The Last Princess Read Online Free PDF Page B

youth.  No more playing and flitting
away her time.  She was expected to prepare for a forced mating.  Delia and her
younger sisters had been betrothed to men they had never met or seen. No matter
how much she tried to convince her mother it was unethical, even if they were
of royal blood, the queen would not humor her. She would give the usual lecture
about history, duty, and responsibility.
    When her youngest sister cried herself to sleep one night,
claiming she'd never know what it felt like to love a man, it was the final
push she needed. She packed up a few belongings and got her sisters the hell
out of that deceptive paradise. As she looked at the distant castle now, she felt
the bitter sting of regret.  She couldn't have changed the series of events
which led to her need to run away, but she wished things had turned out
differently.  If only they had been allowed to choose, they could all be living
together in the palace right now.  Her sisters would be by her side, her
childhood friends would be making her laugh, and she'd have roots.  She'd
almost forgotten what it felt like to belong.
    She hadn't realized how long she'd been frozen in place,
remembering a time long past, when a horn honked.  Delia abruptly shifted into
reality, noticing the sun had advanced across the sky while she'd been
daydreaming. She started up her motorcycle and dared to get even closer.  There
was a lot of ruckus around the east side of the castle.  The large forms were
likely the alpha guards, deadly protectors and assassins hired to do the
queen's bidding.  Others appeared to be females.  With the full moon on the
verge of completion the males would be feeling the pull.  Since the Royal Elite
weren't allowed to mate, they'd service their needs with whores or unmated
shifters in the same desperate predicament.  Hormones reigned supreme at this
time of month making aggression and desire overwhelming. The base emotions were
part of their culture, ruling all races, reminding them what they were.
    She wondered how she'd get into the castle. It would have to
be night. Even though shifters could see through the darkness, it wasn't as
clear as the light of day. There was one tunnel in particular she used to use
to sneak out of at night, to run wild in her wolf form.  If it was the same as
she remembered it would be the entry point she'd use when she returned. 
Hopefully Caleb had some more information for her to use to her advantage. She
chuckled to herself.  The fox shifter would kill her when she finally showed up
at the hotel.  What was supposed to be a couple minutes had turned into hours
of exploration and mental drifting.
    Caleb had left one of their bags outside the door so she could
find the room.  The door swung open seconds after she knocked. 
"Disappearing on me again?  Your sisters are miles away so what's the
excuse this time?" 
    "I was checking out the area, getting familiar with all
the changes to the town.  Then I lost track of time and got hungry."  She
held out a brown paper bag.  "Take-out?"  He mock-snatched it from
her hand with a scowl.
    "I haven't eaten since yesterday.  I may not be a wolf,
but I still require sustenance."  The fox was adorable when angry, if
angry could even be used to describe him.  He was so patient, mellow, and fun
to be around. As she drove back to the hotel, she had an unfamiliar giddiness
knowing she'd see him again.
    "Sorry about that.  I tend to forget to eat when my mind
is elsewhere.  It'll be sundown in a couple more hours, so we'll just hang low
for now."  She stripped off her leather jacket, the oversized scarf she
used to disguise her face, and tugged the elastic from her hair. "At least
it's better than our last place, no?"
    "It's fine," he said, his voice coming out more like
a sigh.
    He ate his food in silence, and she drifted off to sleep in the
bed, feeling safe with Caleb near. When she awoke, the sky beyond the parted
curtains was black, not even the