The Amorous Mate

Chapter 46: Ring

The warmth offered by the joyous Silver Feather Mansion was incomparable to the coldness above the rooftop, where Chelsea and Lord Matthew watched everything about the pack’s mating.

Soon after the awkwardness gleaming from them, she and the lord finally decided to go back inside the mansion, for the cold breeze of the midnight were becoming chillier. Besides, it has seemed that because of what happened—that unexplained attraction of their body, pulling each other—they did not think that being alone in a not so easy to access place was a good idea.

At the top floor, they met Gwyneth. She was guiding other members of Silver Feather Pack, instructing different things in relation to running the house.

When she realized that the Alpha and the Princess was approaching, she smiled. “How was the mating ceremony, Alpha?” she asked.

“It went well. Jullian and Beatrix was chosen by the destiny, that is why, their worries were surely be gone along with the midnight’s mist,” Lord Matthew said.

“That is good to hear, Alpha. The whole mansion was silent, compared to the earlier celebration that we were having,” said Gwyneth.

Chelsea also observed the same thing. The whole mansion turned quite as if it was an eerie place that none must touch, for it seemed sinister.

“They were enjoying their first night as their mates, I conceive.”

“Indeed, Alpha. Some of them may have chosen the room we prepared for them, while some may have chosen the forest, where their instincts run the most.”

The two chuckled.

Feeling that Chelsea was being left behind by the conversation, she coughed and cleared her throat to get their attention. “Okay, so I got to see the mating thing and it was definitely fantastic, I admit. Their wolf shifting thing, the light near their shoulders, and their heated skin-to-skin interaction. That was a good way to feed my curiosity. But, one curiosity was fed, but another existed. Explain.”

Lord Matthew chuckled. He shook his head left and right, as if he could not believe the courage and demand she has been possessing.

“For a fake, a soul stuck inside the Princess’ body, you are bold,” he said.

“Yes, I am, sadly,” Chelsea admitted, not denying the fact that she has been this way, even when she was a real Chelsea. Her daring, bold self has even put her to her death, and brought her to this place, but ever since, she did not doubt being that way, for she believe that everyone should have the same level of courage that she has. Because, there is nothing that one will lose (except perhaps of their lives, just like what happened to her).

“The mating season, Princess, only happened once in a year. It is a sacred, singular time wherein wolves would be able to find their destined mates—and just like what you saw earlier, this is the season where the mates will find each other. This is the day of their destined life,” Gwyneth answered.

“I see,” said Chelsea. She held her chin, acting as if she was thinking over something. “But . . .” she looked at Lord Matthew. “Why is your Alpha not joining the mating ceremony thing, if it is just once a year?”

“Because I am not yet in the right time to find her.” This time, it was Lord Matthew who answered, along with an amused chuckle.

“There’s a certain requirement for that, right? You need to meet the qualifications first before you can join the mating ceremony,” Chelsea concluded. Despite the fact that Matthew and Gwyneth was laughing over her curiosity, still, she was dead serious knowing more about the wolves. Her curiosity was dangerous, if one will see through it, but in that curiosity was keeping her in action and able to discover more.

“Indeed, your Highness,” Gwyneth agreed. “There are only two ‘qualifications’ a wolf must meet. First is finally having their ability to wolf-shift, and second is when they reached the right age of mating, which is twenty-one years old.”

Chelsea nodded abruptly, her forehead was creased, as if she was a detective investigating on an intriguing case.

“I heard you, way back when I was abducted by Miss Kress, that one werewolf shall be twenty one years old first before having the ability to wolf-shift, which means . . .” she turned to Lord Matthew. “. . . how old are you now, Matthew?”

“One less than the right age to wolf-shift,” he answered. “Yet, I will be reaching twenty one before the year ends.”

“But I already saw you wolf shifting.”

“Which put me to danger, Chelsea. It happened twice, and that was all when I was trying to save you,” said Lord Matthew.

Chelsea was taken aback from it, and was a bit surprised. She too was not expecting the warm redness of her cheeks simply because of what the lord said. Indeed, her guess was right. The moment she saw the wolf form of Matthew way in Miss Kress’ mansion, she had the thought that she already met the wolf—it was the same wolf who saved her when rogue wolves attacked her and Matthew and ruined the canoe which they were using to travel back and forth, between the Chesterfield City and the Silver Feather Mansion.

That also meant that the lord—the Alpha of this pack—risked his life twice just to save her. Would she be filled with honor from that? She does not know.

“Jullian and Beatrix was able to be in the ceremony because they reached the right age. They turned twenty one from the first months of the year, before this day. Sadly, despite Alpha Matthew turning the right age to wolf-shift, he won’t be able to be with this year’s mating ceremony. That means he will have to join by the next year. That also means we will need one more year to finally meet our Luna.”

“Luna?” curiously, Chelsea asked.

“The Alpha’s second soul, heart, and body. His wife, his eternally betrothed love,” Gwyneth answered.

“Aunt,” called Alpha Matthew with a hint of warning on his tone.

Luna.

The word lingered in Chelsea’s mind; it repeatedly rang on her ears.

Luna.

She found the concept thrilling—a woman’s counterpart of the most powerful man in a group, or in this place, called a pack. That meant that even in their race, women were also being treated with utmost value and importance.

Yet, why did she feel sad?

Despite knowing the fact that Lord Matthew would be honoring a great woman for their whole lifetime, being with him as they ran the great and powerful pack, giving him happiness every single day and night, somehow . . . Chelsea suddenly felt empty.

She does not know the reason, but somehow she hoped she would be the Alpha’s Mate; the Alpha’s Luna. It was a hope that she quickly brushed away along with the breeze of the wind that found its way inside the mansion. She quickly dismissed the thought for three reasons; one: though she has to admit her attraction to the lord, the Alpha, she was uncertain that it was real. Two: she is a human, not a werewolf. Three: she is just someone—an unimportant, unknown someone in this world who happened to be inside a princess’ body.

She does not deserve to desire such a big hope. She does not deserve to imagine herself be with the Alpha of this pack, spending their life with nothing but peace and happiness.

She does not deserve it, for she was just borrowing whatever life she was enjoying today.

She heaved a deep sigh. “Wow,” she exclaimed. “I think I have absorbed a lot of information tonight that my head felt like it’s gonna burst,” she laughed, “guess I have to have a good midnight’s fresh air? Excuse me.”

She did not wait for either Matthew or Gwyneth to answer. Somehow, she was familiar of the mansion, so she left, knowing where her feet would lead her.

She quickened her footsteps, afraid that Lord Matthew would follow her. She does not want that to happen, because that would make him see the sorrowful tears falling from her eyes. No, she opt not to let him see that pain.

But then, she realized . . . who is she to sound like important to the lord, if she was just no one whom he was trying to help, all because for the sake of the real princess?

She is not important. Not her life, not her real self. She is just nothing.

“Damn it,” she slapped her own cheeks, “this is so not you, Chelsea. Do not be like a fool. You have even experienced strong rejections from other people when you were still a real Chelsea. This shall not faze you. You are immune with this,” she said to herself.

Yet, the tears kept falling in her eyes.

She was glad that the mansion was almost empty, making her walk freely without the fear that someone might see her crying over an intriguing reason. She was glad that she could go outside of the mansion with ease.

She was only able to stop her uncontrolled tears when she inhaled the cold air of the midnight. There surrounds her a thin, cold mist as she walks, but it seemed that the cold was bearable now than earlier, for some reason.

She went near the river bank, and on a boulder with a flat top, she sat.

The silence of the place made her relieved. The buzz of the insects seemed a sound to lull her over-spilling unwanted emotions. Somehow, she felt relieved.

“When I am being bombarded with difficult things as an Alpha of this pack, this is also the place I resort to, to calm my rages.”

Chelsea was shocked when she heard Lord Matthew’s voice. She turned on her back, seeing the Lord walking towards her with a smile.

“Why did you follow me here, Matthew? I told you I just need a few air to refresh myself. You see, I’ve got a lot of things to ask and discover. My mind’s just . . . not keeping up,” she said with a smile, keeping her unimportant pains hidden.

“Is it?” Alpha Matthew asked. She stood beside the tall boulder where Chelsea was sitting.

Chelsea kept her stare on the reflection of the moon, on the river. She nodded. “I believe werewolves are interesting.”

Right after her words, she heard a deep sigh from the lord. Silence won for some time, but then, Lord Matthew spoke.

“You said, destiny is a trick, isn’t it?” he asked.

Chelsea saw pebbles lying just beside her, on top of the boulder she was sitting on. She picked few of those pebbles, and made her hands threw it on the river, one by one.

“I did. Why, you don’t believe me?” she asked, then threw another pebble.

“No, I believe destiny’s indeed a trick,” Alpha Matthew said.

“We can’t always have what we desire, and destiny always knew that.”

Alpha Matthew’s lips curved a pursed smile, then nodded as an answer.

“Yet then, perhaps destiny could be negotiated with. I am willing to do it.”

Chelsea snickered. “For what? What do you want to negotiate with a trick?” she asked.

“For . . .” the Alpha hesitated. “. . . never mind,” he dismissed.

He then looked at her, particularly on Chelsea’s neck, looking at the accessory she was wearing.

“That is a pretty necklace,” he said.

Chelsea’s forehead creased. She looked at him, and saw that she was looking at the thing around her neck.

She remembered that there was a beautiful thing hanging around that part. She smiled and placed the crescent moon pendant on her palm.

“It is pretty, yes,” she said.

“You must be glad Prince Nigel gave that to you,” Alpha Matthew told, and in his voice, Chelsea was uncertain, but she could hear rises of tones.

“O-Of course. Isn’t this thing pretty? He was able to buy it at such a cheap price, on a commoner’s store. With that, I appreciate this gift more.”

Again, Chelsea’s forehead creased when she heard the Matthew’s irritated hiss.

“Is there anything wrong to you, Matthew?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he answered.

Yet, with a mad expression gleaming on his face, he turned facing her. He looked at his coat which Chelsea was still wearing.

“Just tell me if you will go back to the palace. I’ll let Gwyneth accompany you,” he said.

“Yep, thanks for the night, Matthew,” Chelsea said with a forced smile.

“Then must I go now. Things are waiting for me to work with,” he said, turning his back to her, and aimed to leave the princess. However, when he noticed that the princess will not stop him, not begging for him to join her in the cold place, he regretfully pursed his lips and closed his eyes.

“I-If . . .” he started with a stammer, “if you are interested, there is an item at the inside-pocket of the coat you’re wearing. That . . . that is my gift f-for you.” He almost wanted to punch himself, for he sounded a fool by talking with hesitations and stammers.

On the other hand, Chelsea was flustered from the Alpha’s words. She curiously scanned the pocket sides of the coat. Indeed, there was a thing inside one of the pockets of his coat. She pulled it, and found out that it was an elegantly crafted cushioned box.

“Wh-What is this?” she asked, her heart pounding.

She slowly opened it, until she saw what the thing was inside.

She gasped, and tears almost wanted to escape from her eyes once again.

She grabbed the silver ring from the box, and unhesitatingly wore it.

It was a plain, plated silver ring in which carved was a simple drawing of a crescent moon, and beside it was where her name was etched.

No, the name was not Demeter, but . . . Chelsea. The name engraved on the ring was Chelsea.

He gave her a gift—not for Princess Demeter, but for her, for Chelsea.

Tears unstoppably ran down from her sullen eyes.