The Duke and The Werewolf Princess novel Chapter 3

He had met her a year ago when Arthur and Alexia got engaged and he was introduced to her by an elderly aristocrat who had completed her beyond words Ariel was surprised by the quick masculine desire that the old man had for her, he had read amusement in the Princess’s amazing, green violet eyes.

A little sardonically he commented back saying that even he agreed with him. Not that he wanted to but Adric was instigating him. But he was furious with the old man as well for coveting her. He was probably of her father’s age.-

Her amused chuckle had further fired his senses.

“Thank you, my lord,” she said with unruffled composure.

He had been bowled out by her beauty from the very first time and couldn’t forget her, but now he was possessed with a disturbing knowledge about her brother, but Ariel wasn't so sure about his predicament. Did the Princess have any idea of what her younger brother had got himself mixed up with? More importantly, does she know that her brother was half human and half wolf?

He knew that she was a self-made woman who did not rely on her ancestor's property to make her living. She was a very famous TV presenter but he had learned from his informants that Lucas was looking for a wealthy groom for her. That made him wonder if the princess was also after money.

“No, she is not.” Groaned Adric with frustration and Ariel was amused as Adric would always get restless whenever he saw Princess Marcela.

But Ariel needed to find out just what she knew about her brother and he set off towards her.

She saw him coming, of course, and immediately produced an irritatingly gracious smile. The bright color of her gown echoed the color of her eyes and hugged a narrow waist, displaying curves that unleashed something elemental and fear inside Ariel, an urge to discover what lay beneath that lovely façade, to challenge her on the most fundamental level, man to woman. Adric was growling inside him to come out and pounce on her but Ariel tried to control his emotions and smiled back at her and walked towards her.

"Behave Adric...." Ariel warned his wolf as he was behaving like a lovesick lunatic. He straightened his suit as he walked with an easy stride towards Princess Marcela.

“Ariel Knight....,” she said the smile widening a fraction when he stopped in front of her. "This is such a happy occasion for all of us. I've never seen such a blissfully beautiful bride and Arthur looks handsome as well, he is so happy and contented.”

A controlled man himself, Ariel admired her skill in conveying that her heart wasn’t broken. Indeed, he responded. I believe we're supposed to dance together, now would you like to go and join me.”

Still smiling, she laid a slender hand on his arm, and together they walked into the waiting, shattering circle around Arthur and Alexia.

Ariel glanced down and a phrase from childhood was echoing in his head, mirror, mirror on the wall whose the fairest of them all, hair black and ebony, skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and inner beauty shows, he remembered.

Princess Marcela was an almost perfect snow princess. He looked at his hand on her shoulders and it looked so ugly. He had passed her on one part of the description though; her lips were painted a restrained shade of dark red. It was too provocative for Marcela and her lips were tempting him to crush her mouth with his.

A hunting instinct as old as time stirred into life deep within Ariel. He had wanted her ever since he had first seen her but because she was a human he couldn’t cross his boundaries today yet again the wild animal inside him was provoking him to do something wild. A year had passed since their last meeting but the emotion he felt for her was deeply engraved.