Page 193 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“I haven’t even introduced myself yet,” I declare, shortly. “I am Caelan, one of the triplet princes.”
At that, Yrsa indeed looks surprised. She probably didn’t take me for a prince. I can’t believe it, though. For years I thought I was without a mate bond, and then Ende and Aza choose each other, releasing Flinn and me from this curse, and I’m overjoyed, excited, curious to end up being fated to a werebear.
I try not to be judgemental, but it’s not like they are the most exciting choice for anyone at the moment. Most of them fought on Penelope’s side. It’s true that they were victims too, but unlike the dragons who were slaughtered and yet never changed sides, remaining heroic while facing the abyss beneath them, the werebears changed sides without even thinking twice.
Maybe we shouldn’t judge them so fast,my wolf says, without sounding too convincing.
Try better,I mutter.
Maybe we shouldn’t judge our mate,he offers.Without talking to her, at least.
I glance at Yrsa, wondering if she can feel or see my indecisiveness and disgust toward her species. I hate being judgmental, and if Endellion knew, he would probably call me out for it.
But, that’s my mate! A werebear, of all species. I always thought I’d never mind who my mate was, but apparently I do.
“Please join us for dinner, Caelan,” Endellion says. He turns to Yrsa. “My brother is one of our most skilled warriors, if not the best. He will be of great help. That is, if he agrees.”
“Agree to what?” I ask.
“We will tell you over dinner,” Azadeh says, eyeing me curiously.
You don’t look too happy.She links me.Is something wrong?
No, everything is fine. But, please give me a head’s up.
Alpha Yrsa agrees on both a treaty and wants to be our ally, but her sleuth needs help. They are decimated in numbers, while a group of werebears is still in hiding and out for her head. To them, she is a traitor.
I feel anger bubbling in my chest. Someone is out to hurt my mate? Never!
I will help,I hear myself offer without even knowing what they need me to do. I might not want a werebear as my mate, but I certainly won’t allow her to get killed.
sixty-three
Noemi
Ifeel the cold ground underneath my paws, icy and covered in snow. Soon it becomes warmer though and my paws hit the soft ground of my favorite forest. I love running like that; it’s freedom and makes me feel like the whole world belongs to me. Once I spot my skulk in the distance, I pick up my pace, running past our borders.
The guards there wave at me and Miko, one of my best friends who recently joined their ranks, even calls out to me. I make sure to jump when I hear his voice, making a flip forward.
Miko laughs and continues waving until I’m out of sight.
Picking up my pace again, I run towards the huge building at the center of the pack. It’s a mansion, and an equivalent to the wolves’ packhouse or castle. My father already awaits me there. “Noemi!” he calls out.
I shift to my human form, slipping into the clothes he’d prepared for me, before jumping up the stairs to greet him. “Dad!” I blurt out, wrapping my arms around him.
“Don’t act like nothing is wrong,” he groans. “You were gone the whole night and almost the whole day.”
“Yes, I was running,” I explain, skipping through the front door and making a beeline towards the kitchen. The chef there already expects me, her eyes lighting up when she sees me.
“Contessa,” she smiles warmly. “I’ve prepared something special for you.”
I beam. “Thank you, you are the best! That’s why you are my favorite!”
She laughs, while her mate, our second chef, turns to me. “I thought I was your favorite,” he says with a mock-pout.
“You both are,” I explain
I make it back to my father and start telling him about my adventure. “I almost made it to the border of the deer shifters,” I inform him. “I even spotted some of them.”
