Chapter 14

He was too close.

She blushed when Trenton pushed her to the tight space between the hedges.

The Prince's alarmed face, on the other hand, told her a different story. Removing the hand on her mouth, he managed to gently grip the back of her neck to steer her to his chest. A rough voice splintered the dark night.

"My Queen, your grandson is the least of our worries."

The body pressed to hers strained at the voice, unconsciously putting more pressure on the hand still on her neck. The other rested on her waist and she blushed with her head bowed, as she could feel every part of his anatomy.

"I have known you since you were a child, Alpha." Her head raised at the familiar timbre, only for her mate to maneuver her face back to his chest. She pouted dejectedly at the gravel ground.

"And you have proven time to time that your decisions have been nothing but precise." A short grunt of gratitude followed the praise. "Be aware though, your first failure at the end, is still a failure."

"I have raised her better than you presume, milady, I can assure you there will be no more- inconvenience- caused by the lu Pavel Pack from now on."

Was this what her lashes reduced to? An inconvenience?

"The Prince is leaning heavily to ba Ruslan, Augustus. Certainly, it has not escaped you that he is playing a dangerous game?"

A mocking bark answered the Queen's statement. "Your Majesty, the Prince cannot even utilize a proper Alpha Order." The low strumming of the fountain simmered to a dull hum. "How can he play a game in which he does not even know the rule of?"

"Alpha, were you not in the Throne Room on the day of punishment?" At the sharp retort, the mood quickly sobered as silence draped the darkness.

More attentive than ever, Elise managed to catch the Alpha's response. "As I have told you, it is merely a shock response your Majesty. He is, after all, her mate." She held her breath. "It is no secret the two are only acting to be intimate, but the bond can do miraculous things."

Crap. He saw through everything.

Although, she had to admit the Royal dinner from a few weeks back was anything but convincing.

The conversation trickled away as the crickets filled the emptiness. When she motioned to see if they have gone, the Prince's hand remained firm on her waist stopping her. Her eyes snapped to him and even in the darkness, the sharp contour of his face was prominent in the moonlight.

"Don't." He mouthed.

"I think they're gone." She said low, craning her neck when only the skitters of small creatures could be heard.

Her back was stinging in the most irritating way, but she couldn't complain when she was deliciously wrapped in his arms. It was far from suffocating, and her will to get free from the Prince's caging premises was becoming non-existent.

The hand on her neck lowered to thread between her brown locks. "Let's wait for a few minutes." He muttered, "The smell of this hedge is throwing off my senses."

The background music of crickets and trickles of water lulled them to a peaceful endurance. Light piercing through the hedges gave a slight glow to the regal face of her mate.

Although pressed into a relatively hunched posture, she could make out his thick neck and prominent jaw tilted upward as he refused to meet her gaze. She turned her head to the other side, the back of her neck aching from either facing up or down the entire time.

Slightly bored (and flustered but she would never admit that), she aimed a question at the Prince, breaking the silence.

"What are you thinking?" She murmured. It took a few seconds for him to respond.

"Frankly?" He began slowly, which dissolved into a light chuckle. "I'm wondering what your favorite color is."

She laughed silently. It was astounding he could be thinking of such a trivial question as that after eavesdropping on a serious night-talk.

"It changes a lot- but right now, I like green."

He snorted at her answer. "Can you make it any more obvious? Just say you are attracted to me."

Her mind paused then flitted to his emerald orbs. She rolled her eyes at his claim. "I am not talking about the color of your eyes, you airhead."

"Oh, so now you know the color of my eyes." He pressed. She yanked the black wisps at the back of his nape. He growled jokingly in warning.

His chest rumbled as she continued to tug on the loose ends of his hair which was quite entertaining to do in their compromising position. "Green relaxes me." She pouted when he shook his head to get a better look at her face.

"Does that mean, I am-" She perched her chin to glare at the mischief shining in his eyes.

"Don't even," She growled and swiftly turned her head sideways to press a flushed cheek to his chest.

Another few minutes of silence passed and she found herself leaning more into the heat of his body. At first, it was embarrassing, but now she felt more comfortable in his embrace.

"Elise." He abruptly began. "What's your favorite food?"

She furrowed her brows at his question. "I like fruits. Mostly berries. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries." she quipped, "Why?"

"That explains a lot." After his vague response, the two lapsed in another comfortable silence.

.

The Prince was in the midst of brushing through her tangled strands when he said softly.

"Thank you."

She tried to lean back to shoot a questioning look when he calmly pressed her face again to his chest. "Just listen, ciambella." He chuckled.

"I've never sincerely thanked you or properly appreciated what you've done for Lady Rosaline's sake-or for mine, in that matter." He began, "I was too busy starting an argument because of my idiocy, as you have probably guessed."

"Well then, I think I also said some stuff to upset you, too- I guess." She started hesitantly, "I'm sorry. I suck at apologies." Her apology elicited a small smirk from the Prince as he lowered his head. But the atmosphere soon tensed as he spoke up.

"However thankful I am of your actions that night, it has to stop."

This time, Eli successfully escaped his embrace. In bewilderment and shock, she replied hastily.

"No."

His hazel-green eyes flashed as thick arms tightly wound around her waist, pulling her closer. She tensed as he pressed into her dress. Gripping his forearms to remove herself, the Prince only tightened his hold.

"Stop moving." She faltered unknowingly at the order, shocked at his change of tone.

"Your highness-" She started in warning, but Trenton stole her thunder.

"It's Trenton for you, and I want you to listen to me." His stern voice brooked no argument. The miffed she-wolf relaxed slightly in his hold as he continued.

"You asked me why I won't believe in you." She nodded slowly in acknowledgment as he raved on. "Your childhood companion is one of the highest-ranking general, as he is in line to be the alpha of his own pack. Your father is currently pitting a political war against the crown with half of the royal jury siding with him. And even before you were my mate, you were one of the most important political figures in the lu Pavel pack." He breathed harshly, "And now, because you have stepped into the royal ground, it is quite impossible to act without offending the wrong person."

"I hate everything Lord Alexander stands for, but I agree that getting you involved will only kill you in the end."

Frozen and numb, his next statement laced with unconstrained fury.

"And I will not let that happen."

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