Page 49 of Chased By My Grumpy Alpha
But as the faceless image of the man she claims to love pops into my mind, I feel a wave of irritation. A human. Someone utterly unremarkable. Why would she want to be with him when she could…
The thought trails off, and my jaw tightens as I refuse to finish it.
Unbidden, my finger wraps around a thick lock of her hair. What am I doing? Why am I pretending to be a mercenary? I’m the prince of this entire kingdom. I have duties to attend to, an engagement to finalize. I have no business being out here in the middle of the forest, accompanying this crazy woman.
Without thinking, I tug at the lock of hair, and she bats my hand away, still half asleep. “Stop it.”
I blink. Did she just slap me?
I should break her fingers for daring…
Her body curls around my leg as she nestles closer. Something hot and dark stirs within me. Her presence provokes my wolf, but I don’t know why. It wants to protect her, to shield her. It wants to bathe in her scent.
Why?
What is it about her that has my animal acting so out of character? I thought if I stuck around, I’d figure it out, but I’m no closer to an answer. The only thing that has changed is that I now have no intention of killing the girl.
Astra moves her injured leg with a pained moan, and my brow furrows. Her bandages have undoubtedly loosened duringour day of walking, so I slowly remove her head from my thigh and adjust my position so I can take a look. I need to check the wound’s progress.
Carefully, I lift the bottom edge of her pant leg. The healing is remarkable—better than I’d hoped. The red streaks are completely gone, the swelling has disappeared, and the gashes are closing with the speed of a full shifter’s recovery. Not surprising, considering the tonic I gave her was made by one of the palace healers.
Luna opens one amber eye and fixes me with a stare that could cut glass.
“Guard her,” I order the feline.
The cat gives me the most arrogant look I’ve ever seen from any creature, but she sits up straighter, positioning herself between Astra and the forest. As if she understands exactly what I’m asking.
Smart animal.
I adjust Astra’s blanket, pulling it higher over her shoulders. She shivers slightly in her sleep, and I have to resist the urge to lie down beside her, to share my body heat. The thought appeals to me more than it should.
This woman is getting under my skin in ways I don’t understand. Every smile she gives me, every time she calls me handsome with that breathless voice, every moment she trusts me completely despite having every reason not to—it all chips away at something I thought was unbreakable.
It’s no longer just my wolf; I have never wanted to protect someone the way I want to protect Astra.
I stand up and force myself to step away from her sleeping form. Quickly, I disappear into the forest.
Seth is waiting exactly where I told him to be, hidden behind a cluster of ancient oaks about half a mile from our camp. Hisred hair is disheveled, and there’s dried blood on his shirt that isn’t his own.
“You look like hell,” I observe.
“Charming as always.” He pulls a small, glass vial from his pack and tosses it to me. “The healer said this should finish what the first tonic started.”
I pocket the bottle without examining it. “Did you do what I asked?”
“Yes. Your alpha friend won’t be sending any more hunting parties.” Seth’s expression darkens. “We arranged the bodies of the second batch of men he sent very artistically in front of his home. I think he got the message.”
Good. The thought of more of Gareth’s men tracking Astra through these woods makes my wolf snarl with protective fury.
“So?” My friend smiles at me as he leans back against a tree. “What are you up to?”
“None of your business.”
I turn to leave, but he swiftly blocks my way, grinning that annoying grin of his. “You know that’s a female, right?”
“I have eyes.”
“You’re looking after a woman? Of your own choice? Is she blackmailing you?”
