The Princess and the Alpha: A Shifter Romance

by K. M. Carnoky

  Unfortunately, I had assumed my combat training would be similar to any other training I had received in my life. I thought that it would start out with discussing theory and form extensively. Those classroom parts made me nod off incredibly quickly, but at least I would understand what was expected. Then it would gradually escalate into demonstrations and when I felt I grasped the maneuvers enough I would be allowed to preform them in a safe, forgiving environment with infinite praise.

  But that was not how my mother ran her training sessions. Every day I would meet her outside, just in front of the guard’s training compound in suitable attire. I felt incredibly comfortable in my leggings and oversized hoodie, but I also felt very exposed considering I only wore clothing like this in the safety of my own bedroom. My mother would quickly go over what today’s session would entail, before we begin sparring, right in front of all the guards and staff who cared to linger and watch.

  Never in my life had I laid an aggressive hand on anyone and here I was with my mother taunting me, trying to get me to strike her. For the first few days, I refused to do anything of the sort, but I quickly learned that if I didn’t hit her first then she was going to be more than willing to tackle me to the ground. It wasn’t gentle wrestling either where you’re trying to get your opponent to give up their power in a struggle of dominance; this was brutal fighting that regularly gave me bloodied noses and bruises by the end of the sessions. I realized very soon that I had deeply underestimated my mother.

  After the first week, I could feel myself getting stronger, quicker, and smarter when it came to fighting; and though I hated the pain and the aching muscles that came after every session, I loved everything else about it. I felt stronger and more empowered than I had in years. I no longer felt like a frail little flower that would wilt if rain dropped onto it. As a result of these intense lessons, my brain would hum all day, despite the fact that I still had to to go through my other normal mind-numbing sessions. I was more engaged than I had been in years, and right now I felt alive with purpose and strength.

  It was also much more than that. As much as I hated to admit it I had always been closer with my father. My dad was just so sweet and supportive, and from the stories I heard, he had always been like that. My mom, on the other hand, was the tougher, more stubborn one who seemed to be less compassionate and far less affectionate. It’s not that my mom lovingly stroked my hair after we fought, but there were moments during our sessions where I wasy able to see a different side of her. I got to see the alpha that defended her pack and her honour on a regular basis because her title hadn’t been handed to her, like mine had. She told me stories about the men who thought she couldn’t carry her pack and challenged her and rogues who doubted her abilities. I saw her pride and love for her pack and I also realized how much she loved my father.

  She left behind her whole world to come here with my dad. She couldn’t bring her old pack and was forced to name a new alpha and luna. She had to accept the royal guards as her new pack even though she knew nothing about them, and change from a tough, self-made alpha into a delicate queen who could select the right fork for salad every time. I could understand why she behaved the way she did now. Beneath her queen exterior was still a tough alpha, but she tried to hide it because if she was to be a queen now, she had to be the woman my father needed.

  Another plus that came with my mother’s training sessions was the fact that my dad stepped up too. Whenever he had a break, he would call me into his office where he would explain several historical feuds to me and we would discuss how to subdue violence and aggression between packs. He would tell me which packs were more prone to attacks from rogues and which ones had a habit of attacking other groups. Sometimes, I would be quick to judge a pack for seemingly irrational action, but then my father would turn around, pull a book off the shelf, and let me read it. He had a book for each instance, recording the known history of every pack where sometimes the books validated my feelings, while other times it flipped my opinions entirely.

  It seemed that in a matter of a few days my parents had given up on seeing me as a child who needed to be shielded from the world and were now seeing me as an adult who needed as much exposure as possible. I was learning things that would help me control and assist the werewolf community while also learning the ways on how to become more of a woman and less of a dependent child. What made it even better was the fact that the little weasel called Preston was kept thoroughly at bay.

  Things were going tremendously well for the past week and a half, though I had begun to miss Ryan deeply. Thankfully, my parents kept me very busy with all the knowledge they were throwing at me, and I hardly had time to think between all of my regular classes. However, the mate bond would not be ignored forever and with each passing day, I felt the distance between us take more of an effect. Some days I didn’t want to get out of bed and other days I had to force myself to stay in bed so I wouldn’t go bolting right to the rogue pack that my father seemed to never mention.

  Finally, I had had enough. I wanted to know more about my mate’s pack; and I wanted to hear it from someone other than my mate. I didn’t want to know all the cute, lovely stories Ryan could fill my head with; I wanted to know why every werewolf hated them. Why my own father who adored everyone hated his entire pack and offered no support to them. If I was going to be a fair and just queen I would have to be committed, mate or not, I would not walk into this blind. It wasn’t fair to myself or the werewolves across the globe that were relying on my choice.

  So when my dad and I were sitting in his office alone in silence, I decided to spring the question despite my stomach fluttering with nerves. I didn’t know if I would love or hate what I was about to hear and I feared that my father would catch on to the real reason I was asking.

  “You haven’t told me anything about that rogue pack, why?” I asked, trying to sound noncommittal.

  My dad sighed as stared at the spines of the books lining his shelf. The content expression that had been on his face was replaced with a slightly pinched look. “That rogue pack is hardly a pack at all, Adeline. They can’t be treated like a pack because that will cause a massive uproar. Every rogue in the world will want to be treated like every other werewolf who grew up in pack life when they are nothing near normal. They are dangerous and should not be given any privileges. Being away from the pack life causes insanity. After all, we are social creatures, we can’t live without structure and personal interaction. The reason why I haven’t told you anything about them yet is because right now, we are discussing ways on how to deal with normal functioning packs until you are ready to move on to something greater and more difficult, like them.” My dad’s words were coated with venom and anger. I had never seen him get so angry so quickly so I let it go and listened intently as he went on about normal packs.

  Finally, we finished our session and I was allowed to go back to my room for some much needed downtime. But, of course, when I exited my father’s study I was greeted by Preston, which nearly ruined my overall good mood.

  “Are you ready to retire for the night?” he asked politely, no doubt seeing my father behind me and trying to impress him.

  “Yes,” I said stiffly, “You are dismissed for the night.”

  “Actually,” my dad piped up, “Can you be kind as to grab the dry cleaning out of Adeline’s room, Preston?”

  “Yes, of course sir,” Preston said sweetly, “Come now, Princess,”

  I opened my mouth to protest, not ready for my vacation from Preston to end so soon, but my father had already busied himself with something else. I sighed and clamped my mouth shut before following the little rat back up to my bedroom. The instant we got inside I grabbed all of the clothes that needed dry cleaning and tossed them across his arms.

  “There, that’s all of them, now go, I need my rest,” I barked out.

  “Yes, I can see that,” Preston mused, obviously eyeing bruises and cuts, “but it seems you’re getting stronger.” His
eyes narrowed in on me. “Maybe soon you’ll be strong enough to fight a rogue. Or perhaps, a whole pack of them.”

  Chapter 12

  That night I tossed and turned in my bed, antsy and jittery beyond belief. I knew that there was no possible way for Preston to know about Ryan, but his comment still buzzed in my mind. I loathed that man so much that even the thought of him knowing about my mate made me sick.

  I would roll from one side of my bed to the other, thinking about all the ‘what if’s’ in the process. I worried about what my father said about Ryan’s pack, but when I thought about the small, but successful pack he had created I became angry with my father. He clearly didn’t know just how functional and rational all those rogues had become. Then again, my father hadn’t said a lot on the subject, maybe there was more to the story that I didn’t see yet. Besides, it took an impressive amount to actually anger my father so whatever Ryan’s pack had done it must’ve been gruesome and despicable. But how could such a sweet man do anything against my father?

  Eventually, the questions that swamped my exhausted brain finally quieted as my mind could no longer keep up and I was able to doze off in the early hours of the morning for a small amount of sleep.

  I did manage to get myself up in the morning, though all I had wanted to do was pull the blankets tighter around me and sleep for a little while longer since my mind was still at ease. Unfortunately, a maid came to wake me up and dress me in a heavy gown, not even making any comments when I snapped at her or barked orders at someone else. Throughout the rest of the day, not a single staff member made a remark about my horrendous mood.

  Maybe they weren’t brave enough to call me out, fearing I would become worse.

  But my father was more than ready to address my foul mood when I stomped into his office and threw myself into my usual chair.

  “What’s wrong, Adeline? You look ill and your mood is worse,” he said before we even began our session. He hadn’t seemed to even move his eyes from the lengthy document in front of him but it was clear he had already assessed me.

  I slumped into the office chair and rubbed my face tiredly, my hard façade falling away.

  “I didn’t have a good sleep,” I admitted, “and normally I can function with less than a few hours of sleep, but I’m getting worn out between mom’s training courses, your lessons, and everything else on my plate. I haven’t even found time to ride Poison or my other horses in the past two weeks. I guess not getting enough sleep just made everything catch up with me.”

  My dad let out a little sigh of relief, finally looking up. “Well, that’s okay, we can work with that. I thought you were upset because the gala to find you a suitable man was still being hosted. But if it’s just about being overwhelmed then that’s fine, we’ll adjust your schedule so you have some time alone and with your horses,” he explained with an easy grin, “You should know that your mother and I don’t want to push you too hard.”

  “That gala is going to be hosted anyway?” I whispered, feeling my heart plummet in my chest.

  I already found my mate; I actually had someone who was destined for me that was out there, but my parents didn’t know that and I was certainly not prepared to tell them. I was so consumed with my worried thoughts that I had completely forgotten about the gala and was suddenly flooded with the same ill feelings I had felt before.

  My dad caught on to the distress in my voice and sat up straighter, his eyes softened slightly. “Adeline, is that why you ran away? Because you don’t want to go through with the gala?”

  “Dad, I didn’t run away. I’m not eight, okay? I was upset so I went to ride Poison so I could calm down and he spooked when someone yelled,”

  “So you don’t have a problem with the gala?”

  “Of course I have a problem with the bloody gala!” I snapped.

  My dad’s expression shifted a little, now looking confused. I loved my father dearly but I was floored by how nonsensical he could be.

  “But this is a good opportunity to find a good man since you haven’t found your mate. I’m not saying you’ll mark a man and mate with him the next day, I’m just saying it’s a chance to look at your options. If you find your mate soon, then at least you’ll know some of the alphas when you start ruling, okay?” he said, trying to justify his foolish plan.

  I opened my mouth to protest, but I quickly stopped myself. What could I say? That I already found my mate? No, I couldn’t admit that just yet. I hadn’t even had time to form a feasible opinion on Ryan’s pack and lifestyle. I needed more facts, more solid evidence for myself. The last thing I needed now was upset parents who were trying to sway my view and the news leaking into the papers, creating an uproar throughout the community.

  “I think I just need a break for little bit, is that okay?” I asked, feeling terribly weak and helpless. I didn’t bother to wait for his response, I stood up and began to move to the door.

  “Yes, of course, go have a rest,” my dad said, standing up to help me out of his office. “I’ll tell everyone else that your sessions are to be cancelled for the rest of the day,” he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, making me turn around to face him as we exited his study. “Adeline, I hope you know that your mother and I are just trying to do what’s best for you and the whole werewolf community.”

  I tried not to flinch when he added the second part, but I chided myself quickly. I was a princess, I couldn’t be selfish. I had to worry about all of my subjects. That was my sole purpose in this world. Even if that meant denying my own personal desires.

  “I know,” I whispered back. Then I spun away from him and walked to my bedroom. I undressed and collapsed into my bed. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep instantly and didn’t wake up until it was the evening.

  I stretched when I opened my eyes again, trying to fight off the ill feeling in my stomach as I did so. When that didn’t shake the uneasiness and unhappiness, I pulled on the comfiest clothes I had in my closet and slithered into the bathroom to get ready for the evening. Eventually I found out that a freshly washed face and clean teeth didn’t make the bad feelings go away either. Whatever had settled in with me was here to stay.

  Then it clicked. I had been away from Ryan for so long that my body had gotten physically ill.

  Chapter 13

  “But you hate going for runs,” my mom protested, not even looking up from the paperwork that was strewn across her desk. I felt bad for her in that moment, being completely swamped in every wolf’s complaints with hardly any time to herself or with her mate.

  “I know, but I think my wolf is getting restless. I haven’t shifted in months and I think now would be a good time since I’m under so much stress,” I explained, trying to sound honest.

  I didn’t care how stressed or busy I was; I just needed to see Ryan before I start to vomit or break out in hives. I wasn’t sure if either were side effects of not being near a mate, but I was not going to wait around to find out.

  “Alright sweetie, you can go for a run. Do you want Preston to go with you?”

  “Oh, god no,” I said sourly, “I’ll be back in a few hours and I can take care of myself,” I grunted, trying not to think about Preston’s previous comment.

  “Okay, I’ll see you later then,” my mom replied with a dismissive wave. I wondered briefly if she even heard anything I said or if she was just trying to get me out of her office.

  I shifted when I stepped outside of the back door. I was hidden from everyone’s view here so being naked didn’t bother me while I stripped off my workout clothes and gradually turned from human to wolf. First my teeth and nails lengthened until they were claws and canines, then my bones began to break and bend, adjusting themselves while my muscles contorted.

  Finally, my body moved so I was on all fours with dark brown fur sprouted out of me. It was a painful process, but if it was done quickly enough, it hardly hurt for more than a second.

  It was part of the reason I hated runs, well, why I usually hated
runs. But it was also much more than that. I had been raised to be refined and perfect all my life and my wolf was nothing like that. My wolf made me an animal in more ways than I wanted. Though this form wasn’t entirely separate from me, I felt wilder and less restrained whenever I shifted. It felt like being drunk or high, where it was still you but the control was gone and your actions were not always your own. When I was in wolf form I ran on instincts more than logic and I could already feel my control slipping away.

  I expected this though, I knew that keeping my wolf in for so long would result in a lack of control, but right now I had no other way to get to Ryan’s pack lands without someone following me or driving me. So I let my wolf run. My tongue lolled out of my mouth, my ears pricked, and my tail wagged. I probably looked more like an excited puppy than a powerful princess and I would’ve blushed at my silliness if I could.

  I was careful as I ran, never letting myself go full wolf. I reminded myself that, as desperate as I was to see Ryan, I couldn’t go directly to him. I didn’t want anyone to see me take off in the direction of his pack lands, the same direction Poison had gone, and come find me because they assumed I was in danger. So I lazily loped around the royal grounds, eyeing the guards who were watching me. I suppose it was a rare sight to see considering I never ever let my wolf out, much less in front of people. It wasn’t like they got to see me in wolf form every other day, but even so their attention slowly faded. I gradually allowed my wolf to weave in and out of the nearby forest, making them think I was close by, even if they couldn’t see me.

  Then, after what felt like endless amounts of teasing, I gained enough confidence to run deeper into the woods and race towards the forbidden creek and my mate’s territory.