Deceiving My Mate

Chapter 3

***Nova***

Thunder clapped in the distance as I felt the pitter-patter of rain touch my skin. The day seemed dark and full of sadness, just fitting for the occasion. I stood by my brother's side as we stared at our father's grave. Only Dante, Chase, and their fathers, Beta Collin and Gamma Reed, were present. Since they were the only ones to know of our identity, they were the only ones here. My father's current Beta and Gamma, along with their sons, helped to lower our father's coffin before we all said our final goodbyes.

After a whole thirty minutes of silence, only my brother and I stood in the cold, damp cemetery of the royals before us. I stood rooted to the ground, looking at my father's grave. The great Lycan king was dead. No longer walking this earth, no longer ruling his kingdom, and no longer embracing his children.

The kingdom knew their king had children, but they had never seen our faces. From what our father told us, there was a great battle long before he was born. Lycans and even werewolves would fight each other for the throne. Because of that, when our grandfather won the war, he met his mate, and he wanted nothing but peace.

However, when he announced the birth of his firstborn, he was attacked by enemies who waited in the shadows for an opportunity to take the throne. That was when my grandfather chose to keep all his children hidden unless they were next in line for the throne. My father, being the eldest, was crowned king, and now it would be my brother.

"Nova." The voice of my brother pulled me out of my thoughts. "Nova, there is a storm coming. Let's get inside; he is at peace now." I turned to look at my brother.

"Do you really believe that his enemies will become ours?" I asked, repeating the very words he spoke to me last night.

"Nova, not here. No one knows who we are, and they can't know. Now let's go before someone puts it together that we are his blood." Axel spoke sternly as he kept scanning every part of the cemetery.

I did as he asked, entwining my arm in his as we walked to the secret entrance to the west wing of the castle. He was right. Now that our father was dead, word would spread and his enemies would come for us. Then they would want the throne.

That could only mean Axel and I weren't safe. Our hidden identities would be our only advantage. However, once Axel was crowned, they would know his face. Everyone would know Axel as the king, and if anything happened to him, I would be next to take the throne. I didn't want to be next in line; that would only mean I would lose my brother. I can't imagine how he felt when he returned yesterday and only a moment later got told our father was gone and he would be king.

There was just one problem with me being next in line: I was a girl. They had never had a female Lycan rule the kingdom. Many would object, and it may even start a war. A war that could end the peace that my grandfather and father had maintained for so many years. Although Axel and I had yet to put our mark on the kingdom, that was how our father was feared by his enemies; that was how he was able to protect his kingdom and keep the peace.

"Axel," I said to my brother, catching his attention. "What will happen now that he is gone?" I asked him as we entered the safety of the west wing.

I knew the answer, but I didn’t want the peace to end. I didn’t want there to be a war after so many years of peace.

"Beta Collin and Gamma Reed are informing the Kingdom of their king's death as we speak," he began, and I came to a stop. "All the Alphas will be here in the morning, ready to witness the crowning and to pledge their loyalty to me." He added as he faced me.

"I can't be present." It was more of a statement than a question.

"You will be. There is a room where you can sit to watch the crowning. You can see everything and everyone, but they won't see you," Axel responded with a sigh. "Nova, it's just you and me. If anything goes wrong, then you are to be crowned. Beta Collin and Gamma Reed are prepared for anything. So are Dante and Chase," he explained, and I looked at him with fear.

"Why would anything go wrong tomorrow?" I asked, clearly sounding scared.

"Nova, now that our father is gone and his death has been announced, our father's enemies will come. Father warned me that if anything were to happen to him, I must be prepared for his enemies. They would have had years of plotting and scheming, whereas I had only a few months. That's also why I instructed Dante and Chase to give you intense training. If anything happens to me, they will protect you if I cannot," he finished.

"Axel," I said, calling my brother's name.

"I'm ready, but just in case, I will do everything to protect you. We are the last of the royals," Axel replied, and I tried not to cry.

It seems to be all I have been doing when I know I am so much stronger than this.

"Remember, you are trained to not show emotion unless behind closed doors. If you're ever going to make it as a ruler of this kingdom, don’t show it. No matter how much you're hurting. If you do, it can be used against you by your enemies. Don’t ever let them see your weakness." Axel lifted my chin up as I tried to fight back the tears. "Chin up, princess, or the crown will fall," he added with a smile.

"I better go get rid of all the black I'm wearing; I think it's only putting me in a sad state even more," I said, returning his smile.

"I've got to talk with the boys, since they will also take their father's place." Axel walked me to my room before he left to see Dante and Chase.

I walked over to my huge mirror and stared at my reflection. "Don’t you look wonderful, Nova?" I said to myself.

I took all of my clothes off before having a quick warm bath, and then I tucked myself in bed. My brother said to show emotion behind closed doors, so I would take his advice. Whatever tears were still wanting to fall could now fall. Tomorrow I wouldn't cry; I would be the strong princess I know I am. Tomorrow we will have a new king, so I figured I would be a new princess.

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I cried all night until I didn’t have any tears left to shed. I don’t remember dosing off to sleep, but I felt myself slowly waking as I felt a very uncomfortable headache from said crying. That was it—no more crying. It’s a new day, so I'm a new princess. No more tears, no more showing emotion. I'm strong, and I will show how strong I am. I lectured myself as I opened my eyes to the new day. I wanted to have a few more private moments of silence as I stayed in my comfortable bed. However, that was quickly ruined by heavy footsteps.

Which was followed by my room door being swung open.

“He is gone!” Dante yelled as he entered my room.

I got off my bed so fast I didn’t care that I was in my see-through nightgown. As quickly as I got up, Dante’s eyes widened, and he turned around to have his back to me. A second later, Chase came running in.

“Dante, you i***t! You can’t just barge in here and tell her like that,” Chase said, and I quickly grabbed my overcoat to cover myself.

“What do you mean?” I asked as my body began to tremble.

I couldn’t move from the spot beside my bed. I don’t know if I was in shock, but I was about to break the promise I had just made to myself a second ago.

Chase stepped in front of me. “We spoke to him last night. No one has seen him since. There isn’t any sign of him anywhere. No blood trace, no scent, and it doesn’t look like any fight went down. He is missing; we don’t know where he is.” Every word Chase said broke my already broken heart.

“How? Why?” I couldn’t find the right words to ask anything.

“I don’t know. But Nova, you are to take his place. That was the backup plan; it is the plan. You are the last royal,” Chase replied, and I used every bit of my willpower to not fall onto my knees.