Forbidden Lovers

For A Bloody Elf

Evelyn closed her eyes and let the smooth wind play with her long wavy hair. She had always loved the wind. The way she could close her eyes and let it carry her away from the harsh reality she had had to face everyday. The reality of being alone, not loved, not needed.

Completely and utterly alone.

Yet it didn't work this time. No wind and no daydream could make her escape this time, not when she knew she'd have to marry the murderer of her father in two days, and live under the same roof with her mate. For her whole life.

God alone knew how she was going to make it without going insane.

Her heartbeats sped up as her senses got in high alert all of the sudden. He was here, her mate... Arthmael.

And she didn't dare to turn her head and look at him. Even when he made some slow steps towards her, she still kept her eyes firm at the wild river in front of her.

"How did you find me here?" She asked.

"Easy... your scent." His eyes searched for hers, however his voice sounded distant and cold.

She couldn't understand. Him and what was going on in his mind. She had wished for him to do something, talk to his Alpha, stop this marriage. Wasn't he supposed to be like a son for King Robert? Then why hadn't he just explained that she was his mate? Surely King Robert would take his feelings into consideration, wouldn't he?

"Arthmael."

He froze. 

Oh, how beautiful his name had sounded leaving her lips. He wanted to beg her to say it again. And again. It did things to him and his wolf he had never imagined someone could do just by calling him by his name.

But he shook those thoughts out of his head, reminding himself why he had come in the first place.

She made a hesitant step towards him but he made a firm one back, surprising her.

"I can't do this." He looked away, somewhere that wasn't her ocean eyes. "Tomorrow you become my queen and my Luna. And I'm not about to betray my family and my Alpha I have swore loyalty to for you. For a bloody elf. I won't ever do that."

Realization hit her like a strike of lightening. 

What had Evelyn thought, hoping that there would be someone capable of loving her? That couldn't happen, she was cursed to spend the rest of her life unloved. It was probably some sort of punishment. Because of her, none of her family members lived today. It had to be the way she'd pay for everything.

She blinked back tears, just so he wouldn't see her cry. "Are you rejecting me?"

Pain was buried in his black eyes, but the rest of his face looked serious. Intimidating even. "Take it as you want... Princess."

She smiled sadly. "Am I not deserving of a proper rejection?" Her voice was a mix of hurt and anger. Yet she couldn't bring herself to blame him. "Just say the words. It's okay, I've been rejected my whole life. Hell, I'm known as the rejected Princess." She laughed at her own pain. "Just say the words, Arthmael, so you and I both can be free from this cursed mate bond."

His mate was right, Arthmael knew it. If he could just reject her now he could save himself some pain and heartache and guilt.

Then why couldn't he do it? Why was it this bloody hard?

Why every atom of his body wanted to crush her on his chest and tell her that he'd never reject her? That everyone else that had had before were fools who couldn't understand how precious and lovely and important she was?

"Reject you or not it's the same thing," he lied with a straight face. "You're nothing to me. Nothing but an elf. And I hate bloody elves, all of them."

If she wouldn't have any pride left, she would cry. But she didn't. "I'm not very fond of wolves either."

"Then I think we're on the same page here, your grace." The emphasis was put on your grace.

"That, we are, Sir." She turned on her heels to leave but suddenly his hand grabbing her wrist stopped her. "What is it now?" She furrowed her brows.

What was it? He didn't know. He just knew he didn't want to let her go. 

But he still let go of her arm like it had burned him.

"Nothing." He shook his head as if to prove his point. "It's nothing."

He was right. It was nothing. Between them was nothing. They felt nothing for each other. If Evelyn kept repeating this on her head, it would most definitely come true.

                                       ***

Evelyn stood in front of the big almost creepy castle, wondering how did it look that different from the one she had lived her whole life. But it still had a mysterious touch in it, something that made her want to walk through the hallways alone, exploring hidden rooms and observing old portraits.

It still gave her chills though.

Leaving her home had been hard, but leaving back childhood memories had been even harder.

But that night she had chosen to live, so she had to go through this now. And she would. There was no other way.

All eyes were on her as she walked through front garden that lead them to the entry of the castle. She could figure what they were thinking. Their queen would be a young elf. An elf that had agreed to marry an old merciless man that had killed her father.

As if she had had a choice.

But she was used to people staring at her, it was no different. And she didn't even care for these wolves, to be exactly honest. She wanted nothing to do with them.

"Daddy!" A little boy suddenly ran towards them and wrapped his arms around king Roberts waist.

A girl's giggle draw her attention from the little boy.

"You shouldn't run that fast Luis, I can't breathe," she said to the boy, before giving a hug to the King. "Welcome home, Father."

Evelyn frowned. Not only she hadn't known the king had children, but she hadn't imagined for the Princess to be her age at all. And for her surprise, the wolf Princess smiled brightly at her. She had a pretty smile. 

Actually, she was really pretty. Shorter than Evelyn and curvier, some loose dirty blonde curls framed her beautiful heart-shaped face, and her eyes were some big chocolate brown ones. She looked sweet.

"Evelyn." King Robert's strong voice sent chills over her body. "This is my daughter Estelle, and my youngest son Luis."

"Your grace." Estelle bowed in front of her.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "You don't have to bow to me, Princess," she told her with a small smile on her face and Estelle turned the smile much more brightly. 

"You're going to be my queen tomorrow," she told Evelyn, matter of factly.

Evelyn shook her head no. "Please, it's just Evelyn."

For her surprise, the princess went for a sudden welcome-home hug. "Then it's just Estelle."

"She can't be a mommy, she's too young." Prince Luis complained and everyone went silent instantly, the tension rising in the air.

Evelyn bent down so she could get in the little boy's height. "But I can be your sister if you want."

A smile crept in Arthmael's face but he tried to hide it. The sight of her with children was heartwarming. How would she look taking care of their children? He shook his head as if to get that heartbreaking thought out of it.

"I have a sister." Luis pouted.

"You can have two." She shrugged. "Besides, I don't have a brother. I'd really love if you'd be my little brother."

"Really?" A big smile brightened his face.

"Of course." She wrapped her arms around his little body, wondering how this little boy was that evil man's son.

"Oh." Another voice she hadn't heard before drew her attention. "Are you sure I'm not the one marrying her, Father? She looks young, and hella gorgeous."

"Julian." Robert growled to his other son. "Show respect to your future stepmother."

But for her surprise, the young Prince named Julian only gave a shrug, completely chill and unbothered by his father's threatening voice.

He got Evelyn's hand in his and kissed the back of it, all the while having a playful smile in his lips. "Can I call you by your name, Evelyn?" He asked. "There's no way you look like a mom."

Evelyn couldn't help it, she giggled. She could bet the boy had a good sense of humor. And he was really good looking too. Not older than seventeen, he had the same dirty blonde curls of his siblings and immediately she figured they had taken that from their mother. He looked to have taken the emerald green eyes from his mother too.

They were definitely a good looking family. His children were, at least.

Even though Evelyn could bet Robert had been good looking too when he was younger. He still was. But she couldn't see past the monster in him.

"It's really nice to meet you all." That was part true. Under different circumstances, yes she would, but no matter how nice they looked, all she wanted to do was run back to her own palace.

"Arthmael." Estelle's smile reached her eyes when she looked at him. "Not giving me a hug?"

Evelyn watched as Arthmael smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaving a kiss on the top of her head.

Blood started boiling in her veins and she could feel her heart angrily pumping in her chest. They looked close. Too close for her liking.

For a second his eyes stopped in her face so he could see her reaction, but her face was cold, almost expressionless. Expect the clenched jaw and the thin line between her brows.

He smiled to himself. She was jealous.

Fine. He liked that.

Luis running to him made Arthmael's gaze finally shift from Evelyn to the Prince. 

By the way they behaved around each other, there was no doubt why he called them his family.

A sad smile crept into her face as she saw him play with the little Prince's hair. 

She was never going to be his family. Instead, she was forced to be part of this family. Of a family that she didn't belong to. Of a family that she would never belong to. Just like always.