Chapter 10: My Wolf Likes You. I Don't.

Wren

"Who are you talking to?"

The stranger's golden eyes narrowed as he followed my gaze toward the enormous, translucent wolf standing beside him.

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

How exactly was I supposed to explain this?

"Oh, this is going to be entertaining."

The wolf settled onto the rocks, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Nobody," I answered.

The man's expression darkened. "Nobody?"

"I was talking to myself."

"Terrible lie. Absolutely dreadful. You should've told him you were praying for his personality to improve."

I pressed my lips together.

"Do you often have conversations with yourself?" the stranger asked.

"Only when the company is better."

The wolf threw back his enormous head and laughed.

At least, I assumed he was laughing. The sound echoed inside my mind while his massive body remained perfectly still.

"Oh, I like her! Keep this one."

I stared at him.

The stranger noticed. His attention shifted toward the empty rocks again.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"You're a remarkably poor liar."

"And you're remarkably unpleasant for someone receiving free medical assistance."

"I didn't ask for assistance."

"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear."

He straightened, allowing the moonlight to illuminate his muscular chest.

I immediately regretted looking.

He was unfairly attractive.

Broad shoulders, sharply defined muscles, and dark hair falling across a face that probably hadn't smiled in several years.

Unfortunately, the arrogance radiating from him was just as impressive.

"Stop staring at his chest. His ego is already intolerable."

My cheeks warmed. "I wasn't staring!"

The stranger raised an eyebrow. "I didn't accuse you of staring."

Oh, for the love of the Moon Goddess.

The wolf's laughter filled my head again. "This is the best night I've had in years."

I folded my arms.

"Look, I heard someone struggling, and I came to see whether they needed help. Clearly, you're perfectly capable of insulting strangers without assistance, so I'll leave."

I turned toward the trees.

"Stop."

The single word carried an unmistakable command.

Power swept through the clearing, pressing against my shoulders with enough force to make the surrounding branches tremble.

I stopped walking... Not because my body had obeyed. Because I'd never experienced anything quite like it.

The stranger seemed to notice the difference. "Turn around."

I slowly faced him. "Do you speak to everyone like that?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Oh, he's going to hate you."

"I gave you an order," the man said.

"And I heard you."

"Then why didn't you obey?"

"Because you haven't given me a reason to."

For several seconds, he simply stared.

The strange pressure intensified.

I felt it pushing against my skin, searching for something inside me that wasn't there.

Grandpa had taught me to recognize Alpha dominance and resist the instinct to submit. I'd practiced those techniques for years.

But this felt different.

Stronger. Almost suffocating.

I forced myself to keep breathing evenly.

"You can stop doing that," I said. "It's not particularly impressive."

The wolf practically rolled off the rocks. "SHE SAID IT WASN'T IMPRESSIVE!"

His laughter became so loud that I had to bite the inside of my cheek.

The stranger's expression turned murderous. "Something amusing you?"

"Not at all."

"Tell him his hair looks ridiculous."

I glanced at his wet, tousled hair.

"He spent twenty minutes fixing it before leaving the palace."

I blinked.

The palace?

Before I could think about that, the stranger spoke again.

"Identify yourself."

"Wren Blackwood."

His gaze sharpened. "Are you one of the new recruits?"

"Yes."

"Combat Division?"

"How did you know?"

He ignored the question. "You're out past the designated barracks curfew."

I frowned. "Are you a military officer?"

"Unfortunately. And an insufferable one."

The man crossed his arms. "You should return to your quarters."

"That's probably the first reasonable thing you've said tonight."

I turned away again.

"Wait! Don't leave yet!"

I stopped.

The wolf was suddenly standing directly in front of me.

Up close, he was enormous. His smoky black fur shimmered beneath the moonlight, and his amber eyes held an intelligence that made him seem almost human.

"I have a question."

I glanced toward the stranger.

He was watching me closely.

I lowered my voice. "What?"

"Can you actually hear everything I'm saying?"

I hesitated before nodding.

His ears perked up. "Interesting. Very interesting."

"What's interesting?" the man demanded.

I nearly jumped. "Nothing!"

"He really needs to stop interrupting us."

The wolf circled me, his translucent paws making no sound against the ground.

"All right, little warrior. Let's test something."

"Test what?" I whispered.

"Ask him how he got that scar on his ribs."

I looked toward the stranger.

A long, pale scar stretched diagonally across his right side.

"Why?"

"Because he tells everyone it happened during a glorious battle."

"And?"

The wolf's mouth opened in what looked suspiciously like a grin.

"It was a wild boar. He was fourteen."

I stared.

Then, against my better judgment, I looked directly at the stranger.

"Did a wild boar really give you that scar?"

The change in his expression was immediate.

His arms dropped to his sides. "What did you say?"

I swallowed.

Oh, wonderful.

"Look at his face! I haven't seen him this confused since his first military examination."

The man stepped toward the edge of the spring. "How do you know about that?"

"I guessed?"

"Try again."

"Perhaps you should've been more careful around wild animals."

His eyes flashed. "Nobody outside my family knows how I received that injury."

My stomach tightened.

The wolf was still laughing.

I pointed an accusing finger toward him before remembering the stranger couldn't see what I was pointing at.

"You!"

The man's gaze followed my hand. There was nothing there.

"Who are you speaking to?"

I quickly lowered my arm. "Nobody."

"You've used that excuse already."

"Well, perhaps you should stop asking questions."

He climbed onto a lower rock, water streaming from his body.

I immediately looked toward the trees.

"Oh, now she's embarrassed. Fascinating."

"Would you please be quiet?" I hissed.

"Excuse me?"

"Not you!"

Silence.

I closed my eyes.

I was making this so much worse.

When I opened them, the stranger had retrieved a dark shirt from the rocks and was pulling it over his head.

Thank the Goddess.

He approached until only a few feet separated us.

His presence was overwhelming, even without the Alpha command.

"Listen carefully, Recruit Blackwood. Whatever you believe you saw tonight, you will not discuss it with anyone."

I frowned. "Are you threatening me?"

"I'm giving you advice."

"Then you need to work on your delivery."

His jaw tightened.

"She's right, you know."

The stranger studied me for another moment.

"You're either remarkably brave or completely unaware of the danger you're in."

I lifted my chin. "Grandpa always told me courage wasn't the absence of fear. It was knowing when fear shouldn't make your decisions."

Something shifted in his expression.

For a brief moment, the arrogance faded.

"Your grandfather sounded like an intelligent man."

"He is."

I wasn't sure why I corrected him so firmly. Perhaps because I couldn't stand another person speaking about Grandpa as though he were gone forever.

The stranger seemed to notice, but he didn't ask.

Instead, he stepped aside. "Return to your barracks, Wren."

Hearing my name in his deep voice sent an unexpected shiver through me.

I ignored it.

"Gladly."

I started toward the trees.

"Wait, little warrior!"

I glanced back.

The enormous wolf stood beside his human, watching me.

For the first time, his expression wasn't playful.

"Come back sometime. It's been a very long time since anyone could hear me."

The sadness beneath his words surprised me.

I hesitated. Then I gave him a small nod.

The stranger noticed immediately. "Who are you acknowledging?"

I sighed. "Goodnight, whoever you are."

And before either of them could stop me, I disappeared into the trees.

"Wren! Wake up!"

Someone shook my shoulder.

I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. "Liora, please."

"Nope! Absolutely not! You're not missing the enlistment ceremony!"

I opened one eye. "What time is it?"

"Five-thirty. We need to be in formation by six."

I sat up, rubbing my face.

After returning from the hot springs, I'd barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I pictured the enormous translucent wolf and the ridiculously attractive man who apparently had a serious problem with being questioned.

I still couldn't explain what I'd seen.

Or why the wolf had spoken to me.

"Wren!"

"I'm getting up!"

Liora grinned. "Good! Because we're finally going to see Prince Dorian!"

I groaned.

She'd spent half the previous evening discussing the Alpha Prince. His military achievements. His royal bloodline. His apparently devastating good looks.

I was beginning to think she had a problem.

By six o'clock, hundreds of recruits stood in formation across Ironhold's main courtyard.

Commander Rourke inspected our ranks while several senior officers waited beside a raised platform.

Liora stood beside me, practically vibrating with excitement.

"He's here," she whispered.

"Who?"

"The Prince!"

A sharp command echoed across the courtyard.

"ATTENTION!"

Every soldier snapped into position.

The enormous doors behind the platform opened.

A tall man emerged, wearing an immaculate black military uniform decorated with silver insignia. His dark hair was neatly styled, and a ceremonial sword hung at his side.

I recognized him immediately.

My stomach dropped.

No.

Absolutely not.

Liora leaned toward me. "Isn't he gorgeous?"

I couldn't answer.

Because standing on that platform was the same arrogant, shirtless stranger I'd argued with in the hot springs.

The man I'd accused of nearly drowning. The man whose scars I'd questioned. The man I'd told wasn't particularly impressive.

Alpha Prince Dorian Valcrest.

Oh, I was so dead.

His golden eyes swept across the formation. Then they stopped on me.

Recognition flashed across his face. His expression hardened.

And suddenly, beside his polished military boots, an enormous translucent wolf appeared.

He looked directly at me. His tail began wagging.

"Oh, look! It's my favorite human!"

I stared straight ahead, desperately trying to keep my expression neutral.

The wolf grinned. "Try not to fall in love with my idiot."