Cinderella And The Wolf Prince (Shifter Tales Book 1)

Chapter Five

     I was awakened by shouting. At first I couldn't understand, but then I remembered where I was and what I was running from.

     I then knew what the shouting was.

     The Prince had found me.

***

     She was close, I could smell her sweet scent. My wolf was in control and he was on a rampage trying to get to our mate. 

     My men were shouting at him to calm down before we saw her, but that only agitated my wolf further. He wanted his mate. Now.

     My wolf was large and black. Our teeth were like pearls and our claws were like obsidian. I didn't want to scare her, but my wolf was so far gone, trying to get him to recede to the back of my head was impossible.

     He stalked toward the cave where we could smell her, but her scent was not the only one present. There were three deer. One doe, one buck, and one fawn. This was their home, their scents were all over the place, except for the fawn, she was a recent addition.

     As he entered the cave, we spotted my mate opening her eyes. She was waking up now and when she spotted me, I smelt her slight fear, but there wasn't a lot. She knew it was me to some extent.

     Mate. Mine. My mate.

     My wolf slowly walked toward her, leaving room for the deer to feel safe, and plopped down beside her. He snuggled up to her and enclosed her in the warmth from his thick pelt of fur.

     Mate, mine, safe.

***

     I thought that he would be mad. I never expected to spoon with a wolf.

     He was huge. Larger than normal wolves by far. If I had to guess, I would say that he was the size of a large horse.

     His fur was so soft, I couldn't resist rubbing my face against it and nuzzling in further. Once I did, I could hear a strange rumbling noise coming from the wolf.

     Wolves don't purr, do they?

     I couldn't think about it too much, I was so comfortable that all I wanted to do was go back to sleep.

     I hadn't eaten in two days and what food I did have was old and I had shared it with the mice in my room.

     I could feel myself drifting away, even as I tried to fight it. My eyes drifted shut and my heart beat slowed.

     My last thought before the darkness surrounded me was, "So this is how it feels to die."

***

     Everything was wonderful. My mate didn't pull away, but tried to get closer and relaxed into me.

     I could see her drifting to sleep, but when her heart slowed I finally noticed how thin she was. I was surprised that the doctors neglected to tell me how malnourished she was.

     She needed treatment. Now.

     I gathered her in my now human arms and raced back toward the castle. My wolf was howling in my head, but he knew that this was the fastest way to save her.

     Stay strong little mate. You will be fine.