Page 2 of Promised to the Alpha Prince

I remembered the feeling of his fingers on my skin, how brilliant a sensation had coursed through me at his touch, like the spark of fireworks against the dark winter sky of the New Year.

But he wasn’t here.

Here I was, in a very nice dress, standing up on the outer stairs of my family’s estate while all the servants were in several rows in front of me and my parents and sisters stood behind me.

The car had pulled up and the driver was opening the door, but it wasn’t Prince Dmitri getting out of the back. It was Prince Johannes, second in line to the throne, another alpha, and some other man. They were both not even wearing suits, just casual clothing. They had on jeans, for goodness sake.

Prince Johannes had dark hair pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, stubble on his chin, and the same sort of startlingly blue eyes as Prince Dmitri. Did everyone in Valhn have such blue eyes?

He hurried up the steps to me, with the other man coming behind him, and Johannes was talking as he climbed to me. “We had no idea we were going to be formally received, Princess Aurelie. You have to forgive me, because if I’d gotten word, I would not be wearing this. You must be incredibly insulted. You should think of a very inventive way to punish me.” He grinned at me, blue eyes sparkling. “I deserve it.”

“Not insulted,” I said. “It’s fine. Your clothes are perfectly, erm, fine.”

Johannes snickered. “We’ll change,” he said. “Pop right upstairs if you can spare a room? We do have luggage. They’re insisting we stay overnight on the way to the capital.”

“But it’s only a four-hour drive,” I said.

“Yes, well, princess, we couldn’t have you sitting for too long,” he said, giving me a sly grin.

“I’m not a princess yet,” I said.

“Ah, yes, just a lady, then. Lady Le Blanc, please excuse the oversight of our not coming to greet you properly. We are wretched in our guilt,” said Prince Johannes, giving me an impish grin, as if we were sharing a secret. “We will go up and change.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said. “I’m the one who should change, really. I should put on traveling clothes.”

“Yes,” spoke up my mother, smooth and coiffed as she came forward, putting her arm around me. She addressed Prince Johannes, “The two of you simply must come into the sitting room for some refreshments, would you?”

Johannes looked out over everyone gathered. “You were expecting Dmitri.”

“Oh, no, he’s quite busy, I’m sure,” said my mother with a laugh. “You mustn’t insult yourself, Prince Johannes. Of course we gather here for you. Having you here is quite an honor.”

“He should have come,” said Johannes, shrugging. “Nikolai, you said so.” He turned to the other man.

This was the first time I got a good look at him. This man didn’t have blue eyes. His eyes were dark, very dark, almost black, but with a sort of hint of something purple in them as they glinted in the light. His hair was short-cropped, nearly black as well, and his face had an angular, animalistic quality to it.

“This is Nikolai Wolff,” said Prince Johannes. “He’s a combined royal adviser and bodyguard, I suppose?”

I wasn’t surprised to hear his name was Wolff. He looked like a wolf, like some sleek, lupine predator. He arched an eyebrow as he caught me looking at him, his expression arrogant. Like what you see? he seemed to say.

I blushed.

“Where are your manners, Aurelie?” said my mother pointedly.

I offered Nikolai Wolff my hand, curtsying.

He seized it, pulling it to his mouth, and he kissed my knuckle.

And the wind shifted, and suddenly, I could scent them both.

I had scented Prince Johannes before, during the contract signing when Prince Dmitri had touched my face. He’d smelled good then—alphas always smelled good—but this, somehow, combined with whatever the scent of Nikolai was, it was too much.

I staggered backward, clutching my chest, my body alight with need and desire.

Both of them went stiff.

I had perfumed, I realized. “Pardon me,” I said in a shaking voice. “I need a moment.” I turned, pushing between my two younger sisters, and scrambled into the house, desperate to get away from their combined scents.

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