Page 51 of Exiled Prince

As the sun sets, I head downstairs and outside, where my brothers are waiting, laughing with each other as they stand in front of the lush forest surrounding the castle. I must say, I’ve never been here before, but it’s not what I envisioned. The castle is modern, decorated in a lot of white, black, and gold, and surrounded by trees as far as the eye can see. The castle issurrounded by a circle of big standing lights powered by magic. It seems to act as the barrier to where the civilians can wander, with no one entering the castle grounds without permission.

The sun sets early, only a few hours after rising, leaving the kingdom mostly in darkness. The demons normally function in the dark, going about their day, the village lit up with lights covering the trees.

Moving to stand with my pack, I turn to look back at Bane, who is standing there with his arms crossed over his broad shoulders, dressed head to toe in black, silver daggers at his hips, and one big sword across his back. His dark eyes are pinned on me, his hair falling on his forehead. He looks angry almost, his brow furrowed, his lips tight. When he notices me watching him, though, he winks at me.

Winks.

And I grin.

And then I shift, my body morphing into my honey-brown wolf, my fur the same color as my eyes. Three big black wolves surround me. It’s hard to tell Sage and Salem apart in either of their forms. I wouldn’t be able to if I didn’t know their different scents, but Silver has a big silver streak down his chest. They are all way bigger than me, but I’m fast. Jumping on top of Silver, I give him a big lick across his face and then sprint away, with all of them chasing me.

We spend the next few hours running, hunting, and playing. I needed this—to connect with my wolf. I don’t shift as often as I should, and when I get further into my pregnancy, I won’t be able to. I always pictured myself being bonded with a shifter, but Bane is more than I ever imagined. The whole knot thing kind of scared me anyway.

We all stand in a line, growling toward the trees, when we hear another wolf approaching.

Stay behind us,Salem growls in my mind.

Huffing, I stand my ground, not wanting to cower behind them.

Saylor,Silver snaps in my head.

Sage playfully nips at my legs in warning.

But when the large black wolf comes closer, we know him instantly. I’m the first to run up to him, nuzzling his snout.Shadow.

Emotion fills me.

I’ve waited for this moment for so long, my big brother back where he belongs.

Saylor,he whispers through the mind link, his voice hoarse like it hasn’t been used in some time.I missed you so much, little pup.He licks the top of my head, only stopping when the other three push me out of the way to greet him.

You’re okay?I ask him, laying my head on the grass and making a whining sound that gets his attention. He rushes over and lays next to me, our bodies touching. Bane updated me on what he gathered during the rescue, which was that King Bax had something to do with Shadow’s disappearance.

I am now.

And then he tells us what happened.

King Bax and Xan were friends, and Xan happily agreed to hide Shadow in the Demon Kingdom, where he was used for his magic to see into the past. Xan forced him to dig up dirt on everyone, using it as blackmail to get what he wanted. It should have been called the Kingdom of Blackmail.

He kept me in line by threatening to hurt Laurel. You know how King Bax treats her, and I didn’t want to make it any worse for her.

We could have helped,I growl.

I couldn’t risk Laurel,he replies, glancing over to where he appeared from, where Laurel and Bane are standing together, watching us.And I couldn’t escape. I’m sorry you were soworried about me, Saylor. I know you all never stopped looking for me.

When I start to whine, he licks my ears, his amused voice chuckling.Your mate doesn’t like it when I touch you.

When I glance up at Bane, he’s staring daggers at Shadow, and the wind suddenly picks up, the trees swaying. He’s being ridiculous. Shadow is my brother, and as wolves, we are very affectionate. He must know it, too, because he rakes a hand through his hair in frustration and says something to Laurel, who starts laughing.

We run together as a pack, no longer missing our alpha, and a feeling of peace finds me. When I shift back as the sun rises, Bane is still sitting at the edge of the forest, waiting for me. He opens his arms, and I run into them, wrapping my legs around him. Shadow comes up next to us, studying Bane thoughtfully.

Finally, he offers him his hand, which Bane takes. “Thank you for helping Saylor find me.”

“I’d do anything for her,” Bane replies, his arms tightening around me. “And you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. And when you need your revenge on King Bax, I will be there.”

If I didn’t love him before, I would have fallen head over heels in love with him at this moment.

He’s not only looking after me but the people I love.

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