Chapter 14

I look up at Prince Kaine, momentarily distracted by the sight of the man in front of me. The room had been dark the night we met, and he had been hard to make out. Now, I am getting a clear view of his defined abs, and I can’t help the thrill that runs through me at the sight.

My throat goes dry as I recall the night we met, and my pulse begins to race thinking about his hard body pressing against mine. I think about the pull that led me to his chambers and how it felt to come undone with him.

Prince Kaine catches my gaze and frowns. “What are you spacing out for,” He snaps, clearly not impresses by my staring.

I jolt out of my daze as heat rushes to my face, embarrassed. I quickly avert my gaze as I say, “Sorry… I didn’t know you were in here. I was chasing the mole.” I need to get a grip.

I take a deep breath getting ahold of myself as I finally turn my attention to the person pinned beneath me. My thoughts return to the reason I was in Prince Kaine’s room in the first place. I startle as I look down into the person’s face and I realize that I am restraining the guard captain’s closet ally and most trusted subordinate.

I shift my weight off of the man and stand ready to begin my questioning. “You’re the mole, aren’t you?” I bark out still in disbelief. My confusion only intensifies as I wonder why this man would decide to pin everything on me. “Why frame me?” I ask.

He looks up at me like I’ve lost my mind as he also stands and then responds. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just on patrol.”

“If you were on patrol, why did you enter the prince’s bedroom? As far as I am aware patrols don’t usually extend into the royal family’s private quarters,” I ask my eyes narrowing.

The guard hesitates for a moment before continuing. “I thought you were mole along with everyone else. Your continued presence in the palace had me worried about His Highness so I decided to scan his room for threats.”

I open my mouth to continue my interrogation, when I see Prince Kaine move forward out of the corner of my eye. His face is a mask of irritation, and he starts to interrupt, but pauses instead, something catching his eye.

My eye follows the princes, and I see a dagger closed in the guards left hand. The dagger was one of my usual weapons, engraved with my name, that had recently gone missing. The guard was going to try to frame me for Prince Kaine’s murder.

Prince Kaine’s voice seethes as he addresses the guard, “Why do you carry a dagger with Ember’s name on it?”

The guard’s voice trembles at the hostility emanating from Prince Kaine’s voice. “I found it nearby; she must have dropped in her haste. I was bringing it as proof of her guilt.”

The prince looks at the guard but doesn’t speak unconvinced of the man’s lies. A moment passes as the prince contemplates and then suddenly the guard is falling to his knees as a wave of Prince Kaine’s Alpha aura is pushed in his direction.

The guard’s face begins to contort in pain, and after a few agonizing minutes he begins to speak. “I am sorry Your Highness, I was only following orders. The Queen promised me great riches to betray you.”

Prince Kaine’s face hardens at the guard’s word, but he remains as he continues to push out his aura.

I take my turn to address the guard another question on my mind. “Why did you frame me?”

The guard looks at me, disdain shining in his eyes despite his pained expression. “That was self-preservation. It was easy to frame you since most of the palace is already suspicious of a female guard. You made the perfect scapegoat.”

I begin to ask another question, but before I can speak the guard falls forward, unconscious. I glance at Prince Kaine in awe. This is the most I have seen an Alpha’s aura used up close and I can’t help but wonder at the raw power emanating off of the prince.

“You made him tell the truth…why not just use that on everyone?” I ask. That kind of power would be able to sus out any traitor in the kingdom, any falsehood sensed by the prince.

Prince Kaine regards me seriously. “It causes severe damage. That’s why he passed out. I rarely use it.” The prince must pick up on my shock because after a second he smirks lightly and continues. “What kind of monster do you think I am?” He questions.

I feel my cheeks warm as I think about the rumors I had heard about Prince Kaine. It was said that he killed any omega that attempted to sneak into his bed, and I had believed it. Hearing his words now, I can’t help but question those beliefs.

I take one last glance at the unconscious guard on the floor before turning to leave, knowing that Prince Kaine will likely have more questions for him upon waking. I make my way to the stairs about to head up when the prince calls out from behind me.

“Ember, I was wrong about you. I’m sorry.” I turn around to see that he is looking anywhere but me, but his voice is sincere.

I freeze as I take in his words. Prince Kaine, the fierce Alpha, the Crown Prince, is apologizing to me. My heart pounds in my chest at his admission. I take a deep breath before speaking, “Joining the Royal Guard was my choice. I will always uphold my duty.”

As I finish speaking, I notice for the first time how close I am to the prince. We had wandered closer together unconsciously, as if by magnets, over the course of out brief conversation. I look up into the dark eyes of Prince Kaine and then I feel it, our bond.

The potion is wearing off, the three months I was promised had been a falsehood. Prince Kaine’s eyes darken as he regards me, the intensity sending a chill down my spine. He knows.

“It’s you,” he growls, taking a step closer. Panic floods my veins at his words and I know that this revelation could ruin my life. I must convince him that he is wrong. I cannot let him reject me.

I take a step back trying to put distance between the prince and myself, but he catches my wrist. As he does, the bond flares and I feel my strength begin to wane. My knees go weak and I lose my balance falling powerlessly into Prince Kaine’s arms.

I lift my head to meet his Prince Kaine’s eyes and my heart thuds as I take in his unreadable expression. He can’t know that I am his mate. I know that if he realizes who I am he will reject me, and I will lose everything I have worked so hard for. I will lose Nara.