Page 41 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
His and Ita’s excitement is contagious, so I find myself nodding. I just briefly link my father to tell him I’ll be out. The last thing I need is someone looking for me and then sending a search party after me. Ita, Tynan and I don’t go far, just to the forest that is part of the royal pack lands. We undress swiftly, putting our clothes in a small bag that we carry around for such occasions, and tie them to our legs before shifting. That way, we’ll always have something to dress in when we shift back.
Soon, we run through the forest in our wolf form. The hunt clearly was just a trick to lure me away from my gloomy thoughts, yet Tynan gets serious about it all of a sudden and makes sure to hunt down a rabbit and a squirrel.
Weird that we see a squirrel at night, Ita links us, her being a Gamma giving her the privilege of being able to do that.They aren’t nocturnal animals.
Don’t spoil this with your logic, Tynan grumbles.Just be glad we found something!
He is aware that he isn’t subtle, isn’t he?Ita asks me.
I laugh.He is so easy to read. I bet he is going to give it to someone special.
I bet that’s why he even suggested the hunt, Ita answers.
We allow Tynan to have his victory, though, and soon return to our favorite spot at the top of a hill. Now, at night, only the stars above us illuminate our surroundings, but below us there is the town and the castle; lights still shining out of the windows. We shift back in silence and dress again, before sitting down on a blanket Ita brought along. Sitting here in the night feels surreal. Everything is so silent, the snow swallowing every noise. Just here and there, I can hear some rustling. Even my wolf is completely relaxed here. She loves to be outside.
“Hey, Warrior Princess,” Ita says into the silence.
“Hm?” I look at her.
“You know that it’s not true, don’t you?” Ita asks. “Just because you train and fight, you aren’t less of a woman.”
I shift my gaze away from Ita and up to the sky. Why did Kilah have to say this out of all the things she could have said? Does she think I truly never feel hurt? I know there is a chance that my mate will be disappointed, that I’m not a typical elegant and regal princess. I’m just me, and I hope when the time comes, that’s enough.
“Maybe I will go for a chosen mate anyway,” I say, looking at Ita with a smile.
She sighs slightly. “Don’t say that, Alana. Someone out there is waiting for you.”
“The mate bond is barely there,” I admit. “I feel a hint of it, but it’s so weak already. Maybe they are about to break it.”
“But, we don’t know that,” Ita protests.
“I don’t know what the both of you are talking about,” Tynan says. “But your mate is going to be a lucky bastard to be mated to you,” he exclaims.
“The same goes for you,” I tell him. “Maybe you should tell him, because I doubt he is getting your not-so-subtle hints.”
Ita laughs, the heavy atmosphere suddenly gone. “For real, I was dying inwardly when you offered him your cutlet,” she groans. “Please tell me you are not going to drag this rabbit to his chambers now!”
Tynan looks flustered. “What’s wrong with presenting him my prey?” he grumbles.
“You are trying to woo a human, not a wolf from the North!” Ita sighs. “Even I would expect more than having some meat served.”
I nudge her with my shoulder. “How would you like to be wooed?”
“I don’t know.” She looks flustered, much to my surprise. “I think I just would like to be surprised.”
Tynan grumbles. “But gifting them my prey is a surprise!”
We both laugh at his sullen expression.
“I am romantic,” he emphasizes, glaring when Ita just laughs more. She leans her forehead against my shoulder, barely able to contain her amusement.
“Very funny.” Tynan furrows his brows. “I should have brought some alcohol.”
“Yes, you should have!” I tell him. “Haven’t you learned anything?”
Tynan throws a snowball at us before jumping up to his feet. “Then, come girls, let’s head back. I have a brand new whiskey from my father.”
“That’s something you probably should gift a certain hot general,” Ita teases as we follow Tynan down the hill and back to the pack. This time, we stay in our human form and enjoy the walk through the night.
