Kent’s POVI could not stop thinking about what just happened. If she hadn’t touched me, I would have attacked. Is this what she wanted? She wanted me to relinquish all my power to her? Perhaps she is just pretending not to know about her powers because how can someone so unaware be so effective?I paced back and forth in my chambers. I was safe here, but how long could I keep myself locked up? Keep her locked up? Something has to be done. “Max!” I howled again. My trusted servant’s feet pitter-pattered towards me. “I told them to use sandalwood because I hate the smell, but she is still irresistible to me. She needs to be locked away.” I threw a sheet from my bed towards Max and commanded, “Release.” My human friend was standing next to me now with the sheets over his body. “I told you—““I don’t want to hear, I told you so. You promise to find a cure. What ideas have you got? I have given you access to my full library.” I barked.“I did give you a cure. A stake through her heart.
I slept horribly the first night. Nightmares of the moon turning so bright that all of Astoria disappeared, or of Kent turning then flying up to me and stuffing my mouth with chocolate cake. I woke up every hour, because of the howling I heard throughout the night. At our cottage, because we were so far removed from the village, and because my sisters never changed without the full moon, I barely heard howling. Now—that’s all I heard all night.When Madeline came to wake me up, I was already sitting tired-eyed in my bed—a little too soft for my taste.“Hello, my lady.” She said. “I have a bath ready for you.”“Ok.” I automatically said as I slid out of the bed. Madeline led me to a relatively empty room with a wooden curtain on the side and a steel bathtub, filled with water and flowers in the middle. It smelled divine in there. A mix of flowers, citrusy lemon, and a hint of sandalwood. Madeline turned around and indicated I removed my dress by mocking the removal of her own. I did
Kent’s POVThis was crazy. I had essentially kidnapped a woman–no, she was too immature to be called one. I had no idea what to do with her. So I snapped my fingers and called out, “Max!”Max’s paws pitter-pattered as he walked down the castle steps and met me at the side, right underneath the creature's tower where I was pacing.“Release,” I commanded. The wolf turned into a man. I handed him his clothes. “I did the wrong thing, didn't I?”“No, not at all, sire. It was a great idea to have a wolf rider in your castle!” Max sarcastically said.“She doesn't even know what she is!” I said. The guilt I had been feeling about this particular fact had resurfaced. To the creature, I had ripped her away from her home for no reason. Maybe she thinks it's because she is human—half-human—but that factor made this very complicated. Now she was under my protection. A human. Someone I didn't just vow not to hurt but protect. “That doesn't make her any less dangerous. Until we tame her. She is—a t
“Wow,” I said and it echoed back to me. I was in the foyer of the castle. It was a long hallway and alongside the walls, gold-framed paintings of old men hung lazily. Kent and Max were in front of me, leading the way. “Max, I am sure you are tired.” Kent snapped his fingers and a giggling young girl ran up to him.“Ser,” she bowed. “Clothes for Max.” He simply said. The girl disappeared and another appeared in her place with a set of clothes. “Turn the other way,” Kent said to me. I did as I was told. So did the other girl.“Max release,” Kent commanded, I slightly turned my head to see the dog, whose back I was riding a few moments ago, reassembled as a man. He was skinny, short, and looked tired. His eyes were dull, but kind. His hair was dirty red and shaggy but not in a purposeful way like Kent's. He looked quite messy. The rags Kent had ordered—loose brown pants and an even looser white blouse—didn’t help Max any. “Take her to her room. Lock her in there till we can figure som
“We are walking there?” I wined. “I travel transformed usually.”“Oh I have an idea, why don’t you transform and run back to your castle, and I just stay here? Win-win.” I sarcastically said. He glared back at me. “How long is the walk?” “Two hours if we cut through the forest.” “I am not allowed in the forest,” I said.“I am allowing it. My permission is the only one you need now.” He barked. “My permission is the only one you need now.” I mocked. “Start moving!” I barked back.He started walking without arguing back. So fast I could barely keep up. “Wait! Wait up.” I yelled. “Wait for me!” He slowed down, giving me a chance to catch up to him. He was right at the entrance of the forest which wasn’t far from our cottage. “Don’t ever, ever, command me like that again.” He said. His black-red eyes are more red than black now. “I wasn’t commanding,” I said, taken aback. “I was just joking.”“I want you to quietly follow behind me. Not another word till we get to the castle.”
“This isn’t fair. You can’t do this.” I cried. My face was buried into my purple bed covers that were getting stained with tears. While Marianna, who’s lap my head was resting on, stroked my hair. The revelation from earlier was still fogging up my brain but the news that came after was worse. After the beaded bracelet on my arms turned green, I rushed home, expecting my mother to explain things further. I was a mess. Confused. Lost about who I was. In disbelief. Mother did no such thing. As soon as I walked in, I was told I had two hours to pack and be ready to leave. Kent was waiting for me in the living room. “You hate me so much that you want to kick me out?” I tried using guilt to get her to stop. “Mother, does she have to go? I know you said she was to go to the castle to learn the ins and outs for me so I am ready to be his mate, but can’t I just go do that?”“It’s improper. Full moon for a wolf is no laughing matter. Especially a male wolf. Kent doesn’t want to lose control