Page 132 of Rogue Alpha Prince
Maybe I am a little bit overdramatic here, but being scared for my life pushes me to this. Perhaps I have even more than a few months—with his theory of marks working only when you are in love, he might never actually try. But I can’t risk it.
What if he gets curious again, like when we were at my brother's birthday, and it will work this time?
Cain is showing me all these beautiful and spacious rooms, with lots of natural light and thick forest views. I am nodding and humming, smiling and looking at him, all tall and handsome and painfully mine.
But I can’t stop thinking. What if?
What if… when I reject him, he won’t think it’s a joke and will get mad at me anyway. I comment on the cool skylight in the second-floor bathroom.No, he won’t do anything to me for that. It’s still better than him realizing I actually am his true mate. What if… I get a second chance mate?I comment on the size of the master bedroom’s two walk-in closets.No, what are the chances of me getting a second chance, Moon Goddess reserves it only for the most important…
Wait, I am a Royal Alpha Princess—of course, I’m getting a second chance mate! And it would probably be his gamma, Atlas. I would have to deal with both of them then, or reject him too… or Cain would kill him. Would I get a third chance mate? Is that a thing? Will it ever end somewhere? Or would it be another cruel joke from our divine Mother of Wolves?
Even with a tenth mate, I would have to stay with Cain. But it would be better than staying true-mate-bonded to him. As soon as he knows that fact, I’m getting beheaded.
For being his true mate, and for covering it up.
It would certainly end my inner torture, but it would not be good for my Kingdom. Or his. Ours, whatever, I mean all werewolves. I would rather suffer than let people keep dying in stupid rogue wars because ofmyfate. I am a princess—I am better than that.
Plus, it isn’t all bad. I am scared, I live around ruthless rogues, I’ve got bitten and humiliated and even hunted… But at least we do understand each other on some level, and Cain is handsome and sexy. It could be way worse. We are actually good at this arranged marriage thing, right? We both instinctively put our union first before our happiness, and we never fight about it, we just do what has to be done. We both dive into it headfirst. And we never even had to discuss it either.
Maybe we should?
Cain leads me to the main living room where huge windows overlook the patio and a thick forest. There is a thick fuzzy blanket lying over there with two fluffy pillows, a rattan box, and a wine-like bottle.
“Sparkling lemonade,” he says, catching my hand and squeezing it a little, while he slides the glass doors open.
I follow him outside and we sit on the blanket. I slide off his leather jacket, my nipples getting hard—but the late summer air is still warm, still nice. I look at him opening the box, some pleasant food smells engulfs us at once. When did he prepare all that?
He is crazy, but there is also some tenderness he sometimes shows me. Is it real? Who knows. But I strongly believe we can work this whole marriage thing out. Not the mate bond. But marriage—yes. Maybe we’ll never truly love each other, but we can be good partners. For the greater good, and for us. My mom was right, we can have fun in life in the midst of it all. This date is just a small example.
He serves me some kind of wrap with veggies and meat, and I smile at him.
This pure moment is the reason I need to reject him. I don’t want to die because Moon Goddess was in the mood for this joke of a mate bond. I want my life, I like my life, even if I am more than occasionally scared of him and other rogues… I am scared, but I am brave too.
And I am determined to keep myself alive, and have dates, and dance nights, and cool fighting pit trainings—even if that means breaking my heart in the process.
I half-sit on the blanket with Cain, facing the forest. He’s talking about the house like we are some sweet human couple, and not two of the most powerful werewolves in the world.
But I can see it now… us living here in the forest at night, leaving all of the weight on our shoulders back in the Castle where we work during the day—it sounds like a dream I never allowed myself to have before.
I’m sipping my lemonade, and pretending I don’t see that his eyes keep traveling down to my cleavage.
In his defense, he istrying not to linger there too much, and the flowing fabric of my red blouse is not exactly helping him concentrate.
I close my eyes, catching the last rays of warming sunshine on my eyelids. I feel so present in the moment that it’s almost exhilarating. I take a long sip, bubbles dancing on my tongue.
“Goddess, I love lemonade. Am I the lamest wolf out there?”
He snorts.
“Are you kidding me? You are a badass. I’m proud to have you as my wife, and it must say something, being the ruthless Rogue Alpha Prince or whatever you all are calling me.”
He winks at me, and I laugh lightly. Shit, I think I like him.
“You are biased,” I say, tipping my chin to the glass of lemonade in his hand.
“Shh. Don’t tell anyone.” He gulps half of it at once.
“Okay, so I know you like lemons,” I put my glass away and sit straight up, “But what about your wolf part?”
