“I know.” He nodded and placed a kiss at the top of her head.
“Despicable human being, I never want to see you again,” she mumbled into his coat.
Alexander’s right hand clutching the bouquet shifted to allow his left to begin trailing slowly over her back. “I will leave immediately,” he agreed, not moving one inch.
She melted into him at the warmth of his caress. “And you’ll never see me again?”
“Never. I wouldn’t dream of seeing you again.”
She looked up. “Truly?”
“Truly.”
She pulled back slightly to see him more fully. “Good.”
“Good,” he repeated, his eyes twinkling. “Can I kiss you once more, before I leave and never see you again?”
“I will most likely strangle you once you’re done.”
He grinned. “Put me out of my misery?”
She nodded. “Mm-hm.”
Alexander leaned forward and watched as her eyes drifted shut. His grin deepened. She may despise him, but there was no doubt in his mind that Miss Hammerstein-Smythe was besotted. Knowing the best way to guarantee he’d see her again was to leave her unsure of his intentions, he allowed his mouth to hover just above hers and then he whispered, “I better not. It would be cruel to tease you in such a way, especially with how much you dislike me at the moment; it would only create a longing for more.”
She pulled out of his arms and glared.
The prince covered a smile with a low bow. When he came up, he took one of her hands and placed the tulips in her palm. “Good day, my fair lady.” He chuckled then, he could not help himself. “I am sure I will never see you again.” With that, he turned on his heel and left, leaving a very perplexed Miss Hammerstein-Smythe in his wake.
***
Prince Alexander left via the front door, but after fetching Sterling, he decided to make his way down to the brook and see if Cecelia had already left a rose for the wolf. Slipping off the horse’s back as he approached, his eyes took in the scene in front of him.
White rose petals were strewn everywhere, the twisted stem crushed and left bereft of beauty upon the ground where he stood.
What had happened?
He bent down and examined the petals. It was obvious they had been plucked from their stem and crushed and bruised within a hand before being scattered. Concern marred his brow as he imagined the pretty girl coming here with her rose, and then something occurring to make her so distraught she had destroyed the flower completely. Perhaps something concerning himself or the beast? And yet, when he found her she did not say one word about the wolf. No, her anger was directed solely toward him. Had it been Apollo she was upset with she would have had no problem stating the fact.
It was as he was examining the ground closer he noticed a large boot print stuck in the softened soil near the brook.
Frederick had been here.
Alexander cursed under his breath. How did he not see this coming?
Examining the crushed foliage around the area, he realized she was most decidedly not happy with Lord Bellemount as well. It looked like she’d flattened him somehow. Alexander smiled. Good girl, was his thought before sobering to the reality his cousin had already been afoot doing considerably more damage than he’d thought capable in less than twenty-four hours.
Rising again, Alexander sighed. It would seem it was time to pay his wayward heir a visit. Enough was enough. And frankly, any man who deemed it necessary to upset his Cecelia would need to answer to him first.
Prince Alexander rode all over the countryside and could not find his cousin. He stopped in at Lord Bellemount’s stately manor upon the ridge, and demanded answers there of his staff and sisters, neither of whom claimed to have any recollection of where he has. After storming the whole house, he himself had to realize they were speaking the truth. Frederick was not there.
After hours of scouring the land, he came home a few minutes before nightfall hungry and empty-handed and more determined than ever to find the man.
The moment the order was dispatched, his servants began to search through his own gardens and palace grounds as well as any other properties he owned. He would find Frederick and he would get to the bottom of this, this evening, or heads would roll.
Climbing the stairs two at a time, his mind raced through way too many possibilities to guarantee rationality. What had happened? What had he said? Did she know he was Apollo?
No, she couldn’t have. He knew her well enough to know that would have been her first accusation the second she had burst into the parlor.
What did he say to her?! Alexander was going mad and he only had a few minutes before the moon came out to shovel some food in his mouth and get ready for his meeting with her later that night. That is, if she was still willing to meet him.
He was not certain, but he could not help but try and show up nevertheless. Cecelia was going to need a friend, if anything else, she needed his strength. He had to be there for her. And she clearly needed protection from his cousin.
“Arrgh!” the wolf roared in pain and frustration as he made his way from the castle property into the surrounding land a few minutes later—the servants still searching through the grounds, jumped at the sound but did not stop their search to find the cause of it.
When he got to the brook, he paced up and down the area for a while before lying down and attempting to calm his mind. It was difficult with the petals strewn everywhere, but he succeeded, just. He would discover what had happened if she came, and then he would find and annihilate the man responsible.
***
An hour or so later brought Cecelia down the path to the little stream. She did not realize until right before she got there that she had no recollection of placing the rose upon the stone. In fact, she wasn’t quite sure what had become of the flower after speaking with the prince’s cousin. As she approached however, she was welcomed by the sight of petals strewn along the path, where the gentle breeze had pulled them up the short hill to greet her. The closer she came, the more petals she found, and her heart sank briefly at the thought of the beast’s reaction to such a display from her. But before she could form any thoughts of his despising her and never coming again, she met Apollo’s eyes across the water.
“You’re here.” Relief wound its way through her body, bringing a rich glow of warmth to settle over her heart. She immediately crossed the brook and sat down snuggling herself against him. “I have missed you so much,” she whispered into his soft fur, her arm wrapped around his back.
Alexander’s own heart warmed, another layer of its cold exterior cracked and crumbled within him. How could one girl do so much for his peace of mind, his character, and his happiness in such a short time? He could not deny his love for her, he never would. “I have missed you too,” he answered, softly. “I have been concerned about you. Prince Alexander mentioned that you—“
“Ugh,” she groaned quietly before raising her head and placing it upon his back. “Please do not speak his name tonight. I realize he has most likely told you of when he met with me earlier, but I came to see you, my dear Apollo, not hear about that perplexing man.”
“Is he really awful?”
“Yes, and more.”
“And more?” the wolf raised his head, and turned to catch a glimpse of her. “What has he done to upset you?”
She let out a deep breath and began to smooth the hair along his ears and jaw, causing tingles to spring to life with every follicle that was disrupted by the action. The beast was in heaven.
“Nothing much. The prince was playing true to character, and I was silly enough to believe he had changed.”
“Are you sure he has not changed? I could have sworn he seemed much different altogether lately.”
“No.”
She shook her head and began to scratch behind his ears, Apollo grunted in appreciation, his eyes closing. Cecelia chuckled. “Do you like that then?”
He could not answer; complet
e and utter bliss had overwhelmed him.
“I believe you do.” She giggled again and began to use two hands.
The wolf turned to putty. Honestly, he’d give the adorable creature anything she wanted to feel this wonderful again.
After few moments of silence she asked, “Apollo?”
He cleared his throat, hoping to revive his vocal cords. “Yes?”
“I know I said I did not want to talk about him, but do you think the prince loves me?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ALEXANDER’S TAIL TWITCHED, HE wasn’t sure where Cecelia was going with the conversation. “Why?” he asked instead, hedging for some time.
Her hands stilled and paused before saying, “Because his actions claim to be very genuine, but the accounts I hear and know of him are completely the opposite.”
“Has he told you he loved you?”
She turned over and looked up at the forest canopy and trickling moonlight above her, nestling into his warmth. “He has definitely alluded to it. Though Lord Bellemount said—oh…” her voice trailed off.
Apollo moved his back to nudge her when she remained silent. “What did Lord Bellemount say?”
She grumbled a bit before asking, “You won’t be satisfied until I answer that question, will you?”
“I will more than likely hound you all evening until you open up and explain yourself. If the prince’s cousin has told you anything, my dear, let me assure you—the man is a wastrel and a fop and deserves to be given as much credit as milksop weed.”
She laughed. “Even if it is the truth?”
Alexander wished his eyes could have rolled right then. “Believe me, if it is the truth, which I highly doubt, then the chances of it being grossly exaggerated are great indeed. He is not a man to be universally trusted.”
There was a long moment of silence before she answered quietly, “He came here this morning to see if the account of what Prince Alexander had said about me was false. He said they’d laughed tremendously at my expense and”—she took a deep breath—“and, Lord Bellemount believed the prince had been exaggerating and he found me much more enjoyable and pretty than his cousin did. Or something like that.”
Apollo’s tail begun to thump wildly. “Did he now?”
“At any rate, I apprehended this morning that the prince had not changed much at all, like I’d begun to believe.”
“Cecelia,” the wolf’s deep voice pierced her, “Did his words harm you?”
“Not terribly noticeable—”
“Cecelia.”
“Yes. Yes, they did—they wounded me more than I care to admit.”
“Why?”
“Why?” She sat up. “Because he had said they mocked me and laughed at me and—”
“I know the lies he spewed, what I want to understand is why it hurt you so much.”
She was silent for a while before answering, “Because I thought he was different. Because I thought—I had hoped—I could rely on him, but I couldn’t.”
“Do you love him?” Alexander held his breath, not sure what answer he wanted to hear more. One would guarantee the foolish prince had won her heart, and the other would guarantee he still had a chance to break this spell.
Cecelia straightened her gown and tucked her legs underneath her. “I don’t know.” She tested the answer over seriously in her mind before declaring, “No. I don’t believe so. I cannot love someone I do not trust.”
His breathing quickened as his heart raced. “Do you trust me?”
She turned and met his eyes. “Definitely. Did you not know that?”
“I wasn’t sure.” He glanced away.
A surprise chuckle escaped from her lips. “Of course I trust you. I would not be out here in the dark, to meet some strange dangerous beast, unless I did.”
He grinned a wolfly grin and raised an eyebrow. “I think you make a legitimate point there.”
“I would hope so!” She giggled and found a tuft of grass to toss at him.
He blew one of the blades away. “So you trust me even on the days you wish to do bodily harm to me?” He loved her smile; he watched her for a few moments as she laughed at his question, and then he sighed as she snuggled back down against him.
“You do realize, do you not, that even when I’m angry at you, it is because I care for you? Because this friendship means that much to me, because I need you in my life.”
“What would you do without me?” was his hushed reply.
She gasped quietly. “I do not know. I don’t want to think about it. The important thing is I have you now and you are more necessary to me than anyone I have ever known.”
“And why is that?”
“I don’t know.” She buried her face in his softness and said, “Perhaps it is because you care. You genuinely care about me and see me differently than anyone ever has before.”
“Cecelia,” his voice cracked.
“Yes?”
I love you. I love you. I love you. He went to open his mouth repeatedly, but it would not come out. He needed to tell her right then. He needed to share with her his true feelings, so she would understand, and yet, something was preventing him from uttering the words. Was this what the old witch had alluded to before she fell to her death? Was this the warning she had meant to speak of? Or was it something worse?
“Apollo?” She stirred, but did not get up.
“Forgive me; my mind was mulling over a problem just then.” When she didn’t respond, he continued, “There is something I wish I could tell you, but this enchantment will not let me speak a word of what I wish to you.”
“There are certain things you cannot say?”
“Yes.”
She turned on her side and buried her hand in his soft coat. “How long have you been an enchanted wolf, your whole life?”
Alexander opened his mouth and realized it was something else he could not speak of. “I am not able to answer that question either.”
Her hand pulled free and she lifted her head. “Honestly?” She giggled. “Are you trying to answer and nothing comes out?”
“Precisely.”
“Oh, dear, that must be incredibly vexing.” And yet she chuckled.
He shook his head and grinned. “You are simply the most sympathetic girl I know.”
“I’m sorry!” She smiled. “But you are quite fascinating, you know.”
“I am? I find myself pretty ordinary.”
She leaned back against his softness. “Dearest Apollo, you are by far the most intriguing individual I’ve ever known.” Quieting for a moment, she then continued, “So, I wonder what questions I can inquire of you.” After thinking for a bit she asked, “Were you always a wolf?”
“No.”
Her mouth gaped open. “You were not?”
“No.” He sighed and laid his head on his paws.
“Oh, Apollo, I’m terribly sorry.” She turned more fully into him and hugged his strong body.
He was certain she would begin to solicit a hundred different questions about what he was before he became a wolf, and how the transformation happened, and who did this to him…all questions he knew he would not be able to answer. But instead, Cecelia surprised him by simply asking—
“Was it difficult to accept this new change?”
He snorted. Was it difficult? Was it difficult? “Words cannot describe the effect it had me.”
“How have you endured it—becoming something you were not?”
“Well—” he inhaled a bit of air and continued, “I had to come to the conclusion that my transformation was needed. Desperately needed. And though it has hurt me and harmed my pride most significantly, it is better that I be the sufferer now, instead of those who would have had failed attempts at life, because of me.”
“I do not pretend to understand in the slightest what you are talking of, but if it is in reference to the other night, where you consider yourself a monster, then perhaps it may have been so. But now, my dear, you are anythin
g of the sort I was not mocking you when I said you are more beautiful than anyone I know of.” She moved to sit in front of him, where she could see his reactions.
Alexander’s heart began to race on its own accord.
“If you were a monster, if you were cruel in any way at all, I can attest that part of you no longer exists. You have changed. Referring to your past as you have does indeed prove it. Treating me as calmly and carefully and sweetly as you have has proven it as well. You are generous, you are kind, you are charitable, and you care—genuinely care about me—and I am sure countless others as well. I feel a connection with you I have never felt with anyone before. I do not understand all the intricacies of our relationship, but I promise you, my dear Apollo, I have never known a man as great as the beast you are.”
Her own heart began to triple its speed as she ascertained the significance of what she was saying. What her true feelings were on the subject. It was no accident she was happier this morning when she had woken. It was no accident her mood seemed lighter and at ease with her surroundings. She may be attracted to the prince, but it was nothing compared to the feelings this wolf had stirred in her heart.
Miss Cecelia Hammerstein-Smythe was most definitely in love.
A blush stole across her features at the realization, and she was suddenly very grateful for the darkened sky. It was then she felt that perhaps she had spoken long enough. She needed to be alone, to fully embrace and understand what she now knew to be true, to sort through the emotions cascading about her.
She leaned down and placed a kiss upon his nose and another on his brow, before standing and stating, “Forgive me, but I must go now.”
Alexander sat up as well. “Cecelia?”
She waved her hand in an attempt to brush aside the obvious abrupt nature of her departure. “It’s the time—I did not realize how long I had already been here.” In great nervousness and haste, she dipped a curtsy and crossed the stream.
“Cecelia, wait.”
She turned to look back, the moonbeams streaming all around. “Yes?”
“Thank you.” His eyes pleaded with hers to understand all he could not say.