The Princess And The Alpha *Excerpt Only*

Booked

"Addy, you need to do something." My dad whispered desperately.

We were in my bedroom, the place I had been since my parents ripped me out of the cabin a week ago. I would like to say that everything had changed since Ryan had been taken away from me, but that would be a lie. I hadn't been able to do a single thing to defend the man who risked his life just so he could show up to a party. I had at least seven doctors look at my neck, all of them horrified or disgusted by the sight. They all told my parents the same thing, I was fine, the mark was ugly but it was here to stay and it deepened the mate bond. But not a single doctor could figure out why I was silent and closed off in my room since I had been home.

"I want to see Ryan." I said flatly.

"No." my dad didn't even have to think about it. But it wasn't like I expected a different answer anyway. I'm certain that my dad had convinced himself that I was mated to the devil.

"Then I'm not doing anything." I replied.

I made a point of turning my back to him and sitting at my desk. I began to read, knowing it would infuriate him. He was my father and the king, I was not to ignore him, but his anger was the least of my concerns right now. He didn't know what he had started with me and I would not allow him to imprison my mate just because he didn't know the man.

"Fine, stay in your room." My dad huffed.

He held his breath for a second, waiting for my reaction. But I didn't even lift my eyes off the page. He wouldn't break me. Once he realized I was done speaking to him he stomped out of my room, barking some instructions to the guards that were stationed at my door.

My days passed slowly, which was to be expected. The sad part is that I knew that Ryan's days passed much more slowly than my own. He was probably locked in a different cell that smelt worse than the first one and was significantly darker, this time with double the guards milling around him constantly. The thought of his pain was enough to make me want to sob, but I always withheld. Crying wouldn't solve anything and I was done with being weak. I needed to form plans- plans that would actually work and create a lasting future- instead of feeling sorry for myself.

And another week I felt like I would go insane, but I was no closer to figuring out how to fix the mess I had created. Hell, I wasn't even closer to convincing my dad to let me see my mate.

Disgruntled, I yanked open my bedroom door one afternoon, ready for a change of scenery. Unfortunately, two guards immediately moved into my path. They both looked a little uncomfortable. These men had protected me all my life, but now they had been given orders to keep me in my room at all times, even if that meant wrestling with me until I was too exhausted to try any more.

"Mom!" I shouted, hoping my voice would carry through the palace.

The guards stayed silent and completely awkward. I refused to engage in conversation with them and I could tell they were uncertain of where this would lead.

Thankfully, my mother had heard my call and I could hear the soft clicking of her high heels on the marble flooring as she rushed over. Within a minute she appeared in a gorgeous floor length gown and with a large tiara bobbling on her head slightly.

"Is everything alright?" she asked softly. She was a flurry of delight and worry. I hadn't really spoken to her or my father since the incident so she knew this could mean something very good or very bad happened.

"I want to go out." I announced, ignoring her question.

"Oh, yes, yes come out, we have some guests over so you'll have to put on a gown, but I can call up a maid to help you with that." She rambled out.

"No, I want to go out of the palace."

My mom froze for a second, but recovered quickly, "You can't see Ryan."

I appreciated that my mom actually acknowledged that my mate had a name rather than just calling him a rogue like my father did. But she too refused to let me have contact with him. Luckily for her I had given up on that for now.

"I want to see my horses." I corrected flatly. "You can even send a couple guards with me, I don't care. I just don't want to see dad and I don't want to be in this room any more."

"Oh," my mother looked a little startled, "sure, Jackson and Trent will definitely have to accompany you though." She said, indicating the two guards on either side of her.

"That's fine." I pushed myself in between her and the guards, already walking towards the front door.

"And Addy?"

"Yup." I blurted, still walking away.

"Maybe we could get back into your self defense classes some time." she suggested.

I paused mid step, a cruel smile touching my lips. Without bothering to turn around I just shook my head, "Unless you can teach me how to beat one of the royal guards its useless. I'm fighting on the opposite team now."

The barn was a welcome blessing and I regretted staying away for so long the instant I opened the barn doors. A handful of horses put their head over their stall doors and looked at me expectantly. I just smiled and made my way down the aisle. I stopped at each horse, cooing and giving them rubs while my two guards huffed. Clearly, this was not how the planned on spending their day, but I hardly cared. I just needed something that would ground me and keep me sane for the next couple days.

I eventually got to Poison and my heart swelled when I peered into his stall. I had known that leaving him in the middle of the forest like that was deeply risky. Yes, he was one of my most athletic horses, but a single horse was nothing for a hungry cougar. Plus, he could've easily fallen into a hole or got himself tangled in a barb wire fence. So, needless to say, I was absolutely delighted when I found him unscathed.

"Would you like to go for a ride, Princess?" a groom asked.

"What a fabulous idea." I said excitedly. My guards groaned softly, but I ignored them, "But I'll saddle him and groom him myself, I've missed him."

I probably spent two hours with Poison alone. I chatted with him while I ran several brushes over his coat. I told him how lovely he was while I picked his feet and I even braided his mane just so I could watch my guards roll their eyes. And once he was tacked up we rode around the ring for an extended period of time. Nothing intensive, I wasn't focused enough to do anything hard right now, just some leisure loops around the ring at different gaits. He still moved beautifully beneath me which thrilled me and he was still steady on my commands meaning my absence hadn't caused him to lose his training. I couldn't have been more pleased with the ride and I would've ridden him longer, taking him down some trails, but I could tell my guards were damn near ready to chew their own legs off from sheer boredom. So I did eventually pry myself out of the saddle, but I still gave Poison a great rub down and said goodbye to all of my other horses before allowing the guards to escort me back to my room.

"Do you need anything else from us, Princess?" one of the guards asked as we reached my bedroom.

"No, but be prepared for a similar outing tomorrow." I warned. With a little wink I twisted my doorknob and sauntered into my bedroom, in a much better mood than I had been previously.

I hummed as I stripped out of my riding clothes, feeling less trapped. I pulled my hair tie out, letting my strands brush against my shoulder before I moved towards my bathroom.

But just as I was about to shut the door to the bathroom I noticed something on my bed. I frowned deeply, but moved towards the lump. It was a book. More specifically, it was one of the books my father kept behind his desk in his office, a detailed collection of all the known packs. I hesitated for a second before carefully pulling open the worn cover, fearing something would happen.

But the book just fell open to the table of contents.

And my eyes instantly went to the line that said "Rogue Pack of Germany".