Page 29 of Claimed By Prince Daddy

“Just hear me out,” she replied. She drew away fully and straightened. “Instead of wallowing here in your room, we should all have one last hurrah before you go home. I know of a club not too far away from here. Let’s go there. Dance all this shit away.”

“I don't feel much like dancing,” I said, my stomach cramping.

“And I don’t care what you feel like doing,” Ballina said, a hand on her hip. “You’re going to dance.”

“Ballina,” Mara hissed.

Ballina simply shot Mara a severe look, willing her to say something else.

“In this one instance, I will admit Ballina has a point,” Iiara spoke up.

Ballina gave a smug grin. “Thank you.” Then realization dawned. “Hey!”

“Why don’t we go dancing?” Iiara continued. I gaped at her. “What? We wouldn’t want Drake to get the last ‘laugh,’ so to speak—what with him fraternizing and you holed up in your room.” Iiara pumped a fist and said, “Show him that he can’t bring you down, can’t beat the spirit out of you. You are the strong princess we all know and love, and it's time to act like the future queen you’ll one day be.”

My eyes slowly widened as her words sank in. I glanced at all three females, at their confident, self-assured expressions. They believed in me, in my strength of character. They knew this would not keep me on my knees forever. It was high time I believed it.

I felt my inner wolf push to her paws as she lifted her muzzle and nudged beneath my skin.

You think this is a good idea?I asked my inner wolf. She dipped her head in acknowledgment. I felt emboldened by that one gesture. Pushing to my feet, I said, “Very well.” I gave a slow smile. “So, where is this club?”

CHAPTER FIVE: FORGING THE BOND

ROSALANA

Iwatched Drake bow his head as the werewolf female slipped back into the palace. Never in my life had I seen him so broken.

And that terrified me.

I slowly approached him and slid my hand into his. “Are you okay, my love?” I offered a comforting smile. Yet, Drake merely lifted his head and cast a bleak gaze on me. I flinched.

He’ll never belong to you…never love you,an insidious voice whispered inside my head.She has her claws hooked in him. He now belongs to that werewolf!

My body began to tremble as realization sent ice shards freezing over my heart. Drake removed his hand from my hold. “I’ll be okay, Rosalana,” he said, his voice a broken whisper—words hollowed with grief. “I promise. I’ll take care of you.” With that, he trudged down the cobblestone path, his shoulders hunched forward like the weight of the world bore down on him.

He’s like a shell of his former self.I thought as I walked into the palace heading to my bedroom. Passing underneath the stairs, I headed to the servant's wing, as I was part of the kitchen staff.

It can’t end this way. I won’t let it!

I passed through the kitchen and through a door at the back of the room. A narrow corridor opened up before me, and I stalked down the length of it, bypassing the other doors till I arrived at mine. I stepped into my room, shutting the door behind me.

A simple twin-sized bed with brass headboard rails stood tucked to the far side of the room. A small desk with a sodden chair and a dresser were the only two furniture pieces besides the bed. A small window hung over the bed, revealing the full moon bathing the valley in silver.

Raking my fingers through my hair, I began to pace the length of my small room.

How can I stop this? How can I turn back the tide and get Drake to solely notice me again?

I gnawed on my lower lip as I wracked my brain for every possible solution. The words I heard back at the peace summit rang in my mind. Of how Drake announced that he knew Ember was his fated mate when he’d first sighted her. It was nigh impossible to break such a bond—even if it wasn’t consummated yet! Hot tears welled up in my eyes. I reached for the first thing within reach, which ended up being a flower vase. With a screech, I flung the vase across the room. It hit the wall and shattered into a myriad of pieces. The shards rained down to the floor, water quickly running down the wall—the daisies tossed on the hardwood below. My chest heaved with labored breaths.

Wait…consummated…

My brain began to work at a whirlwind pace as I sifted through my memories. I blinked rapidly. If I recall, there was a rumor of a fae female who sought to have a mated male to herself. She had forced the bond to become severed with the female mate and had forged a bond with the male she yearned for. The female had been discovered and punished for it, of course—but the point was the spell worked.

Yes!

A grin spread across my cheeks. Then, it promptly fell. I couldn’t remember the exact name of the spell.

Dammit.

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