Callen turns and looks at me a bit uncomfortable. "Soooo you're his mate huh?"
"Uh yeah, I guess. I'm a bit shocked too." As I look at him uncomfortably, wiping my hands on my filthy, dirt covered dress. "I would be too if I were you. Mated to him? That's alot." He deadpanned.
"Wait what do you me—" I was cut off by someone hissing my name..
"SAM!" Cameran came almost running in looking completely frightened. She reaches me and brings me into a hug while whispering in my ear. "Goddess Sam! What are you doing here! I thought you would be half way to the human city. What happened? Did you get caught? Was it the Alpha? Seraphina ? I don't care, I'll cut the bitch."
"Shh no, I'm okay" I cut her off before she made more threats against an alpha's daughter in front of Callen. Although I oddly trust Kieran, I have no idea who this beta is. Speaking about beta, I thought Kieran said he's from the Royal Pack. I didn't know they had an independent Alpha, wouldn't that cause conflicts?
Cam pulled back, hands on my shoulder, "Then what happened, why are you here? I don't imagine you want to be Cruella Bitch's wolf slave." She looked at me in confusion. I bit my lip, not knowing how she would handle the news.
"Cruella Bitch?" Callen asked, chuckling, his eyebrows high in surprise. Cam gave him a quick glance.
"Uh Sam, babe. Who's the hottie?"
"Cam, I kinda…" not knowing why I'm nervous telling her, and she's giving me 'that I'm worried for you look' "I met my fated mate" I spit out. Her eyes grew, almost bulging out of their sockets. She looked back at Callen.
"No, no, not him. He's just his beta, which I kinda don't understand." I directed that last part to Callen and he rose one brow in question. Cam on the other hand is speechless.
"You found your fated mate?"
"Yes"
"In the woods?", okay I understand her skepticism
"Yes, I know it sounds weird. He was out for a run, I WAS running."
"And he's an Alpha?" She interrupted. Covering her mouth with one hand. I rubbed my hands together.
"I guess so, I really don't understand that part, because he sai—"
"OH MY GODDESS! YOU BAGGED AN ALPHA!!! She screeched almost jumping up and down like a little girl on her birthday. She took my hand and started dragging me into the ballroom.
"Wait you Heighness!" Callen calls out.
What the hell. Is he mocking me? Asshole.
"You are pointing him out right now! Is he hot? AHH Sam! I'm so happy for you!"
Before I knew it we were inside the ballroom almost at the dead center. "Cam! Stop!" I whisper at her, praying people are distracted enough to hinder my voice from any super shifter hearing. Cam turns around to face me, but before she can say anything, someone cuts in.
"There you are, I've been looking for you everywhere. For a second I thought you might have run away. Not like you have the guts to try. Can't shift and all." Seraphina and her little groupie showed up right behind her. I stand straight and give her a snarl, refusing to let her affect me. "Anyways" waving me off as if of no importance "listen, change of plans. Daddy just informed me the Wolf King saw a she-wolf from our pack he found interesting. Obviously that's me, who wouldn't want the alpha's daughter?" My face morphs into a look of disgust.
"I don't know who would want a used up wolf like you Seraphina. Does the Wolf King know about all your….. Lets call them achievements." Cam came in with a smirkish response and I almost choked on my own spit. Emma nearly damned howled. Seraphina and her groupie all gasped looking around making sure no one heard. "Take that back, you know I'm clean!" She said hesitantly, trying to sound believable. As if I didn't catch her fucking my ex boyfriend.
"You are as clean as the floor of the brothel your father visits. Don't tell mommy dearest that." Cam whispers with a wink. What the fuck has gotten into her! Does she have a death wish? "Cam what are you doing, they can kill you for that." I whisper in her ear. She looks back and whispers "Don't worry, I won't be here past tonight. I have my own news to tell you" What news? What can save her from slandering the Alpha family. Although all true and the pack knows it.
"Are you insane! You can't speak to me like that! You know what? I'm not going to entertain a motherless wolf." Fucking bitch. "I came to tell Samantha, here that when I mate the king we will move to the Royal Castle. I will be queen, but not to worry I'll find some worthless slump for her to mate with." She said with a smirk as if she had totally won and gained all the power. In truth, she did and I'm screwed. Because if she really does mate the King, there is no one, not me, not Cam not even Kieran that can help me. My chest pings at the thought of Kieran. The thought of him hurt.
Emma whimpers inside my head.
'Trust Mate.'
'It's not about trusting, Em. What can he do against the king and queen?'
'The Moon Goddess gave us him, we need to trust her.' Feeling frustrated with her for not listening to what I'm saying.
'I do trust her. But can you stand back and see him get hurt? We just met him, are you willing to lose him?'
Emma lets out a long whimper.
"What cat got your tongue?" Seraphina and her groupie laugh. "You can't do anything to her, she found her mate tonight and will be leaving with him." Cam tried to save the moment, tried to save me. It's futile, there's no hope.
"Mate? Please who would want a mate like her. She can't even shift. No she won't even shift which is worse honestly." She's right. I hate that she's right. All I can do is stand there and pretend that her words don't affect me. "Anywho weren't you listening? I'm going to be QUEEN. I can forbid the mating. Samatha, you will be my slave, for as long as I say."
Dread. Utter dread runs through me. This is exactly what I was afraid of, no one can go against the queen's word. I'm screwed, completely screwed and she knows it.
"Why?" The word slipped out before I could stop it.
"Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you? All these years of making my life miserable for what? What's the purpose?"
Seraphina just stands there with a full open mouth smile. Sinister, evil, the woman looks like a witch. "Simple really. I just hate you."
At that moment Alpha Jered took the microphone at the dais. Everyone, including us, turned to listen to what he had to say. Forgetting the words that had been spilled between us. As if it were perfectly normal to talk about slavery and force mating. What has my life become? How it shifted so drastically in the last couple days. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I feel as if my walls are coming down all around me. Threatening to crush not only me, but my loved ones. It's not just me who is at stake here, it's Kieran, it's Cam. I know she would fight tooth and nail to help me. Dirge isn't going to let his daughter get hurt. Goddess he can't lose someone else, not after Gin. Goddess help me. Suddenly I feel a hand slip into mine. Pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts, I open my eyes to see Cam smiling at me. 'It's okay' she mouths without actually saying a word. Her assurance only breaks my heart further.
Someone clears their throat, we look up to see Alpha Jered, still trying to get the crowd's attention.
"Hello everyone. It's an honor to have all the neighboring packs join us in this lovely celebration to honor my beautiful daughter's birthday. Seraphina." He open hands and points to her in the crowd. She's fanning herself, as if she doesn't like the attention. Everyone is eating up the innocent act. It's sickening.
"Oh Daddy stop. You're embarrassing me." She giggles.
"Ugh gross" Cam spits with a look of disgust.
"I hope everyone is enjoying themselves on this lovely night. We have a special guest with us and it is my honor…."
"Shh Guys my mate is gonna walk up, give him respect!" Seraphina chastises her groupie. They all straighten to attention.
"To announce our sovereign High Wolf King. Ruler of all wolf packs within the continent and Alpha of the Royal Pack.
Alpha King Kieran James Valerian." My breath caught when I saw Kieran, my Kieran walk to the center of the dais with prestige dominance.
Shock. Utter shock. My jaw drops, there's no way to contain the bafflement. To add to my horror, everyone around me was forced to bow their heads in reverence and submission to their king by his slight showing dominance. I felt his power, his aura, but it's more of a tender caress, than a dominant sensation to submit. I just stood there, staring into his brown eyes that had captivated me earlier, that had promised me protection. He was right, he could protect me. Kieran, my Kieran,my mate, is my King.
I'm in deep shit.