18. Honour and Vengeance #3
I was panting heavily from running. In wolf form, that was the only way to quickly lower my body temperature. I threw him an annoyed look and said, “If you’ve heard the rumour, then you should know why. Did you get up at four in the morning just to ask me a stupid question?”
“I waited until late so I could sneak to your chamber without attracting too much attention, but the servant said you were here.” Damien came before me.
He looked frazzled. I’d heard there had been several skirmishes with humans at Nocturne’s border, and he had spent the whole day dealing with the aftermath, endeavouring to de-escalate the situation with their eastern human kingdom neighbour, Solstia.
On top of that, he had to attend those frivolous social calls to give the potential mates a chance to “seduce him.”
“How was Leif? Is he alright? John told me it was an unsuccessful mark,” Damien said, voice laced with genuine worry. “I asked to see him before I came here, but he only sent a servant out, saying he wasn’t feeling well.”
“Like you cared,” I said sarcastically. “How was your night with Lovel at the dinner party?”
I had spent the whole day with Leif, making sure he was still eating and drinking, and we didn’t attend that dinner party held at some marquess’s mansion.
But when I was getting dinner for Leif, I overheard some servants discussing that Damien had spent a considerable amount of time with Lovel Eclipse in the marquess’s garden, and that, after Leif had been “spoiled,” surely Lovel would be chosen as Prince Damien’s mate.
I was, understandably, pissed off hearing those servants talk about Leif as though he were a piece of clothing or furniture. I might have scared them into panic by marching at them with a cutting glare I reserved for vampires, baring my fangs, until they trembled and apologized piteously.
Though some part of me was also deeply bothered by the rumour that Damien was, even if pretending, showing interest in someone else.
Rationally, I knew Damien was going to select an omega at the end of the Mate Selection Ball. It was not like there could ever be anything more than a casual fling and a dirty secret between us. But I couldn’t stifle the caustic feeling of jealousy that scorched my heart.
For fuck’s sake, I shouldn’t even think about him now. Taking care of Leif and making that motherfucker who hurt him pay was my priority, so why couldn’t I just let it go?
“I can’t keep ignoring him, you know. I had to at least be polite and nice to him when he followed me everywhere.
His father is Nocturne’s most important ally.
It was almost predetermined that I should marry Lovel before the invitations for the ball were even sent out,” Damien explained hastily, still following me closely.
“Hell, I probably would have chosen him if not for ...”
I paused, though I didn’t look back. “If not for what?”
“ ... I’m not going to say it,” Damien said in a contrary voice, as though he expected me to know what he was about to say.
“I’m not stopping you from selecting a mate. It’s none of my business,” I said coldly.
Damien was silent for a moment, then his voice changed, growing darker and laden with danger. “None of your business?”
I continued toward the changing room, intentionally ignoring the dark menace gathering behind me. I didn’t know what he was so riled up about. I was basically giving him permission to cheat on me ...
Not that it could be called “cheating”...
I didn’t expect something gigantic and furious to suddenly slam into me, knocking me over and tackling me down. I saw Damien’s mighty wolf form loom over me like the penumbra of death, his amber irises spilling fire, his giant paws pressed on my shoulders, pinning me down.
His scent, imbued with the spicy scent of anger and arousal, crashed over my much more sensitive nose. I almost felt giddy from the intoxicating scent.
No, Fenris, focus!
“You are okay with me marrying someone else?” he growled, low and menacing. “Are you also okay if I fuck someone else like I fucked you?”
“Are you mad?! Let me go!”
“No!”
I was sick of always being the one who got pinned down. I growled and suddenly threw him off me, then tried to hold him down with my own weight. He was not one for submission and kept trying to throw me off, and I had to exert all my remaining strength not to be overthrown.
After the training, I was already exhausted. I knew I couldn’t hold him down much longer, so I shouted, “No! It’s NOT okay! I’ll kill you if you do that to someone else!”
His struggle paused, and his golden eyes locked on me. I could almost tell a smug grin was creeping up his wolf face.
But the next second, his expression drastically changed. He suddenly shifted back to human form, grabbed the fur at the back of my neck and force-switched our position. His power was so explosive that I had no chance to fight back.
That was when I heard the whistle of an arrow.
Damien’s body jerked, and he let out a low grunt. I saw a thin arrow embedded in his shoulder, still vibrating.
My mind went blank for a second.
It would have been my head if he hadn’t rolled us over and shielded me with his own body.