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That was all Wesley had to seal his destiny. To claim his wife all over again.
He didn’t have time to beat himself up over the way their first encounter went. He wasn’t a human anymore, and it was no use to get angry every time he acted more like a beast than a man.
Philippa had attempted to kill him. His paw still smarted from the silver burn. He had to stop her from making the worst mistake of her life.
She didn’t know him anymore. He didn’t know himself.
Even if his initial contact with Phillipa shamed him, he thought he’d done quite well as the conversation progressed. He’d hardly spoken to another creature until he’d been brought to Broadstone Hall.
And he got her to agree to one dance.
“Tonight is the night.” Master Bow was resplendent in a powder blue wig and a matching brocade jacket. He was the height of civilization, a stark contrast to everything about the wolven. “I’ve heard that you’ve spoken to Phillipa.”
“Attacked her.”
Master Bow furrowed his brow. “I didn’t get this information from The High Tea, Wolven. I’ve spoken with Lady Phillipa myself. She told me she promised you a dance.”
He nodded.
“This is splendid news!” Master Bow’s shoulders rose, and his body wriggled with excitement. “I’m thrilled that she is willing to give you a chance, Wesley.”
“Doesn’t believe me.”
“Tonight, you will show her exactly what a magnificent beast you can be. Even if she doesn’t believe you are the Wesley she married, she will hardly be able to help falling in love with the Wesley you are now.” Master Bow put his hand on the wolven’s shoulder. “Yes, she is in mourning, but you are, too. If you try to woo her by being the man you once were, you’ll doubt every move you make. You’ll fail. But you are a spectacular beast, and it’s time for you to own it.”
Wesley tipped his chin up. “Shift.”
Master Bow quirked a brow. “You want to shift?”
“Yes.”
Bow nodded. “Did you succumb to a virus?”
He nodded.
“Many of our attendees have suffered—forgive me, that’s not the right word—they’ve shared the same affliction. I know that you are holding on to this hope that someday you will be human again. And I believe that is causing you suffering—but I must be completely candid with you. I’ve met many beasts at the Ball and beyond, and not one of them has ever been able to cure themselves of themonstrum plagathat turns them monster. This is your destiny, Wesley. You are not a mere duke. You are the Wolven King. And the sooner you accept that, the more likely it becomes that your wife will accept you as you are.”
“She’s horrified by me,” Wesley said. “Finds my actions in the woodlands repugnant. I never meant to hurt any of those fae. I wanted their magic so I could shift, and once I’d realized what I had done, I needed the magic.”
He had not encountered Phillipa until his meeting with the fae.
“After we are done with this chat, you’ll head down to the garden. I have the honor of assigning the seats at dinner. I decided to seat everyone with someone they had not had the pleasure of spending time with last night. You will be quite pleased with my decisions, I believe.”
“Claim her,” the wolven growled.
“Yes, you will. If you stop fighting with yourself about what you think you ought to be versus what you actually are.” Master Bow gave him a measured smile. The stylish man had a flair for the theatric, but even he couldn’t hide his worry that the wolven wouldn’t be able to pull this off.
Wesley wouldn’t let him down.
But to spend the rest of his life as a wolven? Could he accept that? The thing that had kept him fighting every day was that someday, he could be human again, and hold his wife in his arms.
You can hold her. She’s right here. She came to the Ball for a beast, and if nothing else, you are that.
He couldn’t afford to get lost in his thoughts. It was time for dinner.
Time to claim Phillipa.
There was an excitement in the air that hadn’t been there last night. Now that everyone knew what to expect, they were ready to accomplish whatever they came here for.
