Ruler (Wolves of Royal Paynes #2) - Kiki Burrelli Page 0,47

fascination while Knox rolled his eyes behind his mate.

"Come on, we'll take your new glasses for a spin."

Storri looked longingly at the tray of remaining Pop-Tarts. I snagged the two I'd wrapped in a napkin and showed them to him.

"For when we take a break."

Storri's gentle smile was my reward.

***

"This place is much greener than my tower. No wonder no one knew what that clue meant." Storri hadn't blinked once since we started our walk, seeing the world crisp and clear again.

I took us through the forest, stopping just before the highway. I set us west where we picked through the forest toward the cliff. Storri had a knack for finding the trails the animals used.

"Your clues were perfect." I could say that now that he was beside me. In truth, I hadn't had the slightest idea what green, so green had meant. I knew now Storri was trying to say he was surrounded by redwoods, but my prince didn't think like the rest of the world.

Shoddy clues aside, Storri had kept trying, and I would be forever thankful for his determination and spirit.

There was a sharp cracking sound to our left, and I tensed, ready to push Storri behind me. The scent hit me next, and I relaxed as a deer stood several feet away. Her mouth was full of grass, but her jaw didn't move. We'd clearly stumbled in on her while she'd been eating.

"It's okay. We're just passing through," Storri said, grabbing my hand.

The deer blinked.

Storri looked from me to the deer. "Don't worry. He's not hungry right now. Please, continue."

The deer stared for several seconds longer before resuming her meal. Storri tugged me along like what he'd just done hadn't been amazing.

"You don't just talk to them. They trust you."

Storri shrugged. "Animals are pretty trusting once they understand a situation. It's fear that drives them to attack or run. Most animal confrontations can be fixed by just explaining yourself. Not like with humans." He sighed heavily.

I saw my kitten a little clearer. He was constantly translating his thoughts depending on who or what he spoke to. He was multilingual, but only one of his languages was spoken by humans. Traveling to the world's armpits and assholes had meant some interactions with the cultures there, and there was nothing more frustrating than having something to say but not knowing how to convey it. My prince did that every minute of every day. Add in human social rules and mores, and life got pretty confusing.

The air around us changed, and I discovered why when Storri cleared his throat. "Why did Diesel get mad at me? I know it was something I said. Does he not like questions?"

It was my turn to sigh. I held Storri's hand, guiding us to a log where we could sit.

"It isn't you, exactly. Not who you are as a person anyway, but what you are."

His eyes rounded like frightened saucers. "Because I've been a burden?"

"No," I barked, making an effort to work the air through my throat and past the growl that wanted to surface. "It's me, actually. It's what you are to me."

If I could've gone our whole life never sharing this burden with Storri, I would have, but he needed to know, if only so he understood Diesel's reactions better. Discomfort now meant he'd understand better next time. After all, confrontations could be avoided if a person explained themselves.

"Our old pack was attacked by the people we're watching now. No one survived, including Diesel's mate."

Storri's bottom lip trembled. "His mate? His person?"

"Yes. His mate. Quinlan was basically his omega—do you remember that word? Similar to a mate, but a designation only an alpha can make. Diesel had been waiting for Quinlan to get a little older. Everyone knew Quinlan had been ready to take the final step, but Diesel had been stubborn. He thought about Quinlan's needs first, in every situation. We know now it was Portal who destroyed our home. They were searching for a nephilim, and Quinlan was the only non-shifter living on pack lands. I believe that is what set him off."

"He must be so sad all the time." Storri wasn't one to let a single tear roll down his cheek when he was upset. He cried heavily on my shoulder for Diesel and Quinlan.

I held him throughout, hating he was crying but knowing my prince was sensitive and this was how he dealt with certain things. His cries eventually lessened, and he sniffed loudly, rubbing his nose