Page 5

CAELAN

“Livia’s a pretty name,” a fae said, one hand in his pocket as he leaned against the counter. He held out his opposite hand for Livia to take, and she threw me a smirk and shook it. “I’m Roger.”

It had taken us several hours of traveling through Dreadmire to arrive in Capital City, where the wedding ceremony and games were being hosted, and as soon as we fucking stepped foot into the lobby of where we’d stay… someone was already hitting on Livia.

“Well, Roger,” she giggled, really emphasizing it for me. “It’s nice to meet you.”

I balled my hands into tight fists, trying to keep my cool in front of Marcus so he wouldn’t know how much his fucking daughter affected me. We had been here for less than five minutes, and she already had someone all over her. She’d told me that she would, and I didn’t believe her.

Truly, I didn’t think she’d flirt in front of her father.

But here I fucking was: watching her and wanting to rip that motherfucker apart.

After she threw me another taunting glance with her eyes lit up like this was some sort of game, I averted my gaze to Marcus. I had to restrain myself because I couldn’t have her. She couldn’t shift, but I didn’t care about that.

What I cared about was the Whispering Pines Pack.

They had been pestering us for years now, even more since Livia had joined our pack several months ago. We had been preparing for them to attack, but they hadn’t. Yet . Still, if they knew my mate couldn’t shift, they’d target her .

“Was this one of the guys you were telling me about?” I asked him.

Marcus chuckled. “One of the many that will be here today.”

“But him? He’s a bellhop,” I said, looking over at Roger, who had his finger curled around a strand of her hair, twisting it. A low growl left my mouth, and I stepped between them. “You’re dismissed. I’ll take care of our belongings.”

Eyes widening, Roger bowed his head and scurried away.

“What the hell was that for?” Livia exclaimed behind me, glaring up at me with those pretty green eyes. She poked me hard in the chest. “Excuse me, but you and Dad agreed that I needed to find someone else.”

“Not him,” I said through my teeth, then lowered my voice so Marcus couldn’t hear. “And I didn’t agree to any of that shit.”

She crossed her arms. “Well, if you can find someone else, then I can too.”

“Caelan’s right. You don’t want a luggage boy to be your mate,” Marcus said.

I nodded and stepped away because if I stayed this close to her, then I would surely lose it. My wolf had been on edge ever since we’d stepped into the capital. “You should wait until you actually find him.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll have to wait for him, but I think I’ll be waiting forever at this rate,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me. Then she scanned the room of royalty. “So I might as well have a little fun, right?”

“You’re not going to fucking embarrass us here,” I snarled.

She shrugged. “Then you should’ve let me stay home.”

My wolf fucking begged me to let him out so he could claim her right here and right now. It had gotten harder and harder and even fucking harder the more time that passed after I met her. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold myself back.

I wanted this war with Soren from the Whispering Pines to be fucking over with so I could make her mine for once and for all.

“A quick way to get rid of me,” Livia joked, but it didn’t come off that way to me.

Someone would have to fucking kill me before Livia left my pack.

“Alpha Caelan,” someone said to my right, and my body stiffened, recognizing his scent.

Marcus squared his shoulders beside me, and I turned around to see Elijah, Soren’s son and successor to the Whispering Pines Pack once I finally killed his father. I pressed my lips together and scanned the room for Soren.

It’d be disrespectful to start shit here, but I wouldn’t put it past Soren.

“How’re you doing?” Elijah asked.

“Who’s asking?” Livia said, stepping to my side.

My nails extended into claws inside my fists. She knew who he was.

Elijah’s gaze traveled from me to Livia and then lingered, his lips curling into a small smile. “Elijah. My father is Alpha Soren from the Whispering Pines Pack. And who might this cutie be?”

Livia stiffened for the slightest moment, and if she’d had any fucking sense, she’d have stepped behind me, but instead she smiled back at him. To taunt me . Then she held out her hand. “I’m Livia, Marcus’s daughter.”

Elijah looked from Livia to me, to Marcus, then back. “Well, Livia, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around. Maybe tonight, if you’re free.”

“She won’t be,” I said.

“Yeah,” Livia said, peering up at me with those bratty eyes. “Maybe tonight.”