This wasn’t new to Nicklaus. This feeling of longing for a complete stranger, the sudden attraction and excitement for someone at the first glance.

He had done this before.

It wasn’t new but it was strange. It was scary and dangerous.

He stayed in his room, by his study space, looking at the pages before him. Merely looking when he was in fact supposed to read and study them.

He couldn’t concentrate on the political analysis of the lycanthrope world because his mind was fully occupied by her.

She was fully covered, yet….he was entranced by her beauty, her grace. She looked like something he could not have. Her performance played in his head on repeat.

She was phenomenal.

She would be the end of him.

When she showed up in his room, he knew she was trouble. He could sense it, the foreboding feeling that came with her but it still wasn’t enough to clear his thoughts of her.

This was bad.

This was really bad.

He closed the book shut and with a heavy sigh, he slumped in his seat.

He raised his right hand, inspecting the strands of her cobalt midnight hair and flowed between his fingers like silky wave.

“Yvette.”

She spelt trouble. Jace had somehow gotten his hands on records of Opulent veil and was unable to find a tab on her. By tomorrow, I hope he would have something about her from his sources.

She should be resting in one of the guest room at the moment. The king will request our presence anytime soon and he will announce our quest to find the Selene stone.

The Selene stone.

Said to cure the ruins of the man, to make one reborn. It may be the solution to all my problems and if this witch could bring me to it, I would be grateful.

If she proved otherwise, I would have to end her. Either way, I would try my best to keep by distance. The longer I remain in Dakota, the less control I have over myself.

The door to my room slammed open and Gaia stormed in, fuming furiously with Jace strolling in behind her.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Jace must have blabbered to her.

She stood in front of me, eyes glaring. “What makes you think it’s a good idea to bring a whore along on our mission.”

My jaw tightened. “Mind your words,Gaia,” I warned but it only fueled her fury.

“Do not use that tone on me!” She snapped and began pacing the room like a bird caged. She suddenly stopped and jabbed a shaky finger at my direction. “It was supposed to be us against your enemies but you watched her perform in the stage and thought bringing her along to sate your pleasure was a great idea!”

“I said, shut it!!”

It was not my roar that silenced her. It was the appearance of my wolf.

Thy both watched as I battle to win against the beast in me. My form straining between mab and beast. I managed to force it down but the struggle left my head pounding.

I lowered my head, breathing heavily.

The silence in the room was deafening.

When I looked up, Gaia was horrified, Jace held her close to his body. His cautious eyes trained on me, ready to bolt if I spiraled.

I closed my eyes briefly, ran a hand through my hair and sighed.

“That wh–” I stopped myself before my wolf snapped again. “She’s my mate.”

As expected, their faces fell. Gaia looked like earth as she knew it had shattered. Jace lets her go, she stumbled back, speechless.

“B-but that’s impossible, you still have A–“

“Don’t not say her name, Gaia,” Jace warned her before I got to. His voice sharp and swift.

Gaia drifted to the nearest couch and slumped into it, still stunned. Her eyes vacantly stare at the rug at the center of the room. “So what, you like her? Is that it?”

“She’s a witch.” I replied, dodging the question. Gaia’s mouth fell open in shock.

Jace stopped forward, blinking rapidly as he tried to register what I just said. “What? What do you mean she’s a witch?” He crossed his arms. “You hate witches remember?”

I met his narrowed eyes.

All the while, my knees bounced relentlessly. Upon realization, I stopped instantly. Avoiding their gazes, I pick up the metal toy knight that fell face flat on the desk.

“She’s a witch and she can help us get the the Selene stone. She claimed she has a map, one that gives us an edge over others.”

“And she’s helping you cause she’s your…. mate?” Jace asked carefully.

“No, she wants something in return.”

Gaia scoffed. I ignored her.

“She’s looking for her sister.”

“Then she should go to the city watch! We are not some rescue team,” she snapped.

“If they could help, she wouldn’t come to me.” I replied coldly with a tone of finality.

“Oh please, she wants to be with you,” Gaia went on. “Are you sure you’re not under some spell? To make you think you’re mates with her.”

“If that were the case, the other princes would be a better choice.” My knees began bouncing again.

Enough. The voice in my head snapped and my entire body stilled Im command.

“She’s coming with us. End of discussion.”

Gaia grunted but said nothing. Jace went and sat beside her. A tense silence filled the room.

“What if she’s a spy for the Ice Queen?”

The door swung and her scent overwhelmed my senses. Yvette stood my the entrance, tall and confident like an Egyptian goddess. Especially with the gold ornament that sat across her her forehead with thin dangling chains that blend with her hair.

Something change in the air. An energy shift. It suddenly became colder. Her eyes were like glaciers.

She stood still, draped in a midnight blue ankle length gown. Good embroidery traced the fabric in intricate patterns, hugging her form with gentleness.

A sheer black cape floated around her like smoke, and the way she held herself like a Queen.

Wait. How could I not sense her coming? My eyes narrowed at her. This woman was dangerous.

When she realized my blatant ogling, she smirked. I didn’t shy away because I felt no shame in appreciating what was before me.

“If there’s one thing the Queen wants to do to the exiled prince….” Her voice slid into my mind. I was starting to get used to the intrusion but my friends on the other hand looked mortified. “It would be to kill him and finish him for good.”

Her eyes slipped like oil and landed on Gaia. The movement alone seductive and enchanting. There must be something wrong with me.

Gaia remained quiet but her face was starting to turn a bright shade of red. Next to her, Jace stiffened.

“So, do you want to kill him?”

Yvette’s eyes don’t leave Gaia’s nether did Gaia backed down.

“He’s death is of no use to me, I need him alive to serve his purpose,” her lips didn’t move but the venom in her voice was unmistakable. “If he fails on his end to fulfill his purpose, then I would make him beg for death.”

A shiver of excitement and anticipation slid down my spine. I bit back a smirk.

Gaia leaped to her feet. My body moved fast on instincts, ready to block her.

“She’s…she’s…” she seemed too angry to even talk. “She can’t even speak! We are supposed to believe a worthless mute who–”

She stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened in terror. Because her lips were sealed shut, like an invisible glue held them together. I glanced back at Yvette. She didn’t even lift a finger.

Jace looked just as shocked as I am.

Panic settled in Gaia’s eyes. She clawed at her mouth, desperately trying to pry her lips open but they were impossible.

As fun as it looked, it was wrong.

“Yvette,”I called in a low tone. Carefully reaching to her without triggering anything. This woman was like a ticking bomb.

“Release her now,” I command through clenched teeth.

Yvette remained unfazed, she didn’t respond but the moment we heard approaching footsteps, her lashes lowered and Gaia lips come undone.

Impossible.

I scoffed inwardly.

No spell, no enchantment.

Gaia growled lowly. “You lowly bit-”

I slapped my hand over her mouth.

A knock cut through the chaos in the room. “Your highness, the king has requested your presence at the throne room.”

Finally.

I dropped my hand and sighed in relief.

“We’ll be right down,” I returned.

When the footsteps faded. I walked towards the center of the room, my eyes swept over the group. Jace, Gaia, and Yvette.

This wasn’t going to be easy but when have I ever picked the easy route?

“Listen up, everyone. The only reason Yvette is here to help us find the stone. Until she proves herself otherwise, no one hurts her. We do this as a team. Whoever is not on board with us can leave now.”

Silence.

Good.

“Let’s go down and hear what the king has to say.” With speed, I reached for my coat on the hanger and wore it as I headed for the door.

When I get to the entrance, where Yvette stood. I hear her voice again, soft but smug in my mind.

“Just remember, Prince. I always get what I want. For your sake, I hope you keep your word unless, your step mother won’t even get the chance to finish you off herself.”