"Are you ok?" She asked him as they stepped onto her grandfather's porch back in the Nightwolf territory. Andre was still strung tight, tension ridding his every movements. Somuch that he had barely said anything as he drove them back.

"I hated him looking at you like that, like he wanted to claim you as his."

"I don't want him Andre."

"I know you don't, but I know enough of people to realize most would love to take anything I hold dear from me. You're the most important person in my life. Now that he knows I'm a prince..."

"Is that why you told me about who you are?" She asked. "Because you knew your grandmother would tell everyone?"

He looked down at her, his face serious and earnest. "No."

"Then why did it take you so long?"

His hand went to cup her cheek, his fingers tangling with her hair. Those deep eyes of his holding her captive. "All I could think about from the moment I got here was you, nothing else."

Her lungs constricted, blood rushing to her face until it flamed. She breathed through parted lips as she became short of breath. "Why didn't you tell me when we were talking on the phone and skyping?"

"Would you have been comfortable talking to me then?"

Frustration bubbled up inside of her at that. "You always have an answer don't you? Is that part of being a prince?"

He had the nerve to smile down at her! Cari pulled away from him and her fist was already connecting with his abdomen before she remembered he wasn't her younger brother or cousin. With a gasp she looked up to meet his shocked eyes.

"Carissa," his tone was stern. "Are you going to be like those human females who abuse their mates?"

She lifted her chin stubbornly even as her heart was racing. Why had she done that? Even if he was her mate he was still a prince and his guards were a discrete distance away. What kind of an image was she setting? Oh Lunar, how she hated that she now had to think of her image.

"You deserved it." She said with mutiny as she saw the glint of amusement in his eyes.

"That's called victim blaming." He continued in his severe tone. "Are you always so violent?"

"Are you always this good at avoiding answers?" She countered, her arms folding over her middle in a stubborn stance.

He smiled, something that softened his stark intimidating features and made her weak in the knees. "I'm trying to avoid this fight getting out of hand."

"We're not fighting." Her denial was pious. "I have questions and you're avoiding answering them."

"I believe fists were thrown, that qualifies as a fight."

"A fist, now you can see I'm not princess material."

He drew closer, taking her by the arms and loosening her stance. "Is that what is bothering you?"

With the lump of fear blocking her throat she couldn't answer so she just nodded. Even though she was noble born, their family had nothing to do with the royal court. She couldn't even recall the last time anyone, even the alpha families, had attended court. What did she know about protocol? People would now be watching her with expectations.

"Cari, I cannot think of anyone more qualified to be my princess."

She didn't know about that. The last thing she wanted was to be in the spotlight. That though, was what being royalty was. Cari had always been content being an unknown, now that was all in the past. As he took her into his arms, she lost her will to argue.

It felt like heaven, being in his arms. A shelter she hadn't had for too long. He held her like he'd never let go, close. Gentle, with the right amount of strength to let her know she was precious. She held on as hard as she could, afraid to let go, to lose him.

If only things would remain like that. She knew they had to part soon, go their separate ways. Even if it'd be for a little while it hurt. After more than a week of being together the thought of parting was like losing a vital part of her.

"I just wish we didn't have to sleep separately." Andre said as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Yes." Her reply was almost lost to the night.

"I'll be thinking of you through the night." She kept her eyes glued. "Remembering how beautiful you looked this morning."

"Andre!" She protested.

"You were delectable." He whispered before placing a kiss to her neck.

Cari moaned, her body softening against his. "Andre," she moaned, "We can't."

"Just a little taste."

His hands shaped her body, softly mapping her with reverence. As her body moved against his with sensuality her hands found their way under his shirt. Their lips met in a hard almost desperate kiss that had them both losing any sense of time. While it was impossible to be closer, they somehow managed it.

"Okay break it up." A voice intruded and they startled apart like a pair of kids caught stealing some sugar.

"Uncle Dan!" Cari was embarrassed to be caught making out.

"The last thing either of you needs is Claire claiming you caused her to have a miscarriage."

She frowned. "She wouldn't lose her baby would she?"

Her uncle and Andre exchanged a look she couldn't decipher. "Her pack doctor said she came close to it this morning." Her uncle informed, though there was a note in his voice that seemed to doubt the news.

All the blood left her face. She'd come close to causing her sister to lose her child. "No!"

"Care bear, while I love your sister, I know her well enough to doubt she's in as much danger as she claims."

"Not you too uncle Dan! Claire can't be that bad. I mean she must have loved Xander to want him that much."

"Which doesn't excuse her." He stated. "But it's more than that. You know I can always see the truth of anyone." It was their turn to give each other meaningful looks. "It didn't seem right to tell any of you how much she lied when you couldn't sense it but now it's different."

He came to take her hands into his, Andre moved until he stood behind her in support. "Care bear, you have to be careful until you leave. As much as it hurts me to say, I have no doubt Claire will try to get Andre back. Even if it means hurting you."

She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. A part of her believed him, deep down where she could never lie to herself but most of her couldn't. Why would her own twin hate her that much? She'd never done anything to her.

"Why?"

Her uncle's rugged face softened with compassion and love. "I think your sister wants to be important Care bear. It has clouded her to the point where she doesn't care who she hurts. Even if Andre hadn't turned out to be the prince she'd have been grasping for more." He looked over her shoulder at Andre. "Which makes me wonder why the queen announced it like that. Wouldn't it have been better to just not say anything?"

"No, I don't think so." Her mate answered as she turned to meet his gaze. "Even though people grow out of fairy tale belief, there's a subconscious expectation that royalty is faultless. Our people value the mating bond, its sacredness. Can you imagine how they'll react to me abandoning my true mate for her sister?"

"But you didn't." Cari protested.

"Claire was forced by her Alpha to mate with his grandson, at least that'll be the narrative, then I came here under false pretenses and further denied her a true mate."

"But she's pregnant!"

"And she can give birth to the next darkpaws alpha and then become my mate." He touched her cheek in apology. "After all if an Alpha can go to such lengths to ensure you don't become a luna, there must be something wrong with you."

That hurt, she knew Andre wasn't saying he believed it but hearing it from him was like a poker through the heart. "You're perfect," he continued. "But a lot of people will see Claire as a victim and advocate for the true bond because it's sacred to them. That's why grandmother didn't punish her or Xander. We have to give her enough rope to publicly crucify herself."

Her uncle grumbled. "Now you see why we avoid the capital? Nothing can ever be straightforward."

"I'm sorry Cari." Andre apologized.

She shook head up at him. "None of this is your fault."

"Now that that's settled, time for bed Care bear." Her uncle cut in.

Andre gave her a quick kiss. "Goodnight my princess."

"Goodnight."

****

The window seat had always been her favorite and with the curtains closed it was like being in another world. Cut off from everything it had always felt enchanted. Outside the backyard fed into the forest that comprised most of the pack. For the first time in her life it called to her.

She'd never understood the call of the wild that everyone talked of until then. It was like an itch to move, a hypnotic pull towards the lush greenery. One that made it impossible to sit still. She needed to run. To embrace the freedom the untouched land offered.

Looking at the time on her phone she realized it was still too early to be safe for a run. Not when everyone was sure Claire would be coming for her. There was a point where denial became stupidity and Cari realized she was fast reaching it.

Loss overwhelmed her as she made an effort to let go of her sister. A part of her dying as she gave up on the dreams she'd had from childhood, realizing that for the coming centuries she'd be cut off from her sister. She curled into herself as her heart squeezed its defeat.

Grief once more incapacitated her and she rocked herself while she drew in her mental barriers so that none of her family could feel her pain. Her bond with Andre was still not complete so he couldn't sense her feelings. Something for which she was grateful. After years of silent tears she was a master and she grieved in that silence. Holding on tight to a throw pillow she cried into it.

'It's not a great loss.' Rose up from the core of her mind, jolting her as the storm was abating.

"What? Who said that."

'Me, your wolf.' The voice came again, dryly. 'You don't have to talk out loud.'

"I don't have a wolf."

'And I'm insulted.'

"The queen said you were hidden." Cari mused then frowned. "Didn't she say you'll come out once the mating is complete? We still have five days."

'Yes, the same amount of time your sister has to get our mate to mark her. And don't tell me she won't try.'

"No," she agreed. "I have to face facts or at least be cautious of her."

'It's a start.' The wolf stated with a bit of judgement, something Cari didn't need. 'I'm here to make sure she doesn't take him from us.'

"I'm trying here. She's my sister! I can't just write her off without talking to her and getting her side."

'Did the fact that she took your true mate and watched you suffer for ten years escape your mind? Or that she never apologized when you found out but tried to play the victim?'

Another blow. She allowed the truth of it even as her pride took a hit. "She hasn't done anything to show she wants Andre."

'Why did she take Xander?'

"Fine!" Cari ground out in anger. "I get it. I need to get my head out of the sand. Happy?"

'What you need is to get a backbone. You are a beta blood, a mate to the prince. Show the strength I know we have.' That floored her. Was she being spineless? 'I get that you had to pull in to protect yourself but that has to end now.'

She could feel the strength of her wolf and like a ray of sunlight she felt joy washing over her. She had a wolf, finally! Even if her other half seemed to be on the blunt side. Which, if she were honest, was something she needed. Sometimes she gave people too much of a leeway.

"Can we shift?" She asked her wolf.

'Yes, we can also talk mentally.'

"I'll go wake up Dani."

Their suites were across from each other and Cari knew her cousin always kept her door unlocked. Not that there was ever any need to lock up. Excited, she burst into Dani's room causing her to jump out of bed and take a fighting stance.

"Cari!" Her cousin shouted as she picked up a pillow and threw it at her. "What the heck?"

She easily got out of the way. "Come and witness my first shift."

Dani froze. "You...I...you're shifting?" Cari's cheeks ached with the smile that now found itself on her face as she nodded like an idiot to her cousin's stuttering question. "How did that happen? I mean..."

"I was upset about this thing with Claire and she came out to smack some sense into me." This time the pillow her cousin threw hit her. "Hey!"

"About time someone tell you what an idiot you've been."

"Right," Cari agreed with all the sarcasm she could muster. "Like you, Lan and Vin haven't been hitting me over the head with it."

"But you weren't listening."

"Whatever. Just get dressed already. I feel the call."

Dani grinned back at her. "You feel the call." She screamed then ran around getting dressed. "We need to wake everyone."

"I'm not thirteen Dani."

"Still your first shift." She argued as she put on some track pants. "Let Andre know."

"You're turning this into a circus. I just wanted a nice uneventful shift. The only reason I came to get you was because of all the things that could go wrong with a first shift."

"And I would've killed you if you hadn't. But then do you really want to exclude your mate from your first shift?"

Cari sent a quick text to Andre, hoping he was awake and would get it. Unlike her, his phone wasn't public. While her social media had blown up since the live recording, his hadn't. When she hadn't been able to sleep, Cari had logged into her sites to see what people were saying. Most had been people just wanting to say something for the sake of talking to her and friend requests.

Some though had been negative comments against either Claire or her. Andre had been right, some of the people believed the queen was covering for her lack of a wolf and coming up with some legend to save face.

Then she'd followed the link #carimason, it was shocking to see how many hits that got. She was trending, as were Claire and Xander. Which was the last thing she needed. Cari hadn't bothered reading any of the stories. She could imagine how bad some of the speculations would be. And the sad thing was even if the negativity was just a grain in an ocean, they seemed to hold more sway so she avoided all the news about her.

On my way. Andre send back.

When they got to the backyard all their family was there, as was Andre. He took her into his arms and everything was right with the world. Perfect. Her family surrounded her in the early hours of the morning with love and happiness, everyone she loved. Even the Alpha of the Nightwolf pack was present.

Cari reached out to her wolf, closing her eyes to avoid any distractions. Her heart thudded heavily inside her with a mixture of excitement and fear. Taking a deep breath she loosened her body then gave herself over to the wolf.

Her skin became hotter, her senses sharper as the once silent forest seemed to reach out to her. She smelled the rich mulch of the forest floor, the musk of the critters that sheltered inside. She heard the rustle of the leaves to the gentle night breeze, the soft swishing of wings as night birds made their silent way through the dark foliage.

Goosebumps sprouted over her skin as the wind caressed it. Her bones started to ache, feeling like they were stretching, shrinking and breaking at the same time. The teeth on her mouth felt as if they were suddenly too many for it. As one of them pierced her tongue, she tasted the coppery taste of her blood like a sharp tang.

It was overwhelming, exhilarating and painful.

She whimpered before falling to her knees as her back realigned itself. She watched as her hand changed, focusing on it to distract from the excruciating pain of the first shift. Thank the moon it only ever hurt this much the first time.

As her body finally settled into her wolf form she felt herself gently pulled back. It was like being a spectator in her own body as the wolf too over. She looked at the human forms around her and snarled feeling surrounded by creatures her kind distrusted. Her hackles came up and she crouched a bit on her legs as she widened her stance so she could leap further.

"Cari." A deep melodious voice called the name she knew her human went by, she jerked her head towards the dark male who'd called her.

He walked over to her, his steps slow so as not to startle her. She cocked her ears to him as she looked at the rest of the human who were moving away from her just as cautiously. His scent hit her her nose and her tail went ramrod before waging as her mouth opened and she started panting.

As he came before her, he went to his knees then held out his hand to her. Her tail wagged even more and she whined her pleasure. His scent was primal, reminding her of dark ancient forest long forgotten. She rubbed her cheek against the proffered hand to get that scent onto her fur. When he scratched her head she howled her pleasure and he laughed, a sound she found delightful.

Then the call of the forest reasserted itself and she turned to dash into it. "Cari wait!" His voice called out but she was too wrapped up in this first sense of freedom as she stretched her body to the beat of the forest. She loved the cool depths that held little of the annoying human scents.

Her power was glorious, the night singing her song as if it was made for her. Then she became aware of someone following her. She turned her head to see the female her human had gone to running behind her. Coming to a fast stop she turned on her, not liking the idea of being hunted.

The human also cane to a stop and the wolf went low, stalking closer as she snarled her displeasure. "Cari!" The human admonished as if she were a lowly dog.

'You dare to insult me?' She barked in the way of her kind.

"Sorry, but you can't just rush off." The human answered.

Her hand drew back as if someone had slapped her. Had the human understood her? She raised her nose and sniffed at her. The scent she got was familial to hers but it lacked the wolven part. She cocked her head to the side, wondering what was wrong with her.

Then her hackles rose, her instincts warning of danger. She growled, noting that the human female was also sensing that danger as she looked around. The wolf took up her fighting stance, her senses flaring around her. She sensed a wolf rushing towards her, the same scent as the dark male but he wasn't the source of the danger.

Her instincts drove her to run and she yipped a warning to the female as she dashed off but it was too late. The last thing she heard was an angry growl as a wave of magic hit her and she lost consciousness.