Heart of the Wolf Prince

Chapter 37

Branches whip and tear at my skin, drawing blood and sending a metallic scent into the air. I can hear nothing but the erratic beating of my heart and the jagged breathing of Kohl beside me, tearing through the forest like a deer in hunting season.

My mind is haywire, and I've been battling the urge to turn back for the last half hour. Althea's back there. Althea's back there. What are you doing?

My heart lurches as the image of my sister's terrified eyes flashes through my mind for the umpteenth time, her desperate voice urging me to run, and for the first time since entering these woods, I falter. All this time, I have been urged on by nothing but pure adrenalin, terrified that the moment we stopped a group of the king's lackeys would catch us. But now the initial fright has passed, I am faced with something much more terrifying.

"Wait," I wheeze, slowing to a stop. I almost trip on a gnarled root. "Wait, Kohl, stop. Please."

Kohl turns back and comes to a halt. His eyes are wide and wild, nothing of the formal price in them. King Galen comes back into my mind's eye at that moment, those same golden eyes slitted and burning with rage. That same face purpling with fury. "Damn you"! He'd roared. "If you do not return, I will kill this traitorous sister of yours. Mark my words!"

"What? What's wrong? Are you alright" Kohl asks, frantic.

"We have to go back," I insist, my heart pounding in my throat. "Althea's back there. We can't keep running. We have to get her back before your father—"

"What? No, we can't go back, Naomi. What are you even saying?"

I swallow the dryness in my throat. "I know it's dangerous but... my sister is back there. We have to save her—"

"Forget about her," Kohl insists, taking a step forward. He grabs my arm. I look into his eyes, and at that moment, he looks wild; almost insane. "We have to go. We can run away, you and me. We can live out the rest of our lives as Rogues, free from the expectations of society. I don't care about my damn title anymore, or even my throne; I just want you to be safe."

"She risked her hide for us," I hiss, yanking my arm away. "We'd be damned to leave her for dead. We have to formulate a plan and go back."

Kohl shakes his head. "No, Naomi, you can't risk yourself like that. I understand she's your sister, but—"

"No, you don't understand, Kohl. You don't have siblings."

My hands are trembling now. We're wasting precious time, arguing like this. I open my mouth to say just that when Kohl interrupts me.

"She's treated you like shit your whole life, Naomi. Why care for her now?"

"Because she stuck her goddamn neck out for us—"

"And what about all those other times she tried to sabotage you?"

"Stop being so damn selfish!" I snap, feeling the fire flaring under my skin. "You don't know anything!"

Kohl glares. "Fine, call me selfish all you want, but I'd rather you be alive and hating me for this than dead!"

At that moment, he pulls me forward and pushes his lips to mine. I stiffen, meaning to push him away, but the feeling of his mouth on mine disarms me and I find myself relaxing into the familiarity of the kiss in an instance. But after a few seconds, I tear my lips from his, remembering all the reasons I have not to kiss him. Like him walking out on me. Or the fact that my sister is currently in trouble. Or that he is asking me to leave my sister behind. I step out of his embrace.

Hurt flashes through his eyes for a brief moment at my decision, but he makes no move to stop me. Finally, he sighs. "You mean too much to me, Naomi," he whispers, raising a hand as though to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear, then dropping it. "I can't bear the thought of losing you, and yes, while Althea being held hostage by my father is horrible, it's better than you being killed. I... adore you too much."

I mentally note how he says adore instead of love, but I push it to the back of my mind as I cup his cheek instead. "If you care about me so much, then you'd understand that this is something I need to do. You'd understand I have to go back for my sister."

He sighs and looks away, obviously finding it hard to accept my words. I press on. "Look... we can come to a compromise, one in which I don't put myself in direct danger. You can be the driving force, and I'll help you from the sides."

"What do you mean?" Kohl asks, his attention rapt on me in an instant.

"You're not locked up anymore. You can challenge your father. We can take him down. This is our one shot at freedom; let's not waste it."

Kohl hesitates for a moment. "What do you mean... 'we' challenge him? You do know formal challenges between a king and his charge must be one-on-one, right?" I hear the silent words he fails to add: and I will not put you in danger.

"I do, but what's stopping me from cooking the earth under his feet? Or sending a hot blast of air his way?" I pull him closer, so that our foreheads are almost touching. "I have more control over my fire than you know. There are little things I can do from the side-lines that will give you an advantage. We can win this."

Kohl looks unsure at that. "But who is to say he will accept the challenge? What if he just orders them to seize us anyway?"

I roll my eyes. "Come on, Kohl, you know kings have to accept the challenge when they're presented."

"My father's not been abiding to many rules recently," Kohl grumbles, and I scowl.

"This is our only chance, Kohl. Even if we do get away, we'll be on the run for the rest of our lives. Your father will not rest until he catches us. We'll be doomed. At least this gives us a shot at freedom."

Kohl hesitates for a moment, desperate to find another way. But he knows just as much as me that this is our only option. Eventually, he nods, and I release a small breath of relief. "Okay... what's our plan of attack? I'm sure you've come up with something already."

I divulge the elaborate plan that had already been taking form in my head. When I am done, even Kohl looks confident in the strategy. And when we turn back to head the way we came, I steel my heart and push down my fear.

Because this will either mark the beginning of something great, or the end.