The Prince's Mistress

13

I feel the burn in my stomach - they're kissing. And I know it will escalate, I just know. Because it always does.

As any other time when I feel the burn I have tears stinging my eyes, my stomach tightening waiting for the vicious cramps and pain that have me whimpering like a baby and crying my eyes out. "I'm going to go ahead a bit" I say, feeling the sweat gathering on my forehead as the burning increases - I don't want them to see me look even weaker and pathetic than they already think I am.

"You can't I have to keep an eye on you for the prince." Zoltar tells me whilst Dominic rolls his eyes "Just go" - the first time anyone has spoken to me all day, par a maid who had told me that I was to go out in the forest with the prince's court meaning Dominic, Atticus etc. When we were walking they had spoken about Thaddeus joining later, now I know why he will be late and why I was invited.

Jasper grabs my arm looking at me curiously "Are you alright Isi? You're a bit flushed and you look upset" he says, "I just-" a pain hits my stomach making me clutch my stomach and lean forward, I take a breath and stand up "I need to go ahead" I say and run, trying to get as far away from the castle as possible to try to stop feeling this pain.

Each step gets harder, the pain getting stronger as my whole body burns, my wolf practically screaming in my head with her own pain and heartache, then my limbs give in - I fall and curl up in a ball, clutching my stomach tightly as I bite my lip to stop myself from crying out.

"What the f**k?" Jasper picks me up, "What's wrong?" he asks panicked "Thaddeus and Calliope are mat- mating" I grit out, he growls and shakes his head "Does this happen every time?" his questions met with a nod, he growls again and starts running with me in his arms convulsing in pain but I am silent - for that I'm proud of myself for.

We get to a stone area with a lake in the middle, he puts me down onto a large flat stone platform that overlooks the lake, he goes to sit next to me but Dominic grabs his shoulder and pulls him up. The rest of them sit further down, next to the lake, some of them going in to get even further away from me.

It's been like this since the night of the royal ball, I am certain that the Queen saw Thaddeus and I - she stares at me every now and then but doesn't say anything at all. I think she has spoken to the others, the maids, guards - maybe even Calliope although I think she already knew about Thaddeus and I. I say this because nobody speaks to me any longer, only when necessary - before only Jasper and Aurelia would talk to me but now they avoid me like I'm diseased just like everyone else.

Maids look away, leave the room or even turn in the other direction if I near them and I'm no longer notified for meals, no one brings me food so I've been going to the kitchen to make my own food - the cooks leave as well.

The only person who talks to me is Thaddeus, and when I saw the King he speaks to me - I think he know as well but I'm not sure because he's still being kind to me.

It takes a long time for the pain to subside, I think it's almost two hours of the cramps - they hurt but it hurts even more because I know the cause. When the pain finally stops, the burning not even there I sigh and roll onto my back, stretching out and resting my head back on my arm so I can look up at the night sky and prepare myself for Thaddeus to arrive.

I pray to the Moon he has washed her scent off of him.

"Isi!!" my name being called has me turning my head to the side in confusion - is someone speaking to me? Dominic glares at me angrily "Sorry I was-"

"Being an ignorant i***t. I know" he snaps, I close my mouth and exhale looking back up at the sky "Are they done?" he asks "Yes"

"They've been f*****g for hours, he better hurry the f**k up" he growls, "Don't be a d**k, she's right there" Atticus spits out "She knows exactly what happened, she felt it"

I ignore his words - I know Dominic purposefully tries to upset me and it works, he knows it does, everyone who wants to upset me at the castle knows that I'm sensitive so they can easily upset me, that only fuels their opinions of me being weak and pathetic.

Splashes sound from further down, Seraphina pushed Dahlia and Aurelia into the lake, immediately Atticus goes in after them. He grabs onto Dahlia who angrily growls and bares her teeth to Seraphina cursing at her whilst Aurelia's lips tremble, tears gathering in her eyes making Atticus put his arm around his sister and helping her out of the lake as Dahlia has already gotten out and starts wrestling Seraphina.

They are all laughing, enjoying themselves as their friends mess around - they are a pack.

The worst type of punishment for a social animal like a wolf is to seclude them and that is what these lycans have done to me and my wolf. I know exactly why but my wolf doesn't understand, she's upset that her new pack mates don't accept her, don't want her - and on top of that her male is hurting and confusing her by being with another female. My wolf is struggling.

So am I.

It seems like only minutes when I suddenly catch Thaddeus' scent coming closer and, as always, my heart rate increases anticipating the arrival of my male - his scent isn't engulfed by Calliope's, it's just him which eases the ache of my heart but my wolf is angry at him.

He's suddenly on top of me, pressing his lips on mine before he smiles "Isi" he sighs, nuzzling my neck then going to kiss me again "I love you my female"

"I love you too" I murmur, closing my eyes and enjoying our kiss.

"How romantic" Atticus scoffs, which makes Thaddeus pull away from me "f**k off" he growls in return "You've just been f*****g Calliope for two hours then come here after Isi's been writhing in agony because of your f*****g, and tell her you love her. You are disgusting, you don't love her"

"I love Isi" Thaddeus snarls in return, his body shaking as his claws and fur start to form "It's okay Thaddeus" I tell him, rubbing his back and running my hands through his hair so he can calm down. His sapphire eyes look down at me "You were in pain again?" he asks, nuzzling my cheek when I nod.

"It wasn't that bad Thaddeus, I-I hardly noticed it"

He looks at me, his brows furrowing "Liar. Don't do that, don't lie to me so I don't feel guilty" he looks at me almost angrily "I forgot, I'm sorry my female. I should feel guilty so don't lie"

"Let me see" he moves down my body, hands clasping the end of my shirt but I hold his hand to keep my top down "No, you don't need to see" biting my lip because I don't want him to feel anymore guilty and I don't want to feel even more hurt by seeing what the male who loves me has caused, yet again.

"I do, I forgot it hurt you. I didn't want to be with Calliope I swear Isi, you know she disgusts me - it's you I love, I only f**k her for the act so people believe I'm only with her"

"I know" my voice is quiet because if I go any louder I know my voice will crack with my hurt emotions, he lifts my shirt and reveals the already purple and blue pattern of bruises all over my stomach. A whine escapes his throat making me grimace and turn my head away only to see his friends staring at him; some with pity others with an expression of anger.

He kisses all over my stomach "I'm sorry" he says, "I know" I respond

"I love you"

"I know" swallowing down my sobs

"I didn't mean to hurt you, I never do"

"I know" I say, my voice cracking as i push him away and turn over, crying into my hands, "Isi, don't cry my love" he turns me back over and kisses my face, wiping away my tears and holding me to him "I'm sorry"

"I'm fine, I just - I don't like when you're upset Thaddeus"

"I'm upset because you're upset, I hurt you"

"It's okay"

"No it's not. You are too beautiful to cry" he tells me, nuzzling my nose "And all I do is make you cry" he kisses my cheek, "I'm sorry"

I laugh, pushing away my sadness "Stop saying sorry" I insist, he smiles up at me "I only want you to smile and laugh Isi"

He pulls me up and sits me on his lap, when I bring my hands to his chest he frowns and grabs my right hand removing the ring he gave me and putting it onto my left "You know the rules Isi" he tells me, making me blush - just seeing the ring where mates wear their rings has my heart fluttering, I wish it were real.

"I want my ring here, forever" he kisses my ring finger then wraps me in his arms and nuzzles my neck "My mark here" kissing exactly where he wants it, "My pups in here" his hands trail down to my belly. He makes a purr like sound, his sapphire eyes mixing with the darkness of his lycan "I love you"

"Orion wants to see you, come for a run with all of us" Thaddeus suggests, still hugging me close "I'm fine here my male, you can go" I insist as I know my wolf is still upset and who knows what she may do to this male.

"I want to see your wolf, so does Orion"

"I-I shouldn't"

"Why?"

"She's upset Thaddeus, and angry, very angry at you"

"Because I was with Calliope and hurt you"

"Yes"

"She has every right to be, so do you. Let me see her"

"I don't know she wants to hurt you"

"Your sweet wolf? No she wouldn't, but if she does then I'll let her, I deserve it. You should slap me as well Isi, or give me some form of punishment - spanking?" he suggests cheekily "Then I can give you some in return" I blush at his words, hiding my face in my hands and whining for him to be quiet.

"She wants to do something bad, I don't want you hurt"

"Like what?"

"Bite your - your parts off" I mumble, embarrassed as I'm sure his friends can hear, Thaddeus laughs "She wouldn't, and you wouldn't let her. That's your favourite part of me"

"No it isn't!" I insist, still flushed from his comments "Then what is your favourite part of me, my female?" he asks with a teasing smile, "You will laugh" I whine leaning my head on his chest.

He strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head "I promise I won't, come on Isi tell me" he says, I sigh and feel my cheeks burning as I speak into his chest ensuring my voice is muffled "Your heart" I whisper, knowing it is cringey but it is truly how I feel.

He pulls my head back and I see a tender smile on his face, his sapphire eyes sparkling "My female, you make me the happiest male on earth" he rests his forehead on mine "I love you" he says, "My beautiful Isi"

"Thaddeus! Are you two coming or are you going to f**k all night?" Dominic shouts across, Thaddeus turns to him with his tender smile still on his face "What?"

"Why are you - don't smile at me like that"

"What do you want?" Thaddeus groans and nuzzles my neck again "Are you coming for a run?"

"No, I'm taking my female home"

"We should come too, you need to mask your scents" Zoltar says but Thaddeus growls towards him "No, I am taking Isi home with no one else. I won't mask her scent either"

Immediately they erupt in outcries "My male, we need to be careful" I tell him, he grabs my hand and pulls me up "Fine, I'll spray it behind us but not on you I want your scent in bed tonight. That is if I'm allowed in your bed tonight?"

"You never stay Thaddeus, it's risky"

"I don't give a s**t! I want to sleep in the same bed as my female, let me stay Isi"

"Okay"

..

Waking up cuddled up to Thaddeus is possibly the best feeling on the planet. It felt like forever since we had done this; been able to actually sleep together, not have s*x and then he would have to sneak off but just cuddling together like a real couple.

It feels heavenly.

"I love when you smile, especially like that" his groggy morning voice sounds from slightly above me - the sexiest noise I've ever heard.

"I love when we wake up together" I tell him, kissing his chest and nuzzling his body "I want to wake up next to you everyday, Isi" his words produce a sad smile onto my face but I push back the sadness of knowing it won't happen and lean up to kiss him "I'm sorry for my morning breath" I say, kissing him anyway.

He doesn't seem to mind as he cups the back of my head to press our lips again each other even more "I smell too" he murmurs against my mouth and then kisses me again, just sweet slow kisses like we have all the time in the world - I wish we did.

"We need to get up" I say making him groan as I pull away from him "Will you at least come down for breakfast, you haven't been there for weeks I miss you when I haven't seen you all night, I at least want to see you in the morning"

I shrug my shoulders and bite my lip as I escape into the bathroom, jumping into the shower but his hands grab my hips as soon as the water comes on and he joins me with a kiss to my shoulder "Is that a yes? Please baby?"

"Won't it be suspicious? What if someone-"

"Stop worrying, no one knows and they never will - well apart from my friends"

"I can't help it"

"I can, need some de-stressing my female? Let me relax you baby"

"Thaddeus" I laugh when he turns me around and kisses me softly, hands gently gliding over my body "I love you" he tells me...

"Isilee fancy seeing you here?" Thaddeus' attempt at casual acting ha me giggling with a bright blush as I walk out of my room after finally getting dressed whilst Thaddeus had snuck off to his room to get dressed.

"You cannot act very well" I whisper, shutting the door and blushing even more when I see his attire - a bare torso with a pair of lowly hanging shorts and a slight sheen of sweat to his skin. Our story was he had been working out and saw me on our way down to breakfast.

"Do not blush, I cannot control myself when I see your gorgeous red cheeks Isi"

"Stop it" I whine quietly, beginning to walk down to breakfast - I know that they don't want me to sit with them but I don't want to tell Thaddeus, he'd tell me I was imagining things; that his friends and family love me.

"I cannot help that I am the most attractive male to grace the world"

I roll my eyes "It should be illegal for someone with such a huge ego to lead an entire species" I murmur, even though I know that he is the most attractive person ever, I cannot tell him that or his ego would become so big he'd explode.

He lets out a booming laugh as we enter the dining room, him letting me go first as guards open the door "What's so funny?" Jasper asks, a smile on his face as Thaddeus' laughter echoes in the large room, a huge smile on his gorgeous face.

"Isilee has insulted me, the nicest little wolf who is so polite and kind has insulted me"

"Because you're such a d**k" Dominic says earning a scowl from his mother who turns to me with the fakest smile I've ever come across "Isilee, I believe your father called earlier wanting to speak with you. You can use my phone in the drawing room to talk to him" it is not a question, just a masked instruction.

"Let her eat, the female has only just sat down Medea" the King gives his mate a pointed look when she turns his way and opens her mouth "She can call back with her personal cell when she wants to" he adds, before turning to me with a soft smile that I return nervously.

Does he know as well?

Am I causing issues between their relationship?

Breakfast ends with no problems, just quiet chatter back and fourth across the table. Of course, I'm left out of the chatter but every now and then Thaddeus or the King will bring me into the conversation which is enough to make me more comfortable.

However, when leaving the room and walking the eerily quiet hallways I no longer feel comfortable, I feel anxious. That feeling peaks when the Queen appears in the doorway to a room "Come in Isilee, we need to talk" her heel clad feet hit the floor in a perfect pattern that has my nervous jitters increasing; I feel as though she will murder me.

"Close the door" I do as I'm instructed "Now sit, don't speak until I tell you to or I may just kill you. When it comes to people, especially whores like yourself, who try to hurt my family I have a short fuse. I know what you are doing with my boy, I know that you have him wrapped around your little finger but I'm not fooled by it, you are nothing but a pathetic w***e wanting to ruin my Thaddeus' reputation. No one hurts my pups. Not unless they want their head to roll on the floor"