HIS FORBIDDEN LITTLE WOLF

chapter nine

The words settled over the breakfast table. From the corner of my eye, Lena caught me. She shook her head softly, as if trying to stop me from bursting out. I didn’t even have it in me. I was more hurt than anything.

Daemon didn’t even look at me after saying it. He just reached for his cup, his dark eyes unreadable. If I didn’t know any better, I would have been so convinced that last night didn’t happen, that he wasn’t in my room to hold me after that nightmare.

Aemon bared out a laugh. “There you have it. Even Daemon agrees. And Annie, we all know you look up to Daemon. Our dear cousin can do no wrong in your eyes.”

I swallowed. “That’s not true. I don’t look up to him.”

But Daemon wasn’t even in the least surprised.

“Balor is a respectable lad,” my father mused, nodding. “His father is my good friend and also very loyal to the pack. He has travelled, studied, seen the world…You want to visit Russia, don’t you?”

I stared at Daemon.

Nothing.

Not even a flicker.

Last night, his arms had been around me. Last night, he’d run his fingers through my hair in the dark of my room, promising me that he was there with me. That he was present. But this morning, he acted like I barely existed.

I forced the humiliation down with my meal.

“Well,” I said, forcing a laugh that sounded foreign even to my own ears. “Since everyone thinks this is such a good idea and has decided to plan my own future for me, maybe I should just get mated with Balor tomorrow and get it over with.”

That finally got Daemon’s attention. It might have been a figment of my imagination because it barely lasted up to a full minute. But I thought I saw his gaze slowly lift to mine. I thought I saw a small jerk of the muscles in his jaw.

I felt it all the way down to my stomach. But then, Daemon leaned back lazily in his chair again, shrugging carelessly. “If that’s what you want, kid.”

Kid.

That word again.

I couldn’t deal with this.

I got on my feet, shoving my chair back so abruptly that it scraped loudly against the stone floor. “I suddenly lost my appetite.”

“Annie,” my father warned.

But I didn’t wait to hear what he had to say. The scolding could come much later.

The grand doors slammed shut behind me, and the pack warriors stepped out of the way to let me through. I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt so constricted, and all I wanted to do was scream.

Or cry.

Or both.

But there was something else. Something that felt hot like wildfire, threatening to consume me. I felt it in my palms, and I squeezed them tight. It felt like a part of me knew, and that was the most confused I’d ever been.

Knew what?

I was by the gardens now, my breathing coming out erratically. It felt like I was having a panic attack. I bent low with my hands on my knees, my eyes closed, trying to take one deep breath after another.

“Annie?”

I stood straight quickly, turning around. He narrowed his eyes in my direction, halting for a couple of seconds before closing the remaining space between us. I could tell why he was late this morning. The sleeves of his back shirt were rolled to his forearms, and his dark hair was still slightly damp.

He must have been training.

He wasn’t with Samantha.

But when I remembered what he’d said over breakfast, fury washed through me again. “What?” I muttered, looking away.

“You seem to be in a really bad mood this morning.” He stopped next to me, but still put enough space between us.

“Forgive me. I should be all roses and petals knowing I am about to be sold the next good man alive.”

“Annie, your father…”

“Cares about me, wants the best for me.” I turned to him then. “But what about you?”

He quirked his brows. “What about me?”

“Do you want me to be with Balor, because you practically offered me to him.”

A muscle jerked in his jaw, unnoticeable because he covered it by stroking his chin. “Annie, what I want does not have any bearing here. Your father’s say is final, and Balor is a really fine man.”

The coldness in his tone broke me even further.

“What about you?” I repeated, staring up at him. “Do you want me to be with Balor? If your decision had any weight here, would you want me to be with him?”

“Yes,” he answered without batting an eyelid. “He’s a good kid. He adores you.”

“Why are you doing this?” I yelled, staring at him in disbelief.

“Doing what?”

“Annie!”

“What?” I snapped angrily at the intruder. But I immediately regretted it when Balor appeared in the pathway, confusion and wariness in his eyes.

“Should I come back? I can do that.”

“No,” I breathed. He’d done nothing wrong, even if he was the last person I wanted to see. “No. It’s fine. You’re here to see my Dad?”

“No,” he flushed, scratching the side of his head. “I’m actually here to see you. After the fire … I wanted to know how you were doing.”

“Oh,” I muttered, quite surprised. “That’s kind of you. I’m fine, thank you.”

“Do you want to maybe hang out this night?” he continued, edging closer and giving Daemon a courteous nod. “My friends and I are going to this pub on the outskirts of the pack, and I was wondering…”

“You can’t take her that far,” Daemon cut in. “We still don’t know what caused that fire. We don’t know if we’re under attack.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re being dramatic, Daemon.”

“I’m trying to protect my cousin.”

“It’s fine,” Balor laughed awkwardly, looking at Daemon. “We can go to that one in the pack. It’s not a bother.”

Then his eyes fell on me. “What do you say, Princess? Want to go?”

Daemon didn’t wait for my response before sneaking away.