Betrothed to a Prince, In Love With My Bodyguard

One Day

Red's POV

When Rowan tells me I should go back to my tent, I ignore him.

Corrin already knows. I didn’t tell her, but I know my best friend, and she knows me. She knew it the moment I stepped into brunch that morning, if not sooner.

Eli probably still won’t connect the dots. If I tell him in the morning that I fell asleep playing board games with Rowan, he’ll believe me. 

If anyone else from the pack asks, I’ll tell them the same thing. They won’t, of course. They’re my family, but I’m still their princess. They can’t ask me a question like that. A few of them might have heard a whimper or two, but we were quiet enough, and the tents are pretty well soundproofed. Besides, even if one of them did try to spread gossip about us, it wouldn’t get back to the Gibbouses. No one in my pack would ever give the Gibbouses ammunition against the Crescent Moon Pack.  

So I ignore his command, instead choosing to wrap my naked body around his and lay my head against his chest.

He sighs, and my head rises and falls with his chest. He rests his hand on my rib cage and his chin on the top of my head.

“Did you wait?” I ask him softly. “Were you with anyone before me?”

“I waited,” he says, so instantly and confidently that I know he’s telling the truth. “I only ever wanted you.”

I look up at him, resting my chin against his chest and eyeing him skeptically. “Then why did you reject me four years ago? Why did you say you only kissed me back for comfort?”

He looks pained by the memory. “To avoid the dangers we’re now facing. I knew they’d never let you be with me, Red. I knew you’d end up with an Alpha… I just never dreamed it’d be a Gibbous.”

“Me, neither,” I mutter darkly, turning my head again to rest my cheek against his chest. “So what made you change your mind?”

“You. Your corset. Your wolf picking me. Your smile.”

I snuggle into his chest and kiss it, suddenly fuzzy with lightheaded happiness.

“And you?” he asks me. “Did you wait?”

I laugh. “You know I did. I didn’t even know I had these feelings until last night.”

“I don’t think that’s true. The day of the party… I smelled you. You were as aroused as I was.”

“I was,” I admit. “But I had no idea what it meant. It was the first time I’d ever felt that way. It wasn’t until my wolf awakened that I figured it out.”

I listen in on my wolf now. She’s nearly purring, she’s so satisfied.

“Did you talk to her?” he asks me. “Have you shifted?”

“I haven’t shifted. She came to me in a dream, though, so I saw her. She’s beautiful.”

He squeezes me tightly. “Of course she is.”

I smile.

“I want to be there when you shift for the first time,” he says. “Maybe we could try tomorrow.”

“I want you to be there for everything," I tell him as I drift off to sleep. "I want you to be there forever.”

- - - - -

When I wake up the next morning, I feel his eyes on me before I even open my own. He looks… 

Nervous? Is that possible?

I prop my chin up on his chest, peering at him curiously. “What’s wrong?”

He traces the bare skin of my back with the back of his fingers, looking down at my naked body, which is draped over his own. His eyes make their way back to mine, and he admits, “I was afraid you’d regret it.”

I roll my eyes, flipping overdramatically onto my back and staring up at the roof of his tent. “Then you’re a fool.”

He turns his head to look at me, and I do the same. “You’re a princess, Red. A f*****g princess. And I just…”

“Ravaged me?” I finish for him with a teasing grin. “Robbed me of my honor?”

He doesn’t laugh. He sits up, looking down at his hands. “Don’t joke about that.”

I sit up, too, curling myself into his lap and taking his face in my hands. My fingertips sink into his beard, and I try to ignore the burning desire that begins to take hold of me. “I may be a princess, but I’m also a wolf, Row. And wolves take what belongs to us. We don’t concern ourselves with honor—at least, not the kind that attaches itself to maidenhood.”

A spark of hope glints in his eyes. “I always wanted it to be me,” he admits. “The thought of someone else taking it from you…”

He’s thinking about Dom, I realize. He’s relieved my first time won’t be with him.

I kiss him softly, and I feel him start to stiffen as I do so. I feel him tense beneath me, trying to keep his erection at bay. I press myself against him, refusing to allow him to do so.

“Red,” he murmurs in weak protest.

“I don’t regret it, Row,” I say. “And I’m not going to regret this, either.”

- - - - -

Our second time together is different than our first. I’m not sure anything will ever beat the first; I don’t think either of us had any idea what we were in for, and discovering it together was probably the most unforgettable experience I will ever have. We just fit together, like a big, strong hand in a soft, warm glove. Even without linking, we seemed to read each other’s minds, each sensing how to make the experience as pleasurable as possible for the other.

But the second time certainly has its perks.

We skip the foreplay this time after determining that we are both more than ready. He spins me around in his lap so that my back is to his chest, both of us still sitting upright. He wraps his arms around me and grasps at my breasts, nuzzling his lips into the nape of my neck, as he brings himself up inside me. Within minutes, he rises to his knees and presses his hand against my back, pushing my torso down low in front of him, and I outstretch my arms and arch my back with pleasure as he takes me from behind like the wolves that we are. Just when I’m sure I couldn’t possibly feel any more pleasure, he moves me again, turning me onto my side this time and pressing himself tightly against me as he buries himself in me. From there, I take the reins, flipping us again so that he is on his back and I am straddling him, this time facing away from him.

I’m on the brink of release by then, and I start to move faster, but he catches me by the arm, and I stop, glancing back to look at him.

“I want to see your face when you come for me,” he murmurs, taking me by the waist and spinning me around on top of him, pulling me down so that my breasts press against his chest, our eyes inches from each other’s. Then he presses himself so far into me, I orgasm instantly. When I part my lips to moan, he slips two of his fingers into my mouth, and I suck hard on them, my moan turning to a whimper.

My whimper of pleasure quickly turns into a whimper of dismay when he abruptly pulls me off of him.

I start to demand what he’s thinking, but when I look down at him, seeing his seed spilling onto himself, I realize that he’s doing the same thing he did last night—the thing he has to do.

I see the sadness in his eyes, but I refuse to let myself feel sad in that moment. I crawl backwards toward his feet and lower my lips to the puddle on his lower abdomen, licking it up for him. It tastes like he smells, and I swallow it with ease and even pleasure.

One day, I think to myself. I know it isn’t true—can’t be true. But somehow I let myself believe it, anyway.

One day, he will spill his seed inside of me, and we will bring a pup into this world together.

- - - - -

I want to lie in his arms for many more hours, even days, but I see the sunlight creeping in through the bottom of his tent, and I know that I need to return to my own. I reach for my clothes, grinning slightly when I lift my broken bra.

“Thought we agreed not to rip each other’s clothes last night,” I tell him in amusement.

He grins devilishly. “You agreed. I made no such promise.”

I laugh, tossing the bra aside and stepping into my breeches.

“Wait,” he says, propping him up onto his elbows as he watches me. “Slower.”

The burning sensation returns to me yet again as I slowly don my clothes. His eyes search every inch of my bare skin as I cover it. He’s memorizing me, I realize. He’s not sure he’ll ever see me like this again.

This isn’t the last time, I link to him.

He doesn’t argue with me, but I can tell he doesn’t quite believe me, either.

When I’ve fully dressed, I reach for the zipper of his tent, but I can’t bring myself to leave without giving him one, last kiss.

“I love you,” I whisper to him when I pull away from him.

“I love you,” he whispers back.

When I slip out of his tent, I’m relieved to see that no one else has woken up yet. I toss my broken bra into the bonfire before making my way to my own tent.

When I unzip it, I see Corrin there, waiting for me.

Busted.

“Don’t worry,” she says when she sees my expression. “I’m not upset.”

I swallow, nodding carefully and stepping into my tent. I zip it back up behind me, not wanting anyone else to hear this conversation.

“How long have you known?” I ask her. “Just last night, or… longer?”

“I started connecting the dots the day of the engagement party, but I knew for sure at the brunch yesterday.”

I nod. My hand reaches absently for the moonstone pendant around my neck, which instantly calms me when I touch it. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Cor.”

“I get it. I wish you did, but I get it.”

I nod again. What is there for me to say?

“I told him to be careful,” she says. “I think he expected me to tell him to stop, but I can’t. Not seeing how happy you two make each other.”

I’m as surprised as he must have been by this. “Thank you.”

“But I need you both to understand, Red. Understand the consequences here. There will be spies there. There will be people watching you—even pretending to befriend you—to learn your secrets. If they catch you, it could ruin everything. Your family. Your pack. Your claim to the throne.”

I’m not even married yet, I want to say. I haven’t made any vows to the Celestial Gods. I’m not an adulteress. I’m just in love.

But there’s no point. Corrin’s right. If I were to get caught making love to Rowan under the roof of Castle Gibbous…

It really would ruin everything.

Guilt overwhelms me at that thought. “He tried to stop it from happening. He kept saying we shouldn’t. I just…”

“I know,” Corrin says, drawing me in for a tight embrace. “You love him. Your wolf loves him. You can’t help it. Just heed my words, Red. Be careful.”

- - - - -

I thank each of my guests for celebrating with me as they mount their horses and make their way back to the stables. Finally, it’s just the four of us.

I glance at Eli, holding my breath, waiting for him to ask the question and wondering what I’ll say.

“Great party,” Eli says instead, and I glance at Rowan and Corrin, who only laugh.

Eli and Corrin dominate the conversation as we lope back to the stables together. Rowan and I ride ahead of them, not as far as we did the last time, but enough that they won’t be able to make out the softer words we say to each other.

“One week ’til your graduation,” he says. “How does it feel?”

“There’s better feelings.”

His cheeks burn at that, and he eyes me the same way he eyed me as I got dressed that morning, but he says nothing of it. “You must be excited. You’ve never exactly loved school.”

“I’m excited to finish school,” I admit. “I’m just not excited for everything that comes afterwards.”

- - - - -

When we reach the stables, the limousine is waiting for us. But I hesitate at the door.

“I want to shift,” I say, glancing up at Rowan. “Better here than at the castle, isn’t it?”

“Probably.” He glances at Eli and Corrin. “But it’s a bit dangerous. Safer to be done only with other shifters.”

“Right,” says Corrin, rolling her eyes as she gestures for Eli to step inside the limo. “Come on, Eli. We’re not invited to this party.”

Eli laughs, giving me a hug before obeying. “Happy birthday, sis,” he tells me, even though it’s not my birthday anymore. “We’ll send the limo back for you.”

I turn back to Rowan as the limo drives off. I recognize the way he’s looking at me, and I cross my arms, glaring playfully at him. “It wasn’t a line, you know. I want to shift, not jump your bones.”

He laughs out loud, though I don’t miss him scanning the barn behind me for any witnesses to my statement. I already checked; we’re alone. “You’ve got to stop talking about jumping my bones if we’re going to have any chance at being good.”

I take a step toward him, smirking. “Who says I want to be good?”

He takes a step toward me, and for a second, I think he might kiss me. But when he parts his lips, all that comes out is words.

“Shifting. It’s the act of your inner wolf coming to the surface. To do it, you have to surrender to her—let her take the reins. It’s a strange feeling, taking the back seat in your own body. But your wolf will always have your best interests at heart, even if she has a different way of going about them than you.”

“She doesn’t. We agree about everything.”

I can tell he takes my meaning, but he forces himself to ignore it. “Close your eyes. Picture her. Invite her to converse with you. Whether she uses words or feelings, she’ll respond.”

I do as he says. You there? I ask her. You hear that?

She doesn’t respond to me with words, which doesn’t surprise me. If she could speak to me in my waking state, she probably would have by now; she seems to prefer to communicate via my dreams. But he’s right—I feel her there, even see her. Her ears perk up, and she paws at the ground, readying herself for the shift.

“She’s ready,” I tell him, eyes still closed. “Now what do I do?”

“You let her out.”

It’s as simple as he says, I realize as I submit to her. I feel a strange, falling sensation as my body seems to leave the ground and my mind relinquishes control to hers. When I feel myself land, it’s on four paws, not two feet.

This surprises me. I still feel with her paws? I still see with her eyes? I had pictured myself buried within her, not sharing the surface with her.

I look up to see that he has shifted, too.

I’ve never seen his wolf before, I realize as I stare at him. He only shifts to fight alongside his father in the skirmishes, which my own father never allows me to join. 

I expected him to be a gray wolf. Most wolves in our pack are brown, but between his silver eyes and sandy hair, I was sure he’d be gray. He’s not, though—he’s jet black. And twice my wolf’s size. 

His eyes still burn the same bright silver they always do.

He’s even more beautiful as a wolf than as a man, I think in awe. 

She’s smaller than I expected, he says in my mind.

A growl escapes our snout. It comes from her, not me. I hear him laugh in my head, and he says, Ferocious, though. 

She begins to trot, circling around him, eyes pinned to him. I still don’t hear her words in my head, but I feel her emotions. She wants to play.

He watches us. I see skepticism in his eyes. He’s not sure it’s a good idea to play with us.

Before I have the chance to reassure him, we’re launching ourselves onto him.

She’s strong, I marvel as we knock him onto his back. She’s fast, too; within seconds, we’ve jumped off him and loped away from him, letting out a bark that, somehow, I know means he should chase us.

This, he seems to have no problem with. He leaps to his paws and bounds after us. He catches up to us quickly, and for a moment, I wonder whether she’s slower than I thought. But when I feel us dig our paws in deep to the ground and spring away at a gallop, I realize she was only teasing him.

I like you, I tell her in my head.

He chases us for several minutes, until we’ve lost sight of the stable completely. Finally we let him catch us. He knocks into us this time, but we wrestle against him, and I’m not sure I’ve ever had so much fun in my life, and then, as quickly as she surfaced, she’s gone.

His wolf is gone, too. We’re left horizontal in each other’s arms.

“What was that?” I ask him, confused. “I didn’t ask her to leave.”

“She’s got a mind of her own,” he infers. “So does mine. Think they wanted to leave us to do bad things to each other.”

I smile at that, and he kisses me once, then twice, and for a second, I wonder whether he means to take me right there in the dirt-stained grass.

But to my disappointment, he pulls away from me.

“We should get you back,” he says, hopping to his feet and offering me a hand.

I reluctantly accept his help standing up, but the pout doesn’t leave my face until I feel his arm around my shoulder.

“You won’t make love to me in private, but you’ll put your arm around me in front of our driver?” I ask him as we approach the limo. 

“I did make love to you in private. Twice,” he points out, not lowering his arm. “And if the hottest gossip in the pack is that your driver saw me put my arm around your shoulder, so be it.”

I smile, putting my own arm around his waist.

“I like your wolf,” he tells me softly as he opens the limo door for me.

I lean in close to respond to him. “She likes you, too.”

- - - - -

I don’t see him for the rest of the day, and by nightfall, my wolf is howling for him. 

I know, I think to her, feeling just as frustrated as she does. But I have to get some sort of handle on this. 

It’s no use, of course. By ten, I’m squirming for him.

We’ve both resisted the urge to link so far since we separated, but I’m the first to cave.

Can I come see you?

He doesn’t respond right away. When he does, I can hear the yearning in his voice, and it instantly makes me wet. You shouldn’t. You have school tomorrow.

His words don’t discourage me—not when his tone so clearly says the opposite.

It hurts, how bad I want you. Are you going to leave me feeling this way?

He curses. Don’t do that, Red. Don’t manipulate me like that.

I’m not. It hurts the same way you’re hurting. I can hear it in your voice.

We’re in your father’s castle, Red. We’re in the king’s castle.

The only one who might hear us is Corrin. And she already knows.

He hesitates. I know just what to say to push him over the edge.

Fine. I’ll pleasure myself, then.

Don’t you dare. Get over here. Now.

I leap to my feet, but hesitate when I look in the mirror. I look like a disaster. I’ve showered since the party, but I’ve done nothing else to my appearance, and the pajamas I’m wearing are anything but sexy.

My eyes flicker to my closet. I kept it—the corset Corrin brought me—the one that he saw me in. The one that made me realize my s****l desires even before my wolf did.

You’re going to be so mad at me, I tell him as I put it on.

- - - - -

When he opens his door, he scans me expectantly, undoubtedly wondering about the meaning of my last statement. He sees nothing yet; I have a thick, shapeless robe on over the lingerie. As soon as I close and lock the door behind me, though, I let the robe fall to the ground.

The expression returns to his face—the expression that made me wet for the very first time—the expression that’s making me even wetter now.

He takes me by the throat, not tight enough to block my airflow, but forceful enough to catch me by surprise. He presses me against the door, releasing my throat and running his hand down to fondle my breasts, which, thanks to the corset, appear twice as large as usual and are being pushed halfway up to my chin. I feel his hardened manhood pressing against me in full force.

“You are a bad, bad little princess to do this to me,” he whispers as his lips find my neck. He bites this time—not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to make me squirm.

“I know,” I whisper back as his hands trail down to my ass. Both cheeks are fully exposed around my tiny, red thong, and he grabs them sharply. “Are you going to punish me?”

He spins me around, grabbing a fistful of my hair and pushing my head down so that my upper body flattens. He pulls back on my hair just enough to arch my back as he presses his still-clothed member against the crease of my outstretched ass.

Not releasing my hair, he spanks me. Hard.

“Is this what you came here for?” he asks, pulling my head up closer to him while pinning my ass in place with his free hand.

“No,” I whimper, but the pleasure in my voice is impossible to disguise.

He spanks me again, harder. “Did you not manipulate your way into my bed tonight?”

“No,” I say again. I want him so badly. I’ve never wanted him more.

He pulls back further on my hair, bringing my head all the way to his. I feel his lips on my ear and his hot breath on my cheek as he whispers, “I want you to beg me for it.”

“Please,” I say instantly. I feel his hands on my breasts again, and I cry out as he pinches my n*****s. 

“Again.”

“Please!” I cry out, pressing my ass back even harder into him. I arch my back wildly, tilting my head up to bite at his beard. “Please take me, Rowan.”

Finally, gloriously, he does.

He presses me back against the door, not flat this time, but upright. He pulls himself out of his boxers and moves my thong to the side before entering me. I melt with pleasure the moment I feel him inside me, but he catches me by the throat, pulling me back up against his chest. He thrusts harder and faster than he ever has before, and I do my best to keep from screaming with pleasure. 

I know before he says it that this time will be faster than the others. He can’t slow down, and I don’t want him to.

“I want you to come for me,” he says huskily into my ear. “Now.”

I obey.

I’m still not finished with my own orgasm when he pulls out of me, signaling that he’s in the midst of his own, but I turn and drop to my knees, regardless, taking him in my mouth to catch his seed before it can hit the ground. 

When I rise again, his chest is heaving. The passionate rage he took me with has left him, replaced by a look of…

Not this again.

“Don’t you dare start asking me if I regret it again,” I say, leaning back against his door. “I might have to slap you.”

He laughs, but the look doesn’t fade. He scans my neck. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” I say immediately. “If it wasn’t clear from the very loud orgasm I just had, you pleasured me.”

He sighs, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my cheek. “I went too far. You just drive me so f*****g crazy, Red.”

I don’t back down. “I’d say you didn’t go far enough. I probably deserved much, much worse.”

A spark of the passionate rage returns to his eyes, and for half a second, I hope I might get a round two that’s even more thrilling than round one was. But as quick as it’s there, it’s gone. His eyes trace my body one last time, and again, I get the sad sense that he’s memorizing it in case this time is our last.

“You’re so unbelievably beautiful,” he tells me softly. “Sometimes I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Well, get used to it, baby,” I whisper. “Because it’s going to keep happening.”