Ice Princess and the Alpha

POV- (Kia) My name is Aluma Kianna Griffin; most people call me Kia for short. I have been away at the University of Oxford for the last four years in the human world. I am a princess of the Lycan and the Werewolves world. Our pack lives at Featherstone Castle Estate. I am 22 years old, an average height of 5-8' with long blonde hair, deep brown eyes and lustrous wine color lips. Humans look at our kind with desire because of our appearance. I am coming home after being gone from my kingdom the last four years. My mom and dad are worried; I have not met my fated soul mate. I pride myself as a strong and brave woman who has been in training since the day I was born. I started warrior training when I was 8 years old and shifted when I turned 18. Lycan wolves are a rare breed and royalty in Werewolves World and gifted with special powers from the Moon Goddess. I have not come into my special powers yet. I have worked extremely hard to be an independent, strong woman. My mother, the Queen,decided to throw a Summer Masquerade Ball in honor of me coming home. The Queen expects all the highly ranked Alpha's, Beta's, and Gamma's and their sons and daughters' of age to attend the Summer Masquerade Ball. My father is King Leonardo Griffin and my mother is Queen Valerie Griffin. I feel like the maskball is my mother's plot to help me to find my fated mate. However, I am considering choosing a chosen mate. You might ask why in the world would you want a chosen mate instead of a fated mate. Well, the answer is simple, I have seen the pain you go through when the moon goddess selects your soul mate. No, thank you!!!! Not me. Present Day: “Kai, honey, you need to get started getting ready for the Summer Masquerade Ball,” my mother said. “Mom, I really don’t see the purpose for the Summer Masquerade Ball.” “I really am not interested in trying to find my mate and I know this is the reason you have decided to have this silly ball.” “I really don’t need or want a mate. Gabriel will be taking over as King and Charlotte will be Queen. I like my life the way it is now” “Aluma Kianna Griffin Do NOT let me hear those words out of your mouth again. Your mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess and the mate bond is the most precious gift our kind can receive. To be loved and cherished by one's fated mate is something you need NOT take so lightly." I know I am in trouble now when my mother takes the tone and uses my full name. I was trying really hard not to roll my eyes at her. She does not know that I really do not want a fated mate. I thought to myself. Yeah, right, like I need a fated mate to complicate my life more than it is already. No, thank you! Ugh! “Mom, I was thinking about choosing a chosen mate and this would make my life a whole lot less complicated.” “What in the world are you talking about, Kia????” my mother huffed. The look on my mother's face was enraged and surprised. Especially for a Queen to never show emotions. I do not believe I have ever seen my mother's eyes so enormous. My mother's mouth dropped open; then she closed her mouth into a thin line. My mother knew I was a very stubborn and hard-headed daughter. My mom knew she had to be careful what she said to me next. “Kia, why would you take away a gift from the moon goddess and decide to take a chosen mate?” I do not understand." I let out a breath I was holding. I knew this was not going to be an easy conversation. “Mom, I don’t want all the complications that come with a fated mate bond and the restrictions added to my life.” “I do not want to feel like my life depends on my mate's life and if he is still breathing or STOP breathing, my life will end.” My mother, still astonished by my words, looked at me with very sorrowful eyes. “Kia, why would you not want to be loved unconditionally, be treasured, desired and be the pride and life of your mate?” “I am not going to allow my mate to make me pathetic and weak because of him." The mate bond makes you feel you only exist for him. “Mom, I can find happiness with a chosen mate. I can find love.” The only love that I want in my life. I am 22 years old. I have not found my mate in 4 years, why start now? "I do not think he is out there, mom.” "I know I can be happy with a chosen mate." Not a fated mate bond controlling my ever move, thinking my happiness depends on his happiness, to giving myself away to the mate bond would be giving myself up. I need to protect my heart from being destroyed like Amber. I will not be Amber and end my life when my fated mate's life ends tragically. The mate bond is a curse and I do not want any part of it, it is not for me. Flashback: It was on my 21st Birthday and I was at university with my longtime friend Amber Sanger and first cousin Azeil. Amber and I have been friends since childhood. Amber was like a sister I never had. The one true friend I could count on no matter what. Amber could always make me feel better on my hardest days. Amber had found her soul mate at the age of 18th, Azeil Griffin, my first cousin; he was attending university with us. Me, Azeil and Amber were inseparable and I relied on both of them. The love Azeil and Amber had was powerful, they were fated mates. If he moved, she moved. Sometimes I believe they sometimes take the same breath. One tragic night, Azeil was taken away from Amber forever by a rogue's attack. I watched my dear friend suffer the loss of Azeil. Three months later, my close friend was gone forever, when Amber ended her life. I can still hear the screams of my friend. End of Flashback: I turned to look at my mother, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to flow down my face. “Mom, I will not be like Azeil and Amber!’’ I will not survive. “Oh, Kai, I know it was tragic and heart breaking what happened to Azeil and Amber.” “No, mom, it was cruel and a curse; it will not happen to me. I will not allow it to happen to me.” “I do not want to talk about a mate anymore.” “Please!” The pain was too much.... I cannot lose control, I cannot let my mother know how much pain I feel for the loss of Azeil and Amber. I will not think about the nightmare today..... not today. I have to deal with the pain at night in my nightmares. I wiped the tears away that had been falling down my face without me realizing it. I could tell my mother had more to say on the matter; but she decided to hold her thoughts for now. “We will talk more about the fated mate bond later, Kianna.” “Not today though, because you need to get ready for the Masked Ball."" This is your first day back home after 4 years, I am so glad to have my baby girl home.” “Get ready for the Summer Masquerade Ball. We are celebrating you being home. I have put your new dress in your closet with your mask and shoes. I will send Mary up in an hour to help with your hair and makeup.’ “I can do my hair and makeup myself, mom.” I don’t usually wear much make-up anyway. “No, Kia, I want Mary to do your make-up for tonight.” I decided it was just easier to agree with my mother, so I gave in. “ OK, fine.” I headed upstairs to my bedroom to start preparing for the ball. I did not want my family to know the pain or the nightmares I have been suffering from since Aziel and Amber's death. If possible, I needed to keep as much as I could hidden from them. I do consider myself a strong person; I will make it through the pain somehow. I need to be in control of my life; make decisions about what happens in my life for myself. I did not want anyone else to be making decisions or controlling what happens in my life. I need a few minutes alone to clear my head and prepare for tonight.