Chapter 103
Phoebe wasn’t sure how she felt as she watched Prince Achan enter. She vividly recalled his leering gaze throughout Jason’s duel as if he was trying to undress her with his eyes. Even more disturbing was the possessive gleam in his eyes, as if she was his despite the fact she was Jason’s mate. The prince’s arrogance knew no bounds if he didn’t hesitate to claim what belonged to another. “Stop it!” Achan commanded as the she-wolves continued their wrestling match. Growling, he stomped forward yanking Katrina off the other and tossed her aside. “I said STOP!”
Finally, they seemed to become aware of his aura and shrank away catching their breath. He glared at the pawns he gathered. They were disgusting, inadequate in every way, lacking poise, dignity and intelligence. The only she-wolf in the room who had control of those virtues was the one currently behind bars.
His gaze flickered to the petite she-wolf. On close inspection, her looks were average but the calmness she exerted despite her situation was admirable. She looked every bit the queen she was as she stood quietly observing them with her bewitching gray eyes. The moment she entered the stadium his gaze had followed her. Achan marked every movement she made every smile she saved for Jason. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on -.-___-.-. Visit -.-___-.- to read the complete s for free. Her expression was so soft and loving whenever she met Jason’s gaze and she pressed her body firmly against him. Achan licked his lips as he took a step toward her. He was going to enjoy every moment of this and if it caused Jason pain, so much the better.
“We have an esteemed guest. Let’s maintain some decorum, though I know it’s difficult for both of you.”
Katrina and Camilla both stood breathing heavily, bloodied and glaring at each other. The prince was playing with fire keeping these two together. Phoebe wondered if he thought he made a mistake or, perhaps, that was the point in the first place. With Katrina and Camilla on the verge of each other’s throats they would never think to betray him let alone act on it.
“Well done, my dear,” Achan smiled, approaching the bars and reaching through.
Phoebe didn’t flinch. She was well-aware of how close she was to the bars and knew he couldn’t reach her. Instead, she met she gaze steadily.
“I must apologize for the accommodations. I didn’t have much time to prepare.”
This was one of Blood Moon’s estate and Katrina had only been able to sneak him in twenty-four hours ago. Luckily, the warriors stationed at this estate were easy to push around. “I’ve had worse,” Phoebe relied not giving him a reaction.
He smiled but there was no warmth in it. Instead it was cruel, cold, calculating…and possessive. He actually thought he won, that she was a prize to claim and now belonged to him. ‘Well, he certainly doesn’t lack for ego,’ Máni huffed.
‘Máni.
‘It’s all right. He was no wolf. He couldn’t sense me if he wanted to.’
“I was right…you are a feisty one,” he licked his lips again. Phoebe cringed inwardly but tired not to show her disgust,” Jason has no idea what he’s lost.”
“Jason knows exactly what you took,” Phoebe answered, “but he hasn’t lost anything.”
“You really think that? After what he’s done to betray you? Keeping all these she-wolves on their leashes and his options open? You’ve already felt his betrayal once.”
Phoebe couldn’t help her small flinch. She felt the pain but it hadn’t been his fault. Jason would never willingly betray her. It had been a vicious set-up but ultimately they were stronger, their bond was stronger. It was the prince who didn’t understand he already lost.
However, all he saw was her unconscious flinch and misread it completely. It was a crack in her façade he believed he could exploit, “I would never betray you like that.”
“You are a smart man, Achan, but you lack understanding of the definition of loyalty.”
Achan glared, lacking the wolf to growl. She wasn’t sure if he was angry at the insult or her complete disregard for his title. As far as she was concerned he didn’t deserve it and she would not belittle the title by naming him.
“You’ll be singing a different tune very soon.”
“I doubt it.”
“Oh, you will bend to my will. They all do and end up screaming my name when I show them infinite pleasures there are to be had.”
“I don’t plan on offering myself up to death,” Phoebe answered evenly. “Besides, whatever you have in your arsenal couldn’t compare to Jason’s.”
He punched the bars, rattling them and alerting her to how flimsy the installation truly was. She wondered just how much pressure would send them tumbling. Achan spun away flexing his hand, though she didn’t know if it was the impact or contact with silver that caused him pain. Sitting on the sofa facing her he smiled once again.
“You’ll come to me begging. They always do. Besides, I know your secrets.”
Interesting. Phoebe sat on the cot she had been so generously given, “Secrets?”
“You forget my grandmother was a silver wolf. She founded the royal line. It is eternal by the Goddess’s own declaration.” Phoebe raised her eyebrow. Luna Kleio mentioned that the second silver wolf had been borne at a time when the packs were at war with one another and had helped unify them under a king. But she said nothing of it being eternal.
“You cannot defy the will of the Goddess. I’ve read my grandmother’s journal so I know everything. The moon is your weakness. You’re power means nothing without the moon. Well, it’s the new moon now, isn’t it?”
“All wolves are weaker during the new moon,” Phoebe answered.
“But not all lose every bit of their power. Even if your wolf somehow miraculously survived the wolfsbane you couldn’t shift right now.”
Phoebe frowned. Was he serious? Was that what her predecessor wrote or was that what he fooled himself into believing?
“I also know you can only give birth to a pup once.”
That made Phoebe sit up a little straighter.
Achan’s smile widened, “Didn’t know that, did you? It’s true. You will only ever have one pup.”
‘Máni, is that true?’
…I don’t know. There have only ever been three silver wolves so it’s not exactly a proper sample. And even if our predecessors only had one pup they also lived in a time of upheaval and turmoil. Being able to only bring one pup into world could simply mean they didn’t live long enough to bring in another’
‘True.’
“It’s all right here,” Achan pulled a small, slim notebook bound in leather. “My grandmother wrote everything down. Including how anxious she was to bring her pup into the world knowing it would be her first and last.”
Phoebe eyed the book both warily and with longing. There was so much she didn’t understand about herself and silver wolves. It would be nice to have the words from one who was like her. Even Máni was anxious to have a look.
“I also know about the prophecy,” Achan said, “she wrote it all down. She wrote the royal line must be strengthened with the blood of a silver wolf so that it would continued into eternity.”
Phoebe frowned. If there was one thing she knew about prophecies was that they could be interpreted many ways. The future was mutable and a prophecy made yesterday may become void later because every action changed the trajectory. That was why she wasn’t surprised witches never wrote them down.
She doubted very much Achan’s interpretation of his grandmother’s prophecy and had even less faith in his general reasoning. However, it did align somewhat with what Emily said. It seemed clear her pup was meant for great things.
“Which is why you are here,” Achan said. “Your heat should start soon and I will ensure the next king be birthed from my loins.”
‘He can’t be serious, Máni huffed.
‘I think he is,’ Phoebe was just as astonished as her wolf.
“So you can deny me all you like, but once your heat starts you will come begging to me.”
“You seem very confident.”
“Naturally, that injection you were given also included a healthy dose of hormones to trigger your heat. So it won’t be long.” ‘Máni?’
‘I said it was laced with something!
‘Are we…okay?’
‘I think so. I mean, I don’t feel any different. If it was just hormones we can process it naturally. And we’re already with pup so we won’t be going into heat any time soon!’
“What! You said we were going to take care of her!” Camilla said. “I want her to suffer! I don’t want her birthing the next king like some w***e!”
Achan lurched to his feet and grasped her throat, squeezing until she struggled for air, “Have care what your say…she is my w***e!”
“Say that again…I dare you!”
Phoebe jerked to her feet, her heart racing, “Jason!”