The Cruel Prince of Wolves

9

It was well known in the Wolf Kingdom that the crown prince's mate is human. Even though none of her portraits was ever distributed to the land. She was rarely seen in public and hardly anyone knew what she looked like except for the ones who are in close relationship with the royals and the palace. For her safety, a lot of precautions had to be put in place since the kingdom of wolves is never short of enemies. There are vampires who wish to destroy all werewolves out of sheer hatred for the species, witches that would lay curses upon wolves out of spite, demon princes that dreamed of making slaves out of them. It seemed the Court of Faeries was the only realm that didn't harbor hatred against werewolves. They usually kept to themselves, the Faeries don't have natural enemies besides their own kind. The Seelie and Unseelie have been at war with each other ever since the beginning of time.

A parade was held outside the palace, it's part of the long tradition of the monarch to greet and meet commoners annually in the streets. Val rode in a luxurious open carriage made of pine wood, painted with charcoal and embossed with golden carvings of the royal crest. He raised his hand and waved to the lines of people that crowded the streets. Prince Valerian had been adored by his people from the moment he was born. The future king of wolves blessed by the goddess Luna. Lilibeth took the spot beside him, gleaming with her eloquent beauty and blinding simper. She wore a delicate crown placed upon her head like a dashing princess parading before the worshiping commoners. Her chin held primly and her shoulders proud, hand clasped tightly with the prince like she's afraid someone might snatch him away from her.

Ramona snorted in dismay, glaring as the slow parade made its way inside the gates and jutted her chin, her nose flared expelling an outraged breath. Her cheeks flushed red. There must've been two dozen ways she imagined murdering Val and Lilibeth from the time their carriage entered the gates and passed in front of her. He has no shame doing this in front of her.

"Breathe, Mona. You're starting to look like an angry bull ready to crush everyone who got in her way." Someone commented. "If you don't breathe, you might pass out and I may have to give you mouth to mouth. That means I'll have to place my lips upon yours and that might make my dearest older brother ballistic." It was Renin who stood beside her watching the same funeral-like parade make its way past the gates. "I don't know why you bother watching them. You'll have a better time watching flies feast on dung."

Ramona grimaces in disgust. Of all the things he could compare it to, it had to be something gross, but that's just like Renin to say something like that. He's the kind of person who likes to get a strong reaction from people.

His gaze arrested on his brother, he made sure to give Val a disappointing look as the carriage passed in front of them. Val on the other hand tried his best not to let his eyes stray on either Ramona or Renin.

"Renin!" She gasped. She didn't even notice the prince show up. She must've been too angry to be distracted. Although she would not underestimate his stealth because Renin is more than a capable predator and about as deadly as his older brother.

"Sister!" Renin greeted with a large grin. His large almond eyes squeezed into slits, his mouth which is wide and plump like a ripe fruit is stretched handsomely. He does not have the same striking harshness of Val's features. Renin has softer jaws, higher cheeks, lighter skin, slimmer nose, and long lighter shade of brown hair that has streaks of red and gold that made the coat of his wolf a beautiful sight to behold.

Renin is the younger brother of Val. Him and Ramona are the same age with Renin being older by a few months. He's almost the same height as Val but slender built. He threw his arms around her laughing. "Sister! I heard you were back."

She giggled inside his arms. "Yes, I've been back for over a week."

"I must apologize." Renin said letting go. "I have been tasked to be a diplomat between two rival packs or I would have been the one to greet you first as soon as you got back."