Chapter Twelve

1506 Words
“What’re you thinking about, darling?” Donnacha purrs, stroking my cheek tenderly. I’m still breathing heavily from the s*x we just had, and beads of sweat pool along my chest. The Prince’s voice is soft, and his eyes are so full of love and pride of having me as his mate. Thankfully, I’ve learnt not to hate sleeping with him. I see it as a duty, and I still get satisfaction from watching my prince writhe in pleasure under my touch, my command, my tongue. I hum thoughtfully, debating whether or not I should tell him what I was just thinking about. Admittedly, my mind had drifted back to Master Eoin and my sessions in the dojo. That first session two months ago still brands my soul with never-dying fire. I want to change this pack. I want to stop this wretched cycle of bloodshed and fear. The one question on my mind is…could Donnacha want the same? I study his smoldering eyes, wondering if he, too, secretly hates the pack. Perhaps I can tease the answer out of him without revealing my own hatred. “I’m thinking about how to run the pack once we’re Alpha and Luna,” I begin, my voice just above a whisper so I don’t disturb the sacred peace between us. He chuckles, a low rumbling in the back of his throat. “We’ve just had s*x, and already your mind is on politics?” His gaze alights with playfulness and he murmurs huskily, “I like your ambition.” “I learned from the best,” comes my oh-so-smooth reply. “Did you now?” he growls, pulling me flush against him and pressing his naked body tightly to mine. I relax into his touch, but unlike him, I’m not so easily diverted from the subject. “If you could change anything about the pack…what would it be?” I ask in musing, playful tones to hopefully avoid suspicion. “What’s this all about?” he laughs, his warm breath cloaking my neck. “You’ll be alpha in just a few years. I want to know about your fantasies…what you want to do with this pack,” I look up at him and whisper, “…and what wonderful things we can do together.” Donnacha’s desire flickers anew in his eyes, and he grins at my sultry tones. “All right, I’ll play. First, I’ll divide every week into two holidays; one for you, and one for me. On my holiday, everyone must massage my feet, prepare baths with flowers and scented candles, and sing songs about my great virtues,” he declares with a humorous smirk. Okay, he’s not taking this seriously. Nevertheless, I smile. “And what about my holiday?” I prompt. “For you… I’ll host games like the Pack has never seen! On Monday, I’ll divide the pack into hiders and seekers, and we’ll play ‘til the night. On Tuesday, we’ll host a dance competition so that you can always win… and on Wednesday, we’ll play an exclusive, two-player game all day long, just between us…” I try to ignore the twinge of pain at his comment about dancing, my once-favorite hobby. “Mm, I think it’s an excellent plan,” I compliment, though I’m quickly growing bored of his antics. He sighs wistfully and props his head up on his palm. “On a more serious note…I want to lead a campaign against the Sanguine River Pack.” I’m taken aback and I blurt, “Really?” They’re part of our bloody alliance, where every full moon we hunt each other’s first-time Shifters, thus rooting out each other’s weak-links. They’re not the only participants in this deadly dance, but they’re one of the more obnoxious players. “Oh, yes. It’s about time we stopped taking cheap shots at each other. I want to determine a victor between us, once and for all, to show the world our strength.” A small glimmer of hope pulses in my chest. “Are you tired of the constant bloodshed between us? Is that why you want to end the Full Moon hunts between our two packs?” He snorts. “Honestly, I’ll miss the thrill of hunting each other! They’ve done us a great service by killing our weaklings. I just think it’s about time we show them the fruits of their labor. It’ll be glorious!” My heart sinks. It’s just as I feared…he’s a loyalist to the pack’s law. I try to fake a smile, but the corners of my lips are so heavy. Fortunately, he’s so caught up in his fantasy that he doesn’t notice. He resumes stroking my hair and sighs happily. “You and I will go down in history together, as the great Alpha and Luna who conquered the Sanguine River Pack. I can’t wait for that day, my darling.” He kisses my forehead and lays back down. “Now, let’s go to sleep…I’m getting quite tired.” It’s a good thing he never asked for my thoughts on how to run the pack; I’m still working on how to lie convincingly. For once, I’m grateful that he rarely asks my opinion on anything. I try to fall asleep, but my mind is too loud. It seems Donnacha and I want different things for the pack, and I’m not so foolish as to believe I can change his mind. If we can’t come to an agreement on how to run the pack…then are we doomed to fail as Alpha and Luna? It’s an unsettling thought, and it keeps me awake for hours before I drift into a fitful slumber. The next day, I’m training in the dojo. Me and one of the other students, Finna, square off against each other. She’s taller than me by a whole foot, standing at an impressive six feet, and she holds a willowy frame. Her shoulders are always hunched shyly, and she rarely looks anyone in the eye. Her round, childlike face; full, rosy cheeks; and sandy, tousled, bowl-cut hair give her an unassuming appearance, but I know better. She’s pinned me more times than I can count. She’s poised to be one of the pack’s strongest warriors. She lunges, and I dodge, spinning gracefully beneath her outstretched arm and grabbing her wrist, trying to use her momentum against her— But she musters her godlike strength and somehow flings me to the ground like I’m a doll. I land hard and cough as stars sprinkle my vision. “…Ouch…” I groan. “Ohgreatmother, I’m so sorry!” she squeals, kneeling over me and biting her lip. “Are you okay?” I hold a thumbs up as another groan trickles from my throat. “Yeah. You’re really good—” I croak. She smiles sheepishly and blushes before remembering to help me sit up. “Are you excited for the full moon tonight?” I ask, trying to ease her embarrassment. I know how easily Finna gets wrapped up in her own mind, beating herself down until there’s nothing left. Fortunately, she also gets distracted by idle chatter easily. She nods, her blue eyes sparkling. “I’m really excited to be a part of your hunting party!” she beams. For this full moon, I was chosen to lead the group of first-time Shifters. I invited Finna to join, since she’s better in battle than I am, and it’s always good to be prepared in case anything goes wrong – plus, I enjoy her company. And even better? Tadgh told me in secret that he’ll sneak into my hunting party to join in on the fun. It’ll be a fantastic night! “I’m looking forward to meeting your wolf!” Finna continues with childlike glee. “Her name means Deliverance, right?” I nod and ask, “What’s your Wolf’s name?” But before she can reply, Master Eoin claps his hands to gather everyone’s attention. “All right, students, that’s a wrap for today! Rest before the full moon tonight; I want everyone to have a good, healthy hunt!” “Sir, yes, sir!” we all reply, offering a quick salute before dispersing. “I’ll see you tonight?” Finna prompts timidly, and I flash a thumbs up before trotting out the dojo. I’m greeted by the chilly winter air that stings my nostrils and bites my nose, but I nevertheless take a deep breath of the crisp aroma of freshly fallen snow. The sun is well on its way to its slumber, and soon enough, the moon will rise in all her glory. A flutter of nervous energy bounces in my chest, and I grin to myself. I’ll be leading young, curious Shifters for the first time! It’s strange to think I was one of them only a few months ago. I hope I do well. With an excited pep in my step, I head back to the Palace to prepare for the big event.
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