Chapter 4 - Forbidden mates!

Arora

I knew it wasn’t to celebrate my birthday. He only planned it so he could size up all the possibilities for a future king, and he could show me off like a damn show pony!

I spent the morning training. I got a mouth full from my ladies when I finally made it back to my room. It wasn’t as if it was such a special day. I was just going to meet more males my father was interested in, and I wouldn’t be allowed to say anything or do anything other than smile and nod. It wasn’t a celebration. It was a damn parade for my father. If circumstances were different, I might actually have loved the dress. When I was finally ready, I sighed and opened my bedroom door.

“Hey princess!” I gasped and Luke grinned at me. “Well, don’t you look beautiful?” He held out his arm for me to take. We walked down the passage. I wouldn’t officially be turning eighteen until nine in the evening. It was a strange thing that nothing happened right up until that very second in our lives. You couldn’t shift until that very second. You also couldn’t tell who your mate was until that very second.

“I only wish my father would see me as more than just a trophy to hand off to some guy.” I sighed. I had said it so many times over the past couple of years. We reached the large wooden doors that led to the huge ballroom. I needed to be out there with my men! Not here pretending that we weren’t on the verge of war! Luke softly kissed my forehead before leaving me alone for a moment.

I took a deep breath and nodded for the guards to open the doors. My light blue dress shimmered in the candlelight. I walked in and everyone stared. I had to give it to my dad. He knew how to throw a party even if it was all fake in my mind. I joined my father in the centre of the ballroom. He made his usual speech and congratulated me on my birthday.

“Hopefully, now she will find a mate and future king,” I gasped. I looked at my father. I couldn’t believe he had actually said that out loud! We laughed and everyone around me was laughing. I plastered my fake smile on my face. We had an hour before my official birthday. I had some time to kill and greeted all the people my father dragged me to. People were eating and having fun all around me as the seconds ticked by.

My excitement was brewing but I had to hold it back. Ten minutes before nine, my father called me over. My palms were sweating. My heart was racing. I felt as if this was going to be the night my entire life changed. My father called all the single males forward for the first time ever! I frowned as the last second ticked by. Realizing he didn’t just want to know if I had a mate. He wanted to know who that mate was. He wanted to know so that he could get rid of him! I scanned the crowd for Luke. Hoping that he would save me and my destined mate.

“Mate.” My heart stopped for a beat. My eyes met Luke’s. I saw him mouth the same word! Luke was my mate! I looked away quickly. My father hadn’t seen us! I almost breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t notice. My father would have killed Luke right then and there! His attention was on the group of men in front of me.

He looked pleased when nobody showed any signs of being my mate. My father introduced me to some alpha whose name I didn’t catch and we danced. I caught a glimpse of my father talking to Luke and my heart nearly stopped. He frowned, but Luke smiled at me and I breathed a little easier. The music finished, but before I could get out of there, my father had someone else he wanted me to dance with. The night flew by after that but all I could remember when I walked back to my room was what happened between me and Luke! I had just walked into my room when I heard him clear his throat behind me.

“Princess, I …” Luke stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was finding it hard to look at me. This couldn’t happen and we both knew it. The best for both of us would be to just reject each other and get it over with. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Luke was my father’s best friend. He was my father’s Beta. He was also a lot older than I was!

“Luke, I need some time alone, please.” I couldn’t talk to him. I couldn’t talk.

Luke

I LEFT ARORA, and wanted to take a walk to figure things out when I ran into Ramon. He was complaining about Arora as usual. I fought the urge to growl at the man. He had no idea how incredible his daughter really was! But I had to be careful. If Ramon so much as had an inkling that we were mates. Things could go very wrong for both of us.

Sadly, Ramon wouldn’t think twice about getting rid of his daughter. Just like he got rid of his mate. Well, nobody could ever prove anything, but I had a sneaking suspicion that was what really happened. Ramon was the only one in the room with her when she died after Arora’s birth.

“That silly girl is going to be the death of me!” Ramon sighed. I just nodded. “I’ve introduced her to every male that could be a future king.” Ramon threw his hands in the air. I followed him into his office. I sat down listening to him carry on all the while thinking about Arora. This could never work. Even if her father wasn’t our biggest obstacle. I was too old for her! I mean, I’ve known her since she was a baby!