The Cruel Prince of Wolves

4

Val breathed her scent. It seemed like forever ago since he had been this close to her, touched her, smelled her and felt his heart wrenched. He had missed her so much that it hurt.

He tried to put his arms around her but Ramona denied him quickly pushing him away, she wanted nothing but to keep the distance between them.

"Ramona, please!"

She heard the pain in his voice and saw the hurt in his eyes. Val had not bothered to hide it from his usual mask. He's usually a picture of control and discipline, he cannot show weakness as the future king and alpha of his kingdom. She hardly cared. She couldn't get herself to feel anything, no sympathy, no pity, not for him. No! He's the one who put himself in this situation. She wanted to ask if he felt bad at all, if he thought about her suffering as she tried to stay alive alone in the streets for years? Anger rose like flame burning into her veins, trembling just trying to keep her voice from shaking. "The last I know, you're the one who got rid of me."

Val was silent. He felt guilt over what he had done. He wished there's something he could have done to make things different. "You don't understand. If I could have done something else, you know I would have, Ramona."

She pushed him away.

"Believe me, Ramona! You know I would have."

"You don't know what I went through."

He did, even as he sent her away, he never lost his sights on her. "Don't you think I wasn't the one who sent help on those times when you have no shelter or nothing to eat? I sent people to look after you. I made them drop coins on places I know you're familiar with. I had merchants hand you clothing when your clothes got torn and hand you food when you're on the verge of hunger. Not once you starved. Your pockets were never empty and I even arranged for you to have a permanent shelter but you're the one who wouldn't stay in one place. Why did you think the palace guards were so few and scattered tonight?"

Then it all clicked to her, he had been expecting her. She placed her hand on her mouth, eyes wide and round. Staring at him with anger that she suddenly possessed. She doesn't understand. Why banish her at all when he's going to look after her?

Val continued. "I know you were coming for me tonight so I let you get close."

She pushed him again. Hard. "You asshole! This is all your doing!" He staggered a few steps back. Val's eyes widened, surprised at her strength that he had to catch himself before he fell backwards. It's nearly impossible for humans to knock a werewolf down and it's even harder to make an Alpha stagger. He doesn't recall her being this strong, Ramona never possessed any supernatural strength. She is human. Even when she fought Lucian, Val noticed her speed, she'd been faster and been able to go against his strongest lieutenant. Her speed and strength. He has no clue how she acquired it and it bothered him. Nothing ever slipped his notice. He had her trailed and watched day and night and yet, this change escaped him. How?

Her fist connected to his perfectly symmetrical jaw, stirring him out of his thoughts. Satisfaction rippled in her chest, rolling her shoulders and smiling. Good! He deserved to be punched in the face. "You treat me like an object you can subject to anything you want. You don't treat people like that, Val! I was your wife! And you threw me away like a piece of trash." She screamed. "I don't even know what I did to deserve any of it!"

Pain lashed out at her. She had forgotten all about her injuries. Lucian must have fractured a rib. She grunted and recoiled at the pain. It hurts to breathe all of a sudden that she struggled to keep her balance.

Val was on her immediately, steadying her with his arms wrapped around her. "Don't move."

She pushed him away but the pain only got worse. Val did not let go. Ramona gritted her teeth. "Damn you!"

"Hang on, I'm going to move you." He said carefully he doesn't know what other abilities she can do. Witches can grant temporary magic afterall. And he doesn't know what kind of trouble she stumbled herself into. He just wished it wasn't so bad, he can do a lot as the prince of wolves, but there are other kingdoms besides his. The Court of Fairies, Vampires, Orks, Elves, Witches, and not to mention Hell. The worst kingdom of all, he shuddered at the thought of seven heathen princes! Val doesn't even want to think about the kind of evil they could unleash on someone like her.

Val slid one hand under her knees and the other on her back. He lifted her easily like she weighed nothing at all. Val has always been unnaturally strong, being a werewolf and all.

He laid her gently on the bed, brushing his lush lips on her forehead.

"Aren't you going to have me arrested?" Ramona asked.

"Don't worry about getting arrested."

"I tried to kill you."

"And you failed miserably."

Ramona frowned at that. She would have been successful if she didn't have to fight Lucian. "You know, it's considered cowardice hiding behind your lieutenant."

"Do you honestly think you can kill me?" He barked out a laugh. Even with her enhanced abilities, he knew she would be too weak compared to him. "As a matter of fact, he lowered himself to the bed and leaned beside her. He reached for the sword by her feet where he had placed it earlier. He handed it to Ramona and dared her to finish what she came to do.

She angled the blade on his neck and pressed. Her hand steady as she watched his pulse beat calmly. Val was not afraid of her, he didn't think she had it on her.

Ramona wanted him to take her seriously hissing as she gritted her teeth, fighting some sense in her to rip his head off.

Common girl, this is what you came here to do. Just do it.

But she can't. She's a fool to come here thinking she can kill him.

Val was right. She doesn't have it in her.

Hiss of frustration. Ramona withdrew the blade away from his neck. "The moment had passed,"

Val's laughter echoed inside the rooms, pulling the cover on top of her. "Rest, Ramona. I'll have the healer come and see you immediately."