How to Survive a Werewolf Romance

Chapter 11: Woes of the World

Arthur's POV

I started my tour of the capital by showing my mate more thoroughly around the palace.  As I told her about the place, I watched those beautiful green eyes sparkle with interest.

She kept taking quick glances at me in between looking out the car window and could not stop myself from being pleased by the affection I could already see in her eyes.

I managed to keep us away from anyone I would have to introduce her to for the duration of the palace tour.  She would have to deal with that soon enough, but I could try to buffer the matter a bit.

After we finished with the palace, I took her out into the city with Lucas and a team of guards.  They followed us but stayed out of our ways as we toured some of the more common landmarks of the city.  We had quite a number that had been commissioned both by my parents and other relatives before them.

She seemed to enjoy everything I showed her, particularly the view from the Lune Tower.

I smiled at her wide eyed wonder and decided that I really had to bring her back sometime soon.

She was such an intriguing mixture of naive girl and cynical woman that I could not imagine ever becoming bored with her.

She handled Lucas with her easy practicality.  She simply smiled as she let his bad jokes roll over her.  I was delighted that my estimation of her had not been wrong.

"Where to next, princess?" he asked her.

"I'm not a princess yet," she corrected without rancour.

"Well, you will be," he said.

"Don't push it," I reminded him.  "Anne will be princess in her own time."

<At this rate it will never happen,> my wolf groused.

I stopped listening to the conversation around me and focused on my wolf for a moment.

<It will.  No need to rush it.>

<So you say, because you have her there with you but you deny me the same pleasure.>

<Anne told me she was ready to be marked as soon as she settled in.>

My wolf was silent for a long moment.  <How soon is that?>

<Well, I did not press her on it, but I think soon.  She pointed out it was going to happen either way and so we might as well do it.>

<Our mate is truly a delight, even her human half,> my wolf said with real pleasure.  <I knew I loved her for a reason.>

<Me too.>

<Have you told her?>

<I will at the right time.  Perhaps after we're marked, or perhaps when I propose.>

<I should like to be there for those moments.>

<I'll tell you when I plan to do it.>

<Very well,> he agreed.  He faded off into the Wolfscape without further comment.

We continued driving through the city.  Although my parents did their best to manage it well, there were still some unsavoury parts of the city.

No matter what we tried, it seemed we would always have an underclass of people with problems who were resistant to help. 

And for some reason, Lucas was driving us through one of them.

I did not want my mate in such an unsafe location.