happens when you’re happy, and I suppose it must be true. I knew I’d never felt this way before in my whole life, and I wanted these days to go on and on forever.
Lex didn’t mention the unfortunate incident between us in his private study again, and neither did I. Everything was perfect, really, because Lex made love to me every night and sometimes, he’d catch me walking past a room he was in and pull me inside the door to put me against a wall. Or he’d call me over to sit in his lap and ask me to tell him what I’d been doing since he saw me last. He even bent me over the dining room table one memorable night when we were dining alone, when he said I wasn’t showing him proper respect as my Alpha. He’d been teasing when he said it, though, and afterward, he held me close and kissed me for a long time. Until, in fact, it was time to go upstairs and go to bed, where I had to “demonstrate respect” to him a few more times.
He still had never said he loved me, even though I told him all the time. He’d usually kiss me when I told him or tell me I was “sweet,” but so far he’d never said the words I longed to hear back to me. Still, I was happy except for those tedious lessons, which had continued. The subject of magic never came up, and I felt no need to experiment after that last time. They hadn’t been successful in binding anything, but I’d lived all my life without magic, so I wasn’t bothered by not using it now. I knew that Lex and Asher watched me sometimes when they thought I wasn’t looking, probably speculating about me, but I tried not to be bothered by it.
There was one fly in the ointment—my stepmother sent a letter to Lex, asking if she and Callista might come for a visit, “to see our dear Rory.” Lex showed me the letter over breakfast one morning, tossing it casually over toward my plate.
“What do you think, princeling? Are you pining after your stepmother and your sister?”
I stiffened as I read Berinda’s letter and shook my head. The hypocrisy of the woman was stunning.
“No, I’m not. I know it’s not very nice to say, but I’d be happy if I never saw either one of them ever again.”
Lex finished cutting up his fruit and put a bite in his mouth to thoughtfully chew. Afterward, he took a long sip of his coffee.
“Oh, are you waiting for me to comment? It’s totally up to you, Rory. I’d never prevent you from seeing your relations if you wished to, but I certainly don’t want either of them here anymore than you do. Brandon,” he said, glancing over at his cousin. “After supper tonight, will you help me draft a letter that sounds reasonably polite but declines the visit in no uncertain terms?”
