Page 68 of Wolf Caged (Bound to the Shadow King #1)

“Have it?” I said, knowing exactly what she was talking about but wanting to hear her say it.

She was almost shy as she said, “The beast.”

I smirked. “It is not really a beast, and you need not fear me when I am like that. I am fully in control, just as you are when you are in your wolf form. It merely makes me stronger, faster?—”

“More dangerous,” she put in.

I shrugged that off. “As does your wolf.”

She toyed with my hand, pressing the tips of her fingers against mine. “So is everyone here capable of what you did?”

I nodded. “All unseelie have another side, as do all seelie. Whose side is more dangerous is a matter of perspective. The seelie are as dangerous—as dark—as we are… but more devious, employing lies to cover the vicious truth of them.”

She frowned up at me. “You really don’t like the seelie.”

I shook my head, seeing no reason to conceal my hatred of them.

“Because they’re sworn enemies of the unseelie?” She was probing, her look curious as she studied me, seeking the deeper truth of my feelings for the other half of this world.

I hiked my shoulders again. “Among other reasons. None of which I particularly feel like talking about right now.”

“Hint taken.” She smiled and dropped my hand. “Good night, Kaeleron.”

It was my turn to stop her.

“Your wolf shares your hair colour. Is that normal?” I was not sure what I had expected her to look like as a wolf, but I had been shocked by the sight of her, so white as snow. As the moon.

So ethereal and beautiful, as if she had been made to walk in my world.

She shrugged her slender shoulders. “It’s pretty common. My mother is almost as blonde as I am, but her wolf is more of a tan colour. And Dad has mousy hair like Riordan, but his wolf is brown. But Everlee… my best friend… she’s a redhead in human and wolf form.”

She came and leaned against the doorframe close to me, her eyes brightening as she thought about her pack, radiating bewitching warmth that had me leaning opposite her, closer still.

“Chase… now he’s blond with blue eyes, but his wolf is tan with golden eyes. And Morden has dark brown hair and grey eyes, but his wolf is black… and huge.” Her eyes widened as she said those last two words. “He’s probably the biggest wolf in our pack.”

“Is Morden another of your cousins?” I growled, not liking how her demeanour had changed abruptly as she had shifted between the two males. Chase had elicited warmth, but this Morden, he seemed to elicit something else.

“Good gods, no.” She laughed those words. “No. He’s my friend. I’ve known him my whole life and he serves as one of the pack protectors.”

“A warrior?”

She nodded.

I did not like the sound of that, or how she looked when I asked, “Were you close?”

“We are close.” She frowned at me, easing back a few inches, hurt flashing in her eyes. “You speak of Morden like I’m never going to see him again.”

If I had my way, she would not.

“Did you really send word to my pack?” she said, watching me closely, as if I would lie to her about such a thing. I nodded. Relief washed across her delicate features and some of the tension in her shoulders faded. “Have you heard back from them yet?”

I shook my head this time. “I have not heard from my messenger yet.”

“Doesn’t that worry you?” She inched closer to me again, a desperate kind of look in her eyes, swirled with concern.

“Not at all. Navigating the mortal world can be difficult for fae at times. It is likely the messenger is on his way home, travelling between the waygates that act as portals between our worlds, and will bring word of your pack soon.”

She sighed and sagged against the doorframe. “I miss them. I miss Everlee, and Morden and Chase. I miss my mother and father. I miss them all.”

Each word was a blade in my heart, one that twisted deep and leaked poison, but I refused to feel bad about what I had done. I had spared her from a life of torment and torture, had given her freedom and had even gone as far as training her, helping her hone her skills and her strength.

And yet she still wanted to return to her pack.

That I could not understand.

“You still long for home, to return to a place where you felt caged? To people who allowed you to be captured and sold?” I frowned down at her, trying to understand why she would want such a thing, when she had railed at me about keeping my people caged to protect them.

“You despise how the wolf who sold you had caged you… despised how I did the same thing at first… yet you would willingly subject yourself to a cage by returning to your pack?”

She glared at me, anger flaring in her eyes as her lips flattened. “That is my home!”

Those words lacked conviction.

Her gaze wandered to the windows behind her. To the world beyond them. To my court.

My home.

Sensing she would lash out if I pushed her on this subject, and slowly growing aware of her reasons for wanting to return to her pack—a desire born out of a sense of duty and loyalty more than love—I retreated into the hall behind me, giving her space.

“I am taking over your training.”

Her gaze whipped to me.

“But there will be no training tomorrow. You are free to do as you please, but know that Jenavyr and Riordan will be overseeing new recruits coming in from the lowlands and Belkarthen, so my sister will not be available to escort you into town. Meaning you will be adventuring alone if you choose to go down into the city. I do recommend you remain within the city walls.”

“So you’re ordering me to not leave Falkyr. Got it.” She looked pleased by that as she wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped back into the room, as if it was more freedom than she had expected, and then she canted her head, her gaze raking over me. “What will you be doing?”

“Oh, you will be spending time with me. No need to fret about that. But alas… I have meetings all day, so you will have to survive without my company until evening.” I summoned my shadows, drawing them to me as my focus shifted to my rooms and I prepared to teleport there.

“You will dine with me and tell me of your day… so do make it interesting.”

As I disappeared into the inky darkness swirled with golden starlight, she muttered sarcastically.

“Yes, my king.”

Her king.

I growled at that, hunger ripping through me at the thought of her being mine, a wild need to possess her flooding me and demanding I return to her.

And finish what we had started in the glade.

Claiming what was mine.