The Wolf God’s Mate

Chapter Eight

Amelia took a nap for about an hour and woke up feeling completely refreshed. She quickly washed her face and left her room. Getting to the sitting room, she finds that the rest of her family were just converging for noon tea- the tea table out on the balcony already set with pastries and hot steaming tea.

They exchange warm pleasantries and walk over to take their seats. They were all there with the exception of the previously travelled Prince Marcus. Surprisingly, even Prince Adrian’s mate, the pregnant Amanda; who always liked to take a nap right around that time due to her condition, was present.

Amelia’s eye lands on the pregnant woman’s bulging belly and zooms towards her. She stands right in from of her with wide eyes, still staring straight at Amanda’s belly with wonder. Looking down at the young girl in front of her, she asks in amusement, “Would you like to touch it, Amelia?” knowing exactly what the princess wanted.

Amelia nods her head vigorously and asks in an intrigued voice, “Could I?” eyes still on her belly.

“Sure. Go ahead…” Amanda replies with a smile. Amelia had been obsessed with her big tummy ever since she had overheard her complaining that the baby liked to kick too much. She had noticed the girl’s curious expression and had let her feel it through her clothes. As though the baby had heard what was being said, it had issued a fierce kick at Amelia’s palm the moment she had placed it on her belly. Feeling the little foot kick her palm, Amelia had shown an incredulous expression on her face and had issued out a quiet “Amazing…” and ever since, had been fixated on the baby growing inside of her.

Amelia rubs her hands on her dress first to make sure it was clean before she slowly places a palm over Amanda’s stomach. She then quietly whispers out a “Hello” towards it. And just as it had happened the first time, the baby gave a little kick. Amelia’s face shows amazement and she breaks out a happy grin- feeling a bit as though the baby had been greeting her back.

“Alright Amelia, let Amanda have a seat. Don’t let your brother’s mate keep standing. Can’t you see her condition?” Queen Josephine gently interjects knowing that if she did nothing, Amelia could stay like that for hours, rubbing Amanda’s belly and having a one-sided conversation with the unborn child. She had even heard that Amelia was already planning out all the things she would do with her little niece or nephew once it was born. She had apparently even started picking out some cloth, planning to learn how to make baby’s clothes. One could imagine just how attached Amelia was to the child already.

Throwing a reluctant look at the baby bump once more, Amelia answers back with a quiet, “Yes Mother”, and takes her seat. The rest of the ignored people also took theirs, with Prince Adrian holding his mate’s arm to guide her to her seat. Her pulls the chair out for her and when she waddles over and sits unsteadily, he pushes the chair in.

During tea time, Amelia tries to sneak in an extra cube of sugar and more than her allowed six toffees but fails at the glare she receives from her mother. She had complained that she didn’t understand why her mother would limit her sugar intake, after all they were werewolves and not as prone to illness. However, her mother had promptly reminded her that she was an unshifted werewolf and until she got her wolf at fifteen, was just a little better than humans. She had then nodded pretentiously as though she had accepted the sermon, and shot her second brother Adam a look. He had met her eye and then calmly looked away.

Tea was had in harmony; with the King preoccupied with flirting with his mate and trying to get his little angel’s attention while shooting his sons looks that not too subtly asked then to quickly finish and go away; the princes completely ignoring him- Adrian also preoccupied with his own mate and his sister; Alexander teasing Amelia by reaching over the table and pulling her hair, trying to get her to pay attention to him; and Adam, who seized the position that Marcus had held while he was around and chats with his sister all the while completely ignoring everyone else. Such was the wonderful scene of the Royal family’s noon tea. It was without doubt a funny yet incredibly heart-warming scene. After which, they would repeat the same thing at lunch and dinner.

When tea time is over, Queen Josephine heads back downstairs to assist Butler Jude with the upcoming feast preparations. King Damien heads to his office to get in some work before the festivities and Prince Adrian helps his mate back to their room to get some rest. Alexander who was given the day off from training by the demon Adrian for their sister’s birthday also stands up to leave, wanting to make doubly sure that his birthday gift for the Princess was still in as perfect condition as he had left it.

Adam and Amelia walk slowly at the rear, and after everyone had left, they turn to look at each other. Amelia expressionlessly reaches out a hand to him, palm up and makes a beckoning gesture. With the ever present gentle smile on his face, he bows at the waist and places something in her outstretched palm, “My lady…” he says.

Looking at her palm, three toffees in exquisite looking paper wrapping quietly lay in it. She closes her palm and places the sweets into her pockets, all without a change in expression. And with a “You have done well”, goes back to her room.

Prince Adam, who is left standing there alone, smiles with affection in his eyes. His sister was so spoiled but what could he do? She was just too adorable that he just couldn’t resist giving her whatever she wanted.

He turns around and walks back to the balcony and stands at the railing, placing his hands on it. He looks towards the sky in a daze and thoughts flash through his mind and he squeezes his palms a bit before letting go. An indistinguishable expression comes onto his face for a bit but quickly returns to normal. He turns around and calmly walks back in.

Standing in front of the floor length mirror, Amelia almost cannot recognize herself. She was wearing a red dress with a canoe neckline and small puffed sleeves. The dress cinched her tiny-corset clad waist and poofed out into a wide flay, courtesy of the petticoat she was wearing underneath. The dress had tiny little rubies of a deeper crimson red dotted on the puffed sleeves and on the skirts. The rubies were denser from the hem and slowly became sparser as they went up until they disappeared completely a bit over her knees. There was a wide golden ribbon which encircled her waist and was tied into a large bow at the back. She was also wearing elbow-length white gloves. Her hair was also coiffured into an elegant up-do held with numerous pins. As for makeup, just a little rouge was dabbed on her cheeks.

Martha who had dressed her up stands behind her, hands clasped together at her chest and stares at her in wonder. “You look beautiful Princess”, she compliments, voice full of wonder. Still staring at herself, Amelia answers back shyly, “Thank you Martha, you did a wonderful job. It’s all because of you.”

“No, no, no”, Martha denies hastily, waving her hands to shoo away the thought, “You were originally so beautiful. All I did was help you put on the dress”, and it was true. The princess was a budding beauty. Though only thirteen, it was obvious that in just a few years, she would bloom into an irresistibly gorgeous woman. There was an ethereal quality to her that mesmerized the eyes.

At that moment, the door opens and in walks the Queen. She freezes at the sight of her daughter and tears subconsciously well up in her eyes. Amelia turns away from the mirror and slowly walks to her emotional mother.

“How do I look Mother”, she asks nervously.

“You look absolutely beautiful, my darling”, she chokes out, voice laden with emotion.

Releasing the breath she was holding, Amelia’s face blooms with a smile and her beauty becomes even more obvious. She thought she looked good but she subconsciously wanted her mother to think so too.

Looking her over even more carefully, Queen Josephine notices the necklace hanging from her neck. Surprised, she bends down a bit to get a closer look, unbelieving of what she was seeing. Confirming that her eyes were really not playing tricks on her, she lets out a gasp of incredulity. Previously, Amelia had only shown off the necklace to her brother Alexander and after that, usually wore it under her clothes, so the Queen never got to see it.

“Did-did your uncle give you that necklace?” she lifts her eyes to meet her daughters and asks, still in shock.

Amelia nods her head, wondering why the knowledge would bring such a big reaction from her mother. The Queen looks at the necklace once more and gives out another sigh, heavier this time.

“Do you know the origin of the necklace you’re wearing Amelia?” she asks.

“No, is anything wrong with it, Mother?” she asks a bit worriedly.

The Queen looks at her again and answers resignedly, “Not exactly. But come, it think it’s important that you know”.

She then walks towards Amelia’s bed, takes a sit and pats the space beside her. At this moment, Martha thoughtfully excuses herself from the room, not forgetting to close the door behind her. Amelia walks towards her mother and sits beside her, wanting to hear what she had to say.

“Don’t you wonder why your Uncle doesn’t have a mate even at his age?” Queen Josephine begins. Amelia nods, she had indeed thought of that but as she was taught that the time one met their mate was decided by fate, she had sensibly decided not to ask. After all, some people never got to meet theirs until they died, probably because their mate was also already dead. She had assumed that her Uncle was also one of such cases and that was why she never asked. She didn’t want her Marcy to get sad over an insensitive question.

“Actually, your Uncle had met his mate before. They had met when he had gone to mediate a dispute between her pack and another. Her pack was a relatively small one and the other pack had wanted to take their land. Knowing they could not fight against the other pack, as they had way more numbers and as such, her pack stood no chance, her Alpha had sent word to us that they were in urgent need of the Royal family’s intervention.” She narrates slowly.

“He had fallen head over heels in love with her and had extended his stay there for a few more weeks to get to know her better. Predictably, he had been prepared to bring her home. But another problem cropped up in another pack and he had to urgently go settle it”, she continues with a sad tone to her voice.

“I remember that he had sent a letter home, informing us quite joyfully that he had met his mate. He had even written six whole pages, just describing how wonderful she was”, she mused with a little laugh. “He had then informed us that he was planning to send her here to us ahead of him. He couldn’t stand the thought of letting her stay a moment longer in her pack, scared that the other pack would invade them the moment he had left. He knew that the possibility was slim, after all a pack wolf cannot defy a Royal Command, but still, he couldn’t help worrying. So he had wanted to let her come here in advance, feeling that was the safest option,” she narrates.

“But even the best laid out plans could suffer from unforeseen circumstances. On their way, their party had met with a landslide which had thrown them over the cliff at the other side of the road. Being werewolves, they would have normally survived the fall; after all there was even a body of water under it. But unfortunately, as his mate was thrown out of the carriage when the landslide hit and the ground beneath them gave, she had fallen directly onto a protruding sharp tree stump growing from the cliff wall. It had impaled her heart, as well as a majority of her chest and mid-section. Not even a werewolf could survive that degree of injury and she died instantly” Queen Josephine says, voice shaking.

Amelia’s eyes redden and fill with tears. Just imaging the pain that her Marcy must have gone through made sharp pangs pierce her heart. “He must have been devastated”, she replies.

The Queen nods, using a handkerchief to dab at her wets eyes, “The only reason he hadn’t gone mad was because they had yet to mate. He hadn’t even marked her yet, he had wanted to bring her home first and get to know her some more” she replies. “I think it also helped that he was a Royal wolf which are inherently stronger. A normal wolf would have never been able to function normally again”.

Pointing at the necklace Amelia was wearing, she says, “That necklace was a family heirloom she had given to him before they parted. She took one half and gave him the other; hoping that their hearts would forever be connected, wherever they may be”, she sighs sentimentally. “He had taken the other half when she had died, keeping the necklaces which symbolized their hearts together. He had never taken it off ever since”, she informs.

Looking into Amelia’s eyes, she says in a serious tone, “I hope you understand the significance of that necklace to your uncle- him giving it to you is a testament of how much he loves you. You are like the daughter he never got the chance to have. I hope you cherish that necklace and never lose it”, the Queen says sternly.

Amelia holds the necklace in the palm of her hands and looks at it with heavy emotions. She nods her head and promises to cherish it with all her heart.

“Good”, says the Queen. She hands over her handkerchief to Amelia and instructs, “Now wipe your tears. This is no time for crying. Your guests are already waiting downstairs. Let’s go”, and leads the way to the door.

Amelia looks at the necklace one more time and wipes her tears. She stands up and as she walks towards the door after her mother, she stands for a bit and looks into the mirror. Seeing that she still looked good, she hurries out the door.