Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 7

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Miles Cade**

“Mr. Woltham,” Lunerly’s voice broke through the air, steady and unyielding, as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. To anyone else, he might have seemed unfazed, but my heart raced in my chest like a wild animal desperate to escape. “Thank you for coming to my office amidst afternoon classes.”

“I had a break,” Maximus replied, pushing himself off the wall with a casual grace that belied the tension crackling in the room. His eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity piqued. “What was this about a princess?”

“Yes, I just had a conversation with the queen,” Lunerly continued, his tone shifting to one of seriousness. “She is utterly appalled by your behavior towards the wolfless. The King consort must demonstrate respect for all beings, regardless of their status. She has instructed me to impose punishment for your indiscretions.”

Maximus’s gaze flickered to me, a sneer twisting his lips, as though he believed my very existence was the root of his troubles. I crossed my arms defiantly, raising an eyebrow in response, a silent challenge hanging in the air between us.

“Weakness is a plague, Professor,” he declared, his voice dripping with disdain.

“Yet weakness is an inevitable part of life, Mr. Woltham,” Lunerly countered, his voice firm yet measured. “A King consort understands this truth and learns to navigate it. Therefore—” Lunerly gently nudged me forward, a gesture that felt both patronizing and oddly reassuring. “You will learn to cope with this through Miss Smith. You are to mentor her for the upcoming semester.”

I spun around, my jaw dropping at the absurdity of it all. “You can’t be serious?” I exclaimed, disbelief coloring my voice.

“Deadly serious,” Lunerly affirmed, his expression unwavering. “It is the queen’s wishes.”

Of course, it was. The queen was scheming to ensnare me into an engagement with that insufferable man. I had no intention of falling prey to her manipulations.

But I needed Lunerly to believe I was compliant.

“Fine,” I spat, the word escaping my lips like a bitter pill.

Lunerly nodded, satisfied. “That will be all. You may return to your classes.”

“Class is over,” Maximus interjected sharply, his tone brooking no argument. “I’ll walk you back to the dorms.”

“Fine!” I repeated, irritation flaring in my chest.

With a determined stride, I marched past him, deliberately bumping my shoulder against his, mirroring his earlier aggression. Twice he had done this to me, and yet the bastard barely flinched. I thought I heard a chuckle from Lunerly behind me, which only fueled my desire to turn back and confront him as well.

I burst out of the admissions building, my mind racing as I stormed across the campus. I quickened my pace, hoping to maintain an uncomfortable speed that would keep Maximus at bay. Unfortunately, he was a supernatural werewolf, and I was just a girl. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of him, and I scoffed in frustration.

“I don’t need a fucking mentor,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “I’m perfectly capable on my own. Let’s just keep our distance and put on a show whenever Lunerly is around.”

“You’re acting like I volunteered for this,” Maximus retorted, his voice laced with irritation. “I want this about as much as you do. But the Queen’s word is law. I do what she commands.”

If only he understood how little I cared for the Queen’s decree.

“Plus,” he continued, his tone dismissive, “I need to focus on my training, not babysitting your incompetent ass.”

“Incompetent ass that still managed to score a cut on you,” I shot back, a smirk creeping onto my face.

Maximus growled low in his throat, a warning that sent a shiver down my spine. “I need to train harder,” he grumbled, his frustration palpable. “The Gods should smite me for allowing a wolfless to maim me.”

I halted in my tracks, spinning on my heel to confront him. My sudden movement caught him off guard, and for a fleeting moment, surprise flickered across his features. Then, just as quickly, his grimace returned.

“What do you have against the wolfless?” I demanded, my voice rising with indignation. “It’s not like I’ll be wolfless forever.”

Maximus blinked, his expression shifting from surprise to incredulity. “You truly know nothing, do you?”

Maximus turned his gaze away once more, lost in thought. “Eighteen years.”

Eighteen years.

The same span of time I had been alive.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was no coincidence. Perhaps there was a reason Victoria had sent me away. Maybe her intentions were rooted in a desire to keep me safe.

“So that’s why I despise the wolfless,” Maximus said, his voice cold. “You are all weak and nothing more than mere humans.” He ground his teeth together, frustration evident in every line of his face. “And humans do not belong with wolves.”

With that, he turned sharply on his heel and strode away toward the dorms. I understood his reasons, I really did. If my sibling had been lost defending someone weak, I would likely harbor the same bitterness.

Yet, I couldn’t wrap my mind around his lack of empathy. Hadn’t he once been wolfless himself? Did he truly see himself as weak back then?

As I pondered these questions, I walked beside him in silence, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily in the air.

When we finally entered my dorm building, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a frown on his face. As we climbed the stairs to the third floor, I was certain I saw it again. When we stopped in front of my door, he broke the silence.

“This is your room?” he asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“Yeah,” I replied, pulling out my key with a sense of finality. “Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

Before he could respond, the door swung open, and a flurry of white and pink came barreling into my arms, completely derailing our conversation.