Love and Chaos Series
His Forbidden Mate Chapter 26

He followed behind me, saying no word, but I could feel his heated gaze on my every move.

We stepped into the open space to see the full moon almost setting. The night was peaceful and its mild weather comforting. The calm wind of the night blew over my face, swaying my hair from side to side and making me giggle. It was perfect and I hope it'll continue thus. "We would shift any moment from now," I announced, my voice coming out eagerly.

He nodded. "Yes, you will, but I don't have to shift if I don't want to."

His answer left me in a puzzled state. "Is that because you are the prince, then?"

He shook his head. "No, every werewolf shifts when, where, and how they want to unless they have taken human life."

"I have always shifted on the full moon," I revealed, a little confused at where he was going with his words.

"You shifted because you wanted to, not because you had to."

I never thought about it that way. Honestly, I never thought I had the choice of not shifting, but hearing him say the words made me realize that was what I had done all those years, even without knowing. While I was still with the pack years ago, I had been told wolfs shifted on the full moon as soon as it sets and somehow that had stuck to my head even without me knowing it. "So even if the full moon set, I do not have to shift."

"No, you don't, unless you have unjustly taken a human life. Then you won't be able to control your shift." I understood him and it made more sense than I thought it would.

I had taken a life years ago, but that life wasn't human and so that meant I was still safe. "I haven't taken a human life."

"Then you don't have to shift."

My head lifted once again to look at the moon setting in the sky and then back at him. It was at the apex now, and this was the time I usually started my shift, but not today.

Today, the prince was taking his time to teach me a few things I did not know, exposing me to another reality, and I readied myself for it.

"How do I shift showing strength?"

"The same way you shift showing vulnerability, only this time you go to the place in your mind that made you feel most powerful." He answered, and I was not so sure I understood what he said.

"What place will that be?"

"It can be anywhere." He replied, "I am going to shift showing vulnerability" he dropped to his knees, transforming into a big black furry wolf and his clothes fell to the ground.

He made whimpers and sad noises. His head stayed low and his eyes remain on the ground, not daring to even look at me. Moments later, he shifted back to human form. He rose to his feet and stood before me, naked.

I have seen him naked when we were together, but the emotions set ablaze tonight made it feel as though I hadn't.

My throat ran dry and the voices in my head went wild with a part of me wanting to take his naked form in and another part wanted to touch him, but a minor part knew this wasn't why we were here.

Kailani, focus.

I kept my eyes fixed on him and my vision stopped on his toned shoulder up, but even that didn't help because the prince was as delicious as they came.

"Are you done?" he raised a brow, and I snapped out of my thoughts to find him staring at me.

My cheeks heat and I nodded, "Yes?"

"Good, now I'll shift, showing strength." He said and without needing to drop to his knees, he shifted and his wolf emerged, big, black and bold. His head stayed up and its gaze locked on me. And I shivered at how intense it was. My wolf jumped for joy at the sight of him. "Show your strength and shift." He commanded.

I did as he commanded and I shifted the next second, my wolf emerging with so much confidence I had never known while shifting. My clothes fell off my body, and I stepped out, my head high and my confidence impeccable.

"Look, you're even better than I expected." he gushed.

"I've surprised myself as well," I admitted, feeling proud of myself.

"With your shift being in strength, you can spend the night of the full moon hunting, exploring and dominating your territories."

I almost asked if he'd be willing to show me how when he spoke. "I could show you."

I bobbed my head, "Yes, please do."

A smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth and I grunted. He took a bold step towards me, his paw covering up much space, and I scrambled back, purring as fear surged through me at his act.

"I will not hurt you, I'm just showing you what it means to dominate, so stand still." he took another step forward, but this time I stayed on my ground and waited despite my fear.

He took the third bold step and towered over me, his eyes staring down at me in absolute dominance that sent weakness running through me. His head dropped and his breath fanned over my face, sending weakening shivers through my body. I almost leaned in to get more of his scent and his warmth when he pulled away and I recovered myself. If he saw how affected I was a moment ago, he said nothing about it. "Now, do the same," he instructed, and I did, following his direction.

It wasn't so easy, sure I had confidence at the parlour, but that was my territory. Summoning confidence during the full moon wasn't very easy. But he stayed patient with me, guiding me until I perfected my dominance.

Next, he showed me how to hunt within my territories. Since the house and the acres of land surrounding it were mine, it was easier to hunt within my territory following Edward's lead.

While he expertly caught a squirrel on his first try, it took me six tries to catch a rabbit and with every of my failure; I made up an excuse.

I had the now-dead rabbit caught between my fangs as I came back to where he stood. I stopped and dropped it before him.

"You're so much better than I expected." He said with an impressed tone.

"Don't make me feel better."

"I'm not," he stepped towards me and my heartbeat doubled even as I stared up at him. I wonder what he wanted to do and though his nearness scared me, it also excited me. We did so much this night than I'd ever done during the other full moons, and adrenaline still rushed through my veins. He lowered his head, but didn't touch mine, "You're so much better than you give yourself credit for Kailani Zaine." then he pressed his head against mine and there and then I felt our souls connect.