I straightened my jacket. ‘I always ensure proper hospitality for my guests.”
“Right. Peter’s grin turned wicked. “And I’m sure it has absolutely nothing to do with a certain lovely doctor we’ve heard whispers about.”
Leon’s sharp eyes dropped to my wrist. “Speaking of lovely… that’s a new watch.”
“Pretty sophisticated choice,” he continued, moving closer for a better look.
“Who gave it to you?” Peter leaned in with obvious curiosity.
I couldn’t stop the satisfied smile spreading across my face. “My fianc?e.”
Peter’s mouth fell open. “Holy shit. Our ice-cold king actually has someone buying him gifts?”
Leon whistled low. “And look at that expression. Caelan, you look like a lovesick teenager who just got his first valentine.”
‘I do not-
“You absolutely do.” Peter’s grin widened. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were about to start writing poetry about her eyes.”
‘Or composing love ballads,” Leon added helpfully.
I crossed my arms. “Are you two finished?”
“Not even close. Peter settled into one of the garden chairs like he was preparing for a show. We need details. All of them.”
Leon joined him, both of them watching me with the predatory focus of sharks scenting blood.
There are no details to share.
“Bullshit. Peter leaned forward. “Someone finally melted our frozen king’s heart. That’s front-page news.”
Leon’s expression grew more serious. “But really, Caelan. Why Sable Crawford? Don’t get me wrong – she’s beautiful, intelligent, comes from good bloodlines. But you’ve had marriage proposals from every major pack in the region.”
He ticked off names on his fingers. “Blood Moon Pack’s Alpha daughter. Silver Ridge’s heiress. That stunning woman from the Pack Council-
“Because it’s her. It could only ever be her.”
My friends exchanged glances.
“Actually, I continued, needing them to understand, “I was the one who proposed the arrangement to her father. Years ago.”
Silence stretched between us.
‘You… what?” Leon’s eyebrows shot toward his hairline.
I told Rodrigo I wanted to marry his daughter. Whatever conditions he had, whatever he asked for in return – I would have agreed to anything.”
Peter stared at me like I’d grown a second head. “Jesus Christ. You’ve been carrying a torch for her this whole time?”
“We always wondered why you never dated anyone seriously,” Leon added. “We thought maybe you preferred men.”
I shot him a withering look.
Peter’s grin returned full force. “Our king is a closet romantic! This is amazing. All those years of you acting like relationships were political negotiations, and secretly you were pining after-
“I wasn’t pining.
“Right. You just happened to arrange a marriage with your childhood crush out of pure diplomatic necessity.”
Leon leaned back in his chair, studying my face. “When did it start? You’re nine years older than her. Please tell me you weren’t harboring inappropriate feelings when she was underage.”
“That would be illegal, Your Majesty,” Peter added with mock solemnity.
I shot them both a sharp look. “Of course not. I’m not a pervert.”
Leon raised an eyebrow. “So when…?”
I looked away, coughing. “That’s classified information.”
“Classified? Leon’s voice rose with delighted disbelief. “Even from us?”
How could I explain without revealing the truth? That my feelings for Sable were tangled up with guilt and secrets I could never share? That I wasn’t even sure myself when protection had turned into something deeper.
She can never know. No one can ever know.
Leon’s expression grew more concerned. ‘Caelan, I need to ask this as your friend. She ran away from this marriage before. I heard that she spent three years with another man. As Lycan King, don’t you have… concerns?”
The temperature around me dropped several degrees. “They broke up. I’m her boyfriend now. And she’s my fated mate.”
“But don’t you care that-“
“Who doesn’t have a past?” I interrupted, my voice turning dangerous. ‘You’ve never been in a relationship?”
Peter raised both hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Don’t murder us. We’re just looking out for you.”
‘I mean,’ Leon pressed on despite my warning look, she was his first love, but you weren’t hers. That has to sting a little.”
I twisted the black ring on my finger – the serpent eating its own tail. The metal felt cool against my skin.
‘I don’t care about being first. I only care about being last.”
Holy shit. Peter whistled. Our king really is completely whipped.”
Seeing powerful Caelan brought to his knees by a woman, Leon shook his head in amazement. “This is historic.”
I fixed them both with my most intimidating stare. They immediately fell silent.
That’s when the scent hit me.
Strawberries and roses, carried on the evening breeze. My entire body went on high alert, every nerve ending suddenly aware of her presence.
Sabi.
I turned toward the manor’s french doors just as she stepped onto the terrace.
My breath caught in my throat.
She wore a cream-colored dress that hugged every curve like it had been painted on her body. The off-shoulder design showcased the elegant line of her collarbones and the soft swell of her breasts. The skirt ended mid-thigh, revealing miles of smooth, pale leg.
She’d left her hair loose, auburn waves catching the golden light as they fell over one shoulder. Her lips were painted a soft pink that made me want to taste them.
Storm rumbled with satisfaction in my consciousness. “Our mate. Look how perfect she is.”
She spotted me across the garden and smiled – genuine warmth that made my chest tight with emotion.
Behind me, I heard Leon mutter, “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“Now I understand,” Peter said quietly. “Looking at her, then looking at you looking at her… yeah, I get it.”
But I barely heard them. My world had narrowed to the woman walking toward me in that stunning dress.
Sable’s POV
The Bentley’s engine died with a soft purr as I pulled up to Blackwood Manor’s circular driveway. Through the windshield, I could see the warm glow of lights scattered across the garden terrace. The sound of distant laughter and conversation drifted through the evening air.
Before I could even step out of the car, a familiar voice shrieked across the driveway.
‘Sable! Oh my God, Sable!”
I barely had time to close the car door before a blur of blonde hair and emerald silk came flying toward me.
Scarlett crashed into me with enough force to knock me backward against the Bentley. Her arms wrapped around my waist in a bone-crushing hug that lifted my feet off the gravel.
‘I can’t believe you’re actually here! She pulled back to grip my shoulders, green eyes bright with unshed tears. “Three years! I thought you were never coming back. I thought you’d forgotten all about me.”
Looking at her face – the same mischievous smile, the same expressive eyes that had gotten us into so much trouble as children – warmth flooded through my chest. Scarlett had been my closest friend since we were eight years old. When I’d been struggling in medical school, drowning in textbooks and stress, she’d shown up at my dorm room with chocolate and stayed until I felt human again.
I reached up to ruffle her hair. “How could I possibly forget you? I came back because I missed you, silly. What’s wrong? Not happy to see me?”
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply