Hidden Among Wolves

Chapter 3

(Prince Leo’s POV)

"Why the long face, Your Royal Highness?" Jay bowed playfully, but before he could straighten up, I turned and pushed him down with one swift motion, a playful yet firm response to his jest.

"You have to be kidding me," I grumbled, annoyance evident in my tone.

"No one is around to hear us," he playfully grunted as he pretended to struggle while getting back on his feet. We had ventured deep into the southern woods, our usual route for giving our wolves a taste of the fresh air. The dense canopy above cast dappled shadows on the forest floor, and the crisp scent of pine and earth surrounded us. It was our secret sanctuary, a place where we could let our guards down and just be ourselves.

Jay had been my friend for years. We first met on one of my father's trips to our military town of Stanton. We didn't visit often, but Jay and I kept in touch throughout the years. Somehow, my father managed to keep my identity a secret during each visit, not just to Stanton but to the entire Kingdom. He had always feared that an enemy would place a target on my back.

Losing mom was hard. I was only five at the time and I don’t recall much. But I knew dad had it the hardest, knowing it should have been him. At least I tried to convince myself that was the case.

As I grew older, it became more difficult for anyone to keep track of me. My father believed that sending me away with a new identity was the best option. Since no one knew who I was, it wasn't too difficult to arrange. However, I couldn't help but wonder if there were other reasons for his decision to distance me.

"That doesn’t mean you should go around announcing it,” Jay cautioned, emphasizing the importance of keeping my true identity concealed. He was my most trusted confidant in this secret. While there were a few others who were aware of my real identity, they didn't count, as they answered directly to my father. Among them were the General, Captain Kodama, and my babysitter.

I had been just fifteen when I came to live in Stanton. Under the watchful eye of the General, I resided in a townhome far from the bustling heart of Stanton City. My social interactions were strictly limited, and besides Jay, I was not allowed to mingle with others in order to protect my anonymity and safety.

That all changed when I turned seventeen, the age when my wolf side emerged—a development not surprising given my lineage. At that point, I managed to convince my father to grant me permission to join the military. Although the General hesitated, he couldn't refuse my father's request. My primary goal wasn't to climb the ranks of our military hierarchy; rather, I simply needed to escape my gilded prison.

Gaining the General's favor had been a prolonged endeavor that spanned several years. It wasn't as if I suddenly fell into his good graces; I assumed that over time, he would grant me some leniency because I was the king's son. However, it was as if he were tougher on me because of it.

“Oh, I have to go. Amari is waiting for me,” Jay's face always lit up when he said her name. His eyes sparkled with a fondness that transcended mere words, and in that moment, I couldn't help but feel the depth of his affection for her. It was as if Amari was a beacon of light in the darkness of his world, a presence that brought him joy and purpose.

“I’ll stay a bit longer,” I turned away as Jay began shoving his shirt into a black sack. We had seen each other nude many times, but I found no particular desire to endure that sight again. I couldn't help but secretly believe that I had the advantage in terms of physical appearance anyway.

"Before I go," Jay's voice took on a serious, almost solemn tone. "I need you to promise me something, something of the utmost importance." His eyes bore into mine, and his expression grew more intense.

"I need you to promise that if anything were to happen to me," his voice deepened, resonating with the gravity of his words, "you will protect Amari."

"There's no need for all this sappy stuff," I quipped, trying to lighten the mood as I often did when Jay broached the subject. His concern for Amari was a recurring theme in our conversations, a testament to the depth of his love for her that was evident every time he spoke her name. His eyes though, did not soften as he looked at me.

"No, I'm serious," Jay's voice grew even firmer, leaving no room for doubt. His gaze remained fixed on mine, his unwavering determination cutting through any attempt to dismiss the gravity of his request. It was clear that he was not about to let this go, emphasizing the importance of the promise he sought.

"Are you kidding? Amari would run circles around us," I replied, a fond smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I reminisced about the first day I met her. Her vibrant ivory hair shimmered like spun silk in the sunlight, as if each strand bore a radiant secret. I can still vividly recall that moment when she effortlessly took down an opponent twice her size, moving with grace and precision.

It was as if I had witnessed an elegant swan dancing in the wind. The way her hair swept through the air so effortlessly after delivering a delicate but deadly scissors kick over the enemy's head was a sight to behold. Amari's strength and grace were a rare combination, and it was no wonder that Jay was so deeply enamored with her. Protecting someone like her felt like an honor rather than a burden.

It was strange, the feeling I had when I first saw her almost convinced me she was meant for me, but unknown to me at the time, her heart already belonged to another. I remember the precise moment when our eyes locked, and time seemed to stand still. For that brief instant, she stared directly into my soul, and I felt an inexplicable connection that sent a shiver down my spine. Her stare was curious, as if she didn’t know what to make of me.

But the second her eyes came across Jay, I knew he was her mate. Even the twinkle in her eyes gave her away. It was as if the universe itself had conspired to draw them together, their connection palpable and undeniable. In that moment, any illusion I had about a shared destiny was shattered, and I resigned myself to the knowledge that my heart's desires would forever remain out of reach.

“I need you to promise me,” Jay insisted, pulling me back from that distant memory.

"I promise," I replied, my commitment unwavering, aware that Jay would not let this matter rest. I turned away, giving him the privacy to undress without subjecting my own eyes to the sight of his transformation.

"Good," Jay grunted several times as he shifted, the sound of his transformation filling the air.

"I don't know how she can stand you," I hissed, my words laced with playful banter, though I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Jay's dark bristles swirled around him, and I could only hear his low growl as he moved through the woods.

If I were Amari, I would also choose him over me.

I mused quietly to myself, as I turned to watch Jay's silhouette move gracefully through the night. It was a bittersweet acknowledgment, a quiet understanding that their connection ran deeper than I could ever compete with. Not that I wanted to compete with Jay, but the thought could not be avoided.

As I stared into the vastness of the trees and listened to every symphony nature had to give. I found myself drifting back to that moment when I first crossed paths with Amari.

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"Ri, this is Noah Smith," I remembered Jay introducing me with the alias I had been given. There was always a hint of mischief in his tone when he said my name, as if he enjoyed the secret game we played. It was no secret to Jay, of course; he had always known who I really was, given that his father was the crown's physician at the time.

"Nice to meet you, Amari Albright," she said, extending her hand to greet mine. Her warm smile and the genuine kindness in her eyes made that first encounter a memory I would cherish forever.

"Albright?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued, for I was familiar with the Albright name.

"Don't worry, I'm not as grumpy as my father," her smile nearly took my breath away. Her charm was as disarming as it was captivating, and in that moment, I couldn't help but be drawn to her even more.

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That had been three years ago, they weren't official then, but when I realized she was Jay's Amari, I chose to stay away. Jay had mentioned Amari occasionally over the years, but it wasn't until that chance encounter that we had first met. Strangely, the detail of her being the general's daughter had never slipped from Jay's tongue in all those years of friendship.

I had always found it strange that I had never met the general's daughters, especially after years of living in Stanton. Despite the secrecy surrounding my true identity within the kingdom, many eager families sought to secure their daughters' future by vying for a chance to be matched with the prince. It was no secret that most would not miss the opportunity to present their unmated daughters as potential candidates. However, my father's general seemed to be an exception. He had never shown any interest in pushing his daughters forward for such a possibility.

If I didn't know any better, I would think he was deliberately keeping them away from me.