The Tale Of The Rejected Mate

Five

I stared out of the car window as trees flew past us in a haze. I played with the hem of the white shirt I got from Dennis. He had given me a sweatpant and shirt to change into this morning. We were on our way to Oaker and I couldn't shove off the pile of anxiousness that settled in the pit of my stomach at the thought of seeing Ethan again. He was very sweet and caring but somehow he became a monster overnight, that I still couldn't understand how.

“Shanice is diabolical, she must have done something to make him change. During my dormant state, I could see everything that was going on and I tried so hard to tell you to be wary of her from the onset. She is vile and evil” Prisca whined sadly. She was kept away from her mate and was made to only watch from the side. Although Ethan’s wolf, was fond of me, I could still see the longing in his eyes for his mate. Shanice has taken a lot from me... from us and I was going to make sure she pays dearly.

“Shanice was family, she was my childhood friend who I cared for so much. I never could have believed she would stoop so low to kill me and my unborn baby” I said with renewed anger. Shanice's death was going to be slow and extremely painful.

“Sometimes it's the people that you care about the most that stab you in the back. People can do anything for power, money and fame" She said.

I sighed as my anger frizzled out. Anger would only make me make rash decisions and at this moment I'm supposed to be dictated, calculated and stealthy in order to get my revenge.

“Hey, um... Aril are you okay? you've been staring at the window with a frown for quite some time now” Dennis said from beside me at the driver's seat.

Oh yeah, Dennis was with me, he was driving me to Oaker in his Red Sedan “disguise” car. so he called it. We had gotten along pretty well yesterday after he offered me shelter and food for the night. Apparently, he was from the prestigious royal family. Prince Dennis and heir to the throne of Atlanta. That explained the crown logo on his coat the other night.

I can still remember how skeptical I was when we arrived at the big gate to the royal mansion.

“So you are a prince?” I asked as I turned to look at him. He looked like a regular guy on the streets compared to the royalty movies I had seen.

“I'm afraid so” He chuckled and shrugged.

I turned to look around but I found no one behind or around us, I turned to him once more. “Aren't you supposed to have a bodyguard or bodyguards following you around?”

“I like to walk alone, bodyguards are just too much. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not your regular stereotype prince” He winked and grinned.

I couldn't help but laugh at his goofiness. He reminded me of my father. He was a boy in a man's clothes. Just then, a woman in a maid uniform stepped out of the dragon designed gate with a bag in hand. She was a human in her late fifties, she curtsied at Dennis and presented the bag to him.

“My prince, here are the clothes you asked for. Not trying to be disrespectful but what do you need a woman's clothes for?” She asked with her eyes lowered.

“Wait, you really are a prince” I said surprised.

“Am I supposed to curtsey as well?” I asked

“Please no. I've been telling Ms Grace here for more than a million times to stop but she doesn't listen” He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.

“Thank you Ms grace, the clothes are for Aril over here, she will be spending the night with us” He said as he took the bag and handed it to me.

The woman turned to look at me surprised, “My dear, are you not wearing any clothes?” she asked.

I laughed nervously, “Coats are considered clothes right?”

Dennis laughed heartily at my question while the woman's mouth formed an O in shock.

“Go put the clothes on now before Ms grace faint from shock” Dennis managed to squeeze out between laughs.

I chuckled and left a stunned Ms Grace and an amused Dennis at the front gate. I saw an empty stall not too far away and entered. It was a dress, a blue cotton dress with silver edges, it frailed all the way to my feet. It was not the typical werewolf clothes but it wasn't that bad. When I returned to the gate, I met only Dennis .

“Why couldn't I just change when I got in?” I asked as he gestured for me to follow him to the gate. As he walked closer, the gate opened and I was welcomed with people moving around the palace. The place was even more rowdy than outside.

“This is why. There's an inauguration ceremony coming soon so everybody is busy getting things ready” he said as he led me into the castle-like house. Everyone he passed by bowed in respect. I continued following him till he brought me to the front of a door.

“Your inauguration?”

“Yes”

“That's cool”

"You are invited by the way. It would be nice to see there?" He said with hopeful eyes.

"How can you be so nice, you don't even know me? …I could be an assassin for all you know" I rolled my eyes, being too trusting and friendly only placed arrows at your back, I learnt the hard way.

"But you are not" he said smugly and turned to walk away.

"He would learn the hard way" Prisca’s voice echoed in my ears.