Chapter 7: The Prince
1252 Words
Nora’s POV
Damian’s mouth twisted, arrogance flashing in his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.” He jerked his wrist, once, twice—but Kade’s grip held fast. For an instant his face went blank, then fury swelled to cover the humiliation, his wolf’s violence bleeding out.
“You’re barking like a dog with its tail stepped on,” Kade said evenly. “One more word—and think carefully about the consequences before you leave this room.”
The air stretched taut.
I heard my own heartbeat tangled with the voices outside—shoes tapping, whispers of “Are they fighting?” rising behind the door.
Damian finally let go. He shook his numbed fingers and sneered. “You got lucky today.”
He yanked the door open and kicked it against the wall, making sure everyone outside could see.
Gasps rippled.
But Kade didn’t let Damian have the last word. In the same instant, he draped his jacket over me and lifted me into his arms.
Selena shoved her way inside, her first glance not at me but at Kade. A sharp laugh spilled out. “Well, well. The Omega hero saves the day—performing again?”
“Don’t call what you don’t understand a performance.” Kade’s tone was calm as he stood in front of me.
Damian’s POV
My face darkened. Behind my back I flexed my wrist, hiding the pain.
I studied the boy before me—Kade. A nobody. No pack claimed him. If he were an Omega, someone would know. And no Omega had that kind of strength.
The way he locked my hand—if I hadn’t let go, he could’ve crushed my arm.
That meant only one thing: Hybrid. His bloodline wasn’t pure. Maybe one parent was Alpha or Beta, from a strong family. That would explain it. Still, a bastard like him would never rise. At best, the strongest weapon for his clan’s dirty work.
My eyes slid to Nora. She was cradled in his arms now, not resisting.
I laughed under my breath. Even when I barely threatened her, she looked at me with loathing. No wonder she refused me. Even after Selena tormented her, she never came crawling back.
If I hadn’t heard she’d been sneaking to the library with Kade, I wouldn’t have believed it. Foolish girl. She thought clinging to this boy gave her strength.
My fists clenched. I would make her regret it.
She thought survival was that simple? With tainted blood, no matter his strength, Kade would never stand on a stage.
Selena caught my mood and pounced, her voice cutting sharp. “Hey, pretty boy, where’s that confidence from? Planning to fake some big identity and scare us?”
Laughter rolled like waves.
I smirked. Selena always knew how to play to me. She’d hovered around me for years, hoping to be my Luna. Whatever her motives, she read my moods well. One frown, and she knew exactly how to jab.
I folded my arms, chin lifting. My gaze cut to Nora. “Little tail, you chose wrong. A Hybrid—maybe with a powerful father, maybe even the king’s bastard—but still just a bastard. He’ll never stand in the open. I’ll give you one more chance. Leave his arms, crawl back to me, and beg. Do that, and I’ll take you back as my shadow.”
Selena’s gasp broke in. “Damian, you’re giving her another chance? You’re too soft—”
“Shut up.” My snarl snapped her silent, my warning clear.
She pouted but turned her fury on Kade instead. “Pretty boy, put Nora down. Let her answer. Or will you keep holding her, spinning stories to scare us? What’s next—claiming you’re royalty? A prince? The king’s long-lost cousin?”
She leaned closer, her smile cruel. “Nora, sweet little tail. Your mother’s still rotting under your father’s hand. How can you flirt with another boy here? Should I send word back home—that you defied Damian again? Imagine what new tortures your mother might face.”
Nora trembled in his arms. My lips curled. Yes. That would break her.
But Kade only held her tighter, stroking her hair. His voice cut low and steady. “If you want to know who I am—I’ll tell you my name.”
His eyes burned into us.
“Kade·Aldric,” he said clearly. “Crown Prince of the Werewolf Kingdom.”
The hall fell silent—like air sucked out of the world.
Then whispers erupted, sharp and frantic. “Did he say prince—?” “The Aldric name—royal—”
Selena laughed until tears streaked her face. “Oh gods, did you hear that? A Hybrid claiming to be prince! I can’t—this is killing me.”
I laughed too, blade-sharp. “You? A prince?”
I stepped forward, voice ice. “Wrong lie, boy. I’m chairman of this year’s event committee. Next week, the royal family visits. The king himself will attend the banquet—hosted by me. Perfect.”
I bared my teeth. “We’ll ask the king in person if he has a son like you. If you’re an impostor, I’ll drag you across the floor myself.”
“Do as you like.” Kade’s voice never wavered. “But it’ll be you crawling.”
My face stiffened. I forced a scoff. “Keep pretending.”
Nora’s POV
Prince.
The word hit like cold iron, pressing into my chest until heat flooded behind it, too much to hold.
Kade… was a prince?
But he’d sat across from me, scribbling Lift, Press, Hold, writing well done in neat corners of my notes. If he was a prince—why?
Selena’s shrill laugh cut through me. “Really, Nora? Falling for it? Poor Omega, even in your dreams you need someone else’s title.”
Laughter followed her words.
But I hadn’t said I believed him. I hadn’t said anything at all. I’d only been standing behind Kade, trying to breathe steady while he faced Damian.
Damian’s hand stretched toward me, mock-gentle. “Come. We’ll explain this misunderstanding to the faculty. And while we’re at it, expose this fraud.”
My spine locked. But Kade moved first, shielding me. His voice was razor calm. “She doesn’t need to go with you. She doesn’t need to explain anything.”
“How long do you think you can shield her?” Damian sneered, eyes sliding over me like I was an object. “When the royals arrive, your lies will split open, and she’ll be cast out. I’ll press your faces to the floor myself.”
“Try me,” Kade said, voice flat. “From this day on—anyone who touches her—I’ll break their fingers, one by one.”
The corridor froze. It wasn’t a shout. Not a threat. Just fact laid bare. That calmness chilled worse than rage.
“Posturing,” Damian sneered, dragging the word out. “See you next week… ‘prince.’” He spat the word loud enough for it to echo, fueling more laughter.
He stormed off, Selena blowing me a mocking kiss. “Don’t cry, little thing. Next week will be even better.”
The crowd bled away.
Only the narrow corridor remained, pressing my breath into my chest. I looked at Kade’s face.
My heart—steady even when Damian had grabbed me—now pounded wild.
- Writer
