Chapter 3
1093 Words
MALLO
Fate.
I felt it. The world altering connection between us. And for the first time, I felt scared.
Emotions were piling up in my chest that I couldn't control. This off kilter confusion that raced through me at the sight of the small woman before me was foreign, and unwelcome.
Her smell enclosed around me, the cause of my unease.
Sweet and softly floral, the scent reminded me of the gardenias that bloomed in the garden during summer, but it wasn't just sweet. The warm undercurrents of vanilla erred on musty giving it a current of danger. Combined with a slight fruitiness the smell was simply intoxicating.
My mouth was dry. I heard Scarlett's pleas but I was too busy trying to make my throat swallow and keep my face from betraying the warring emotions inside me to spare her more than a glance.
My eyes didn't want to move away from the red haired woman in front of me.
She was small. Her head wouldn't reach the top of my chest even if she weren't cowering. Her red hair was frizzy, and her clothes unkempt. There was a splatter of freckles on her downturned face and her brown eyes were like amber when she looked at me. Her beauty shook me more than her scent.
I forced a scowl and wondered if, like Scarlett said, it was the fate the Goddess ordained. An omega- weaker than most and just as afraid of my strength or frightened by my personality. Irritation built as she stood in front of me, trembling.
How could the Goddess do this to me?
"Look at me." My voice was husky, Liam's instinct rumbling in my chest. I felt more than I heard her heartbeat speed up.
Or was that my own? The woman refused to look up, her shoulders hunched and had she been in wolf form her tail would be tucked. Her cowardice combated the drugging smell of gardenias and vanilla. She was weak. I didn't like her.
I stepped closer to the woman, drowning in the sweetness of her scent but ready to tear into her. Before I could say a word, the door opened and the King and Queen swept into the room.
I dragged my eyes from her, as she dropped into a bow for my parents.
Father looked at me strangely, his eyes briefly landing on the woman behind me, before motioning for me to exit the room with him. Scarlett stared at me smugly while mother coddled her. I could already tell she would be getting her way.
Father didn't speak as we left the room and my mind cycled through what just happened. Just the smell of her shook me in a way I hadn't felt since childhood. Emotions were meant to be controlled, mastered and filed away according to my father, the king. Too many times I had seen others lose themself to emotion and now one woman was intent on sending me down the same path. I needed her gone.
Liam growled at the thought or getting rid of her. 'Go back to her' He demanded instead.
My lip curled at the thought.
‘I refuse.’ I shot back. This time, I couldn't concede to his will.
My emotions were still floating and I didn't know how to put them back into their box and I couldn't afford to be weak at the scent of an omega.
'We need her!'
I sneered at his words. We had been fine until now and would continue to be without her. No we don't.
I was engaged to Monica. She was hand picked by my mother and had been groomed since young to be a great Luna. She would lead our kingdom further into prosperity. I had heard the words a million times. No matter the fact that I felt nothing for her, it was my duty to produce the ruler that would be the strongest.
‘We need to go back and protect our mate,’ he started again.
A growl reverberated in my chest at that goddess damned word.
‘She is not our mate.’ I denied.
‘You cannot deny my nose. Not this close to the full moon' Liam shot back.
I knew he was right. Even if he hadn't said it, I could feel it for myself.
I refuse to be mated to a maid.
"Mallo." My father’s voice was calm as he came to a stop.
His voice was usually calm. The calm that I strived for in myself. I wiped any irritation from my face and acknowledged him with a nod.
His gaze lingered and I affected a bored look into my gaze.
I couldn't tell if I passed his scrutiny but he continued.
"Scarlet came to us sobbing and I will say this only once." His eyes glowed bright as he stared at me, "The maid she chose will stay. You are not allowed to remove her from the house."
I expected Liam to rise to the challenge but he seemed happy to roll on his back for this command. I looked away from his gaze and ignored the flutter of relief in my chest.
"As you wish, father." I bowed to him respectfully, and felt his power seep back into himself. When I looked up his eyes were back to an amber brown.
"Make sure you apologize to your sister." He said, turning his back on me.
When I returned to Scarlett's room, mother was gone, but the sweet smell in the air put me on alert. I followed the Alpha's command, apologizing to a smug Scarlett and made note that I would need to begin avoiding her. I didn't see the new maid but I could feel that she was nearby.
The moon would rise full and bright tomorrow night and with heightened emotions I could barely imagine the chaos that could happen if I acted on the feelings in my chest. I left Scarlett's room hastily despite her inclination to talk. I couldn't catch sight of the red hair again or the pull between us would be too much to resist.
The consequences were clear in my mind and I made my intentions clear to Liam. He did not agree, snorting at the audacity to try and stay away from someone made to compliment us in every way.
To him, the thought of staying away was absurd but, for the first in a long time I was at a loss. The woman seemed to be bringing up a lot of firsts.
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