King Of Monsters

chapter 5

Bens POV

I’ve been hanging around the house hoping to catch some information on anything relating to the attack to no avail. Growling in frustration I made my way to my office and summoned the warriors I trusted most along with my Beta. A knock at the door alerted me to their arrival. “Come in” I said pinching the bridge of my nose. “What’s up Ben?” Phillip asked as he walked in and sat down in an armchair opposite the desk. I looked at him. It annoyed me that my beta was so casual sometimes, but he was straight to the point and loyal, and trustworthy which I valued above formality. I sighed and looked at Phillip and the warriors standing behind him. “Someone tried to kill Amara” he simply said. They all looked stunned, none of them knew what to say. “Uh oh” was all Phillip came out with. After a few more moments of silence, I continued “I need people I trust to find out more about the attack and, protect her. Now I don’t want anyone that could be watching her to figure out that you're watching and following her, understand? And tell no one, not even your mates” He added threateningly before dismissing the warriors.

I looked at Phillip waiting for him to say something. “So.. found your mate yet?” he asked. All I did was stare at him and raise an eyebrow. I could tell he wanted to say something more, but he hesitated. “Uhm ok” Phillip said slapping his leg and standing up “I gotta go to training. talk to you later” he added before leaving. Releasing a deep breath, I leant back on my chair and closed my eyes. Hearing a soft tap on the door I sat up straight to see mother coming in with some lunch. “Hi sweetie” she smiled at me, she sat the tray on the desk in front of me, then walked over to the couch by the window and proceeded to sit down and stare at me. The way she looked at me sometimes made me feel like she could read my mind, I thought to myself. “Eat, honey. You need your strength” she urged. I started on the food all the while mother kept watching me. “I just came from Mara’s room” she said. This made me pause eating and look up at her. I swallowed, “How is she?” I asked concern laced in my voice. “she’s traumatized. I think she will be for some time the poor thing” she replied looking out the window at the grounds.

I've had the urge ever since it happened to go see her, but I’ve resisted. I’ve had a theory about why since this morning, but I don’t know for sure and Jet wont answer. Mom looked at me “Is she your mate?” she asked me point blank. I looked at her taken aback “I don’t know” I answered honestly. “She smells different, and I definitely feel more protective over her, not the normal brotherly protective, but I don’t feel what I've heard you’re meant to feel with your mate” I added “Have you touched her?” she asked next. “No, I’ve been avoiding her” I replied ashamed “she’s human Ma.” I said looking at her. “I know you’ve taught me accept them and I have, but having one as my mate, especially one that’s been raised as my sister my entire life. No one would accept it, id be overthrown” she looked at me carefully, considering what I said. “if she is, would you reject her?” the question made anger course through my veins and Jet growl in my mind, not at my mother but at the thought of rejecting her. “no” I said quicker than id intended. She nodded and got up to head for the door, looking back at me she said “I suggest you find out for sure son. And keep in mind if she is, she is human. She won’t feel the bond like you will and the bond itself wont feel like everyone elses. You’ll need to be patient” and with that she left the room.

Getting up from my desk I made my way to my room. I needed to start getting ready and I knew I wasn’t going to find out anything more by sitting in my office thinking about Amara. After showering I quickly dried myself off, shaved and put on my suit. It was a black Italian suit, it fit me perfectly, highlighting the muscles in my arms and chest and accentuating my jaw line. It was a very nice suit, cost a pretty penny too I thought. I combed my hair put on some cologne and stepped back to check my appearance. Adjusting my black tie and putting on my cufflinks I huffed in approval before making my way out of the door and down to the ballroom. Its still about 40 minutes until the ceremony but I figured heading down early wouldn’t hurt. The warriors might have an update for me.

Walking into the ballroom I pretended to check some last-minute details, I mind linked the warriors stationed along the back wall in the room ‘anything?’ I questioned. ‘No sir, not yet’ said the big guy with curly hair the other guy next to him was so hairy he looked like he was covered in fur in human form, ‘we’ll keep our ears and eyes peeled tonight sir. If we get anything we’ll mind link you straight away’ I nodded in approval at them, but to anyone watching it would have looked like I was nodding at the décor.

Then I turned around and left to look for my father. Finding him in his room, I knocked and walked in. he was adjusting his blue tie in the mirror of his and mothers wardrobe. “What approach are we taking publicly tonight in regard to the attack?” I asked. My father didn’t reply, just scowled at his tie as he kept trying to fix it. “we’ll need to address it, that blood sucker arrived with someone, and they’ll be missing him soon. Plus, people have started to talk already so its best we quash any rumors'” I continued frowning at him, watching him with this tie was painful. ‘Mom, where are you? Dad needs help with his tie” I mind linked her. I was expecting her to be with Amara and the girls but I suddenly heard her laughing, I turned to see her coming out of their ensuite bathroom while putting on her earrings, then she walked over to father to fix his tie while still chuckling to herself. “What is it?” Father questioned her “what’s so funny?” “you’d think after all these years and all these events you’d have figured out how to do this yourself by now” she smiled at him. father huffed in reply grumbling to himself.

When the tie was fixed, he turned to look at me.” We tell people what happened. And we tell people its unacceptable and if happens again there will be repercussions.” He simply said before turning to mother and giving her a kiss. “Thank you love. I’ll see you soon” he said to her. “Ben and I are going to head down a bit early” he walked past me gesturing for me to follow. We walked into fathers’ office where his Beta Nathan was waiting. Nathan is Phillips’s father. Nathan stood to greet me as we all sat down to discuss security. 15 minutes later it was time to head to the ballroom for the ceremony. I wasn’t nervous or anything. Well, that’s not entirely true. I was nervous to see Mara and I was anxious to figure out what was going on. But I wasn’t nervous about the ceremony.

Walking through the back door to wait behind the stage curtains I could smell Amara already. She was sitting at the families table only a few meters away and it was getting increasingly harder to concentrate. I heard bits and pieces of fathers opening but I almost missed my introduction. Taking a breath through my mouth was better but still not great, I walked onto the stage "Thank you all for coming tonight" I greeted the room, then I took a step back allowing Father to reveal what this ceremony was really for. Amara’s scent was driving me mental being up on stage so close to me. I knew that I had to avoid looking at her at all costs or id be lost. After Fathers announcement and the shocked gasps from my brother and sisters and the crowd, father began the ceremony. Cutting my hand and taking my kingly vows, I drank from the bowl to seal them. After, I spoke to the crowd once more before leaving the stage and joining my family at the table for dinner. Walking over to the table I started to get dizzy with how overwhelming her scent was, I sat down without saying a word and drank my glass dry in a gulp before signaling to the servers for another. I still haven’t been able to bring myself to look at her. I looked at mother briefly to see if she noticed and she was looking at me with a frown. s**t, she noticed. Thankfully dinner was being served so I had a good distraction, for now.

Not having much of an appetite, I decided to go for a walk. Standing up and letting everyone know, I started to walk towards the door. “Wait!” “I’ll come too; I need some fresh air” Amara said preparing to join me. But you don’t have a coat and its cold out I simply said still avoiding looking at her. “don’t worry, she can have mine” Mother said handing her a coat and giving me a dangerous look. “Uh ok sure” I said and spun on the spot aiming for the door. Amara struggled to keep up with me as my strides were a lot longer. She was practically panting when we got outside. “yikes”, she said” why such a rush?” she asked but I didn’t reply. I just kept looking straight ahead walking to the gazebo. I hoped she would decide to go back inside. I heard her steps stop “Are you mad at me?” she asked meekly I paused. “What?” I asked, “are you mad at me for before?” you haven’t spoken or even looked at me since?” “Did I do something wrong?” she asked softly. I could hear it her voice, she honestly though I was mad at her. God I’m such a d**k I thought to myself “No, I’m not mad at you” I said as I turned around to look at her.

I was stunned, she was a goddess. Oh f**k I thought. She was absolutely perfect; the red dress made her eyes so bright and the way it made her body look should have been illegal. I had to elongate my claws to stab myself in the palms to keep from kissing her right there. I groaned out loud in pain closing my eyes and turning away from her taking deep breaths. She walked to stand in front of me concerned. “If you’re not mad at me then why are you ignoring me” she demanded. She took in my pained expression “are you hurt?” she asked, she was concerned about me. I opened my eyes to look at her, she saw my palms and grabbed my hands “what are you doing?” she asked shocked at the damage my claws had done. But as she grabbed my hand a huge jolt of electricity shot up my arm I jumped surprised. Looking at her I noticed she had a similar reaction because she was staring at her hand as if it was foreign to her. “What the hell was that?!” she suddenly shouted looking at me “uhhhhh” was all I managed to get out. What was I supposed to say, hey you’re my mate? That’s too casual, too inconsiderate. “you’re his mate” my mother said from behind us, Dad beside her looking at us concerned.