The Last Princess Read Online Free Page B

fangs behind his lips. She felt the hunger
herself.  The moon would be full in a day or two, the one time per month that
she dreaded.  Control was everything, but for that brief time each month her
hormones ruled. For the most part she handled herself well, but inside she was
a mess, and her weakness was a trait she wished she could shed, like her fur
when she shifted. Her virginity was a testament to her self sacrifice.  Unlike
her sisters who indulged themselves when their needs made themselves known, she
stifled her desires. 
    They stared at each other.  Until she saw his fangs, she barely
remembered he was a shifter.  He was so humanized, and his fox didn't give off
a dominant vibe. Seeing his feral side peeking out aroused her in ways she
never expected.  The fact he seemed just as determined to maintain control made
her want to challenge him, test his resolve. 
    Other males didn't hold back when they caught her scent.  It
sickened her having to constantly battle unwanted advances.  Staying in hiding,
only sneaking out at night for supplies was the life she knew. She'd never
really considered the future until her last sister mated.  Their lives were
just beginning now, while Delia felt hers was already ending.
    "You don't have to worry about me.  I'll just stay over
there, get everything set up for your little adventure and then I'll be out of
your hair."  He swiped his tongue across his teeth from behind his lips. 
The subtle move wasn't lost to her.  If ever she had to lose her maidenhead,
she guessed Caleb would be gentle, attentive, and patient—so unlike the alpha
shifters her mother probably planned for her to marry.  Those animals would
tear her apart with little regard to her pleasure or well being.
    "I'm not afraid of anything," she said. Delia had outrun
and outlasted all the henchmen her mother dispatched to find her.  She was a survivor.
In the many years since her escape she'd trained in every major art of attack
and defense.
    Her fears were internal. 
    Each passing day made her terrified of growing old alone. 
She'd rather die than face decades moving from one shitty motel to the next
with no one to love, no one to share life with.  It was foolish of her to think
her sisters could provide that love and companionship.  The natural desire to
mate was too strong in them. Now they were gone—mated, happy, and moved on
without her.
    "Nothing at all?" He narrowed his eyes
conspiratorially. "I think you may be just a tad intimidated by me ." 
    She laughed. It was so unlike her to laugh, but this shifter
had her feeling lighthearted, even in such emotionally unsettling times.
"You haven't seen my wolf.  She's quite capable of taking care of
herself."
    He shrugged. "Everyone needs someone, princess.  If I had
a family, like you, I wouldn't be running from them."
    "I've already explained why I'm on my own.  I don't do
dictatorships. How would you feel if you were forced to mate with a female you
hadn't chosen for yourself?"
    Caleb was quiet for an exaggerated moment.  His chest rose and
fell more rapidly as if his fox was clawing to get free. She knew the feeling
well.  Her wolf had become especially anxious since returning to the hotel this
morning.
    Then he whispered, "If I was forced to mate you , I
wouldn't mind."
    She swallowed hard.  This wasn't supposed to happen.  Her plan
was simple—solicit the help of the computer geek, break into the castle, speak
her mind, create an uproar to be remembered, and then…Well, she hadn't planned
after that, but her life was already a forfeit.
    But she hadn't even gotten out of the hotel and already her
accomplice was turning into a temptation.  She barely tolerated males as a
whole, but this young fox was appealing to her on so many levels. Her mother
would never approve of a beta shifter, especially from one of the lowest
races.  Maybe that's why she wanted him, because her mother would hate their
pairing.
    "You and about a million other