The Werewolf and Vampire's Princess

Preparation

‘I’m Aleida.’ Aleida whispered, her heart thundering in her ears. ‘Who are you?’

‘I am Alpha Conley of Camberwell.’ Her giant reached for her hand, tenderly kissing her palm. The butterflies that swarmed in her belly had nothing to do with the kiss.

‘A - alpha?’ she stuttered. She didn’t even hear his name, just the word Alpha. Her giant nodded, his eyebrows furrowing.

‘Is that a problem, Aleida?’ he asked softly, his eyes wide and vulnerable. Aleida shook her head and took a step away from the giant, which caused his frown to deepen and her heart break at the sight.

‘Alpha? As in ... you’re a wolf?’

‘Well, technically, I’m a werewolf.’ The giant was speaking slowly, his palms raised and facing her as if he were approaching a scared animal.

‘But ... I’m a vampire.’ Aleida whispered, shaking her head. ‘I thought mates were supposed to be from the ...’

‘From the same species?’ the giant gave her a small grin. ‘Well, so did I, until I caught your scent.’ He shrugged, and Aleida was stunned by how blasé he was being about all of this.

It was almost unheard of to have your mate be a different species. There were stories of it happening, but they were extremely rare, and hasn’t happened in at least four humans generations. If the stories were even true. Most blew them off as old mage tales, or an attempt to encourage species to intermingle. Aleida certainly hadn’t believed them to be true. She’d been so certain her mate would be a fellow vampire.

She’d been so sure she wouldn’t find a mate who would expect her to bear children.

‘I ...’

‘Aleida, I know you’re confused, I am too.’ The giant (was what his name?) gazed at her earnestly. ‘We can sort this out together. Any fears you have, any questions, we can work through them together. I promise.’ He held up one giant pinky finger towards her. She stared at it, slightly dumfounded.

‘A pinky promise?’ she asked, incredulous. The giant merely shrugged, his gaze serious.

Aleida couldn’t help but laugh, and hooked her pinky through his.

‘We’ll work through it together.’ She said, kissing his hand. The giant grinned widely and kissed her hand, stepping in close as he did so.

‘I hate to ruin the moment, but weren’t your hands trying to get to something earlier?’ her giant grinned suggestively, his tone light but his hazel eyes dark with lust. Aleida rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly on the forearm, but she could feel herself growing wet again.

A howl rang out in the night. Her giant rolled his eyes and cursed.

‘I need to get back to the main road before I get in trouble ... come with me? Can we show everyone we found each other?’ her giants eyes were wide and hopeful. How will she ever be able to say no to that face?

Aleida only nodded, turning to the back of the house to look for her scarf.

‘Isn’t that the front door?’ her giant jerked a thumb to the door he’d had her pinned against moments ago.

‘Indeed it is, but I’m looking for my scarf.’ Aleida said, her eyes roving the small room. She was sure she’d tossed it in this direction when she’d gotten home, like always.

‘This scarf?’ her giant asked, and Aleida turned to see her giant pulling her light summer scarf out of his jeans pocket.

‘Where ... how?’ Aleida asked dumbly as she walked over to take it from him.

‘It was outside the castle gates.’ Her giant shrugged. ‘It was how I picked up your scent.’

Aleida frowned. She hadn’t left it there. She’d gotten to the gates, realised her mate was beyond her reach and left with ...

‘Sally.’ Aleida laughed. Her giant quirked an eyebrow at her questioningly. ‘I found your scent after work, and I followed it to the castle gates. But I left and when-’

‘Why?’

‘Why?’ Aleida blinked.

‘Why did you leave? Why didn’t you come find me?’ her giant looked ... almost hurt. Aleida reached up to cup his face with her palm.

‘Because you were in the castle. No one except royalty goes inside the grounds.’ She said softly. ‘There was no way I was going to find you. So, I came home, hoping you’d find me. Sally must’ve taken my scarf and left it there without me realising.’

Her giant processed this for a moment, but another howl echoed through the streets.

‘Mother above!’ her giant exclaimed, stomping to the front door to wrench it open and scream outside, ‘I HEARD YOU!’

Aleida wasn’t sure if she should be shocked, or giggle. She opted for standing stock still with a small smile of disbelief on her face. Her giant turned back to her with an apologetic grin.

‘I really need to get going, I’m not supposed to be in this part of town...’

‘No! You’re not!’ Aleida gasped, recalling the rules for the peace treaty. ‘We were told to report if we saw any strays in the town.’

‘You were?’ her giant frowned.

‘Come on!’ Aleida grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door, making sure it was locked firmly behind her with a gentle shake before leading him back to the roadway. As they walked, her giant captured her hand within in his. Aleida had never simultaneously never felt so small, but so safe before. It was soothing.

‘Alpha Conley, so good of you to rejoin us.’ A drawling voice greeted them as they neared the night market that surrounded the roadway. Aleida spotted the king first, granting him a neat curtsey, which he acknowledged with a slight nod.

‘Simon. I found my mate.’ Her giant – Conley, she corrected herself mentally – held up their interlinked fingers for the vampire King’s perusal.

‘A vampire?’ the King look surprised, straightening himself from his usual slouch to his full seven foot height so he could properly look down upon the new mates. ‘Do you accept the mate bond Miss ...’

‘Lark. And yes, I do accept it, your Majesty.’ Aleida was proud of herself for keeping her voice strong. Conley squeezed her hand reassuringly, moving their hands so he could place a feather light kiss on her fingers. Heat surged through her body at the contact.

‘Yes, I can smell that you do, Miss Lark.’ The King had returned to his usual slouch, appearing disinterested as his eyes roamed the night market. Aleida blushed furiously, which made Conley laugh softly.

‘May she return with me to my pack community?’ Conley asked. Aleida didn’t have time to puzzle over Conley’s choice of words – she thought wolves only lived in packs, not communities – before the King was addressing her again.

‘Would you like to go with your mate, Miss Lark?’ the King was inspecting his nails now, but watching her closely out the corner of his eye. Aleida glanced at Conley, who smiled encouragingly. Images of a huge fountain, surrounded by a pebbled path filled her mind, along with a beautiful two story brick house with a forest behind it.

She’d never seen these places before, but she knew, in her heart, it was home.

‘Yes, your Majesty. I’d like that very much.’ Aleida said softly, her voice full of wonder. Conley’s face lit up like a full moon. Aleida wasn’t sure she’d ever seen anyone so happy before.

‘Then you’re free to leave as you please.’ The King waved a hand dismissively. ‘Make sure you tell your house owner you’ll be travelling.’

‘I own my home. While I’m gone, I’ll rent it to my friend.’ Aleida said. She felt Conley’s surprise at her owning the little cottage, but she didn’t let it bother her. The King raised an eyebrow and nodded once.

‘I wish you luck in your travels.’ The King made to walk away, Aleida curtseying automatically, when Conley spoke up.

‘Wait, that’s it?’ he sounded shocked. The King turned back to face the Alpha. He seemed to weigh every word before he spoke.

‘We vampires do not require a pack as a part of our survival. We encourage travel on ones own. Independence is just as important as loyalty. All she needs to do is set her home in order, so that she may still have one, should she choose to return.’ The King gave Conley a cold smile. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must find my wife before she spends everything within our treasury. Please be sure to collect your mate, and your Beta, and be on your way sooner rather than later.’

Aleida curtsied once again. She and Conley watched as the King moved into the glow from the string lights between the stalls, his eyes darting everywhere.

Aleida turned to tell Conley she would need to find her friend, when she found herself being picked up like a small child and spun around, with Conley laughing in her ear.

‘I can’t wait to show you home.’ Conley placed her down gently, kissing her forehead.

‘Well then, you need to stop throwing me around so I can get my affairs in order.’ Aleida teased, beginning to walk back home. Conley snorted and followed her.

‘Where’s your Beta?’ Aleida asked along the way, as Conley weaved his fingers through hers again.

‘Following.’ Was all Conley said. Aleida tipped her head at him, waiting. Conley gave a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

‘I kind of left him alone with the King when I found your scent. He isn’t too impressed with me right now. He’s following at a distance to avoid talking to me.’ Conley shrugged.

‘You left him to deal with the royals alone? I’d be mad at you too.’ Aleida said. Conley pouted, but Aleida heard a brief, gruff laugh from somewhere behind them.

At her cottage, Aleida made Conley stay outside while she went through her things. She wanted to leave tonight, not in four days when they’d finally, maybe, be able to take their hands off each other.

‘Remember, we’re carrying our own provisions, so anything heavy can be sent for later. But once we’re home, you’ll be able to have anything your heart desires. So, no need to worry about too much stuff.’ Conley said, leaning against the doorframe.

‘That’s all well and good, but I have some stuff that’s quite important to me.’ Aleida poked her tongue out at him and closed the door before he could respond. An image of how he’d had her pinned against that very door filled her mind, and she shook it off. Quickly she changed into skinny jeans, a lightweight shirt, and boots. It might be summer, but long pants and sleeves were a vampire’s best friend when travelling.

Clothes were not something Aleida was attached to, but there was a specific shirt her foster father had gifted her the day she was announced as a fully fledged not-a-danger-to-society vampire. His, and her foster mothers, scents still lingered on it, since Aleida kept it in a flat box. They’d been dead a year and it was all Aleida had of them. Well, that and this cottage. They’d bought it for her just before she was bitten, showing their utter faith that she would be fine after the turning.

Aleida packed the shirt in a backpack, along with a stuffed bear she’d had forever. Marshmallow was missing one eye, and was only the size of her forearm, but he was a comfort she knew she’d need.

Slowly she moved around the cottage, but there wasn’t much else she felt like she had to take with her. Except maybe her book collection. She had one bookcase stacked with spell books, lore books, history books, and even some cheesy romance novels. She decided to send for them later, when a small, black leather bound book caught her eye. She picked it up carefully, flipping through the pages slowly, thoughtfully.

A sudden loud knock at the door made her jump.

‘Sorry sweetheart, but it looks like the guards here don’t want us staying.’ Conley’s voice drifted through the door. Aleida dropped the book in her bag, carefully zipping it up and placing it on her back before rushing out.

Sure enough, two guards were loitering at the end of the street. Aleida locked the door, giving it a jiggle, then took Conley’s hand and walked towards the guards.

‘Hey Rob, hey James. Slow night if you’re here.’ Aleida greeted the pair. They’d gone through the transition with her, and they weren’t close, but she considered them friends.

‘We just wanted to see if it was true you found your mate, little Lark.’ Rob said, standing straighter than he usually would as he eyed Conley up and down.

‘You really a wolf?’ James asked brusquely.

‘Werewolf.’ Conley said, sounding amused. ‘I am Alpha Conley of Camberwell.’

‘Alpha?’ Rob asked, glancing at James. Quickly the two made to bow, but Conley stopped them.

‘Mother Above, please don’t. I don’t require formalities.’ Conley said. The two guards looked at each other again, seeming to communicate silently for a moment.

‘Is it true you’re building a vampire and wolf community?’ James asked. Conley nodded.

‘It’s part of the peace treaty, to see how easily we might be able to live together peacefully. You’re welcome to join anytime.’ Conley held out a hand for James to shake, which the latter did, after some hesitation. Conley held his hand to Rob, but Rob shook his head.

‘Sorry, lost my human family to wolves.’

‘My condolences.’ Conley sounded sincere. ‘Maybe one day you’ll come visit Aleida, and we can exchange stories of loss.’

Rob’s eyes widened at the offer, and he gave a tiny nod.

‘We do need to get going though, so, if you don’t mind...’ Conley gestured towards the walkway the two men were still blocking.

‘Oh, sorry.’ James apologised quickly. ‘Mind if we walk you to the roadway?’ he asked Aleida.

‘I do need to see Sally first.’ Aleida answered, but James and Rob nodded, leading the way. Both boys knew where she lived – they were two of her favourite boys to call upon for a tumble.

The goodbye was tearful, but Aleida promised to write as often as possible, which placated Sally.

‘Mother Above, he’s gorgeous.’ Sally whisper-yelled when she spotted Conley over Aleida’s shoulder, her tears suddenly drying up. Aleida somehow managed to keep Sally on track, giving Sally the key to the cottage and asking her to send her books over. Sally promised to visit as soon as she could, then all too soon Aleida was waving goodbye as Rob and James led her and Conley to the front gate.