Page 30 of The Wolf Prince's Mate

Lilith muttered a string of curses beneath her breath before stomping out of the cafe. Relief washed over me, and I sank into the sofa, sucking in a deep breath. We really can’t escape our past.

“How’re you feeling?” Victor asked, peering at me with worried eyes.

“I’m okay. Thanks for intervening.”

“Is this what your stay at the palace was like?” he asked after a brief pause.

The question caused me to lift my gaze to his, shooting him a questioning look. He might’ve saved me from Lilith, but that does not make him a knight in shining armor. He lied to me for years.

“Shouldn’t you already know about that, seeing as you’re one of them?”

His face fell on my outburst, but I couldn’t help it. Finding out the person you have come to trust is one of the people who hurt you was not an easy pill to swallow.

“Mira, it wasn’t intentional. I never meant to deceive you. I was merely waiting for the right time to tell you.”

I could still remember our first encounter. It was roughly a year after Adrian’s death, and I had a flat tire at the mall. It was raining cats and dogs, and my phone had chosen that moment to lose reception.

He was on his way to his car, and he offered to drop me off. But when he saw how uncomfortable I was about taking a ride from a stranger, he ordered me one and proceeded to call his mechanic to fix my car and have it returned to me.

Naturally, I got his number to say thank you. The conversation ended in me having to get him coffee, and when I found out he was originally from the US but had businesses in the UK, it felt nice to connect with someone close to home. Our friendship kicked off from there, and when it was time for me to return, he helped with moving and settling in. Nothing about our friendship felt like he had some hidden motive or like he was patronizing me. Everything about us developed organically and grew over the years. But what were the chances of such a coincidence?

“Did you know who I was from the start?” I asked, weighing the balance of our friendship. If he had known from the start or started talking to me because he felt sorry for how I had been treated, it would crush me.

“No. I didn’t know who you were from the start, but I noticed you were hiding something from me, so I asked around. When I found out, I was torn between telling you the truth and waiting till you were comfortable enough to let me in. I never meant to mislead you.”

His words were sincere, and I could understand why he wouldn’t want to bring up something I intentionally buried. But I was certain no one would appreciate running from one brother only to end up with the other.

“You should’ve said something,” I muttered softly.

Victor sat next to me, taking my hands in his. “A part of me was scared you’d never want anything to do with me if you found out who I was, but you’re right. I should’ve told you. It was your choice to make.”

I thought about his words for a moment and concluded he had justifiable reasons. I’d be at a crossroads, too, if I were him.

“It’s okay. Just make sure there’ll be no more surprises moving forward.”

He flashed me his signature toe-curling smile. “I promise.”

“Can I ask you a question?” I asked after thinking about it for a while.

“You can ask anything you want. I’ll be honest.”

“Is it true you’re competing for the throne with Griffin?”

His brows shot up, and he regarded me with curious eyes. “Is that what he told you?”

“No.” My reply came out rushed, and I probably looked like a deer caught in headlights. “The news is everywhere. I just wanted to hear it from you.”

He heaved a sigh, drawing circles on the back of my palm. “I was invited by the council after Griffin failed to bring forth an heir. I know it doesn’t look good on me, but it’s royal protocol. The bloodline must be secured at all costs.”

I nodded, understanding what he was saying, although I couldn’t understand why Griffin was failing to provide an heir if it meant losing the throne.

“So, what are you going to do? You have to produce an heir before you can be crowned king, too.

His eyes settled on me, and I immediately regretted my question. He was looking at me like I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and unease coiled in my stomach as I dreaded his next words.

“That’s what I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now. I’ve watched you. I’ve seen how kind you are, how you extend your grace to everyone, and the compassion you carry with you. I’ve equally come to develop deep feelings for you over time, and I’m certain with someone as special as you by my side, I’d be successful with my plans of restoring our community to a thriving environment where everyone is valued and respected and not the brutal caste-riddled system it has come to be.”

His words reminded me so much of the Griffin I used to know, his passion for uniting the community, and how much he loved his people. A brief memory of some of the times we spoke about his plans flashed through my head, and I forced it out.

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