Page 31 of The Night Prince

Callum’s mood is lighter when we wake up early in the morning. He faces me on the bed, a marking from a pillow crease on one side of his face, and brushes his knuckles along my arm. The sky is still dark outside the window when he tells me he intends to ride to a nearby territory. His friend has just taken over a clan, and he thinks he can talk him into joining us.

“Should I come with you?” I ask.

He brushes his lips against my forehead. “No. Stay here. Get some more sleep, then read your books and see if you can find anything out about your connection with Blake. That would be a better use of time.”

“Okay. There’s a whole section in the library about...” I stiffen, then frown. There’s something in Callum’s tone, and the slight glint in his eye, that reminds me of the times he has given Ryan a task to do that makes the boy feel important, but ultimately serves to keep him out of the way. “You don’t want me to come with you, do you?”

The corners of his eyes crinkle. “No. I don’t. Not after James’s visit last night. I don’t want to spend all day worrying about you. I want you to stay at Lowfell, where you’ll be safe.”

I sigh. “It probablyisa better use of my time, anyway. It’s not long before the full moon. I want to figure out how to break this bond before we get to Madadh-allaidh, so Blake can’t use it against you after we’ve defeated James.”

Callum plants a kiss on my lips. “Good lass.”

He stretches, then rolls out of bed. Naked, he heads over to the armchair to grab his kilt and shirt, and gets dressed. While he’s tying his boots, I slide out from beneath the covers and pull on a dress from the armoire. I turn so he can do the fastenings on my back.

“I’m supposed to be a fearsome alpha, not your lady-in-waiting,” he says.

“You poor thing. What will all the other alphas think?”

“They will mock me, and I won’t care.” I hear the grin in his voice. “Though, I must admit, I prefer taking your clothes off to putting them on.”

He hooks an arm around my torso, and pulls me into his lap before nipping my ear with his teeth and making a playful growling sound. I stroke his cheek.

“You’ll make a better king than James,” I say.

“I hope so. We’ve been at war with the Southlands for so long, and James is obsessed with vengeance. I cannot forgive the southerners for what they have done to my people, yet I wonder if there could be peace someday. You’re the Princess of the Southlands, and I would be King of the Northlands. I wonder if you and I could bring peace.” His tone is earnest and sincere, yet cold panic flickers in my chest.

He’s not saying it aloud, but I know he’s suggesting a marriage alliance between us. It’s the kind of match I would have never let myself dream of before coming to the Northlands. Not because it’s with a wolf, although I certainly wouldn’t have imagined that, but because it’s with someone I care for. I always knew I would marry for politics rather than emotion—it’s part of the reason why I locked up my feelings for so many years. The thought of having both would have made my heart soar, once.

I don’t feel that way, now. For our kingdoms to be united, Callum would have to strike an agreement with my father—the man who had me beaten by the High Priest, and who killed my mother.

Callum must hear my quickening pulse, because the humor disappears from his face. “A fantasy, perhaps.” Nudging me off him, he stands. He takes my face in both of his hands. “Listen to me, Princess, because it’s important. Whether we like it or not, Blake is your alpha now—”

“Don’t be silly. Of course he’s not.”

“It’s not up to you, or me, to decide. It’sGhealach’s decision, and if she accepts Blake’s claim...” He bites hisbottom lip. “An alpha can put the power of their wolf into their command. Their dominance forces other Wolves in their clan to submit, and to obey their alpha’s will.”

My eyes widen. “That’s abhorrent.”

“Aye, it is. The command is called the Àithne. It’s not a practice that is widely used. If an alpha uses it, and someone in their clan resists, it calls into question who the stronger wolf is, which can lead to a challenge. If Blake has been accepted as your alpha...”

My muscles tighten. “He could do that to me. How will I know for sure if Blake is my alpha?”

He runs his thumb over my shoulder, where Blake’s bite mars my skin. It’s still sore, even after I put some of Blake’s ointment on it. “I’m almost certain he is. As Wolves, we heal quicker, and better, than humans. But if any kind of claim is accepted by our goddess, the bite doesn’t heal. We’ll know if the mark remains. Either that, or Blake will use the Àithne, and you’ll be forced to submit to him. I don’t think he’ll stoop so low until we take Madadh-allaidh. He needs us on side for his plan to succeed, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Good lass.” Callum offers me a smile that doesn’t quite meet his eyes. He brushes his lips against my forehead and heads out of our chambers—leaving me alone at Lowfell Castle.

While he’s away, I’m determined to get some answers. I need to find out how to break this bond between Blake and me. Our lives are connected—he bit me and claims he’s my alpha, and I’m even dreaming of him.

I must break all ties with Blake, before he consumes me completely.

Chapter Twelve

Imake my way up the spiral staircase to the library in the tower.

It’s cozy within, with a crackling hearth that casts a soft glow onto the shelves that line the walls. The room is smaller than I imagined it would be for an alpha who likes books—probably because there are tomes all over the castle. I’ve caught glimpses of them stacked in drawing rooms and bedchambers, and there are likely more in Blake’s room, too. There are still hundreds of them in here, and I’ve flicked through a few already.

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