The Alpha Prince's Rejcted Mate

CHAPTER EIGHT

KNOX

I storm into my quarters, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the ancient wood. My blood boils at my father's latest demand. He can't be f*****g serious.

"Oh, but he is," my wolf rumbles, smug satisfaction dripping from every word. "And I agree with him completely. Audrey should move into our quarters. The sooner, the better."

If I could manifest this bastard part of myself right now, I'd punch him in his f*****g face.

"You just want to f**k her," I accuse.

"No... Yes." A pause. *"Both."

I can't help but let out a dark chuckle at his honesty.

"Listen," he continues, "of course I want to mate with her - that's natural. But it's more than that. Having a mate completes you as a werewolf. It's something warriors have killed for, died for, and you're acting like it's a f*****g inconvenience."

"You sound like a whiny bitch."

"No, I sound like a wolf who actually appreciates being blessed with a mate like Audrey."

"And what the f**k do you even know about her?"

"Not much yet," he admits, "but one look at her hands tells a story I'm dying to hear."

My mind flashes to the calluses I noticed on her palms - not the soft hands of a noble's daughter, but a warrior's hands. The fact she applied to be my personal guard instead of some pampered lady-in-waiting tells me there's more to her than meets the eye. But f**k that. I've never dated, never wanted to. The whole concept of being in love feels as foreign as speaking to a mermaid and just as f*****g useless to my position as Crown Prince.

He sighs, and I can feel him mentally rolling his eyes at my thoughts. "I f*****g hate you."

"Right back at you, wolf," I snap, severing our mental connection.

I start getting ready for this gods-damned welcome party, yanking open my wardrobe with more force than necessary. Maybe I can deal with all this Audrey bullshit once I've got enough alcohol in my system to dull my wolf's incessant opinions about our mate.

***

"You don't even know her," Noah says, falling into step beside me as he pushes his glasses up with that nervous habit of his.

"I don't need to know her to know she isn't worth my time." I snatch a glass of champagne from a passing server, already regretting coming to my own damn party. So much for getting drunk before dealing with thoughts of Audrey - Noah hasn't even given me five f*****g minutes of peace.

"Really?" His tone sharpens. "Not even the fact that she's the only female werewolf who applied for your guard position - and actually got it? You're not the least bit curious about what kind of woman could pull that off?"

I take a long drink to hide my reaction, but f**k if he isn't right. She-wolves in our world rarely step into combat roles. The fact that Audrey not only tried but earned her place among the candidates tells me she's got steel in her spine. She clearly doesn't give a s**t about what society thinks women should or shouldn't do, and something in me respects that.

"Exactly my point," Noah continues. "And I did some more digging. Her past..." He trails off with a heavy sigh.

My head snaps toward him, stomach clenching at the pain in his voice. I might not want a mate, but she's still mine, and that tone sets off every protective instinct I've been trying to suppress. "What about her past?"

By the time Noah finishes telling me her story, my glass is empty and my chest feels like it's being crushed in a vice. All I want to do is find her, hold her, and shield her from the horrors she faced when she was too young to defend herself. A wave of gratitude for my brother hits me - though something nags at the back of my mind about him being in that territory. Still, thank the Moon Goddess, he found her. Who knows if our paths would have crossed otherwise?

"So, think about approaching things differently," Noah says quietly. "She deserves a loving mate, not an asshole."

I nod, knowing he's right, but it's not that f*****g simple. I've seen what love does to men in power. My own father nearly destroyed himself when his mistress died - and she wasn't even his mate. Just a woman he loved. The thought of claiming Audrey, of letting her become my weakness... I'm going to be king of this whole damn country. I can't afford to have my enemies exploit that kind of vulnerability.

"So you'd rather hurt her yourself than risk someone else using her to hurt you?" my wolf snarls in disgust.

I ignore him, but the acid taste of shame lingers on my tongue.

A soft laugh cuts through the evening air, and my body responds before my mind catches up. I turn toward the sound like a compass finding true north, and there she is. My mate. f**k. The sight of her hits me like a physical blow - she's so goddamn beautiful it actually hurts to look at her, like staring directly at the sun. The weird sense of peace that washes over me at the sight of her pisses me off even more.

"Hi there!" A familiar voice drags my attention away. Sasha, one of the elders' daughters, slides into view with that same practiced grace she's had since we were kids running through these gardens.

I manage a half-hearted smile before my eyes betray me, drawn back to Audrey like a moth to flame. But Sasha steps directly into my line of sight, her face suddenly inches from mine, blocking my view.

"So, tell me all about the training," she says with that playful lilt she's perfected over years of court politics. "Was it as brutal as they say?"

"Good." I keep my reply clipped, trying to see past her without being obvious about it.

"You're always so grumpy after training," she laughs, her hands landing on my shoulders with familiar ease. "It's actually kind of cute."

I arch an eyebrow and force out a chuckle, but my attention snaps back to Audrey as she downs another glass of wine. My brows pull together as I watch her grab a second one immediately. Something's wrong - her movements are getting unsteady, her eyes too bright.

"Really though, how was it there? Find yourself a mate during all that training?" Sasha's question barely registers. I'm too focused on the way Audrey's swaying slightly as she breaks away from her group.

"Just admit it - you're worried about her," Liam needles.

"Shut the f**k up," I snarl, severing our connection as I follow Audrey's path toward the gardens.

She weaves between the hedges, and I hang back, watching as she starts... talking to her own shadow? What the actual f**k? Either the alcohol's hit her harder than I thought, or there's something else going on here. Neither option sits well with me.