Wolf Prince

by Stephany Wallace

  Pressing my forehead against hers, I took a deep breath, feeling my whole body tingle in response—every single inch. Overwhelmed by the strong sensation coursing through me, my head tilted, and my lips closed over hers in a kiss as light as the touch of a feather.

  Everything inside me seemed to awake in that moment, and a rush of soothing energy burst into me—coming from the center of her. Relief like I had never felt before engulfed my essence, and brushed my lips against hers yet again. I wanted more. No, I needed more. Whatever was driving me, the force she’d awoken, had taken over and all I wanted was to have my lips on hers.

  What was happening?

  The question was pushed aside as her warmth returned, spreading through me with her body resting against mine, and my tongue gently caressed the length of her bottom lip, tasting her. Zelin stirred once more under me, while my lips closed over hers.

  “What are you doing?” she breathed raggedly against my lips, and I pulled away to look into her eyes, while forcing a breath of my own.

  My lips closed over the tip of her nose and I pressed our foreheads together. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m trying to wake to up, silly.” I leaned away from her again, smiling as I tried pull myself together, and figure out what I was truly doing. What I was feeling.

  “Oh…”

  She blinked, trying to force the haze away and I knew exactly how she felt, drowsy and heavy, though I couldn’t really say I felt like that anymore. My body hummed against hers, like an infusion of vigor had been injected into my veins—they no longer hurt, and I felt alive.

  “How do you feel? I asked, watching my fingertips trace the length of her neck, stopping just at the curve between her head and her shoulder like they had done many times.

  She shuddered at my gentle touch, something she’d never done.

  “I feel better, thank you. I can feel you,” she added confused, and only then did I remember I was still infusing my essence into her. She must have perceived the fully energized flow coming from me.

  I smiled, closing my essence again. “I just wanted to help you wake up. It looked like you needed a nudge.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m so sorry that you were drained because of me. Infusing my essence into them was the only thing I could think of. I needed to calm them, stop them from shifting in the middle of the parking lot, and coming at us with human around us.”

  She nodded knowingly. “I saw the humans approaching too. You needed to do anything you could to prevent that and protect them. I understand.”

  “No, you don’t. I still feel like an ass because you fainted. When I saw your face become ashen and you collapsed, pure panic rushed through me as the darkness pulled me under. Even numb and unconscious a part of me could still feel it, and I was desperate to protect you, except, I was the one doing that to you.”

  I shook my head, forcing down the anxiety that awoke with the memory.

  “I wish I didn’t affect you that way.”

  “I don’t,” she refuted instantly, looking deeply into my eyes. “It’s the only way I can know what you are going through, and make sure you are okay. I’m with you, Gustav, always. Regardless of what happens to me, I’m yours.”

  The reaction her words caused shouldn’t had been possible. I had heard them a million times since she was gifted to me by the Great Moon, but it was there, nonetheless. I was helpless but to hunker down with her in my arms, as the dam inside me broke, and the wave threatened to drown me. Its force mixing with the connection we shared, and the feeling of her heated body under mine, but I let it sweep me away. I had no strength to fight it.

  All I could do was rest my forehead to Zelin’s, eyes falling closed. Whatever this was had just made me hers, in a completely different way.

  I was truly hers.

  8

  A knock on the door startled me, and I realized that I had fallen asleep with Zelin in my arms. I wasn’t sure how that happened when I was feeling so much, but I had. Zelin was awake, lying still against my chest, her head rising and falling gently with every breath I took. Her onyx eyes set on the window.

  “I’m sorry. Did I pass out again?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

  A small smile curved her lips. “Yes. I guess you were still tired.”

  Yeah, well, considering I had hardly rested since I got here that was an understatement. “Why didn’t you wake me, or get up? You must be hungry.”

  She shrugged, remaining on my chest. “I didn’t want to wake you, and it was very relaxing here… I was still tired too,” she admitted. “I… was listening to your heart.” She seemed deep in thought as she spoke, slightly frowning.

  Lightness entered my chest with her words; that was the sweetest thing she could say. I squeezed her, not wanting to let her go, and breathed her deeply. Zelin’s hand gently lay over my abs, her fingertips still poised over the indentations between my muscles, as though she’d been tracing their form while I slept.

  I reached for her chin, lifting her face so she would look at me. Holding her gaze for a few moments, I kissed the tip of her nose, just as the sound of steps outside the door reached me.

  “Come in,” I called before they could knock. Expecting Sarah to walk in, I sat up on the bed, resting my back against the headboard. “How long was I asleep?” I asked Zelin, stifling a yawn.

  “Not long. Like half an hour.”

  Audrick entered the room then, with Curtis by his side—he was the healer Granma Vanda had trained to come with us to Chicago.

  “Here, this will finish chasing away the exhaustion from your exertion of energy,” Curtis explained, handing a plastic traveling mug to both Zelin and I. There was a reddish juice inside, and I didn’t have to ask what it was. I’ve had it many times before today.

  Chinesischer Limonenbaum, was a red berry that resembled a grape and was only harvested in China, Russia, and our kingdom in Germany. It had several healing properties, among which was energy regeneration. A glass of its pure juice was more potent to a shifter than three Red Bulls.

  “Where’s Sarah?” I asked, taking the first sip of the drink.

  “In the living room with Len, Emory, Rod, Ivo and Geron. They are keeping her company while you get ready to… talk to her,” Audrick answered, reminding me of what she had witnessed.

  “Right.” My gaze connected with Zelin’s and the weight of reality fell on me. I realized I only had one option.

  Tell her the truth about us.

  * * *

  After a quick shower, I stepped into the living room with Zelin by my side, both barefoot and wearing nothing but a robe. All of the knights were now sitting around Sarah protectively, who seemed to have been crying again in my absence. Rod’s arms left her then when he kissed her temple, and Len took over, hugging her to him. Apparently, they’d been taking turns consoling her.

  My chest constricted and I moved towards her. “Sarah, I’m here.”

  Her head lifted from Len’s chest, and she rushed to me, hugging me. My arms wrapped around her, holding her close while I wondered how on earth had I messed up so royally already when I had barely been here a month.

  I was such an ass for doing this to her.

  “I’m okay,” I reassured, lifting her hand to my chest, and placing it over my heart so she could feel its beating, steady and strong. No weakness to be found.

  Her copper brown strands bounced as she nodded, feeling my heartbeat, and she glanced up at me with the trail of tears still visible on her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this. I don’t know what’s gotten into me since…” she shook her head, not wanting to finish the sentence. “I was so scared. You were unconscious for four days.”

  I caressed her cheek, imagining how scary everything must have been for her as a human, considering what she had witnessed. She rested her cheek on my chest, and I held her while a dozen concerned gazes focused on us. For good or bad she was in the middle of our world now, and we all realized that.

&nbs
p; Reaching for my neck, she pulled me down for a kiss, but I softly kissed her cheek instead. I knew what she felt wasn’t real, and I’d been fooling myself, I would never feel anything romantic for her. But the strongest reason was a part of me didn’t want her kiss to take away the sensation of Zelin’s lips from mine, and I was a bit startled by that realization.

  Gently, I leaned away from Sarah when she shifted her gaze to Zelin and reached for her, hugging her.

  “Are you okay, sweetie?” Sarah’s voice was filled with concern. “I was so worried when you fainted too. It was like someone snapped their fingers and you both passed out. It freaked me out.”

  Zelin’s lips curved into a small smile, and she hugged her back. “I am. Thank you for worrying about us.”

  Sarah nodded, stepping back and looked at me again. Her eyes filled with questions.

  I reached for her hand, holding it tightly. “Sarah, can I trust you with our secret?”

  She blinked, surprised and confused by the question, as though the answer should have been obvious to me. “You have protected me since the first day I met you. I trust you with my life. I would never do anything against you.” Her eyes roamed the room as she looked at each of the knights, and Zelin. “Any of you.”

  The truth was evident in her voice, and I nodded, pulling her with me to one of the sofas. Guiding her to sit down, I let go off her and shed my robe. It fell silently on the floor and her eyes immediately swept my body. She couldn’t help the red hue spreading over her cheeks as she saw me naked, and I inwardly chuckled. Humans were so awkward about nudity. It was endearing.

  “Sarah,” I called, forcing her attention to leave my groin and focus on my face again.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled with wide eyes. Clearly mortified.

  Ignoring her embarrassment, I let the shift partially take over me. My arms slowly elongated, black fur rippling over my muscles, and darting over my fingers while shiny, onyx claws protruded from my nails. I kept the change focused on my top half, letting the muscles of my chest and back expand, as the thin layer of fur rushed over my pecs.

  The shifting was minimal, not allowing my bones to rearrange, and only enough so she would see traces of the other side of me.

  Sarah’s eyes widened as my canines extended, like they had done during the altercation, though my clothes had covered most of it from her human eyes. She stood from the sofa, stepping closer and taking my hand in hers. Curiously, she touched the smooth top of my onyx claws, marveling at their crystal-like appearance.

  Continuing her to take it all in, her palm ran over my broad, fur sprinkled chest, tentatively travelling up my muscles until she reached my face—which still remained human-like.

  Her fingertips touched my lips, encouraging me to open my mouth, and she touched the length of my canines. Her other hand lifted to join in her exploration, and I remained still, letting her discover me on her own, because I wanted this to be as natural or reassuring as it could be for her.

  Sarah’s wonder filled eyes focused on mine and a smile tugged at her lips but didn’t fully form as she shook her head. “What are you?”

  It was time to finally answer her question. Holding her wrist, I placed a kiss on her knuckles and took several steps away from her. I let go of my hold on the shift. The crack of bones reverberated in the air, and the next second I fell before her on all fours.

  My wolf head tilted down to look at her, while her hands flew to her mouth and she gasped, staggering back several more stets. Her back connected with Rod’s chest, stopping her retreat, but no fear was visible in her. Only shock.

  I strutted forwards slowly, lying on the carpeted floor like a pup before her, thinking it would be easier for her to rationalize it that way. Sarah’s chest rose and fell sharply with her panted breaths, and her trembling hand tentatively reached for me as she walked towards me again.

  “You are a wolf?” Sarah asked confused, mystified by the discovery. Kneeling in front of me, her gaze lifted to my face. Her hand remained extended, like she couldn’t dare to touch me yet.

  “We are Moonchildren,” Zelin answered strutting towards us, already in her gorgeous black wolf form, and Sarah shrieked in surprise.

  The guys laughed as she chuckled fascinated, holding her chest from the start.

  “You can talk!” she squealed, her eyes bouncing from Zelin to me. “Like a human. You can talk, like a human, as a wolf,” she rambled, shocked.

  “Yes, we can,” I confirmed, smiling. “Are you afraid of me?” I asked, needing to hear her say it. She still hadn’t touched me.

  Copper brown strands swayed over her shoulders as she shook her head, and her eyes filled with amazement and affection. “No,” Sarah answered without hesitation. “I know you would never hurt me.”

  Her fingers finally plunged into my fur, and a bright smile curled her lips when she scratched the hair along my cheeks. Emerald eyes sparkled with excitement while I lowered my head to rest on her thighs, letting her stroke my thick fur and get used to me this way. She laughed in wonder, while her fingers got lost in my coat.

  Lifting my eyes to her I held her gaze for a few moments, finding only reverence in them.

  “How?” she whispered, unable to stop caressing me, though I couldn’t blame her for it. I was pretty handsome a wolf—if I may say so myself.

  “We are wolf shifters,” Zelin answered for me, bringing Sarah’s attention to her, when she lay beside me. “An ancient race, born from the Great Moon herself, and placed on this earth to protect the world she loves.”

  “How?” Sarah asked again.

  “When the world was just anew, the Great Moon watched its evolution from above, falling in love with it like a mother would her child,” Zelin explained. “One day, that love made her want to be among its mountains and seas so fiercely, her spirit travelled to the earth, taking the form of a woman.”

  “Holy cow!”

  Deep rumbling chuckles came from around her at her outburst, and Sarah’s head whirled around to find the knights had also shifted, and now lay lazily on the floor, forming a circle about us. I chuckled, while she reached for a few them, scratching their heads and chest lovingly.

  Her smile became brilliant. “Screw Puppy Friends, you guys are way more awesome.” She faced me again and her hand tentatively reached for Zelin next to me.

  “I don’t do petting,” Zelin growled, and Sarah jumped, stopping her in her tracks.

  We all lost it. Our laughs danced around Sarah as she blinked startled, and Zelin’s lips twitched in amusement.

  Sarah finally chuckled. “You are so mean. I thought we were friends already.”

  A chuckle somewhere between a growl and a rumble left Zelin’s throat.

  “You are even scarier as a wolf.” Sarah made a face, and the guys snickered.

  “You should be scared,” I only half joked. “She’s my guardian. The fiercest of our kind. Faster, stronger, deadlier,” I added in a sinister tone.

  Sarah swallowed leaning away, and Zelin smacked me with her paw. “Stop scaring her.” Her gaze focused on our human friend. “I won’t hurt you. We protect humans. I’m just not your typical female.”

  “Right.” Sarah frowned. “So, what else happened?” she asked, her interest returning to the story.

  “The spirit woman had a child,” I answered. “The Moon Princess, and then created her a companion so they could mate and develop our race.”

  “So you are all born this way? Descendants of the Moon Princess, generation after generation?”

  I nodded, not wanting to get into the details of my life.

  “Wow.”

  Standing once again, I shifted back to my man form. After covering my body with the robe, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I took her hand and sat back on the sofa with her. Zelin and the knights shifted back too—well, all except Rod, who loved his wolf way too much. He lay on the floor close to Sarah, nuzzling her hand so she’d caress him.

  Chuckling, she motioned him to la
y his head on her lap, and began to play with his fur and ears absentmindedly. The other knights began to dress once more.

  “Can you turn me into a wolf shifter like you?” she asked, eyes wide as though she had just realized that might be a possibility. “I want to be with you forever.”

  Sweet death, please take me now.

  My chest constricted with both unease and worry while the room became silent. The others didn’t need to speak. The “Oh shit” look in their eyes, and their concern said it all, but none of them were judging me for which I was grateful.

  “We are all born into this race,” Zelin answered for me, not truly lying, but not telling her I had the ability to turn a human into one of us.

  Her words filled with such finality that there was no room for questions. If that weren’t enough, the intensity in Zelin’s eyes, and the growl coloring her voice, made it clear that was the end of the conversation.

  “Oh… Okay,” Sarah added disappointedly, but then she smiled holding my hand as she began to caress Rod’s fur again. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll always be by your side.”

  She leaned into my chest, sighing in content while everyone cringed around me—even Rod as a wolf.

  Yep. I was royally screwed. Pun intended.

  We parked in front of Sarah’s house the next day. It was Saturday morning and we were finally bringing her home after she’d basically stayed the whole week in my house, unable to leave our side until we awoke and she knew we were okay.

  Yesterday, after I confessed who we were to her, she’d asked to stay one more night with us, and I’d had no heart to tell her no.

  Her reactions and feelings were not her own, and she was beginning to realize that, which I could tell scared her. The least we could do was spend time with her and make her feel secure until we could find a way to fix things.

  She’d slept on my bed while I held her, trying to give her comfort, though Zelin had stayed with us, worried about her. Needless to say, I wasn’t able to sleep at all, trying to make sure I didn’t shift and accidentally hurt Sarah during the night.