The Prince's Mate

Chapter 27

Bennett avoided me like the plague for several days to follow. He didn't even bother to try to get me to do my 'princess duties'. I fell right back into my old habits of sleeping, reading, and eating most of my day away.

Part of me was glad he was avoiding me. I didn't know how I felt about the kiss, even though it had barely happened at all. Wasn't I supposed to be against him in all forms? Didn't I hate him for all I was worth and was I really going to let a few quiet talks at night sway my opinion of him? Maybe he was just acting like he was so he could fool me into loving him, into saying that I would never leave him and then he would become just like his awful father. I wanted more, I wanted to be tangled up with him on our bed like real mates, I wanted him to mark me as his own, but I wasn't sure if that would change how he treated me. I also didn't know if I just wanted these things because he had sparked the lust I had been trying so hard to ignore.

Another part of me dreaded that he was ignoring me. I was quite a confrontational person and a talkative one. I wanted to discuss what had happened like adults; I wanted to find out what it meant and where he wanted it to lead. But I also felt completely rejected. I had barely seen him since we kissed and it made me wonder if he was second guessing his actions. Maybe I had been too eager and scared him off, or maybe the kiss made him realize that he truly hated me and wanted nothing to do with me.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I was sick of being cooped up in this stupid palace by myself with nothing to occupy me but my own thoughts. And now that my thoughts were less than pleasant I couldn't even convince myself to stay here a moment longer. I slammed the front double doors open and stomped down the steps.

"Princess! You must remain in the house, Prince's orders!" A guard yelled.

"I don't care!" I shouted back, just as I began to shift.

In seconds I was standing on four paws instead of two feet and my average looking wolf took off full speed. I didn't know where I was supposed to go, but I knew that I had to run off some steam at the very least. My wolf was so restless; she hadn't been out since the incident when I first got here because I feared there would be similar consequences whenever I shifted. But now I didn't care about the consequences. I just had to get away for a while.

I ended up running towards the thick forest that was just behind the stables with guards shouting and chasing me, some of them shifting so they could catch up. I knew I had no chance against them, this was their turf and my wolf was weak because I had become so lazy since I arrived here. Still, I ran like hell.

The forest was quite thin and not very wild; there were no interesting scents to track, no creeks to splash into and no fallen logs to leap over. It was on royal property so I was unsure of why I expected anything less than a perfectly groomed forest, but my ears flopped to the side slightly in disappointment. There was nowhere to let my wolf loose and truly allow her to be animalistic and free, even just for a few minutes.

My wolf's gait slowed to an easy lope and all of the guards quickened their pace, thrilled to see that I was tiring out, but what they didn't expect was for me to spin around on my haunches and run back towards them, back towards the palace grounds. Many of them had to grind to a halt before flipping around and chasing me in the opposite direction, but seeing as I was going back home they became confused all over again. Luckily, this time, their confusion meant they kept their distance.

My wolf gave out a little huff of frustration as we neared the palace again. I suppose there would be no exciting, stress releasing run today. I would just have to wait for another day or maybe ask Donovan to take me somewhere far away where my wolf could actually just be a wolf for once.

When I neared the house I noticed that Bennett was standing on the front steps with two guards frantically explaining what happened, seeming panicked beyond words. Though, in all fairness, with a cruel king and an unpredictable princess I could see why they would be so uneasy. But then my stomach soured when I saw the king himself standing behind Bennett, his arms crossed over his chest, looking furious.

I was about to turn around, but Bennett's eyes found me, then his father's, and eventually the guard's as well. If I ran now I would have two of the strongest werewolves tailing me and my chances of getting away were slimmer than slim. So I trotted right up to my doom and sat on the bottom step, panting quietly.

"She should be collared again because clearly she didn't learn the first time." the king snarled, already reaching for my scruff.

"She just went for a run." Bennett argued, stepping in front of me, "It's been a very long time since she let her wolf out she probably couldn't take it anymore. It's not like she was running away or causing problems, she came right back home after she got all of her energy out." He reached up and rubbed my cheek gingerly and I closed my eyes in bliss for added effect, as if I was totally in love with him.

"Well, did she ask you if she could go for a run today?" the king demanded, still seething.

"No, she didn't." Bennett said flatly, "But I haven't told her that she needs to ask permission for letting her wolf out. She didn't know."

"Ignorance is no excuse! She needs to know that you have to give her permission to do whatever it is she feels obligated to do. Your mate has no self-control, and if you don't teach it to her I will!" The king bellowed.

Bennett's hand clenched into a tight fist. I knew he was furious with his father, he wanted an argument, maybe even a physical fight, but he couldn't win. His father was in a position of power, all of these guards that surrounded us would take the king's side far before they toke the prince's.

"I want that mutt collared." The king hissed

"Why, what has she done that is so terrible that she needs to be in agonizing pain for hours?" Bennett demanded, losing his temper.

"She disobeyed you! She was not a good, obedient mate! Do you think they are just born like your mother? No, we men have to make them submissive and it seems to me that you are the submissive one." the king snarled. "Guards! One of you get me the collar."

-s㟫飥

*I've been getting a lot of comments and votes recently so I've been really encouraged to write more and to write longer chapters, hope you enjoy!*