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But I have no chance to process any of this as the Prince suddenly dips low, his shoulder pressing hard into my stomach. I gasp in sudden surprise and fear as he stands, lifting me high so that my front half dangles over his back, my legs kicking out in front of him for a moment before he wraps one steady arm around the back of my thighs.

And starts to stride towards the exit.

My gasp of shock turns into one of rage and embarrassment as I realize that the Crown Prince of Clythera iscarryingme back to the palace like a sack of damn potatoes.

“Let me go!” I shriek, doing my best to sit up or wriggle off his shoulder and failing completely. “You jackass! Put me down!”

“Calm down, Nadia!” Cole bites back, tightening his arm around my legs as he strides toward the exit, his pace determined, not even glancing at the hundreds of flashes that go off as people begin to take pictures. “You’re making a scene and embarrassingbothof us!”

But I’m too fucking mad to care. I let out one final, long, extended shriek of rage and despair, smacking at his back with my palms as best as I can, seething as the man who has claimed me as his mate carries me out into the sunlight – away from my boat – away from the respite of the country across the bay and home.

But even as I stop shrieking, stop pounding my fists against his back in a wasted effort to be put down, determination settles in me.

Because this Alpha Prince can carry me off any pier he wants. But he can never,evermake me love him. Or respect him. Or marry him or be his mate, whatever that means.

No, those are things I will never,everdo.

“You can fucking bite me, Cole Kincaid,” I grumble, bouncing gracelessly over his shoulder, pissed as hell but totally without recourse to do anything about it.

“Beg all you want, Nadia,” he growls. “But I wouldn’t expect that to happen anytime soon.”

I heave an angry breath as the Alpha Prince carries me off to a waiting town car and packs me away inside.

Chapter 3 – Volunteer

Cole

I take a deep breath, forcing thoughts of Nadia from my mind as my eyes focus on my father at the front of the room. He’s debriefing his generals and counselors on the assault we’re beginning on the Children of Solace – a separatist group turned cult that we’ve recently discovered has been harming our citizens. And I know it’s important, but goddamnam I distracted.

My wolf howls in my soul,urgingme to go to hernow.I pet a mental hand over his fur, urging him to calm.

“We’ll take any military volunteers we can get,” dad murmurs, leaning over a page full of data regarding the numbers we need,my sister Iris at his side, bending over to look as well. “We need some to aid reconnaissance teams as they collect information on the Children of Solace, and a smaller party to protect aid workers as they provide their unique assistance.”

I keep my eyes focused on my dad as my brother elbows me in the side. “No doubts about which crew you’ll be volunteering for, right?” Jude murmurs, smirking. “Considering that’s what Nadia signed up for after you dragged her back from the ferry and her dadhauledher ass out of here?”

I turn my head just slightly to glare at him. “Shut up, Jude.”

“Nah,” Jude says with a happy sigh, grinning at me. “Everyone has way more fun when I talk.”

I snarl, thinking that that’s certainly not true, especially considering what happened when I declared that Nadia was my mate two weeks ago.

God, Jude can be…such a fucking ass. How can he be barely a year younger than me and knownothingabout responsibility? Iris glances over at me from dad’s side, hearing my snarl, her face turning anxious.

I sigh, thinking that stressing out Iris isn’t worth it. She’s too sweet.

Dad glances at Iris – his favorite - and then raises his eyes to me. I step away from Jude, taking the opportunity as it presents itself. “I’d like to volunteer,” I say, nodding to him. “For the guard duty.”

Dad stands to his full formidable height, crossing his arms over his broad chest, looking every bit the Alpha King he is. “You realize that you’re wasted on guard duty, Cole,” he says, his voice grim and slightly displeased. “With your education and military experience –“

“I’m needed there,” I say, shaking my head slowly, letting him know with the steadiness of my gaze that I’mdoingthis no matter how hard he fights me on it.

Dad smirks and looks back down at his papers. “Fine. I’m making you Captain, though. It’s not going to be all fun and games as you chase after your…personal interests.”

My cheeks flush slightly as dad not only sees through my ruse but comes very close to making my personal information public to everyone in the room. I don’t even have to look at Jude beside me to know that he’s grinning wickedly, pleased to have his suspicions confirmed.

“So,” Jude whispers, leaning close. “Nadia will be under your command – where you can order her to do all sorts of –“

“Would you shut up?” I snarl, turning and cuffing him on the back of the head – not hard enough to fully hurt, but certainly enough to let him know that I’m serious.