The Princess And The Alpha *Excerpt Only*

Confrontation

"I'm so sorry I let my parents do this to you." I rasped out, clutching his hands. I wanted to be tough and strong. I desperately wanted to portray that strong queen image that I always harboured in my mind. But, like always, it failed. I felt tears rush forward, then pour down my cheeks before I could even think to stop them.

"Hey, don't cry, it's all going to be okay." Ryan soothed. He slowly got on his knees so he could look me in the eye and he gave my hands a squeeze. "I'm alright; they haven't done anything to me. Just breathe. This isn't your fault, sweety. You didn't do anything." He murmured.

"That's the problem." I wept. "I didn't do anything. I couldn't even stand up to my parents when they put silver hand cuffs on your wrists." My eyes dropped to his arms and I cringed when I saw the raw line of flesh that the silver had burned. It had been a week and it still hadn't healed completely. I can't imagine what it had looked like when the cuffs had initially been taken off.

"Oh, Addy, come on now." Ryan whispered. "I would never blame you for something like this. How could I? We both knew that there was a good chance your parents were going to find us. It was really only a matter of time."

"I should've known. We should've gone farther away. We should've gone to a human city." I rambled.

"Hey, don't say that." He hushed. He gently pulled his hands out of my grasp and began wiping away my salty tears as best as he could through the bars. "I wouldn't have changed what we did for the world. It might sound stupid to you but even though I felt like I was dying I had never been happier than the moment you walked into the other prison and dragged me outside. You finally showed me that you at least wanted to be with me. And you're here again because you still want to be with me. Right?"

"Of course."

I stayed down in those underground cells for well over an hour. We talked softly the whole time. well, he mostly tried to soothe me when I start to sob uncontrollably out of guilt and it worked for the most part. Just hearing his voice made me feel tremendously better though I desperately wished that he would be able to hug me. I wanted nothing more than to be transported back to that little cabin, unable to talk and touch all we wanted. I hadn't been a queen out there and he hadn't been a rogue alpha. We were just two people locked in the process of love.

But that wasn't the case anymore. I was back home and expected to become a queen soon. With or without a mate by my side. And Ryan was back to being the rogue that everyone thought was scum.

"I'll be back tomorrow." I promised.

"I'll be waiting for you." Ryan vowed back.

His blue eyes watched me intently as I walked up the stairs and I knew what he said was true. He would be waiting for me. He had nothing else in this dark hell hole to give him hope. He would probably count the seconds until he got to see me again and I can't say that I would be doing much different.

A guard gently held my elbow and helped me with the hatch. Once it was open he bowed his head and moved back down the steps. I guess he had to keep a close eye on his prisoner. It seemed like everyone was absolutely terrified of what my mate was capable of. But all I knew of him was the way he held me tightly at night and the soft noises he made when I gave him a good back rub. That man was no monster and I wished others could see that.

I sighed softly to myself as I made the trek back to the palace. I thought I would feel better after seeing Ryan, and I kind of did. But I also felt significantly worse because I had to leave him behind while I wandered back to comfort, food, and love. He should've been coming with me. He should've been able to sit at the royal table and have a discussion with my parents. He should've had a guest room with the most plush bed and heavenly sheets so he could nap after eating a fantastic supper.

But he wasn't able to do any of those things.

And it frustrated me endlessly because if I had been mated to any other man this would've never happened.it wouldn't have mattered if my mate had been a lowly omega or a singular rogue. Hell, I could've even been mated to a human. And all of those would've come with their challenges, but none would've been this bad.

I tried not to think about it though. I didn't want to become angry about a situation I couldn't change. I was mated to Ryan and that was the end of it. He was a good man as far as I was concerned and I would do everything in my power to be with him for the rest of my life. I knew that now. I only wanted him, no matter the cost. Nothing else mattered as long as we had each other.

So I decided that I would read the book.

I nodded absently to myself as I entered the palace, validating my own silent thoughts. I knew Ryan. I knew that he would pretty much sacrifice his life for a good foot rub, that he loved cheesy kids movies, and that he loved being little spoon. It didn't matter what that book said about him because I knew him far better than my father did or anyone else who decided to donate their opinion to that book.

I marched to my bedroom, completely ignoring my parents along the way. And once I was in my lavish bedroom I shut the door behind me and went straight to old, worn book that still lay on my bed, open to the table of contents.

It was time to figure out what everyone thought of the kind man I was mated to.

*****Any guesses on what's going to be in the book? Who is your favorite or least favorite character now?*****