**Viktor**

I was barely aware of my own movements as I left the garden, my eyes never leaving his window until I couldn’t see it anymore. I basically ran back inside, scaring the servants who had been working in the vegetable garden as I shouldered past. I was rarely so rude, but all that mattered was that I found him. That man Virgil had brought, I needed to look into his eyes. Confirm the feeling running through my body, the connection that had my wolf running around in my mind and soul.

“In a hurry, Viktor?” The voice behind me pulled me from my trance, and I had to swallow the anger that almost immediately overtook me. I crossed my arms as I turned to face Virgil, annoyed he was still up this late in the day. He was walking toward me down the hall, careful to avoid the patches of sunlight that were streaming in through this part of the house. He was an expert at moving around during the day, considering he liked to work his schemes while my mother was asleep.

“You should be asleep, Virgil,” I fought to keep my voice only mildly annoyed, despite the anger rising in my chest as the vampire laughed at my words. Every second I bothered with him, I was away from my mate, and I needed to see him. To know for certain.

“I’m on my way to see Kira,” he shrugged, and I frowned as he stopped in front of me.

“Who?”

“The little thing I rescued last night. Wanted to make sure Alora and Amelia did a good job with him or her, I still can't tell,” he chuckled, and it took all my willpower not to slam him into the wall. Even if the human wasn’t my mate, I had little patience for Virgil’s “hunts”, as he called them. He liked to take advantage of the naivete of the humans he usually brought back to the mansion, knowing they were stuck here until the servants could escort them back. He would convince them to want to stay, do his little courtship dance until they promised him a feeding, and then take what he wanted and move on to the next toy. He didn’t always bring his targets back to the mansion, but I loathed it when he did. It was almost as if he wanted us to watch, to prove that he was somehow better than us because he was willing to drink from a throat rather than a glass.

‘Our mate!’ my wolf growled in my mind, and I managed a tight smile as I glared down at Virgil.

“You will not go near them.”

“C’mon Viktor, it’s just a little fun. It’s not my fault they always say yes,” he jested, clasping his hands together as if he was begging me for permission. The mischievous look in his eyes gave away his intentions however, and I knew he wasn’t taking my command seriously. I leaned into Virgil’s face, taking a step toward him as I uncrossed my arms, making sure my green eyes were level with his gold ones.

“You will not go near them,” I repeated, keeping my gaze even as he stepped back from me, slightly shocked by my attitude. It wasn’t often that I gave commands like that, usually only getting forceful when I knew a member of the court wouldn’t listen to polite requests. But this was my mate we were talking about, and it wasn’t a request. “Go find another hunt.”

“Fine,” Virgil finally agreed, and I leaned back from him, turning to walk away. I was ready to forget the brat until I heard him scoff behind me and his next words made me pause. “Didn’t think that doxie would be your type.”

I barely realized I had moved until I felt Virgil’s throat under my hand, and I heard the gasps of the servants around us. I had him pinned to the wall, and he was lucky for his sake that I had barely managed to keep him out of the sun. I knew my eyes were glowing a brilliant amber, and a growl seeped out from between my lips.

“Call them that word again and it'll be the last thing you ever say, Virgil,” I threatened, and despite the fear I could smell on him, he chuckled in my grip.

“Sorry, my Prince,” he pressed his hands against the wall, still watching me with an amused smile. Most vampires didn’t understand the mate connection, and even my mother had explained it was impossible for a non-wolf to feel it until they were marked. He likely thought I simply found the man attractive, and I growled more before I finally released him from the wall.

He slumped to the floor coughing as I walked away, this time determined to make it to his room. I didn’t need anyone to tell me where it was, almost as if there was an invisible magnet pulling me toward him. I saw the empty tray of food outside the door, and I raised my hand to knock before I paused, remembering his fear.

Had his fear been of me? How would he react to me suddenly coming to his door, demanding him to let me see his eyes? It was as if suddenly I could think straight now that I was close to him, and I pulled my hand away from the wood, conflicted on how I should act.

There was no doubt he was my mate, human or not, but I didn’t want to make him scared of me, nor did I want to push the connection on him. My father had explained it was maddening to be away from my mother, but he had wanted her to want him before he explained the mating connection. I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath, stepping away from the door.

If he was a wolf, then he would have felt the connection when our eyes met through the glass, but I doubted he realized it was me. After all, I was a prince among vampires, and he didn't know I was part werewolf. It would be better for me to hide the connection for now, wait until I knew more about him. I took a deep breath, ready to leave his room and return to my own.

My plan was ruined as I heard him whimper and I immediately opened the door, giving no thought to what he might think. He had sounded as if he was in pain, and my heart pounded at the thought of anyone hurting him. I noticed the moving shape on the bed, and I carefully closed the door behind me, moving slowly into his room.

He seemed to be asleep, but whatever he was dreaming about was haunting him, causing him to toss and turn on the plush mattress. I cautiously approached the bed, mentally chastising myself the whole time. If he woke up now, there was no chance he wouldn’t be afraid of me, and that was considering if he didn’t hate me. But my feet moved ever closer until I was standing over him, watching him pant and whine in his nightmare.

He was… beautiful, for lack of a better word. His black hair was twisted from the movement, and I felt a desire to touch it, to know if it was as soft and silky as it looked. His caramel skin almost seemed to glow even in the dark room, and my longing to see his eyes only increased as I leaned over him, taking in a moment to breathe in his scent. As Virgil had said, he smelled human but…

I stood back up as I frowned. No, he was definitely a wolf, but he hadn’t shifted yet and he carried both the scent of a man and a woman. He had to be old enough for the connection to manifest, but why had he not shifted? Was it to avoid belonging to the Grave Crests? A new anger rose in my chest as I considered what he had told me about being abused by a Matriarch. I knew wolves weren’t against taking pups from rival packs and forcing them to join their own, but to make a fellow wolf a slave was a new low, even for the Grave Crests.

“Mmmm,” I looked down again as I heard him moan, and I felt my heart stop as I realized his eyes were slightly open. They shined like two hidden amethysts, and I merely stared as he groaned. His eyes were cloudy, and he quickly closed them again, rolling away from me as he wrapped his arms around a pillow. I had never felt so jealous of a piece of furniture in my life as I glared at it, wishing I could be the one he was wrapping his arms around. The one he was clinging to…

I left his room almost as quickly as I had entered it, barely remembering to step over the food tray and to close his door quietly. I covered my face as my wolf howled inside of me, clearly happy with our discovery. We hadn’t made true eye contact, but it was enough to let me know for sure.

‘Mate!’ he howled, and my heart pounded back to life as I closed my eyes, unable to help my own smile. To have this connection, the same one that brought my parents together… I took a deep breath to try and quell my own excitement. It wasn’t very often I agreed with my wolf, but on this, we were one and the same.

“Yeah. Mate.”