Lycan Prince's Fated Mate

12

“Don’t be like that,” I said, nudging his shoulders playfully. “You know Mason is just a bit… reserved.”

As if on cue, Mason’s shrill voice carried to us.

“You can’t catch me!”

Jordan raised an eyebrow as if to say, “you were saying”, and we both broke down in a fit of laughter.

If anyone had told me I would ever befriend a Lycan after my time at court, I would have thought them a fool.

But that was before Jordan turned up at my doorstep bleeding and half dead, and I decided to help him. I nursed him back to health and somewhere between all of that, we had become friends.

Good friends.

My good friend was smiling a little bit too much and I slanted him a side glare.

"Why do I get the feeling like you are scheming something?"

Jordan chuckled. "Does taking my friend out for a meal to celebrate her success count as a scheme?"

At his words, I recalled my meeting with Dante earlier that evening and my good mood dropped.

"I didn't succeed at convincing Fort," I said. "We were interrupted."

Although interrupted didn't even begin to cover it.

"Chin up. That's even better," Jordan smiled at me. "We’ll celebrate your extended stay here, instead."

Although an extended stay was the last thing I wanted, I found myself smiling at Jordan.

He understood that I was already beating myself up for not securing the business deal so instead of asking about it, he chose to focus on something else.

Cocking my head to the side, I nodded as though I were contemplating his suggestion.

“And what does this celebration look like?” I asked.

Jordan spread his arms for an exaggerated effect, his brown eyes twinkling with humor.

“Envision a private dinner, with a live orchestra as a backdrop and the most important part: delicious food.”

I paused. All of that sounded nice but it also sounded like… a date.

Jordan and I weren't like that. At least not for me. Even though I had gotten over how Dante had treated me, a huge part of me wasn’t ready to open up to someone else like that.

“I…I…” I tried to speak but the words wouldn't come.

“It's just a simple dinner between two friends, Ivie,” Jordan said softly as though he could read my mind, then he bumped shoulders with me playfully. “Besides, you owe me.”

True. I had so many dinner promises to make up to Jordan.

“Fine.” I smiled at Jordan.

It was definitely not fine.

I spent way too long picking out an outfit.

What black dress said date night not a work event, but at the same time date night minus the date aspect?

In the end, I ran out of time and went for a simple black dress with my hair just pulled away from my face instead of my usual bun.

Jordan stared at me as though I had undergone a major makeover.

“You… you look stunning.” He said finally and for whatever reason, my cheeks burned.

“Thank you,” I said before sitting in the chair he’d pulled out for me at the restaurant.

The restaurant was almost empty save for the both of us, urbane with a nuanced decor and a live orchestra as Jordan had promised.

It was luxurious.

“Seafood is a no-no for me,” I said repressing a tiny shudder at Jordan’s order.

Jordan’s shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“You are quite the puzzle, aren't you? A wolf that can't stomach seafood, pretty sure there’s a joke somewhere about that.”

I stopped eating my curry rice long enough to glare at him.

“Laugh all you want, Jordan, but I'm not risking a stomach bug.”

“I'm not laughing,” Jordan smiled then he indicated to the side of my lips. “You've got a bit of something there.”

I tried wiping my mouth with the napkin on the table, but I seemed to fail. Because the next thing I knew, Jordan was reaching across the table, his thumb wiping at the edge of my lips.

I paused as Jordan’s thumb lingered on there and I found myself staring at him, especially when his gaze dipped to my lips.

What was⁠—

Jordan pulled his thumb away before bopping my nose with sauce on his finger, smearing it across my nose bridge.

My mouth dropped open in astonishment.

“Hey!” I smacked Jordan’s arm, but he simply cackled.

I found myself joining in on the laughter only for it to cut off abruptly when the air behind me suddenly felt charged up.

I didn't need to turn to feel that Dante just entered the restaurant.

CHAPTER 5

DANTE

W

ith a sweep of my hands, the files and stationery on my table fell to the ground, my claws gouging into the hardwood, but my anger was far from subdued.

My body vibrated and it was taking everything in me not to give in to my bestial side.

Her scent of vanilla and jasmine still clung to my clothes, taunting me mercilessly.

Dancing with Ivie had been a mistake.

Even now I could still feel her phantom touch on my shoulders, the press of her soft body to mine.

With the bond between us gone, I shouldn't have found her beautiful. Shouldn't have wanted to tug at that bun and watch her hair spill down her back. Shouldn't have wanted to kiss her red lipstick off her lips.

No.

I wasn't attracted to her. It was just the remnants of the bond confusing me.

I hated Ivie.

I hated her from the moment she manipulated me into mating with her. From the moment she made me break Miranda’s heart.

Raised as the heir to the Lycan throne, she was my very antithesis. She was unfit to be Lycan royalty in more ways than one, yet the moon goddess had paired us together.

Now she was back and with just one dance had me on the verge of losing control even though I had been the one to initiate the dance.

I hated how easily she got to me even without trying.

There was only one way to handle this, to crush Ivie so thoroughly that she never dared cross me again.

“There is little to no information about her anywhere,” Aiden sounded puzzled. “If I didn't know better I would have said she had it all erased.”

It was highly unusual for Aiden to not be able to find anything even with a cursory surface search.

As for having information erased, it might have been possible for humans but there was little that could be hidden from the information channels of Lycan royalty.

But no matter, I would still get to her.

I reclined in my chair, the deadly calm that accompanied coming to a certain line of action falling over me.

“I don't care how many favors you need to call in,” I met Aiden’s gaze sternly. “I want to know how an orphaned omega became a Westfield. Now.”

Aiden bowed slightly.

“Yes, Prince Dante.”

In hours, possibly less, I would find out exactly what Ivie had been up to these past five years.

“The council meeting with regard to the succession process will be held tomorrow.” Elder Frey informed me.

From his careful tone, I could already hazard a guess that whatever was to be decided tomorrow might not be in my favor.

“Good,” I said before ending the call.

Leading the Lycan race was my birthright. Whatever the Elders decided couldn't change that.

I opened the door to my room in the palace.

The first thing that hit me was the dim lighting of the room brightened only by the sparse candlelight.

The next thing was Miranda stepping out of our bed. Completely naked.

She was stunning, every inch of her skin porcelain and flawless. She stalked towards me, each step a hybrid of confidence and sensuality.

Once that might have been enough to have me reaching for her, taking her as rough as she wanted me to. But that was before I realized she is no longer the woman I had fallen in love with, or maybe she had never existed.

She reached me. With her elegant slender hands making quick work of my suit jacket, her ocean-blue eyes fixed on mine the entire time.

Going on her tiptoes, Miranda leaned in pressing herself to me as she kissed me.

I felt nothing. Not even a spark of what I had felt taking Ivie’s hand on that dance floor. And I found I was thinking of her again.