Claiming my rogue princess

Chapter 12

Shadow in the woods

The Thornes palace was decorated with lamplight, with the banners of the Moonvale pack hung alongside the wolfhead statue. Long tables were laid with meat and wine and the mood was heavy with political talks between the Alphas.

Jasmine Willows sat beside her father, Alpha Jacobs. She was elegantly dressed in a gown that flowed and shone in the moonlight. They had traveled from a distant place to honor the call of Alpha Julian and accept the marriage offer to Damian.

Lydia welcomed Jasmine with a crafted rose flower crown and incense to portray a bride-to-be rites for her. They held hands and walked down the corridor admiring all the frames and victory of their ancient Alphas before Damian's father.

Jasmine smiled with a practiced grace at every word spoken and when it was finally dinner time, her eyes kept glancing towards the empty chair that belonged to Damian.

Alpha Julian was pissed at the absence of Damian at the meeting earlier, now it's dinner time, and still he wasn't present… “Where is my son,” he turned to his wife sitting close to him.

Lydia was shocked and couldn't find the right words to explain Damian's absence. But before he could lose his temper, one of the stewards bowed. “He was summoned, my lord. And he hasn't arrived yet.” Everywhere became silent and Alpha Julian continued with his chat and meal.

Throughout the dinner, Alpha Jacobs' expression was cool even though he said nothing. Jasmine only lowered her face to hide whatever thoughts stirred behind her calm mask.

Later in the evening, Liam found Damian after a long day of searching around the woods.

The forest was already getting dark and restless, and the mist was sticking low to the ground. But Damian moved through them with purpose, his wolf was panting beneath his skin. Every shadow made his pulse quicken, and every whisper of wind carried the hope of her scent.

But his mind couldn't stop thinking and feeling disgusted about his marriage to Jasmine.

He stopped in a cultivated area, with his chest beating heavily, and eyes burning like silver as he scanned the trees. Hoping to find her but nothing happened. Only the rustle of leaves and the call of a night bird.

“Damian!”

Liam’s voice broke the silence as he stepped into the clearing, his cloak pulled tight with a hard gaze. “Do you want your father to tear this forest apart looking for you? They are waiting in the hall. Jasmine’s family is already here.”

Damian got angry. “I cannot sit at that table while she is still out here.”

Liam frowned. “You swore to your father you would go through with it. Do not make him think you are already breaking your word.”

“I only swore because he left me with a no choice,” Damian said in a low voice. “But my wolf knows she is near. I can feel her, Liam. She is out here.”

Liam shook his head. “Or maybe you are just chasing an imagination. You know sometimes what we want blinds us from what is actually real.”

Damian was surprised to hear this. “You think I imagine this?” he replied.

“I think you are willing to risk everything for a girl who might never show herself again,” Liam said quietly. “And I will not let you throw your life into flames for a mere shadow.”

Damian squeezed his fist very tightly and walked away from Liam continuing his search. His wolf sniffed so hard like it had found something familiar.

Hidden among the trees, Aria watched quietly from a distance. She wore a fur coat which was made by her mother as a parting gift to her and this was what protected her scent from being discovered by her father's men. The coat blended with the dark forest and she had used this opportunity to follow Damian right from the beginning of the search.

She had seen the tension in his shoulders, the fury in his eyes, and the stubborn hope that burned like fire when Liam tried to stop him. Her own wolf howled at the sight of him, begging her to step forward. But she held back, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

If she made herself visible to him, everything she had been avoiding might happen. Her father’s wrath, Hugo’s vengeance, and the fragile thread of her pack’s survival.

She could only watch from that distance with her fingers piercing into the bark of a tree. When she heard what Liam said to Damian, the words hit her so sharply, that it made her flinch.

He was right. She was nothing more than a shadow to Damian now, and a ghost haunting his search.

And yet… When Damian turned his face toward the trees, his eyes gleaming with desperate fire, Aria swore he was looking straight at her. Her heart banged against her ribs.

She pressed a hand over her mouth, holding back the cry that rose in her throat.

“Enough of this Damian,” Liam said firmly, stepping closer to him. “I think I have tolerated this enough already, and right now you will have to go back to the palace, sit at that table, and nod at Jasmine to show your father that you can obey instructions for once. Trust me if you do not, he will definitely break you into bones himself.”

Damian stared once again toward the tree, his wolf felt tired from growling at the leash of duty.

But slowly, and painfully, he lowered his head.

“Very well,” he said.

Liam’s shoulders eased, but his eyes never left Damian’s face. “You are making the right choice, though I know you hate it.”

Damian remained silent and his silence was heavier than words.

Together, they turned back toward the palace, as their boots crunched on the forest floor.

But behind them, without notice, Aria pressed her forehead against the rough bark and let the tears fall.

The hall exploded with murmurs when Damian finally entered. His dark hair was damp with mist, and his clothes carried the scent of the woods. Alpha Julian’s eyes burned as he rose from his seat.

“Where have you been?”

“I went for a walk,” Damian said calmly, even though all eyes in the room stared at him.

Alpha Julian’s nostrils flared, but he managed to force a smile as he turned back to Jacob Willows. “Forgive my son. The weight of leadership often drives him to seek the calmness of the woods.”

Jacob nodded in agreement. “A restless nature is common in the youth of nowadays, but with time it will settle.”

Jasmine’s smile did not falter, though her eyes lingered on Damian quietly assessing him.

They all gathered at the table to make a toast to the new arrangement, both families made their promises and finally, the agreement was sealed.

Damian lifted his cup, but his lips barely touched the wine. His father quickly rested his hand on his shoulder, to give a silent warning.

But in his chest, his wolf beat against its cage, calling to the shadow in the woods.

When the hall emptied and the torches burned out, Damian stood alone on the balcony, staring into the moon. Liam also joined him, they both stood silent for a long while before Liam finally broke the silence.

“You looked like a man walking to his own grave in there,” Liam said.

“Perhaps I was,” Damian replied.

Liam leaned on the rail. “You will have to let her go.”

Damian’s glowing eyes cut to him. “And if I cannot?”

Liam sighed. “Then may the moon have mercy on you both.”

Deep in the heart of the forest, Aria sank to the ground, and her knees became weak. She had watched him return to the palace and had seen the way he carried himself under the weight of chains.

She told herself she would not follow again, and this time she would let him go. But her wolf shifted and became nervous as to why her heart had refused the lie.

Every night, she knew, she would return to watch, cry and hope and perhaps, one night, she might be seen.