Page 25 of Promised to the Alpha Prince

“No,” he said.

I winced again.

“That is, I mean, I don’t wish you to try,” he said. “It’s… nice.”

Like my dress.

He picked up his fork. “I spoke to Johannes earlier, you see. I want you to understand that I never meant to create a torture chamber for you. That’s not my intention. And, I don’t know, I suppose I’m being selfish about it. I’ve never done this before. I’ve never shared—well, Nikolai, but that’s…” He swallowed, stabbing his green beans with his fork determinedly. “I’m only trying to say that if you really want—need—alpha tending, I’m perhaps wrong to deny you it. It’s, um, tradition in Valhn for the wedding night to be the first time, and I know I don’t have to follow the tradition, but I want… I have an idea that it will be better if I wait, you see? There’s something to be said for savoring something you want, for putting it off, and then—when you get it—it’s all the sweeter, but I don’t… I don’t need to impose that on you.”

I didn’t even know what to say. So, then I said the worse thing. “Torture chamber? What?”

He blushed. All over, bright red.

I couldn’t help it. I put my hand on his arm, what I meant to be a reassuring touch. But when we touched, it was like something exploded inside me, and we both jerked back at it, gasping.

He rubbed the side of his neck, lips parted, gazing at me in a sort of dazed way.

I winced again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that would happen.”

He drew in a shuddering breath and turned away from me. “I am a colossal idiot.”

“Your Highness? Dmitri, I mean. No, you’re not. I definitely don’t think—”

“Don’t,” he said.

I drew back. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re still doing it,” he said, exasperated. “Stop acting as if you’re doing anything wrong. You’re fine. You’re… look at you.” He threw up his hands. “What was I thinking? Us eating together in public? Why did I think that would go well?”

I didn’t say anything. I wanted to be reassuring, but he didn’t seem to like being reassured.

He got up from his chair, tossing his napkin down on the table.

Everyone in the room got up too, the scrape of chairs on the floor loud. I stood as well, as quickly as I could.

He glared out at them. “Sit down, everyone.”

Everyone sat down, and it was utterly silent.

I slowly started to sit down too, but then he turned to look at me, and I stopped and straightened. I cowered there, under his gaze.

He looked me over. “Tonight. Alone. You and me. That would be better.”

“O-of course, Your Highness,” I said in a tiny voice.

He turned on his heel and stalked out of the dining room, and there was no sound but the echo of his footsteps on the floor.

I sank down in my chair, feeling as if someone had dropped a piano on my head.

7

nikolai

“HOW’D IT GO?” I was lounging in Dmitri’s bedchamber, tablet on my lap. I’d been in the middle of playing some ridiculous online game, something where you had to try to line up little dots and not let them fill up the screen. It was mindless and occupying, and I wasn’t allowed to go to formal royal functions, so I couldn’t be at the luncheon.

Dmitri stormed into his room, tearing at his tie, his scent like a coming thunderstorm.

“So, very well, I take it,” I said lightly, giving him a little grin.

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