Rafael wasn't entirely sure what to expect from his princess, but one thing was clear in her eyes: caution. Not fear, but a wariness that intrigued him blindly. Could he interpret that look as a progress? He wondered.
His fingers closed around the delicate column of her throat, and for a moment, he feared he might break it. The memory of Thorne nearly snuffing out her life made his eyes glint darkly, but before he could intervene, Elizah stepped in. If she hadn't been there to reason with Thorne, and if he hadn't made that silly promise to her mother, he might have snapped all ten fingers that dared to touch his mate, and he wasn't going to exclude Thorne completely from the list.
A new idea sparked in his mind: instead, he would train his princess to fight back. Watching her handle anyone who tries to intimidate her would be so much more satisfying. And perhaps, in the long-run, he'd uncover the truth about what really happened to her wolf.
