Chapter 337: Call Me Zach

Zach

As soon as I see Lucas wrap his hand around that of the woman who must be his mate, I turn back to my own gift from the Goddess.

Madeline... Maddie, as she prefers, is a stunning natural beauty. Of course, I saw it the first time I laid eyes on her, when she first arrived at the castle in a simple dress.

Later, I had the pleasure of seeing her dressed as a courtier, her hair perfectly styled, her figure delicate beneath the elaborate gown. I could tell her lady’s maid used only a hint of makeup, and even that amount was completely unnecessary given her natural beauty.

But here, Maddie is in her element, a sight to behold. Her strawberry locks flow gently in the breeze, occasionally settling in front of her cheek, when I have the pleasure of brushing them aside and tucking them behind her ear. Her smile is wide and genuine, raw and unpracticed, a refreshing pace from the courtesans I’m used to encountering, including April, I realize, who practice fake smiles and feign interest in tiresome topics.

And Maddie is so much more than beautiful. She’s kind, caring, and selfless. I see it in the way she lowers herself gracefully to speak with the child running up to us, who must be her sister.

“Who’s this guy?” the little girl says, taking after her sister in simple honesty.

I hold back a chuckle.

“This is Prince Zachariah,” Maddie explains.

“A prince?” the girl says. “Like in storybooks?”

“Yes, just like that.” A blush of pink flushes over Maddie’s cheeks when she turns to me. “This is my sister, Katy.”

I copy Maddie’s movements to lower myself and speak to Katy at her height. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Katy.”

The little girl’s eyes light up. “Are you gonna stay, prince?”

“For a while, I hope,” Maddie cuts in. She turns to me. “You’ll stay for dinner?”

“Gladly.”

“Yay!” Katy cheers, running off toward the house. Her mother ushers her through the door, glancing toward us for a quick smile before disappearing inside.

Maddie and I rise to our full height again, and I turn to her. The air turns thick around us as our gaze meets. She pulls in her bottom lip to bite it in a movement I find endearing, though it accompanies a troubled look on her face.

“There probably won’t be much to eat,” she says. “I’m sorry. I should have thought of that.”

“We brought provisions,” I explain. “There should be plenty in our packs for a feast, and I’ve already taken them inside for your mother.”

“Oh,” she says. “Thank you.”

I place my index finger on her soft chin. “Maddie, your family will never go hungry again. I’ll move the world, if I must, to bring whatever supplies are needed to your farm. I promise you this.”

Her soft, pink lips part slightly in surprise. If her parents and siblings weren’t just yards away, I don’t think I’d have the power to resist kissing them. For now, I hold my impulses.

“And I think we should talk about the castle incident,” I add.

She shakes her head. “I don’t blame you if you can’t acknowledge me as your mate, considering my status. I know I don’t belong in that world.”

My wolf bristles in shock at her words. “You thought I didn’t want you?”

“I... it wasn’t a matter of want,” she explains. “But it’s what you can and cannot do.”

“I can,” I begin, taking each of her hands in mine, “and I will do anything in my power to spend my life with you, Maddie. You’re my mate. You’re a wonderful woman in every way. I don’t care what the world thinks.”

“But the throne—”

“Is something I never wanted,” I explain. “My brother is much more suited to rule this kingdom than I am. So, I want, and I can, be with you, if you’ll have me.”

“What about April?”

I shake my head. “She is nothing,” I tell her. “Once, I thought she was my friend. We grew up together in the castle. I didn’t want the breeder selection. That was never my idea. My father insisted on it. I thought I could avoid it—when I knew nothing of you—by faking a relationship with April. But that was a mistake. Her true colors shone through, and now I know she was never a friend at all.”

“I’m sorry,” she says.

I squeeze her hands. “Maddie, there is nothing for you to apologize for. But I should say I’m sorry for how my father has treated your pack. The hard work your family does should lead to plenty, not lack. I assume my father never sent his payment for your service to the castle?”

She shakes her head. “My family never received anything. Without me here to help out, they had even less than before. My baby sister, Cindy, never saw a healer that was promised.”

Concern rushes through me. “Your sister is still ill?”

“Very.”

“I’ll summon a healer immediately.” I reach into the mind-link to find the man Lucas left in charge at the river. “This is Prince Zachariah,” I tell Cecil. “Have you a healer in your company?”

“We do, Your Highness,” he confirms. “Are you injured, sir?”

“No, but there is a child on this farm who needs immediate attention,” I explain. “Are you aware of my location?”

“I am,” he confirms. “Beta Lucas left thorough instructions.”

“Perfect,” I say. “Send the healer at once with herbs and tinctures for a sick child. And arrange for supplies for the farm: food, medicine, clothing, and toiletries for an entire family. Spare no expense. I’ll cover the cost.”

“Aye, Your Highness,” he says. “I’ll get on it right away. The healer will leave immediately. Her name is Clara.”

“Excellent. I’ll await her arrival.” I turn to Maddie. “A healer is on her way now. Sadly, I do believe that my father would renege on such promises. He should not sit on the throne of this kingdom.”

“It’s why I didn’t want to be the one preventing you from taking that throne,” she tells me.

“You won’t be,” I promise her. “When things are settled here, will you come back with me?”

She pauses, her breath frozen for a moment on her lips.

“You don’t need to answer now,” I say. “Let’s get your family taken care of first.” I glance over at her father and a boy who must be her brother beginning to split and stack logs. “And it appears there is work to do here.”

“I do need to help Mother,” she says.

“I’ll meet you inside for dinner.” I roll up my sleeves for the work ahead, pausing to brush my palm over her cheek one more time. Touching her sends pleasant shivers through me.

She smiles and blushes again before turning toward the house.

Maddie places a bowl of diced fruit on the table. Her lips curl into a smile when I catch her gaze, but she turns away quickly to tend to the rest of the meal.

“Can I help?” I offer. Her parents are still in the back bedroom with the healer and the small sister I have yet to meet.

“You’re the prince.”

“I have two good hands.” I send her a crooked smile.

“In that case, the meat needs slicing,” she says, nodding toward the steaming roast she’d taken out of the wood-burning oven.

“Consider it done.”

My task is complete by the time her parents and the healer emerge from the back room and take their places at the table. I have to smile at the way her mother insists on plating the dishes. There’s a sense of pride in her eyes that is well deserved after she created such a fine meal from the meager supplies Lucas and I carried here.

After we say a blessing to the Moon Goddess and begin eating, I can’t help but notice there’s a hint of tears pooling in her eyes.

“Is something wrong, Elizabeth?” I ask.

“Goodness, no,” she says, wiping her left eye. “It’s just been a long time since things were so quiet.”

“Cindy normally coughs constantly,” Maddie explains.

“It should quiet considerably now,” Clara says. “I’ve sent for more of the herbs, now that I’ve identified the illness. She will cough off and on for probably the next two weeks, but then it should clear up altogether.”

“I can’t thank you enough,” Samuel, Maddie’s father, says. He turns to me. “Or you, Prince Zachariah, for making this happen.”

“Please, call me Zach,” I insist.

“Zach it is,” he agrees.

“I have more supplies on their way,” I explain. “I must apologize for my father’s lies.”

“A son can’t be blamed for his father,” Samuel says. “You owe no apologies here.”

I nod and take a bite of the herbed roast. I’d swear it tastes better than everything served at the castle, though we employ the finest chefs.

It’s the people around the table that make things different here; the easy laughter, the shared stories that reveal pain and hardship yet are seasoned with love and caring. No matter how difficult things have become for this family, they have each other.

This is a strong contrast from my meals with my father, sitting at opposite ends of a very long, very elaborate table where conversation like this is impossible, even if we did have something to say to each other.

Maddie smiles at her father’s stories, her eyes twinkling with love for her family. Lucas sits with his mate, Terri, who occasionally feeds her a bite of fruit from her own plate.

This is family, something I’ve never felt so warmly. This is what my life will be like with Maddie, if she’ll agree to have me. We have some obstacles to overcome, but I have no doubt we will.

This is the future I want for us, for my entire kingdom.

Maddie’s eyes twinkle when I catch her gaze, and it causes my pulse to thrum inside.

I will make this work for us.