Chapter 292

Prince Leo was faced with a strange situation when he returned to the king's chambers. In order to avoid leaving Vorbuk alone with Sebastian he had taken the priestess to see Sebastian instead of him. While there he had heard about the fire and rushed over at the first chance he got. Though he was late to the scene and ended up heading to the palace to find him.

Entering the room he found Vorbuk in his wolf form laying on the bed. Beside him was Princess Isis sleeping peacefully under the blanket. It was clear that she had decided to remain in the room with the king while her place was being prepared.

"Do I get no warning? Again?" Prince Leo's temple throbbed at the fact that he had been kicked from sleeping in the king's chambers. It was not the first time that the wolf had kicked him from a bedroom they were staying in. At least this time it was technically Vorbuk's room and not his own. He could not complain. In the past it had been rooms he'd paid for at inns.

Again? Ah, I have kicked him a few times. He is starting to feel upset about this happening again... Vorbuk clearly heard the prince's complaint. He had muttered the words quietly in order to not be heard. That was unavoidable with Vorbuk's hearing in close proximity.

Vorbuk spoke to the prince while jumping down from the bed, careful not to wake the princess from her comfort and slumber, "We should speak outside for a minute. Care to have a walk with me?"

"Of course." Prince Leo replied with a slight nod as he could not refute the walk with the beast. It was clear that he had to find somewhere else to sleep for the night regardless.

The wolf trotted itself out the door while the prince held it open for him. Without reason to shift into human form he chose to remain in his true form as a beast. There was no reason for the wolf to cater to the prince by using his mana simply to converse with him. It was much easier to converse with the prince then most since he could understand him. A sense of comfort could be found when conversing with the prince.

Walking out of the room, the two of them began to casually walk down the palace hallway. They chose to leave the door to the king's chambers to converse. It would be rude to chatter in front of the bedroom while the princess had fallen asleep. Time was still early but the day had been exhausting for her. The wolf could understand why the princess would have fallen asleep early. He intended to rest early today as well but he needed to hear what news the prince held from the priestess.

"Leo." The wolf called out the prince's name.

Prince Leo did not hear the wolf at first because his own thoughts were jumbled up as he spoke at the same time, "Is the princess alright after what happened? She seemed quite comfortable in the room sleeping."

"Would you be alright if someone tried to burn you alive with your own palace?" Vorbuk asked sarcastically.

The prince knew the wolf was only making a point, the words were harsh but the beast's heart was in the right place, "I apologize."

"For what?" The wolf was unsure why the prince was apologizing in the first place.

"I shouldn't have spoke without considering the princess's position right now." Prince Leo really felt guilty for how upset he'd gotten over the situation when he noticed her there.

What is wrong with me lately? Prince Leo thought to himself while holding his hand against his head as if he had a migraine.

"Leo," Vorbuk called his name again, the prince turned his eyes to look down at the wolf as it spoke, "I know I may be a animal in the eyes of you and the others"

"That is not true! You're-!" The prince seemed flustered by the sudden accusation. That was not the wolf's intent. He was not trying to insult the prince.

The wolf growled and stepped towards the prince, forcing him into silence so that he could continue with a serious tone, "This is why we need to make new boundaries!"

"Boundaries?" Prince Leo's face flushed as he thought about the realization that the wolf was once human. They had crossed boundaries between one human to another over time. That was because the prince had always viewed the wolf as nothing more then a beast. Realizing that the wolf was one human caused the prince to understand that Vorbuk would surely feel complicated in most situations that would normally not bother an average animal.

Vorbuk has mortal desires, thoughts, and feelings. The prince thought so as he tried to understand the beast's words.

Vorbuk could tell that the prince was trying to listen and understand everything he said, "I do not intend to be chained down like a common pet and you, Crown Prince Leo, will eventually head back to your kingdom where you belong."

"I know that very well," Prince Leo knew that eventually they would have to part ways, however he had nearly forgotten the fact that the wolf from the beginning had no intention of remaining a mere companion, "Why are you bringing this up now?"

"I think it is time to start putting some distance between us," Vorbuk spoke while watching the prince's face pale as if he had been abandoned by hearing those words, "It would be strange if I continued sleeping at your side like a animal."

The prince sighed and told the wolf, "You ARE an animal."

"Leo," Vorbuk felt as if he heard the prince's tone become sharper towards him, "You know more then anyone that-"

"No!" Leo refused to listen to his explanation, "Vorbuk, I do not care what excuse you have to push me away right now. You ARE an animal whether you want to see that or not. In THIS life you WERE born as a companion beast. I do not know what you have against being what and who you are but you need to wake up and accept yourself... I already have so why cant you?"

The wolf was silent as he struggled to find the worlds to reply. Prince Leo knelt down beside the wolf beast. Reaching out his hand he ran his fingers through the wolf's black fur. It was cold to the touch as the black fur waved like a black flame around the wolf beast. His fur was truly unique.

A unique beast reborn from the soul of a unique mortal. That was how the prince saw the beast before him.

The prince smiled and spoke in the wolf's ear, "You may marry the princess one day, Vorbuk, but at the end of the day you will always be my companion."

Growling, The wolf showed his fangs to the prince. He was not sure how to take the prince's words. It was a strange feeling he got from the prince. Leo could not understand the feeling himself as a sense of greed was overcoming him.

He did not care if the beast wanted to live a normal life nor marry the princess. However he would not give up the beast completely to anyone. The wolf belonged with him and he could not stop himself from feeling that way.

"Leo?" Vorbuk called out his name.

The prince was startled out of his thoughts as he replied, "I do not mean anything by it. It was just my thoughtless way of speaking..."

That was the truth for Prince Leo. He had no intention of forcing the beast to become his companion. Prince Leo had no thought of forcing the beast to become his companion beast. It was not that he wanted to make the beast form a bond with him specifically. The prince simply thought of Vorbuk as his closest companion. It had nothing to do with him being a beast nor the fact that he now knew the truth about the beast reincarnating from a human. He had no intention of explaining this to the beast.