Princess, It's Me

The Adventure Failed

Stephan’s POV:

The plan was simple: take her with me to keep her safe.

Plan: failed.

Xavier has been getting too dominant over Lily. I can’t even look at her and he wants to take control. He doesn’t mean to harm her in any way, but we’ve been waiting for years to finally meet our mate. He’s more impatient than me.

Well, at least he listened to Lily’s command when she told him to let me “take lead.” It has honestly been a struggle to keep control, but a simple command from Lily and Xavier immediately submitted.

I left Lily alone for a moment while I put the tray away in the kitchen. No one was there so I just set it down but the washing station.

I returned to Lily, but I couldn’t look at her. She was emitting this strong aura and that sweet scent of lavender. I knew this was because of the mage bond that I, and only I, can feel and smell her.

I was too afraid to look at her. Afraid that Xavier would take control and scare her again. She trusted me. I couldn’t break that.

All of a sudden I feel her hands touch my face. I feel the heat and tingles from our physical contact.

How?

She’s human.

I haven’t marked her yet.

How?

Everywhere she touched I felt it.

She stopped touching me so I reached out my hand to feel that sensation again. I needed to feel it.

“Move and I’ll hurt her.”

I immediately froze. I know who’s voice that belonged to. Rai, my best friend. He is one of the knights of the kingdom. Well, not yet. Not until I take the crown will he be my second in command.

He is just like me, a werewolf. Lily didn’t hear his playful threat since he mind-linked me that message. Mind-linking allows us werewolves to communicate to each other without actually speaking. Sort of like a phone line we can choose to use.

There was no meaning to his threat. I knew this. Xavier should have too, but he threatened Lily and he wasn’t happy. I believe that because of Lily’s command, I was able to keep him down. However, the second Lily wasn’t with me, the second the lavender scent faded, I completely lost it.

…

I was staring at Lily. I somehow was sitting on the ground and she was giggling. It was refreshing to hear her happy. I was so lost in her laugh, her smile, her happiness that it took me a minute to see the red. The red, puffy eyes, the red stain clothing, the red towel, the red on my hands.

“Stephan?” I heard her say but my mind was trying to process what I had missed. “Stephan?” She called again. I can’t seem to remember what happened.

I felt a stinging on my cheek. I turned my head and looked at Lily as she was on her knees. The palm of her hand slowly turned red from the slap she just gave me and I’m sure my cheek had a handprint from that.

“Don’t cry.” I say to her as tears start flowing out.

“You don’t cry, dummy,” she responds. “You started it.”

I touch my cheek and feel the wet streaks as they fall from eyes. I start laughing uncontrollably.

“What‘s so funny?” She asks with concern obvious in her voice.

“I don’t remember the last time I cried or got slapped across the face like that.” I responded as I wiped the tears from my face. “You’re tougher than you look.”

Miss Bertha came out of the kitchen with a couple of bandages and a new white towel. I watched silently as she removed the stained one from Lily’s arm revealing to me the damage I had done to her. Miss Bertha cleaned the wounds once more with the new towel before wrapping her arm with the bandages.

“Well that should do it.” Miss Bertha said as she stood and helped Lily on her feet. “Now little one, what’s your name?”

Lily remained quiet. She looked over to me with pleading eyes. “Lily.” She said just over a whisper.

“Sorry dear, I’m not as young as I look. You’re gonna have to speak up.”

Lily stood there staring at the ground, fidgeting with her fingers.

“Her name is Lily and she’s my mate.” I said as I got up and walked to Lily. I held her uninjured arm. I led her to the kitchen so we could sit for a moment.

Once we got through the doors I could feel her slightly resisting me. When I looked at her I could see her fixated on the oven. I stopped as she looked up at me.

“You want a cookie?” I asked her as I identified the chocolate sweet scent.

“Cookie?” She asked.

“Yeah, a cookie.” I said as I pointed to the oven. “That’s what’s in there and that’s what smells so good.”

“Cookie.” Was all she said as she turned to the look at the oven once more.

After a moment of staring at the oven, Lily shook her head no and turned away from the oven.

“You sure? I can get you one.” She shook her head once more. We continued to walk until we got to the dining room.