Royal Wolf Box Set by Haley Weir

Chapter Two

After a long morning of tasks in the city, and then a reprieve of socializing with the pack in the afternoon, Theo went into the open courtyard inside the castle grounds to train. He enjoyed training alone. It allowed him to get into his own headspace and really focus on pushing his body to its limits. His human body was more fragile than his wolf form, so he devoted extra time to working on his fight stances, the fluidity of his movements, and cutting definition into his muscles. It was also a good tension release. The endorphins released while training, mixed with the way his thoughts melted away, seemed to always leave him with a feeling of good exhaustion both mentally and physically. He trained with his shirt off since even with the cool air that swept into the courtyard on refreshing breezes, he always worked up a sweat.

It wasn’t until he heard Holly say something to him about “being a show-off” that Theo broke from his concentration and looked up. He thought that he saw the corner of Marquette’s dress and the flowing tendrils of her hair disappear around the corner just as he had looked in that direction.

“She was watching you,” his sister said to him as she walked over.

“Who was?” he asked.

“God, why are you so daft sometimes?” Holly asked. “Marquette, obviously.”

“Why would that be obvious?” he said, pretending not to know what she was talking about.

“Don’t treat me like I’m stupid,” Holly said. “You know that it pisses me off. Marquette was standing there for a long while, completely caught up in staring at you while you were training. I watched her for at least several minutes before I walked up.”

Theo didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say.

“And, I know that you watch her too,” Holly continued.

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. I see the way the two of you lock eyes every time you’re in the same room together. You like her, and she likes you too. You guys have always liked each other ever since I can remember. I always thought that would make it easier for you two to just come out with it, but instead, you both pretend like you don’t even see each other.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Theo said.

“Oh, really?” Holly teased playfully. “So the fact that she is still standing there staring at you doesn’t matter to you at all?”

Theo whipped his head around again to see, but there was no one there.

“Made you look,” Holly smirked.

Then her tone changed to a more serious one.

“Theo, why don’t you tell Marquette about your feelings for her?” she asked.

“I can’t,” he said.

The frustration was clearly evidenced by his furrowed brow and clenched jaw.

“Why not?”

“Because I am the Prince of Grenvich,” he said as he pulled the shirt over his head so hard that he ripped it. “And because I am a shifter and she is a human. And because I have duties that get in the way of my stupid emotions.”

“I’m sorry,” Holly said. She reached her hand up to touch her brother’s shoulder.

“Don’t be,” Theo said as he shrugged her hand off. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I don’t have feelings for Marquette anyway. I don’t know what you think you see, but you’re wrong. Marquette is a nice girl, and we were friends when we were kids; it’s nothing more than that.”

“If there’s nothing more to it than that,” Holly said, “then why aren’t the two of you still friends now?”

Theo paused for a minute, unsure how to answer that question without it sounding like a lie.

“Because I got busy,” he said.

He figured that was a truthful and inarguable way to quickly dismiss what his sister was saying before she got too close to the truth for him to be able to hide. Even as it was, he could always tell when Holly didn’t quite buy in to what he was saying, and he knew that this was one of those times. She had one eyebrow raised, and her lips were pursed to the side, which was her usual expression of skepticism. Although Theo knew his sister was only trying to look out for him and wanted him to be happy, he hoped she would just drop it. It was hard enough for him to try not to think about Marquette as it was. Having to talk about it made it even more difficult to put out of his mind.

“What did you do today?” he asked her, changing the subject.

“Mom and I went into the city for a bit. There are some pretty interesting things at the open-air markets,” she said. “Humans never cease to amaze me with some of the things they make.”

Holly pulled a curved dagger out of a sheath hanging at her waist, just below the ties in her bodice. As far as princesses go, Holly was beautiful and delicate-looking, but she was much fiercer and less conformist than probably any princess before her. She had a bold streak in her that Theo admired.

“Wow,” he said in appreciation of the fine craftsmanship of the blade. “That is an exquisite weapon.”

Holly grinned, pleased with her purchase.

“How about you?” she asked. “How did your training go?”

“Eh, it was fine. Dad and I spent a bit of time with the packs, which was the highlight of the day. The rest of it was kingdom-related affairs, which I could have done without,” Theo answered. “I wish I could have spent more time in the woods.”

“Why don’t you go back?” Holly asked.

“I can’t go back now,” he said.

“Why not?”

Theo thought about it for a moment. Holly was right. Why couldn’t he go back to the woods for a night run? The human city was mostly ready to go to sleep for the night. His parents would soon retire to their bedroom. And the packs would think nothing of seeing him out for a run in wolf form in the middle of the night. Theo had done all that was required of him for the day, and as long as he was careful not to be seen leaving or re-entering the castle, there was no reason that he couldn’t go enjoy some wild solitude in the forest.

“You’re right,” he smiled as he gave his sister a kiss on the top of her head. “There’s no reason that I can’t go for a moonlight run tonight. What would I ever do without you and your brilliant ideas?”

“Well, you don’t always listen to them,” Holly said as she rolled her eyes at him.

Theo knew that she was referring to what she had said about talking to Marquette about his feelings. He ignored it in lieu of thinking about a good and refreshing run in the crisp air. He immediately felt energized, thinking of running for as long and fast as his four padded paws would carry him.

“Just make sure you don’t shift until you are well into the thicket of trees,” she reminded him.

“Yes, Mom,” Theo teased sarcastically.

Holly gave him a gentle smack on the arm and then headed off to bed.

Theo knew where the hidden entrance at the back of the castle was; the one that led straight out underground and didn’t emerge at the surface until it was right at the edge of the forest. He crept quietly through the castle corridors and then slunk down through the underground passageway. The long tunnel was dimly lit with the stubs of candles hung as sconces along the stone walls that looked as if they had been burning forever. He wondered who was in charge of keeping this passageway lit if it was supposed to be a hidden entrance. The thought only entertained his curiosity for a moment before he emerged at the edge of the forest.

As soon as Theo stepped out into the night air, he inhaled a deep breath and smiled. This was exactly what he needed. He walked into the trees, past the tree line, and deep into the thicket before shifting into his wolf form. As soon as the breeze moved against his fur like small rippling waves, Theo took off running.