Page 33 of The Princess and the Pack

This cat-and-mouse game is riveting, stirring wicked thoughts I know I can’t act on quite yet. Butfuck—I want to.

“Didn’t you?” I purr, assured in my own prowess. But when Ivy halts, I feel as though I may have overstepped.

Guilt has stolen the color from her heated cheeks, her gaze now downcast. I can only assume she’s thinking of Cillian and how he might disapprove of her getting wet and worked up for the castle gardener. Little does my sweet omega know. Still, I would never aim to cause my mate distress.

Bowing once more, I retreat several steps. “I’ll keep my distance then, Your Majesty.”

“Ivy,” she rasps—more like a plea to hear her name on my lips than an offer of familiarity. “And you are?”

“Me?” I feign ignorance just to see the precious way her brow furrows once more.

“Sorry, no. I thought we went over this,” Ivy quips. “I’m speaking to your fairy friend.”

I laugh aloud this time—it can’t be helped. My blue-eyed beauty is speaking to me at long last, and I want to spank her sweet arse for all the lip she’s giving me. Make her sob pretty tears and then fuck her hoarse.

Fuck,my cock is hard. I need to leave now if I want any chance at keeping a lid on all this lust bubbling up inside me. Ivy makes it so I can’t think clearly.

“I feel it’s only right I should know the name of the alpha who’s been following me around,” she presses, unmoved by my silence.

I can tell by her wide eyes and gaping mouth; Ivy didn’t mean to let that particular thought fall from her pretty mouth. Now she’s opened a door she likely wasn’t ready for me to walk through.

A better man might ignore the comment, but unfortunately for the queen, I’m not willing to let her off so easily. I’ve only been caught staring at her twice. Last night, as she danced with Cillian, and in the king’s study, when she gave herself to my packmates so beautifully.

“So you remember me then, do you?”

Ivy opens her mouth once, twice, without a sound.Beautiful. She’s so damn beautiful and I want more than anything for her to admit she still thinks of that night. Ineedher to tell me she dreams of me like I do of her. But she’s not quite there—not yet ready to admit how much she wants more than the life she’s been told she must lead.

“It’s all right. I know I’m not easy to forget, what with me being so big and handsome,” I say, taking mercy on her.

Laughter, bright and airy, bursts from my omega’s lips, and I’m merely a fool in love all over again. Even if she hasn’t taken note of my scent, Ivy has been mine since the moment I first laid eyes on her. She will be until the wheels of time stop spinning.

Trying my hand at bravery, I do the daring thing of taking a step forward. Fuck this waiting shite.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispers, trying to convince herself against what we both know to be true. Never mind I work here and she’s the one who sought me out.

“Shouldn’t I?”

“I—”

More hesitation. I can’t stand it. This rut is making everything hazy, and I can no longer live in the land of in-between. I need to fuck her or I need to leave. These are trying times and I don’t presently possess the composure for rationality.

“What’s that then? You want me to stay or go? Can’t seem to follow what you need from me.”

Ivy blinks up at me, unmoving. Her mouth tries to form the words, but as she continues to flounder, I make the agonizing choice for both of us.

“That’s all right. Best be making my way to the kitchen anyhow. Cook’s just made a lovely apple cake and I’mravenous,” I grumble, retreating deeper into the gardens.

Ivy gasps, watching me with glassy eyes and weak knees. Perhaps the insinuation was a bit heavy-handed, but who can blame me?

“It’s Sloan, by the way,” I call out to my Fate-blessed mate. When Cillian’s touching her pretty little cunt tonight, I want her thinking of me too. I need my name at the front of her mind when she comes apart for him.

I don’t break our stare until I fear I might run into a tree and ruin this mystique I’ve created around myself. I’m a fucking eejit, but I don’t care. I need my omega. It’s not natural to be kept apart like this.

Cillianhasto understand that. I need to find him and explain what’s happened. He needs to know I can’t stand another fucking minute of this.

We can make it work just as Tiernan, Fiona, and Liam do.

I don’t even mind being kept in the shadows forever so long as I can taste my mate on my tongue. So long as I can hold her. Kiss her. Love her like she deserves. But it needs to happen now.

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