Forbidden Forces

Second Guesses

[Alloura POV]

I slipped back into my bedroom in the palace, hoping I could change into my next gown for dinner and pop back into the party unnoticed. Rhys would have noticed my absence, I hoped.

I had hoped that my dip in the spring would help bring me more clarity, but my peculiar encounter with the giant beast had me feeling funny. All my time in that forest and I had never seen a wolf so big, nor had I seen one that seemed to stare the way it had. Not just the stare, but something about its grayish blue eyes felt like more. Werewolves exist, sure, but their lands are well beyond Alfheim, and the forest was within the jurisdiction of Alfheim. A werewolf wouldn’t be caught over here, surely..

Suddenly a knock at my door jolted my mind back to the present. It was Layla.

“I was hoping to find you here,” Layla said. “Where have you been? Here, let me help you with that.”

Layla began lacing up the corset back of my lilac silk gown. “I just needed to get some air and a moment to myself, I was only in the garden,” I replied.

“In the garden?! Rhys was looking all over the garden for you! You must have some secret spot.” Layla was eyeing me suspiciously. But, more to the point, Rhys was looking for me?

“Rhys was actually looking for me?”

“Yes, Ally, of course! Don’t look so surprised, you are his fiancée!”

Layla and I left my bedroom and began walking down to the banquet hall. Maybe Rhys was actually beginning to show interest in me.

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[Xander POV]

I ran out of sight of the beautiful faerie, hoping to watch her without her knowing I was still there. Could she tell that I’m a werewolf?

She carefully fluttered her wings, suspending herself above the spring. She was radiant, the magic seemed to be running through her veins, visible on her skin like purple lines on a roadmap that I wanted to trace with my fingers. The wet satin slip she wore clung to ever curve on her body and she looked so delicate, like I could break her with my touch. I wished I could change into my human form here in front of her and touch her..

But alas, if I were to turn into my human form in front of her, she would probably run. So I stayed in my wolf form and followed her scent to see where it took me. When I got to the edge of the enchanted forest, I watched her hurry through an elaborate garden filled with other faeries, and into the palace. I couldn’t continue on without being seen by the other faeries present, so I turned back around, trotting back into the forest and back to the spring.

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[Alloura POV]

I was seated next to Rhys, who was next to his father, King Rayner, at the head of the massive and long dining table. My own father sat on my other side.

“So, where did you run off to earlier?” Rhys whispered to me. “I tried to give you some alone, but I couldn’t find you in the gardens.”

“We must’ve just missed each other in the gardens,” I lied.

“You know, if you and I are going to work at all, you need to be honest with me. But more importantly, my fiancée and future queen disappearing away from me at our own engagement party makes me look like a fool.” Ah. That made more sense. I had hoped that Rhys actually just wanted to see me, but of course, he was more concerned with his image.

“In truth, Rhys, today’s celebration just made me miss my mother extra. A girl needs her mother for a day like this.” Rhys seemed to accept my answer and gently brushed a loose tendril of hair across my cheek and behind my ear.

“Well, then I’d like to accompany you in the gardens after dinner and I’ll escort you to the cemetery myself. Together, we can visit your mother.”

Rhys’s words and behaviors were shocking me. It seemed like he really did care, or at least was very committed to the appearance of caring. Either way, I decided I would enjoy his attention, having always wanted to be really noticed by him.

After dinner, the party moved into the ballroom. Rhys led me to the center yet again, taking one of my hands into his and placing his other hand on my waist. He grabbed at the silk fabric of my gown, feeling the silk between his fingers. His eyes lingered where his hand was, like I was trying to see through my gown, despite the hundreds of other faeries around us. While I doubted he could possibly already have true feelings for me, I suppose he was still a man after all, with the needs and lust of a man.

“Now’s as good a time as any to slip away,” Rhys whispered into my ear. “I want to show you my favorite spot in the garden.”

Rhys led me through the vast garden until we came upon a bronze gate that opened into a private garden. It was very small compared to the rest of the gardens on the palace property, lined with tall hedges, and brightly colored flowers everywhere. I followed him to the base of a tall and wide tree where he prompted me to sit against the trunk beside him.

“I hope I didn’t upset you earlier,” he said, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. His touch felt warm on my skin.

“I understand where you were coming from,” I replied. “I’m sure it’s never been easy not being able to make decisions like this for yourself, especially with us being promised to each other from such a young age.”

“You know, I always thought you were unhappy with the betrothal.”

What?! “What do you mean? I’ve had a crush on you since I was 12! You never gave me the time of day, always dating other girls!”

Now Rhys looked as shocked as I felt. “Well, allow me to make amends for that now.”

Rhys leaned in to me and lifted my chin with his hand. He placed his lips so delicately against mine, like he was waiting for my permission to kiss me fully. Once I returned the kiss his hand slid down my neck, around my shoulder, and down my back, pulling me against him. It felt like a dream finally being kissed by Rhys and I let myself enjoy every moment of it, letting my hands get tangled in his blond waves.

Then, suddenly, Rhys pulled away, ending the kiss. “I don’t want to push you too far tonight, Alloura. I think we should retire for the night before I change my mind, while I still have my self control.”

He sure was adamant on being a gentleman all the way through. Rhys escorted me through the palace where the party had ended, and stopped in front of the door leading to the hallway of my family’s wing.

“Goodnight, my queen,” Rhys whispered, kissing me softly on the forehead.

Even after a lovely evening, and getting into my bed, I couldn’t help but think of the wolf in the forest.