Page 1 of The Wolf's Prince
CHAPTER1
NIKOLAI
Prince Nikolai stepped into the ballroom, grinning.
Human-like beings towered over the rest of the crowd, dressed in garb that the average gentlemen would find scandalous. Others were draped in fabrics and jewels in colors the likes of which he had never seen before, accented by pointed ears and vibrantly colored hair. There were humans too. They were just as easy to pick out. Like Nikolai, they were looking around in wonder at the variety of beings, all in one room for the first time.
Nikolai knew of the magical beings of their lands, but Casetro was a smaller country and they were limited to those that lived in the mountains, and in the ocean. Here in Tasnia, they were overrun by elves, oves, and even shapeshifters...
“Wow,” Andrey breathed at his side.
Glancing up at his older brother, Nikolai took in the look of awe and trepidation on his charming face.
If not for the somber expression he carried permanently, Andrey would have beenverypretty with his gentle features and sandy-colored hair.But because of his anxious disposition, Nikolai took the honor of cutest face in the family.
“Relax brother,” he sighed. “Mingle with only the people you know. Then they’ll introduce you to others if the moment is right. Look, there is King Jareth. He will be pleased to see you.”
Andrey paled.
“Where areyougoing to be?”
“Dancing, of course!”
Andrey sighed and nodded, dismissing him, so Nikolai strode confidently into the room.
He loved a good party, and this one promised to be more fun than most.
Taking a glass of wine from a passing server, he drifted around the edges of the dance floor, watching the couples swirl to the orchestral music.
Quite notably, only humans were dancing. The other races probably didn’t know their dances. Well, all anyone needed was a good lead and Nikolai was an excellent one.
He tipped the rest of his drink back and turned, scanning the crowd.
Almost immediately, he caught eyes with a rather remarkable-looking elf. She was pale as moonlight and all of her hair was completely white. Her lashes were like snowflakes on her cheek, surrounding her pale gray eyes.
At her smile, Nikolai swept toward her, offering a hand and his trademark charming smile.
“Care to dance?” he asked.
“I'm afraid I don't know how.”
“That's all right,” he insisted. “I'll show you.”
That seemed to be enough to convince her and she allowed him to lead her into the middle of the floor.
“It's quite simple for the ladies, all you have to do is allow me to move you around,” he said with a wink.
She laughed.
“Very well, I won't fight you.”
At her word, Nikolai began to move, moving slowly at first until she began to fall into the movements. Soon enough, we were swinging around the dance floor laughing because Nikolai kept going faster and faster to see how much she could handle.
“Are you trying to test me?” she demanded, grinning wide.
“Not at all,” he argued.
“I may not know the human dances,” she said, “but I believe we're supposed to at least keep beat with the music.”
