Page 13 of Hateful Prince

“You’re a fool. But that won’t stop me from killing you.” I caught the beast in midair, hand clamping around its thick throat as I slammed the large body into the ground.

Unfortunately, he still hit me with the razor-sharp claws on his hind legs, slashing across my belly. The pain didn’t register. In fact, it only fueled my rage, and within moments, the shifter beneath me was nothing more than a pulpy mass of fur and guts. So much for the pelt.

I was still kneeling over my kill when the cub came to inspect it.

“Not so fast,” I murmured, using my body to shield the savage scene beside me. Bits of bone were poking up from the slaughter. I didn’t want it to hurt itself.

And that was how its mother found us. Me bloody, with an arm outstretched toward the cub. Her growl was much more menacing than any the cub had to offer, and she was... not cute. In fact, she was terrifying in her viciousness. It was a thing of beauty.

“Easy now, mama. You have nothing to fear from me.” I kept my voice low and soothing, moving slowly and keeping my hands in plain sight. I had no way of knowing if she’d see the move as a threat, but I could only hope she sensed my sincerity.

The cub made a series of growling chirps and bounded off to its mother. When I didn’t move to follow, she seemed to relax, though I’d have to be stupider than the wolf if I thought that made her any less dangerous. She was all power and muscle, faster than she looked, I was sure.

“I’m going now. I have no quarrel with you. Enjoy your meal.”

She kept her golden eyes locked on me as I backed out of the clearing. My little friend tried to follow me, but she stopped him with a large paw, pinning her cub in place.

“Until we meet again,” I said, eyes still on hers.

The way her head tilted to one side said she was listening. Then she dipped her beak before turning and walking away with her cub still between her legs.

I heaved a sigh and stared at the remnants of the wolf in the clearing. A kill a day keeps the Berserker away. That was what my father always used to say, and until now, I hadn’t truly understood. Hopefully these woods were well stocked, because I had a feeling there were many more of these morning hunts in my future.

It was all part of finding the balance between the beast and the man.

Feeling far more in control after the bloodletting, I made my way back to Blackwood. I paused only long enough at the edge of the forest to ensure I wouldn’t return to my mate empty-handed. She mentioned flowers. Hopefully these would do.

Folks gave me a wide berth as I stalked through the grounds back to Dahlia’s room. I glanced down at my bloody hands and shirt, not finding any issue with either. I was a man on a mission. If they were jealous of my prowess, perhaps they should find their inner monsters in order to win their own mates.

Heart thudding as I reached Dahlia’s door, I glanced hopefully at the bouquet of purple flowers in my fist and forced myself to relax my grip just enough to keep from strangling the blooms. Clods of dirt fell to the floor at my feet from the roots, and I had a brief thought that Joffrey was going to complain about having to clean up after me.

I knocked once, but there was no answer, so I tested the knob, pleased when it opened without issue. That meant she was back. My relief at the knowledge was instantly soured by protective ire. We would be having a conversation about the dangers of leaving her door unlocked.

The sound of the shower explained her lack of answer. Yes, a conversation about safety would most definitely be happening. My mate couldn’t take risks like this when I wasn’t around to protect her. Anyone could’ve come in. For fuck’s sake, there was a killer on the loose.

My breaths came in long, growled drags as I laid the bundle of flowers on her desk. So much for my therapeutic hunt in the woods. I was already keyed up again. I needed to take the edge off, see her and prove to my Berserker that our mate was safe.

Stripping out of my ruined clothes, I left them on the floor before stepping inside the steam-filled bathroom.

I could just make out her shadow on the other side of the curtain.

“Kærasta—”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Cain cut me off, his fully naked form catching me by surprise.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Showering. Do you mind?”

“Where’s Dahlia?” I snarled.

“She was gone when I woke up.”

It was the worst thing he could have said.

“If you’re just going to stand there, can you hand me the soap?”

Correction. That was the worst thing he could have said.

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