We’d slept in the same bed, but hadn’t touched the entire night. The rope that tied us together through our mating marks had thinned during the night, as though we were both tugging our bond in opposite directions.

It was too weak to not fray in the middle.

Atlas was awake. Her breaths were steady, but purposefully shallow. She’d taken a bath after my shower. Her hair, straight on the day of our mating, was now in waves and absolutely everywhere on the bed. The strands of cinnamon brown were a stark contrast to the gold of the silk sheets around her.

“Good morning,” I said softly. There was no time for her to answer. A knock at the door jolted us both out of bed. Already nervous about who was on the other side of the door, I put my hands on her shoulders. She winced in pain.

“I’m sorry. I forgot. That might be my father.” The fear and desperation for her to survive every encounter with my father made me sound weak. I hated to be weak in front of this female. “It’s going to be okay.”

She looked at me, sleepy crinkles still at the corners of her eyes. “Is he going to eat us?”

I laughed. She made me laugh at the weirdest times. “No.”

“Bring it.”

Trouble. The female was trouble.

“Come in.” I tried to yell, but it sounded more goat than self-confident prince of a kingdom.

I heard his footsteps and smelled his overbearing cologne before the servant cleared the way for his entrance. Leave it to my father to risk interrupting an intimate moment between a newly mated couple, and think it was perfectly okay.

My father strolled into the bedroom. His gaze moved around the room. He’d expressed some discontent about my sparse furnishings, but I liked my side of the castle simple and less gaudy than his. Even my mother had confessed a gag reflex in regard to her side of the castle and all the gold trimmings it held. After his appraisal of the room, he zeroed in on Atlas, now my marked mate, still waking up.

“Neck,” I seethed at Atlas.

We both tilted our heads and bared our necks, showing respect. Atlas reached out and took my hand, but there was no fear in her smell.

One of my father’s eyebrows rose. “I see the little couple are up bright and early.”

Like he gave us a choice.

“Good morning, Alpha.” Atlas spoke first, and I suppressed the need to cover her mouth with my hand so that there were no repercussions from my father. She had no idea what he could do—what he had done.

“Good morning, little cinnamon princess.” There wasn’t a lick of sarcasm in his tone. “I see you two have gotten along quite well on the night of your mating.”

My bear nearly clawed his way through my chest at the sight of my father’s hand on her shoulder where my mark was. He knew it, too. The alpha’s black eyes shifted to mine in an unspoken dare for me to say something to him about it.

“We have, Alpha. I’m so grateful for your kindness and for choosing me as your son’s mate.” Damn, she was good.

“We are thankful to have you here, Atlas. Well, I am satisfied that things are going as planned. The Court of the Sun and the Moon are awaiting you this morning. As you know, all supernatural beings must report to them. They think highly of themselves, especially that supposed representative of the shifters, Ulrich Kasun.” My father spat Ric’s name.

“Of course, Alpha.”

He turned to leave. “Good job, Harrison. I had my doubts.”

Those were his last words before leaving.

Atlas stood in silence, still holding my hand while she waited, for what I had no clue. “And I thought we were supposed to be the lessers.”

“What?” The word choked out.

“Seriously, you guys are so pampered and proper, but at the same time, completely passive-aggressive and rude. I’d rather stick a screwdriver in my head than ever speak to that man again.”

“You guys?” I asked, attempting to veil the knife in my back.

“I guess not you. You know what I mean.”

I stepped closer to her, grabbing her other hand. “I’ve tried all my life not to be like those people, Atlas. One day you will see that in me.”

“What do I need to wear for the Court?” She changed the subject.

“Not completely casual, but not anything too dressy. Just whatever.”