Their Hidden Princess Novel

---- Chapter 96 "There's a lot | don't fucking know!" | roared into the phone. | was livid. | was sick of the unknown and was acting out because of it. "| don't know anything!" | continued to bark. "Because you've kept me in the dark. You left me away from this world then you get upset when | don't understand it. | didn't want ask to be taken out of this world and | certainly didn't get asked to be dropped back into it!" With that, | slammed the phone back on the receiver and hung up on my mother, the Queen of the werewolves. | huffed and sank back into my seat.

It was then that | realized where | was. Valentin Lunerly was staring at me across his desk. There was a certain softness in his eyes that was missing from when I'd walked into his office earlier. The gentle "lub dub" of our hearts beating in time with one another was filling the silence. Something hung in the air between us. It was volatile, waiting for some sort of spark to set the entire room into flames. My hand twitched and Valentin abruptly stood up. He cleared his throat and brushed his hair off his face. ---- "You shouldn't talk to your mother like that," he mumbled.

"She acts like all of this is my fault," | whispered back. | was utterly exhausted Valentin lifted his head and looked me in the eyes. He shook his head gently. "None of this is your fault, Zora," he said, soft as a feather. "And | don't believe your mother thinks that as well." "Don't protect her," | said was as much bite as a chihuahua. Valentin braced his hands on his desk and leaned across it. | was frozen as his face came closer to me. His gold eyes sparkled in the light of his office. "Lonly protect one person," He said, almost threatening me. " And that is you. It will only be you.

It will always be you." "So give up the fight against me," | begged, feeling utterly pathetic. "Stop pushing me away and just allow yourself to be what you're supposed to be. My fated mate." Valentin sucked in a breath. It came out shaky, hitting the tip of my nose. | could almost taste him, spearmint and juniper berries. | wanted more of him. | wanted every bit of him to crash into me. Instead, he stood up and looked down his nose at me. Any warmth in him was gone and his tone was harsh and factual as ---- he spoke: "| am not your mate," he gritted out, as if fighting himself.

"It has come to my attention that you have chosen Maximus Wolfham for that distinction. If you do care for him, I'd consummate the bond and tell your mother. She will be ecstatic." There was no happiness for me in his tone. In fact, he seemed bitter. | watched his hand move to grip the back of his chair. Though the chair seemed fine, his knuckles were white with frustration. All hopes | had for him to finally give in and allow himself to want me, were lost. He was set. | wasn't his nor was he mine. We were two tethers, running far away from one another on different paths. Never to cross.

| licked the front of my lips and stood. I looked Valentin right in the eye as | spoke, my words dripping malice. | needed to hurt him, just as he hurt me. "| already have consummated the bond," | said, level and proud. " Twice." There was a distinct snap that resonated through the air. | looked down at Valentin's hand to see he'd snapped the back bar in half. His hands were balled into white fists, covered in shards of wood. | let me gaze drift to his eyes. The gold was so dark it was nearly black. Still, his face showed nothing.

---- With a blank stare and an eventual shake of my head, | stormed out of the room.