22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tor’s mouth dropped when he saw me in the dress Nyx picked.
“Hey,” he said and pulled me in for a kiss I couldn’t avoid. His touch didn’t light up my senses, and the stark difference between his and Rune’s body touching mine was like night and day.
“Sorry I slammed the door in your face,” I blurted out in response to our last interaction. “I was not well.”
Tor smiled and kissed my forehead. So touchy today.
“You look better. Want to have a drink on the balcony before your father’s lunch banquet?”
I slowly peeled back from his embrace. “I have a meeting. Princess duties.”
Unfortunately, I was getting better at playing word games.
Clicks from high heels echoed in the room, and my mother sauntered over with her blue robed advisor, Ryka.
“Prince Torin, perfect timing. My husband would like to speak with you,” she said and when Tor bowed, she winked at me.
All hail the queen.
“Of course, your majesty.” Then, to me, he said, “Hurry back.”
Tor grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. He didn’t look back while he followed my mother to wherever my father was and I briskly shot out of the palace doors.
Making sure no one was watching, I climbed up the snug path beside the waterfall into the cave, my dress making it a little more difficult than it should be.
The male wasn’t in the spot where I left him earlier.
“Rune?”
Maybe I was early?
“Sapphira.” His low voice came from the darkness of the cave and I smiled. “You came.”
My knees wobbled at hearing his voice. I shouldn’t be here. No one knew I was here, but I had to see for myself. I had to know what this was between us.
“I did.” I searched for the scarred male in the dark but couldn’t see him. The cave probably went on for miles and without a torch, I’d be screwed. The ground rumbled beneath my feet, and for a moment, fear licked my spine. Dying in a cave would not be pleasant.
Warm breath caressed my neck, and it stilled my erratically beating heart.
“What is this?” My voice grew husky, and my fingers flexed with the yearning to touch him. I was supposed to be getting to know Prince Torin and agree to be his wife. Everyone expected it from me.
“I don’t know, but it’s strong.” Rune’s voice tickled the hairs at the nape of my neck. I breathed deeply then faced him. Ever since that day in the Hallowstags where he attempted to rescue me, I’d been enamored by him.
Rune, the cursed prince from another continent. I’d heard the stories and had often wondered where truth and rumor lie in them. Everything about him screamed opposite of his brother. Where Torin was kind, funny, and social, Rune was hard lines, body built from fighting, and scowled almost nonstop.
“I just . . .” I bit my lip, fully knowing I shouldn’t say what I wanted to. A warm, calloused hand cupped my cheek, and the nerves in my body tingled in an exhilarating way.
“Say it.” He leaned closer, sensing what I wanted, but knew I had to be the one to voice it aloud.
This thing, this attraction between us, could simply be lust. My heart clenched at the thought.
I lifted my head and stared into his beautiful icy eyes. I saw more than his feelings in those cool depths.
I saw his beast, and I saw the other half of my soul.
We moved at the same time. This dance we had been doing around each other the past month had brought us to this final moment. Once his lips connected to mine, what felt like a loose band inside me pulled tight, wrapping our fates together in destiny’s tapestry.
“Mate.”
Rune Wolfstrom, a prince, a warrior, a werewolf, and all mine.
He pushed, my hands gripped, and I was pressed into the rock wall. He lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, careful of the sword attached to his hip.
A growl tore through his lungs and barreled into me.
“Wait, wait.” I panted with his lips against my throat. Canines caressing my skin.
“You’re my mate.” The words and his husky voice made me moan and my legs squeeze him.
There was so much to talk about. Oh, but the way he conquered my mouth, the connection burning inside me. His growls… I swear one press of his body against my sensitive flesh and the scream I’d make would echo in this cave for days.
Come on, Sapphira, be strong.
“We have to talk.”
Rune stopped, his eyes watching me, a smirk on kissed-glistened lips as he gently released me to stand on the opposite wall.
My panting and his were the only sounds between us.
I could do this. What? I don’t know but we had to talk more. This was a big deal.
His eyes darkened, and I followed his gaze to the high slit in my dress that was askew. My black panties were showing him just how much he affected me even if he didn’t know from the scents wafting around the cave.
Rock rumbled around us.
Was it my doing or his?
Before I could move, rock curled around my wrists, and his. Cuffing us to opposing walls.
I arched a brow. “That really necessary?”
“If you’d like to talk later, then no.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. Oh.”
Gaining some form of composure, I lifted my head and stared at my mate.
“We’re mates,” I stated and Rune nodded. The powerful pull made sense now.
“I’m supposed to marry your brother.”
“You’re not.” He was quick and there was no emotion on his face. He was simply stating a fact and that was it for him.
“I have to talk to my parents. Tell them who I choose, and your brother isn’t a bad person… Hey, don’t give me that face.”
Rune’s eyes narrowed, and I would have waved him off if I weren’t held hostage to the cave.
“He isn’t,” I said firmly and then softened. “He’s just not you. Never was.”
I sighed. There was still so much to talk about, so much to decide on, and I was tired already. The choice was made and even though I wanted to preplan how I’d deal with the consequences, we’d have to face them as they came.
Rune’s stone handcuffs released him. I tried willing the rock to let me go too but no such luck.
He reached me in two large steps. His hand pushed stray curls away from my face. Fingers trailed along my ear, down my jaw, and his thumb caressed my lips. “You’re my mate. Your problems are now mine, and we will deal with them together.”
I didn’t know much about the male, but I knew with him by my side, we’d handle everything thrown our way.
“Together.” I lifted my head, gaze on his lips.
He kissed me gently, slowly. Taking his time while I jerked against the stone restraints.
After one final peck, I was released and he stood three feet away.
I guess the mauling was done. Which was a good thing since my presence was needed in the palace.
Rune left the cave first and stood with arms ready to catch me. I leapt over him with a smile.
“How long must we be at this banquet?” Rune asked as we walked inside. Hands swaying past each other’s but not quite touching. Mother said we moved like magnets, looks like she was right.
“He does these little gatherings before leaving on a trip. He’s heading out soon, so I’m sure he’ll do his speech, then we can pull my parents to the side and give them the news.”
For better or worse, I made my choice. Between Tor and Rune, I’d choose Rune. He was my mate, my match, the accelerant to my fire.
I just hope we didn’t burn the world as we know it in our flames.