Chapter 28

“W-what did your mother say?” I whisper, staring at Orion, a bit awed.

“That I’d meet a fascinating young woman,” he murmurs, lifting his drink to his pretty mouth and taking a sip before leaning forward towards me, holding my gaze the whole time. “Who was as beautiful as she was brave. Who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.”

I stare at Orion for a long second before I huff a laugh and snag my napkin off the table as I lean back, hard, against the back of my chair. “I can’t believe you used that as the intro to a line,” I growl, balling the napkin up and hurling it at him. “Your dead mother would be ashamed of you.”

Orion laughs, glancing down at the napkin as it falls uselessly to his lap. “What? I thought it was a good one.”

I just shake my head at him because honestly, I thought we were getting somewhere – actually connecting as people. But, as usual, he’s just the too-cool Prince of the Underworld who can’t bear to take anything seriously.

I scowl and turn my head away, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Oh, come on, Juniper, it was a joke.”

“Yeah it was hilarious, ‘Ri,” I murmur, shaking my head. “You should go on tour with that comedy routine.”

His silence draws my gaze back to him, finding him studying me. “Do they…have those? Where you come from? Comedy tours?”

“Yes,” I say, leaning towards him, again wondering if he’s messing with me or if he genuinely doesn’t know what goes on in my world. This, honestly, is the problem with this Prince – he plays everything so close to the chest that I never, ever know what’s going on in his head.

Orion nods, contemplative, looking out over the vista as he processes this information, as if it adds a fascinating new twist to his knowledge of the worlds outside of this one.

“How do you not know this stuff?” I whisper, studying him. “You’re part wolf, which means your mom comes from my world or one a lot like it. And you’ve got dead people from all kinds of places. So? Why don’t you like…know what a donut is?”

He shrugs. “Everything is secondhand. I’ve never left this place.”

I stare at him for a second, confused, and then pity sweeps through me as I look around. Because while the view before us is gorgeous this world is…barren. For lack of a better term, it’s dead.

“You should really get out,” I say, genuinely feeling sorry for him. “My world’s cool. Come and visit. You could even go visit Alpha Academy where my brother will be waiting to give you a nice solid punch to the face for tricking me into this.” I give the Prince a pretty smile and smack my fist against my palm in illustration.

Orion grins, entertained. “I’d like to. Well, punching aside, I’d certainly like to meet other wolves and see the other worlds. Laila’s in particular is supposed to be stunningly beautiful, and the technology in yours sounds incredible. But,” he shrugs, holding his hands up like he can’t help it. “Alas. I can’t leave.”

“Why not?” I ask, leaning back against my chair and crossing my arms.

“Do you seriously want to get into this?” he asks with a sigh, gesturing towards the food. “There’s so much good stuff here –“

“Yes,” I snap. “Stop being so evasive. You bring me on a date and then you don’t want me to ask questions about you?”

“It’s because I’m so much more curious about you,” he murmurs, leaning forward, his voice a throaty hum that I’m absolutely sure has made a few women’s willpower crumble in the past. My wolf yips and turns in an eager circle, absolutely desperate to let ours go too, but I smack her on the rump and do my best to focus.

“You’re very cagey, Orion, and I have to admit that I don’t like it.” I say this on a sigh, turning to look again out at the vista, giving my eyes a break from the sight of him. `

Look back! My wolf urges, pouncing eagerly in my soul. He’s so pretty!

I growl at her. We’re in love with Blythe. It doesn’t matter how pretty Orion is.

My wolf just falls to the side, rolling around in the dust of my soul, kicking her feet into the air. Whatever, she sighs, giving a soft wolfish laugh.

I scowl and ignore her, keeping my eyes focused on the vista.

“I’m only being cagey, Juniper,” Orion says, pausing after his words and clearly waiting for me to turn. When he stays silent I give in, turning back to him with a little frown on my lips. He smiles, just a little, victorious. “Because you aren’t actually interested in getting to know me. You’re just looking for information. Is it seriously so hard to consider that I might be closed down to someone who just wants to read me like an old library book and then run away when she gets all the information she needs?”

I frown at him, not understanding. Then I start and lean again towards him. “Wait, so, is this like…do you think this is an actual date?”

He laughs a little, surprised. “Of course I do.”

“You and me,” I say, pointing between us. “We’re on a date? Like a date-date – like…a romance date?”

Orion grins at me quite genuinely, like he thinks I’m adorable. “Yes, Juniper. As much as the only thing that got you here is the prospect of answers to your questions? For me, this is a real date.” His smile grows. “A romance date.”

I just gape at him for a second. “But like…why?”

He laughs, genuinely, shaking his head at me, but before he gets a chance to answer I lean further forward, still shaking my head.

“No, seriously, Orion, like why? Why would you even think about wanting to date me? I’m not nice to you! I’m – as you know – engaged! I vehemently oppose being here and have asked at every turn to go home!”

“Yeah,” he says with a casual shrug, like all of those are just side details, “but you’re cool and fearless. And pretty. You’re interesting, June.”

“Orion,” I say on a sigh, sitting back on my chair and shaking my head at him, unblinking, exhausted. “We can’t date.”

“Why not?” He gestures wide with his drink, inviting me to list my reasons.

“Because we’re like…” I sputter for a second, honestly wondering how he hasn’t put this together yet. “Orion, we’re cousins!”

Orion stares baldly at me for a split second before he tilts his head back and howls with laughter, absolutely roaring it to the sky and giving me a far-too-good view of his long, tanned neck, his wide shaking shoulders.

God damn it, but he’s just…incredibly attractive. It should be illegal.

Yessss, my wolf says, her tongue lolling. It is illegal. Slap some cuffs on him, hold him to the letter of the law. Climb into his lap while you do it -

Before I can even respond to her nonsense, Orion lifts his head back up, wiping at a tear under his eye. “June, we’re not cousins!”

“We totally are!” I shake my head, grabbing a little pastry off the table, needing something to do with my hands. “Our grandparents are like…married!”

“How can they be married?” Orion asks, shaking his head at me, holding his palm out flat. “The Moon Goddess and the God of Darkness existed before organized religion. Who would have married them?”

“Please, they were famously husband and wife for thousands of years.”

“And they broke up! And never had kids! We come from totally different lines.”

“Really, Orion?” I ask, leaning forward again, looking at him with wide eyes. “That’s what you want to lean on at the family reunion? Grandpa, I’d love for you to meet my bride’s grandmother! Oh wait, you already know her? Like very, very well?”

Orion laughs, again tilting his head back – and I have to admit, I can’t help but smile. I’m having…fun.

“Look, we’re not related,” Orion murmurs, bringing his head back up and smiling at me – a genuine, delighted smile. “There’s no risk of incest, and it would keep family parties spicy. Plus, I think we’d be a good match.” He takes a deep breath now, calming down and looking me over. “I think you’d challenge me. I think I’d stand up to you. I think…it could be good.”

I sigh, sitting back in my chair and taking a rather fierce bite out of my pastry. “Doesn’t change the fact that I’m already engaged,” I mutter, glaring at him just a tiny bit.

“Just makes you more of an interesting challenge, Princess Sinclair,” Orion murmurs, letting his eyes fall to my mouth as I chew. “I like a bit of a chase. Some competition.”

I sigh, looking down at my pastry and shaking my head. But then, when my wolf gives a sad little howl of want, I…give in.

“Fine,” I sigh, reaching for a glass of water on the table and taking a sip. “If this is a date, then where do we start?”

Prince Orion just smiles, quite pleased to have won.