Chapter 10

“Rise and shine. The fair’s today. Roman sent me to rouse you. The queen’s waiting.” Jess’s voice cuts through my sleep.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re such a grump in the morning. Just get up!” His voice is laced with amusement, which only makes me growl a bit more.

“If you’re not up in ten minutes, I’m dousing you with a bucket of ice water.” I summon my magic, letting my fur ignite.

“Sure, sure. Firecracker. Get moving, princess. This isn’t exactly responsible behavior.” The door closes behind him and I finally get up.

I’m still half asleep and nearly trip over my own paws.

I do love the fair, but not at this ungodly hour.

I glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand.

Oh, it’s already ten o’clock.

I really need to work on my morning routine.

I shuffle into the closet, which Roman has thoughtfully left open.

Where is he?

I bet Mr. Perfect Prince is already up and about. Ugh.

I shift back to my human form and my eyes land on a sundress adorned with flowers.

There’s a note attached.

~Wear this. I’ll see you at the fair. - Roman.~

How about no?

This dress seems more like Lucy’s style.

I ignore the dress and start rummaging through piles of jeans.

My eyes land on a pair of leather pants. I grab them and head over to the tops.

A cute army green top with crisscross straps at the back catches my eye.

I quickly pick out some underwear and hop into the shower.

I’m glad Roman isn’t here.

I don’t think we should discuss last night’s events this early in the morning.

It could very well end with me setting him on fire.

After my shower, I get dressed and head towards the walk-in closet.

In the corner, there’s a vanity. I almost laugh.

He really wishes I was a pretty, doll-like princess.

I start opening the drawers.

One is filled with more eyeshadow than anyone could ever need. Another is packed with different eyeliners.

I open the large drawer under the mirror.

On the left, there are beautiful rings.

One catches my eye. It has a braided band and a small diamond in the center.

It’s rose gold.

I put it on and, of course, it fits perfectly.

On the right, there are necklaces.

Some are too big and flashy, but a rose gold necklace with a small dahlia flower pendant catches my eye.

The petals of the flower are silver, with a hint of rose gold at the tips.

I put it on and look in the mirror. It’s beautiful.

I quickly rummage through some more drawers and find some mascara.

I apply it, making my lashes look incredibly long.

I look pretty.

I head over to the shoe section and pick out some cute ankle boots with a decent wedge.

I hear the door to my room open and tiptoe to the closet door. Jess is standing in the middle of the room with a bucket.

I use a gust of wind to send the bucket flying towards him.

He lets out a string of curses. The bucket was full of water and ice.

I burst out laughing. He looks like a soaked cat!

My laughter grows louder and soon I’m clutching my stomach.

“I’ll get you back for this, Princess! You can count on it!” His words only make me laugh harder and Jess storms out of the room.

My laughter fades into a smile.

I’m grateful that Jess is here.

I wish things with Roman could be as easy as they are with Jess, but everything with Roman feels so forced.

Thinking about him sours my mood again, so I quickly head downstairs to the kitchen.

There’s a plate on the counter with a note on it.

Eat me.

I roll my eyes, but remove the foil from the plate anyway.

There are different types of meat and bread on the plate.

I can’t identify the smells, but it smells delicious. I finish the meal in seconds.

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and decide to head to the fair.

Wherever that is.

As soon as I step outside, I can hear the laughter and music.

I follow the sound.

I hold my breath.

There are adorable little market stalls everywhere, wafting delicious smells.

In the center, a group of wolves is performing acrobatic tricks.

Next to them, a group of people is dancing in a strange, old-fashioned way.

On the left of the center, there are all sorts of games.

Darts, a duck pond surrounded by kids, a dunk tank with a very nervous-looking wolf on the seat, and a small field where wolves seem to be playing soccer.

Everyone is laughing and having a good time.

I decide to wander around the fair since I haven’t seen much of it yet.

I stop at a stall that sells all kinds of candy canes.

Behind it is a middle-aged woman with beautiful long blond hair and dark brown eyes.

I smile at her as I look at the candy canes.

“You’re the new princess.” It’s more of a statement than a question, so I just smile back at her. She bows her head slightly and mumbles an apology.

“There’s no need to bow to me. If anything, I should bow to you for welcoming me into your beautiful pack.” I say with a smile. I now understand Honora’s comment about bowing being a man thing.

“I have a special candy cane for you, Princess.” The woman smiles warmly. From behind the stall, she retrieves a candy cane.

It’s white and purple with a sugar crown on top. I chuckle and take it when she offers it to me.

“What’s your name, ma’am?” A blush creeps onto the woman’s cheeks.

“My name is Larissa.” She says softly. I take her hand with my free one.

“Thank you, Larissa. It’s beautiful and I’m sure it’ll taste amazing. My name is Katelynn.” We say our goodbyes, and I move on to the next stall.

I notice that some people have stopped talking and laughing to look at me. I ignore their stares and focus on the stall filled with stuffed animals. A pair of pups are arguing over a huge wolf.

“I want it! You can’t even carry it.”

“Your head’s too big to carry it!”

“No, you! With your big nose!” I giggle at their banter, and they finally notice me.

“What are your names?” I ask, bending down to their level.

“I’m Devon, and this is Durcan.” Devon rolls his eyes at Durcan, as if his name alone is a source of annoyance.

“And who might you be? We haven’t seen you around here before.” You’ve got to appreciate the blunt honesty of children.

“I’m Katelynn.” I lower my voice to a whisper, as if I’m about to share a secret. “I’m the new princess.”

Their eyes widen in surprise, and they quickly bow. I gently lift their chins, bringing their heads back up.

“No bowing. It’s a secret. We don’t want anyone else to know.”

Devon and Durcan quickly glance around. The wolves that were watching us now pretend to be busy. I know they’ve heard everything with their sharp wolf-hearing.

“So, you both want the big wolf, right?” They nod, their tiny faces instantly clouding over with annoyance.

“Are you brothers?” They nod again.

“Great. I’ll hold the wolf, and we’ll play some games. Whoever scores the most points gets the wolf first. But! Tomorrow, you’ll have to hand it over to your brother. You have to share. Got it?”

“But...” They both start to protest, but I silence them with a stern look. They nod reluctantly. I pick up the wolf and turn to the man behind the market stand, smiling.

“What’s your name, sir?” The man looks at me, clearly amused. It’s a nice change from all the stares and shy glances.

“I’m Jordan, Princess.” I nod at him and quickly introduce myself. The boys are shifting impatiently from foot to foot. I guide them towards the games section of the fair.

We play games for the better part of an hour.

I’ve introduced myself to everyone manning the market stands and had a good laugh watching the boys’ competition.

Devon tries to cheat a few times, proving himself to be the real durak between the two, but eventually gives up.

In the end, Durcan wins, and I make Devon promise to follow the rules I’ve set.

Between games, some of the pack members approach me.

One presents me with a crown of flowers, which I’m now wearing.

Others offer me food and drinks, which I share with the brothers.

Suddenly, the crowd falls silent, and I turn away from my conversation with Layla, the woman behind the popcorn stand and the mother of Devon and Durcan.

“Hello! I was wondering when you’d show up. I heard rumors of the new princess winning over the hearts of the pack!”

Honora’s angelic voice fills my ears, and I smile. She pulls me into a hug, and I hug her back. “So where did you leave my son?”

I laugh at her choice of words and shrug. “I came here alone. Roman was gone when I woke up this morning.” Honora’s face hardens.

“You spend years teaching them manners, and then they go and do the exact opposite.” She says it with a smile, but I can tell by her eyes that Roman is in for it.

“Well, I heard about your little adventure last night. He’s probably sulking somewhere. Come with me! It’s almost time for lunch!” I laugh at Honora’s words.

She links her arm through mine, and we walk towards the dance floor.

Behind it, a large table is set up with wolves either sitting and laughing or bustling around, placing covered bowls on the table.

I smile at the sight. This pack reminds me of home.

They’re so close-knit and do these fun, quirky things like the fair.

My mom would have loved this.

We walk past the table, and I realize there’s a whole row of large tables. I try to recall how many pack members this pack has, but I can’t remember.

Honora takes a seat at a table in the middle, and I sit next to her. “How do you like the pack so far?”

“They’re all amazing and so kind. They’ve made me feel very welcome. They remind me of home.” Honora gives me a sad smile.

“What happened with Roman? Why does he hate warriors so much?”

“I don’t,” the chair next to me is pulled back, and Roman sits down.

“And even if I did, my mother wouldn’t be the one to ask.” I roll my eyes at him. He leans in close, his breath tickling my neck. For a moment, everything else fades away.

“You’re not wearing my dress,” he whispers. I roll my eyes again and pull away from him.

“Is that a surprise?” He chuckles and shakes his head. I turn back to Honora and ask her about the shops we’re visiting tomorrow.

She seems thrilled with the attention, her eyes sparkling as she talks about dresses and shoes. Roman’s hand rests on my leg, but I don’t move. If he wants to play this game, I can play too.