Page 77 of The Forbidden Wolf

“In a moment!” Sebastian roared.

Kenzo held up his hands and ran toward my father. I needed to go to him too. Once again, I tried to pull away from Sebastian, and once again, he held me close. His head bent toward mine, brown eyes yearning.

“You are welcome in Manhattan until you’re ready to claim your throne.” Sebastian smiled gently. “But you are a person, Elyse, not an object to be traded. I rescind my claim.” He ducked his head shyly. “I would be honored to court you—”

“No,” I said it so brusquely we both winced. I tried to ease the pain by placing one hand on his chest. “I can’t do that right now. Not after all this. I’m sorry. I just need some time…” I laughed at myself, thinking of all the movies I’d seen where someone delivered this same cheap line. “…to figure out who I am.”

Sebastian bowed his head low. “As you wish.”

My heart jolted as if he’d applied an electric shock. My fingers curled on his chest, but he swiftly turned away. I pressed a hand to my heart, a memory coming back to me… last Friday night… the last few minutes of The Princess Bride… the voice commanding us to be quiet… my friends not letting me turn around to dish it right back to him…

But all of those thoughts were pushed from my mind when I met Father’s blue eyes as Kenzo helped him limp toward the car. I stifled a sob and ran past Sebastian, remembering how our silly flirtation had allowed this to happen. I had made the right decision.

“I’m so sorry,” I whimpered, carefully wrapping my arms around him.

“Hush,” he said. “I always knew she wouldn’t wait for me to die naturally.”

Sebastian joined us, his face an expressionless mask. “Kenzo, what were you so anxious to tell me?”

Kenzo stopped, biting his lip again. He reached out and put a steadying hand on the Alpha Heir’s shoulder. “We’re gonna get her back, okay? We’re already—”

“Get who back?” Sebastian’s face hardened.

Kenzo cringed. “Your mom, man. She, um—”

Sebastian grabbed him by the lapels. “Spit it out!”

“She helped Damian escape.”