Queen, Alpha, Mate

Chapter 4

Diana POV

One moment I'm looking at those deep brown eyes, the next I'm being crushed against a warm, broad chest. His scent envelopes me and I relax against him. My skind tingles wonderfully where our skin touches. I hear him mumble "mine" and I say back "I'm yours, and you're mine". 

After a few moments, I take a step back to take my mate in from head to toe and he does the same. The brown eyes and broad chest belong to a tall, muscular man. His ashblond hair is tied back in a bun and a big tattoo snakes up and down his arm. His upper body is encased in a dark blue jumper and his lower in a dark pair of jeans. He looks absolutely divine.  

He breaks the silence first as he breathes "Princess, my princess". His eyes glaze over, which generally means one is speaking with their wolf. 

Joshua POV

"Ah man, did you really have to make that much of a stink?" I call out to my beta, Daniel. We're on our way to Ruby red pack to celebrate the princess's 21st birthday and Daniel just let out the most sonorous wet fart I ever heard in my entire life. Seriously, the car smells like rotten eggs. I turn the windows all the way down to get some fresh air in. In all honesty, I'm not too excited about this whole party thing, not when we're constantly being used as enemy fodder in Crescent moon pack. I'm curious about the princess though and I hope she's strong and just, as all good leaders should be. Someday he'll have to call her 'queen'. 

"I really hope we'll get some reinforcements soon. We're almost down to our last man and they're having brunch at the castle. We don't have time to deal with these kinds of pleasantries." I huff.

"Relax, alpha" says Daniel, "Enjoy it while it lasts. We're not even there yet and you're already dreading everything. Cheer up, mate." We drive into the village and towards the castle. Great, it seems we are in fact the last ones here. Oh well, an entrance is an entrance I suppose. 

As we park the car, a delicious scent wafts my way. Is it blueberry tarts? My mouth starts to water. At least lunch will be great. Blueberry tarts are my favourite and we've just had a long drive. I promise myself to at least enjoy the royal food here. The smell becomes stronger as I walk to the castle entrance. A few omega's help us with our coats and point us in the direction of the banquet. I'm almost floating when I feel my wolf, Rhys, go absolutely ballistic inside my head. "Find her!" He yells excitedly "Go to our mate, she's here!". Mate? He's practically jumping around in there. Mate he says and Joshua's heart flutters a little with excitement. So that's what that amazing smell is?

I begin to rush towards the entrance of the banquet hall when I see a figure walk out of it. The next thing I see are two piercing blue eyes and I hear myself whisper "Mate." My body moves by itself. I need to hold her, need to have her close to me, right now. Rhys howls in my head with joy. I wrap her in my arms and just stand there, not knowing what to do with this most precious person in my life. I don't even know her name. I feel her relax in my arms. She knows they're meant for her and her alone. She takes a step back and I have a chance to look at her. She's the most beautiful person I've ever seen. With her red hair and those icy blue eyes, a plump, curvy body and a confident air about her. She is everything to me.

"Princess, my princess" I hear myself utter. 

Rhys keeps telling me to go back to her and hold her. So I do. I wrap my arm securely around her shoulder and walk her into the banquet hall. Behind me, Daniel clears his throat to indicate he is still present and with a smirk on his face follows us inside the banquet hall.

Diana POV

Securely under his arm, I walk back into the banquet hall and toward my father. 

"Ah" says my father, "Alpha Joshua, glad you could join us. I didn't know you and my daughter were already well-acquainted?"

"Alpha Joshua?" I ask.

"Daughter? You're the princess I've been hearing about?" Joshua asks.

"And you're the new alpha of Crescent moon pack." I turn towards my father when I speak the next set of words. "and my mate. We just met in the hallway."

To say my father looked surprised was an understatement. "You? The eternal bachelorette, mated? Well, bless the goddess! Today is a great day to celebrate." He cheers. 

My father raises his glass, clears his throat and speaks to the room. "Welcome, everyone, to this most joyous celebration. As you know, my daughter has come of age this year, but this is not all. Today she has selected her future beta, Katie Vrys and met het fated mate, alpha Joshua Waters from Crescent moon pack. Let us raise our glass to the future and all good things to come!"

I hear Katie shout "Hear! Hear!" as everyone raises their glass and cheers. 

The rest of the afternoon goes by rather calmly. I keep Joshua close by me, no way am I letting this wonderful man anywhere out of my eyesight today. I feel possessive. No woman is allowed to get close. I cannot wait to have him to myself later. 

Logistically, this will not be easy, given that he has his own territory to run and when I have my wolf, so do I. Speaking of my wolf. Every since I met Joshua, I've been hearing soft purring in the back of my head all day long.