Prologue

PROLOGUE

190 years ago

S he's gone. The princess was taken, and I have no one else to blame but myself. I shouldn't have left her, my shift was over, but I had a feeling in my gut that I should have stayed. My jaw clenched as I scoured the forest looking for her. I was in my wolf form. I knew he had the best nose and I needed every extra ability I had to find her.

My heart was pounding as I ran. It had been four days since she had gone missing and every hour that went by was sealing her fate. I growled, hating myself for letting myself think the worst. She was everything to the kingdom and everything to me. I had to find her.

Shouts came from behind me and I picked up my pace. Everyone was looking for her, even the king and queen had made it out of the castle to look for their daughter, their heir. The entire guard was out, as were many townspeople, and even her fiancé too.

I snarled at the thought of him. There was something that wasn't right about him, and after she had been taken, my suspicions had only gotten worse. His concern seemed false, but I didn't know how to prove it. If we found her, I would do everything I could to show the kingdom his true self, that he wasn't who he said he was. He didn't love her. He was marrying her for power, wealth and control, while she only thought he loved her.

She was mine.

"Smell anything, Maxton?"

I growled, contemplating biting him, but I'd play nice for now; I had to.

Taylin would get what was coming to him, even if I had to do it myself.