The Princess And The Alpha *Excerpt Only*

Wants

"You must be feeling pretty good." Ryan teased. He kept a strong hand on my arm, guiding me towards the bedroom while I laughed dizzily and stumbled around.

"I feel great, I need to drink more often." I mumbled. I knew I was smiling like an idiot. I had never felt like this in my life. I was awfully desensitized, but it was a blissful instead of frightening. I wasn't worried about what my parents were going to say about my mate, what the werewolf community would do in retaliation, or all of the men how would've killed each other for my attention at the gala. I was just a very drunk girl with a guy who was taking care of her.

"That's how alcoholism starts, princess, maybe we should just stick to the occasion drink, yeah?"

"How come you aren't drunk? You've had way more to drink than I have." I pointed out.

"I have an alcohol tolerance." Ryan chuckled. He gave up on trying to limp me around and slipped his arm under my own, supporting most of my weight while he opened the bedroom door. When he looked at me he frowned deeply and I didn't understand why until he gently poked my tongue that was jutting out of my mouth.

"Oh my god." I laughed, "I didn't even realize I had my tongue sticking out!"

"Oh Addy." He sighed. "You are a mess."

"I feel brave." And perhaps I was braver than usual, but certainly not more coordinated because I nearly face planted when Ryan gently encouraged me into the bedroom. Thankfully, I managed to catch myself enough to stagger over to the king sized bed and plop down. "You're really handsome, you know that." I said.

"Oh yeah?" he seemed genuinely surprised, his eyebrows raising, or maybe I was just drunk and imagining things. "Well, I think you're gorgeous."

"I am not." I shot back, suddenly deeply insecure.

"And why not? I think you are the loveliest thing I've ever laid eyes on." Ryan said as he shut the bedroom door.

I tried to look away when he peeled his shirt off his body, but my eyes wouldn't let me. still, his question weighed heavily on my intoxicated mind, "I have European birthing hips."

"What?" he sputtered, trying desperately to cover his laughter up with shock. "Why on earth would you think you had birthing hips. They are not that large, trust me."

"Fine, my nose is upturned, it's ugly."

"I think it's quite cute and charming really. It's a little uncommon, but it definitely doesn't make you less attractive."

He sat down on the bed beside me and I held my breath for a second. He was so handsome with those blue eyes and wild hair. I wanted him to be mine and mine alone. I wanted to be bold enough to mark him right then and there, bind him to me, but I couldn't even hold eye contact, I just stared down at my feet.

"You can't like everything about me." I protested.

"Wrong, princess, I can. Do you like everything about me?"

"Yes."

"My point stands, now come on, let's go to bed."

I just flopped back onto the mattress, causing Ryan to sigh, but I couldn't tell if he was amused or completely frustrated. Still, I didn't move to help or hinder his efforts when he moved me about until he managed to wrestle the blankets on top of my body. When he was satisfied that I was tucked in tight enough he moved to the other side of the bed and slid under the blankets too.

"Are you at least a little drunk?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, just not as drunk as you are." Ryan murmured.

"If you could do anything right now what would it be?"

There was a long silence and I wondered if he had fallen asleep already. Then, he replied.

"There are a lot of things I want to do, but it's more about what I need to do right now."

"No harm can come from you just telling me what you want, right? I probably won't even remember this tomorrow so what's the harm?" I challenged. I rolled towards him and a sigh slipped out of my mouth when our arms pressed together.

There was another silence, but I watched him intently this time. I could almost see the gear turning in his head, thinking about what I had said.

"I want to kiss you so badly." He whispered finally. His voice was rough and nervous.

I couldn't hold back my slight gasp. There were a lot of things I thought he would say. I thought he would say that he wanted to fuck me, he had already confessed that on multiple occasions now. Or maybe that he wanted to go and be with his pack. I even expected him to say he wanted to go back to the castle and kick the shit out of my father, the man who berated him and kept him in a disgusting cell. But I was not anticipating such a heartfelt confession.

"I'm sorry, I know you probably aren't ready." He blurted as I propped myself on my elbow to get a better look at him, "I shouldn't have even told you, the alcohol has just gone to my head."

I took a shaky breath, scared for a brief second. Then I shut my eyes, leaned down and pressed my lips softly to Ryan's. The sensation was not as intense as I expected and I was mortified when I felt him freeze beneath me, worried I had done something wrong. Then relief splashed through me when I felt him move his lips tenderly against mine and a small moan trickled out of his mouth. His hands moved to my back, lightly holding me to him as he continued to kiss me and I desperately tried to keep up.

A second later it was over.

Ryan eased me away from him. We were both breathing quite hard and I was unable to think clearly at all.

"Come here." Ryan whispered, pulling me into his chest and I fell onto him willingly.

I felt my eyes close with tiredness as his breathing rate slowed.