Chapter 10 - The Sovereign’s Command

                “Ana,” the Prince began, sharp enough to draw blood.

                His eyes were no longer playful, they were twin pools of frozen blue, devoid of the teasing warmth he had used to lure me into his car.

                “When we arrive in the Kingdom, my parents— the King and Queen— will be waiting for us. You will keep your rebellious temperament to yourself. I will not tolerate a display of disrespect in front of the King. Do you understand me?”

                I blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden, brutal change in tone. The whiplash was almost physical, a stinging slap to the face that left my skin crawling.  

                “Excuse me? You’re giving me orders now?”

                “I am telling you how it is going to be,” he stated, leaning forward until he completely invaded my personal space.

The scent of him, usually so inviting, now felt like a suffocating shroud.

                 “You will do as you are told. You will stand where you are placed. The time for your little games of independence ended the moment we left that packhouse. You represent me now.”

                From all the evils I had anticipated, this was the last thing I expected.

Not only was I staring down the barrel of a Royal cage, but now I was being told to play the role of an obedient servant. Think this Prince believes he had bought a doll to display, not a mate to live with.

                “Our mating ceremony is in two days,” he continued with a chilling finality. “Now that I’ve found you, there is no reason to delay the formalization of our bond. My wolf craves the mark. He craves you. He has been patient enough.”

                Oh, wonderful!

                He just added ‘willing bed-warmer’ to the job description. I silently appealed to the Moon Goddess, wondering if she was enjoying the show. ‘Is this really what you intended? To shackle a witch to a tyrant?’

                “After the ceremony,” Romani pressed in with a rhythmic, lecturing tone that made my blood boil, “you will officially be Crown Princess. Every species in the supernatural world will be watching your every step, especially since you’re a hybrid. You are a symbol now, Ana. You cannot afford to be the girl who runs away or talks back whenever you like. You’ll learn to choose your words with more diplomacy.”

                The pile of obligations was growing so tall I could barely see over it. But surely even a Prince had to understand that a contract went both ways?

                I tilted my head, my voice dripping with the kind of sarcasm that usually got me into trouble.

                “Is all this supposed to be compensation for three meals a day and a roof over my head, my Prince? Because I’ve managed perfectly fine on my own for weeks. I don’t need a mate to find a sandwich or pay my rent. May I politely decline this generous ‘promotion’? It sounds like a lot of work for zero benefit.”

                It was as though I had plunged a dagger into his chest. His face hardened, his regal pride visibly wounded by my flippancy.

                “No!” he snapped impatiently. “You’ll do what’s demanded of you. I have no more patience for your whims or your insolence. We’ll carry the responsibility for hundreds of packs, Ana. Their safety and their unity depend on the stability of the Throne. It’s time you grew up and accept that your life belongs to something bigger than yourself now.”

                His eyes darkened until they were black as coal, his anger radiating off him like heat from a furnace. He wasn't just a man anymore, he was the King-in-waiting, and I was the subject who dared to say no.

                 I leaned back in my leather seat, my jaw set, realizing that the real war hadn't happened at the packhouse, it was happening right here, at thirty thousand feet.

                “What if I don’t want to be a symbol?” I challenged low and dangerous. “What if I don't want to be the submissive little moon-bride you’ve already mapped out in your head? You talk about the stability of the Throne, but you’re building it on a foundation of my resentment.”

                Romani let out a short, humorless laugh.

                “Resentment is a luxury you can no longer afford. You think I am being harsh? Wait until you meet my father. He doesn't see a girl, he sees a biological necessity. I am trying to prepare you for the reality of your new life.”

                “My new life feels remarkably like a prison sentence,” I spat back. “You dragged me out of one cage just to put me in a bigger one with better upholstery. Does it make you feel powerful, Romani? Commanding a woman who has no choice but to listen?”

                He stood up, the sheer size of him making the spacious cabin feel tiny. He took a step toward me, his hand reaching out to tilt my chin upward. His touch was electric, a searing heat that conflicted with the coldness in his eyes.

                “You have a choice,” he whispered, his voice dropping into a guttural Lycan growl that vibrated against my skin. “You can walk beside me as my Queen, or you can be dragged behind me as my ward. But make no mistake, you are coming to the Kingdom. The bond is already pulling you. Can you feel it? The way your wolf is already turning her back on your rebellion?”

                I pulled my face away from his hand, my eyes burning with unshed tears of rage. I could feel it, Era was quiet, far too quiet. She wasn’t fighting him, she was basking in his presence.              But I wasn't just a wolf. I was a witch, and my magic didn't recognize his Crown.

                “I won’t be your puppet,” I vowed, staring him down.

“We shall see,” he replied, his voice returning to a terrifying, calm silk. “The landing gear is down. We’ve entered the Royal Airspace.”

                I looked out the window.

                Below us, the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies rose up like the teeth of a giant. Deep in the valleys, the lights of the Kingdom began to flicker, a sprawling, ancient fortress carved from the mountain itself.

                The Jet banked sharply, descending toward a private, brightly lit runway where several black sedans and a line of armored guards stood waiting.

                In the center of the tarmac, two figures stood perfectly still, draped in heavy furs that billowed in the sub-zero wind. Even from this height, their power was palpable, a weight that seemed to anchor the plane to the earth.

                “Flash the smile they expect, Ana,” Romani commanded, checking his cufflinks with a chilling detachment. “The King does not like to be kept waiting.”

                The wheels hit the tarmac with a violent jolt, the engines roaring in reverse as the silver bird slowed down.

                The cabin door began to hum, the seal breaking to let in the biting, arctic air of the north.        My past was gone.

                My freedom was a memory.

                And as the stairs descended, I realized the man standing next to me was no longer my savior, he was my jailer.