The Perfect One
1871 Words
Samantha’s pov
He stayed with us for more than a week. We discussed our engagement party and the invitees. Thankfully our parents agreed to keep it as small as possible. However, our wedding would be a huge royal event with all the leaders of other kingdoms and the alphas of all werewolf packs invited. Not to mention the media coverage of our wedding couldn’t be avoided. We finalised the list of invitees, and Axel returned home. Being the Crown Prince meant he had to take a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders, so he couldn’t prolong his visit.
The pressure from the royal duties and the preparations for the engagement kept me busy. I barely had time to myself. Often times, I found myself thinking about the days in Black Hunter’s pack. Although I didn’t quite remember what led me to spending a year in Lina’s pack, I thought it was a smart move. The time I spent as a volunteer had taught me a lot.
A week passed by since Axel left. Our engagement was a week away. After a long day of work, dress fittings and speaking with the vendors and caterers, in addition to keeping up with the kingdom’s work, I went to my room. It wasn’t until I changed into my nightgown that I noticed a couple of missed calls from Lina. I smiled. It had been quite some time since we last spoke. I bet she was calling me after receiving the invitation to our engagement party.
It was pretty late, but I knew she would be awake, so I called her. She answered the call within a couple of rings.
“Hey…”
“You are getting engaged!” She cut me off. I could tell that she was shocked from the way she screamed into the phone. “To Axel! Our crown prince!”
I chuckled. I imagined that she would have her eyes widened and mouth hanging.
“Yeah,” I said sheepishly. “I guess it is happening.”
There was a pause on the other end until she spoke again. “Wow…” she paused. “I don’t blame you. I mean… He is hot, and we noticed he might have a thing for you… and we really think he can make you happy.”
“We?”
“Yeah. Ana and I used to say that Axel really liked you. We noticed a couple of things, but we didn’t say anything because… well…”
“I wanted to meet my soulmate,” I said, laughing. “Well, I tried… But it isn’t smart to wait forever. Besides, Axel and I have a past.”
I heard her sigh heavily. “Yeah, you told us. You guys got into a relationship but broke up, hoping to find your soulmates.”
An archaic smile curled on my lips. “Actually… there is more to it than that.”
“More?”
I fiddled with the hem of my nightgown. She was my best friend, but I kept my true identity a secret from her. It was a little unnerving to reveal the truth, but I knew I had to come clean before the day of our engagement.
“Lina, you are the bestest friend I ever had. You know that, right?”
“Yeah…” I could imagine the deep frown on her face. “What is it, Sam?”
“I have kept a secret from you.”
“Secret? What kind of a secret? Does this affect our friendship?”
An anxious laugh escaped my lips. “Well, that depends on you.”
“Okay, you are scaring me, lady. Is it bad?”
I shrugged. “Well, it isn’t bad. I didn’t quite tell you who I really am.”
Another silence followed.
“As long as you’re not a serial killer, I don’t care.”
“Well, I am safe then,” I said. “Well, the thing is, I am not from a regular wolf pack in the south. I am not a regular wolf.”
“Yes, you are wolf-less. We know that.”
I sighed. “No, I am not wolf-less. I am just… more than just a wolf.”
A long pause followed until she expressed her confusion. “What? You don’t make sense. How can anyone be more than a wolf? And what do you mean you are not wolf-less?”
“I am a Lycan,” I told her.
Another pause followed.
“What… nah! That can’t be true. Only royals are lycans,” she said.
My lips twitched. “Exactly. I am not a normal member of this kingdom. I live in the Palace. My parents are King Jones and Queen Amelia.”
“What the hell,” she cursed under her breath. “No way. You can’t be the princess.”
“I am,” I told her. “I kept my identity a secret for many reasons. That is why I couldn’t shift in front of everyone. It wasn’t time to reveal my truth.” A long silence followed. Perhaps she was so shocked that she was rendered speechless.
“That is how I know Axel. Yes, we went to high school together. We got into a relationship. All that was true. But the real reason I know him is because our parents were friends, and we have known each other since childhood.”
I heard her exhale deeply. “Is that where all those guards came from when they came to fetch you the day you left?”
“Yes,” I said. “My dad and Axel can be overprotective.”
“Wow… girl… you are the princess! What the f**k… s**t… am I allowed to cuss in front of the princess? Sorry, your highness.”
I rolled my eyes. “Lina, you can still be yourself. You are my friend.”
“Okay, okay… wow… I am trying to wrap my head around this.”
“I hope you understand. I just… couldn’t tell. My Lycan…” I sighed. “My Lycan is special. I just had to keep her a secret from everyone for safety reasons.”
“That makes sense. Oh, f**k, that makes sense. Are you the golden Lycan? I have read about it. A golden Lycan and a golden wolf emerge once every century. Since Luca is the golden wolf, I just knew… Am I right? Are you the golden Lycan?”
“Yes… are you mad I didn’t tell you?”
“What? Of course not! I totally get you. Damn! Wow! The golden Lycan! Dang, Luca is stupid.”
I frowned. I couldn’t reckon why she would call her brother stupid, but I didn’t dwell on that thought. Well, he was the golden wolf… but that was it.
“Lina, keep this a secret from everyone else. I feel I can trust you enough to tell you now. Everyone else will know when the time is right.”
“Of course! My lips are sealed.”
I smiled. “Great! Can’t wait to see you at the engagement party.”
“Yes! I am excited! I bet Axel is over the moon right now,” she said.
I laughed. “Yeah, he is happy.”
“How about you? Are you happy?” she asked.
“Yeah. I am,” I said, thinking about his gentle gestures. “I am happy.”
Days went by. The engagement day finally arrived. Axel's family came to see our kingdom. The extended families on both sides and the small number of friends that were invited made the ceremony anything but simple. Nonetheless, it was nothing compared to our wedding. Lina and Ana greeted me warmly. The ceremony was lovely. We had an amazing time. For a time, I felt as if I could forget about the pressures of royal duty. My friends helped me loosen up.
I rarely drank, but my engagement was a good enough reason to have a few drinks. Ana, Lina, and Axel appeared to be having a more serious discussion when I returned to the table where they sat, but their funny grins reappeared as soon as I took my seat.
“I guess you will live in this kingdom, after all,” she said, grinning.
“We haven’t decided yet. But this marriage will definitely create a powerful alliance between the two kingdoms.”
Axel excused himself when his father called him. I was finally left alone with my girlfriends.
“I can’t believe I am friends with the royals… kind of feels weird,” Lina chuckled.
I grabbed her hand. “Lina, I really appreciate you and Ana being my friends and that you are here. It isn’t weird, okay? You girls relax me.” I looked at Ana. “How is Noah? I see you have completed the mating process.”
I noticed the mark on the crook of her neck the moment I saw her, but that wasn’t an appropriate moment to ask her about her mate.
“Yes. We live together now.” She glanced at Axel. “I work at the hospital, and he has joined the army.”
I smiled. She was lucky to have found the one destined for her. “Good for you. I am happy to hear you are doing well. I hope to see him at my wedding as your plus one.”
“I hope Lina finds her one soon,” Ana said, looking at Lina. “That way you also won’t have to worry about a date.”
She grimaced. “I am not worried about a date!”
“But you also should find a partner, right?”
Her grimace softened, but she looked away from us as though she was in a deep thought. “I don’t know. I am scared to look. Love can… really hurt sometimes.”
I frowned. I couldn’t decipher why she would say such a thing. “But love also heals. Maybe you will meet your mate or bump into someone like Axel.”
She snorted. “I am not finding someone like his majesty.”
“Why not?”
“Well, he is the crown prince. He and you had been friends since you were in nappies. You all have had that pot of love potion stirring since puberty. I can’t get even close to that,” Lina said, scoffing.
“Well, I hope you meet your soulmate then,” I said.
She waved her hand. “I don’t know. Right now, finding my mate isn’t my primary concern.”
Just then, Axel returned after having a word with his father. I leaned towards my fiancé and laced my fingers with his. He leaned into my ear to ask, “Would you like some snacks?”
A smile curled on my lips as I shook my head. He might not be my soulmate, but he surely was the one for me. And for some strange reason, I just couldn’t care less that I wasn’t getting married to my fated mate. Luna also had no complaints.
Axel and his Lycan were perfect for me and Luna. He was enough.
- Writer
