That hadn’t been the response I’d been expecting. In Bashkiria, the idea of having one perfect fated mate was a fairy tale, something children might believe in. We mated for alliances and political gain. I’d assumed that was what I’d be going home to when my assignment was done. Some done-up aristocrat that my parents had picked out.
But that was before I’d known Stacia wasmine. I’d bitten her. I’d claimed her. I’d held her in my arms as she writhed and gave that little hitching cry and came around my cock. The idea of letting her go, just going home and marrying some other wolftress, it made my stomach clench like I was going to be sick.
No. It wasn’t going to happen. I owed my people a good queen, and Stacia would be exactly what we needed. I’d make whatever reforms were necessary, I’d fight the entire bloody parliament if I had to. Mother had already agreed, and with her backing, I could do anything.
Anything except find my mate, tell her how I felt, and oh yes, let her know that I was a bloody werewolf.
What if she didn’t take it well? What if she was frightened, ran from me? It wasn’t as though I’d done anything to inspire her trust. I hadn’t even been honest about who I bloody was.
But, even as royal mad as she was, she hadn’t looked at me and seen Prince Ruslan. She’d just seen Bash, and she’d decided that was who she wanted.
There weren’t many women in the world that wanted me just for me. I was one lucky fool that fate had pushed her into my path.
It would be nice if it could give us another little nudge now.
Stone was still quiet, just walking beside me, content to let me stew. His easy presence was what let me finally spit out the fears tearing me up like a claw from the inside out.
“I fucked up. I fucked up so hard, I don’t even know if I can fix it.”
Stone stayed quiet, but it was obvious he was still listening.
“I found my mate. I didn’t think she existed, but I found her. And I claimed her.”
A smile broke out over Stone’s face, and he thumped me on the back hard enough that a human probably would have ended up eating dirt.
“That’s great. Happy for you, man.”
And for that second, I was happy too. Remembering Stacia’s laugh, how soft her skin was, all her bloody gorgeous curves.
And then it all crashed back to earth.
“Yeah. Thanks. Except she’s human, I lied to her about who I was, and she still doesn’t know I’m a wolf.”
Stone winced.
“And because, of course, if I’m going to bollock up my entire life, I’m going to do a right proper job of it, I claimed her and then got dragged away, literally, and left her there.”
Stone sighed. “Dude.”
“And now I can’t find her. I don’t have her number, I don’t know where she lives, so I’m just wandering around like a useless tit and hoping I’ll get the chance to see her again before I end up leaving the bloody country.”
No. I wouldn’t be leaving. Not until I’d seen her. Unless Stacia told me to my face to leave her, it wasn’t going to happen.
“We could go hunt something.”
It was such an odd thing to say that I tripped. “What?”
Stone shrugged. “Just head to the woods, change, hunt something down. My mother always took apologies better with food.”
“She’s human. Human women don’t usually like gifts of dead animals.”
Stone frowned. “Yeah. That does make it harder.”
“Besides,” my fingers curled into fists, claws pressing at the tips from the inside, “there’s only one thing I want to hunt right now.”
That made Stone crack a smile, one that had a few too many sharp teeth in it. “A gift of a mangled one-blood probably wouldn’t go over well with a human woman either.”
I almost laughed. But then a wave of icy terror slammed into me across the bond, and it nearly sent me to my bloody knees.
