32: Ada's POV

I was practically running through the winding halls to make it back to my quarters and away from the three Alpha Princes and the sniveling, sneering Lady Elizabeth Jane. My stomach was lead. It roiled with each step that I took, providing a heavy, sinking feeling. I wasn’t sure if I was going to puke because I couldn’t get past the urge to simply just run. 

It wasn’t until I was a turn away from my quarters that I realized someone was following me. No, not just following me: *gaining* on me. Darius’s hot hand wrapped around my bicep and yanked me in his direction before I could fully comprehend how close to me he actually was. I stumbled toward him. As his hand released my arm, my skin throbbed and I glanced down to see that light bruises were already darkening on my skin. He ran a hand through his loose, shoulder-length hair and took a step back. 

His vibrant eyes darkened, “Ada, I–”

My balled fist connected squarely with his strong jaw. I winced as a sharp crack of pain radiated up my arm to my elbow, “Leave me alone.”

Darius gave me a once over. I knew what he was noting – my squared shoulders, balled fists, tense shoulders, and flat expression. A fighter’s stance. One I had only learned out of necessity and not duty like most nobile-blooded wolves. And one that could certainly get me executed when it was being used against an Alpha Prince of the Kingdom. His lips twitched up in the corner, surprise only flickering in his eyes for a half second and never reaching the rest of his face. 

There was a shuffle from the hall behind him, but the sound of footsteps slowed as they neared. It didn’t take much to deduce that it was most likely Phoenix and Nikolai. Since Darius didn’t pay them any mind, neither did I. In fact, Darius simply crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. 

He didn’t even bother to pretend my punch had any impact on him– not even a simple rub of his jaw. Darius simply cocked his head to the side, “I don’t take orders from you, Ada.”

“Then consider it a request,” I hissed out, eyes narrowing, “How could you tell *her* of all people?”

A crease formed in his forehead as he furrowed his thick eyebrows, “Tell her what?”

Stinging tears formed in my eyes, “About the test.”

“Ada, I didn’t say anything–”

“*Liar,*” I spat out, venom lacing the words, “After all, she is your future *wife*, is she not?” His silence simply confirmed the rumors and I tried to hide the sharp pang it sent through my gut, “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything less.”

He took a step forward, arms dropping to his side as he rolled his shoulders back, “Do you really think so little of me?” his eyes flashed a bright silver, the bitter smell of lemon seeping off of him, “Or is that simply jealousy I smell coming off of you?”

I blinked, bile rising in my throat. My heart thudded rapidly, painfully. There was a whooshing sound roaring in my ears. A growl erupted from my chest, the words spewing from my mouth before I could think them through fully, “Jealous?” a sharp laugh came from within me that I’d never heard before, “Why on earth would I feel any jealousy about someone that is little more than a captor to me?"

A sharp intake of breath sounded from behind him, but I couldn’t tell which of his brothers it came from. I didn’t have time to think about it before Darius’s hands were gripping both of my biceps, shoving me back toward the wall as he snarled at me. His fingertips lengthened into claws, digging into the stone wall behind me. My body had thudded roughly, knocking the air from my lungs. Heat radiated off of his body, which was entirely too close to mine for comfort. 

His words were clipped, “Watch your tongue, babe. If it’s a captor that you view me as,” his claw trailed down my jawline, “It’s a captor I will be.”

When I struggled against his grip, he tightened it. The tips of his claws started to bite into my skin and I glanced over his shoulder. Nikolai was leaning against a wall down the hall, simply observing with arched eyebrows. Phoenix had ventured closer, both hands up with palms out. As if he was going to come intervene. 

I snapped, “I don’t need a rescuer, Phoenix,” I shoved against Darius again when Phoenix froze where he was at, “You know, I expected something like this from Nikolai. Not you.”

That made Darius recoil and take a step back. While I didn’t dwell on it, I did see Nik’s grin over Darius’ shoulder. It took a few moments, but the grip on my arms slowly released. Darius blinked at me, his silver eyes turning back to their usual beautiful grape hyacinth color. He ran a still clawed finger over my cheek, “I didn’t say anything to her.”

My palms connected with his chest, a surprising amount of force coming from me. Enough to make him stagger back. His face went pale as he sucked in a breath. Nikolai took three steps forward, face flat. When I glanced at my hands, a cold sweat covered my whole body as my eyes widened. My fingertips, normally so plainly human, had extended into sharp yellow-white claws at the nails. 

*Oh, Moon Goddess. What have I done?* I swallowed hard and pivoted on my heel, finishing the run toward my room. Why, after almost 6 years of not being able to shift, had my wolf decided to be present right then? Darius had been right. It had been primarily jealousy that I had spoken with. But that had so quickly turned to anger… I hadn’t been able to control it. I sent a feeling down the bond with my wolf, hoping to hear her voice. 

Silence. Great. 

So not only had she embarrassed the hell out of me, she’d scared the shit out of me and left me alone again as well. It didn’t matter which way I looked at this. There wasn’t going to be an easy way out of the situation that had just occurred. I’d let Lady Elizabeth Jane’s words get to me and drive my reaction. Now there were probably going to be questions. More than before. 

Hell, even I had more than before. But there was a bigger problem than simple questions or the jealousy that I was showing. It was the feelings that *led* to jealousy that I was more concerned with. There was only one thing that I’d seen wolves react so rashly over–

Love.