The Unmated Mate

Two: The Invitation

Two: The Invitation

Hera looked at the mirror as she traced her scar that looks like a wolf's bite on her shoulder. It is already fading but it somehow just can't go away. Hera had a twin that died in a battle 10 years ago, and her father said that the Driens killed her twin and only her was the only one, their pack manages to rescue her since they were out of numbers. And that's where she got her scar from. Even though she can't remember anything about her twin sister, she still felt pain in even just remembering her, much worst, she can't even remember a thing or two about her.

Hera opened her drawer and saw a picture of her and her twin. She was shyly looking at the camera while her twin smiled brightly while hugging her. Her father said it was a photo taken from the human world since cameras don't exist in Celliondale. She looked at the photo trying to remember anything about her twin, but she just can't. Hera was about to put the photo away when something caught her eye.

Her twin is wearing a bracelet. The same bracelet her father threw at the Drien's party. Hera got confused thinking something was off and tried to remember harder where else could she have seen that bracelet, but again there was nothing.

Her father never mentioned her twin sister's mate even once before, maybe because she never bothered to ask too. But why?-Hera thought to herself.

Hera tightly held her left shoulder when she felt as if it was burned. She groaned in pain as she opened her shirt to see her beaming scar. Hera held the pain for a while before it went away. And she gasps for air as soon as it disappeared. She was sweating and she felt weakened. This usually happens every time she wanted to remember anything about the past. So she rarely thought about her past memories that will never return.

A knock on Hera's door made Hera abruptly cover her scar and sat down properly in her chair. Then she saw how her father slowly entered her room.

"Where were you? I heard from Monica that you left the pack unnoticed" Hubert said to his daughter as soon as he entered the room. Hera rolled her eyes secretly hearing Monica's name.

'That Monica' Hera said in her mind, cursing Monica for always meddling in her businesses. But Hera still doesn't have any reason to lie to her father so she looked away as she picks up the comb and started to comb her long black wavy hair highlighted with white strands, slowly.

"I came back to the castle" Hera said in a low voice.

"What?!" Hubert shout.

Hera stopped and looked at her father, all surprised by his reaction. It is the first time he ever shouted at her for doing something out of his control.

"F-Father" Hera looked at her father all scared. Just then Hubert's face softens as he saw Hera's stunned and scared look about how he responded.

Hubert sighed and sat down beside Hera.

"I'm sorry my little moonlight, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you. Daddy was just scared that the Driens might do something bad to you if they found out you came back alone" Hubert said and held Hera by her shoulders as he looked at her in the eyes.

"You know you and your mom are all that I have left after your twin died" Hera can sense the sadness in her father's voice and she hugged him.

"I'm sorry father, I won't do it again. I promise" Hera said and hugged him tightly.

"That's my princess" Hubert said as they let go of each other.

"Now, can you tell me why you came back?" Hubert asked. Hera looked away and felt hesitant in replying.

"I... I was just..." Hera can't seem to know for herself why either.

"I don't know father, I also can't understand myself for doing so" Hera simply answered. And she expected her father to scold her, but for some reason, Hubert just looked at her earnly with a blank stare.

"Go to bed now, Hera. You still need to get up early for your training tomorrow" Hubert said as he kissed her on her forehead. Hera just nods as Hubert stood up.

"Your mom is still out with Kevin's parents, she'll come by when she arrives" Hubert said and Hera smiled.

Kevin is Hera's fiancee. And Yes, she was indeed engaged. Her father said that her mate was dead and her fiancee's mate was dead too. So they ended up being together instead. She doesn't have any problem with it though, Kevin is a good man, after all, falling for him might not be a problem.

Hera's thoughts interrupted when suddenly, the crowned prince's image pop out of her brain.

"Father!" Hera called unintentionally that made Hubert confused by her sudden scream. Hera was so frightened by her thought that she even called her father unannounced.

"I...I was just... I just want to say good night" Hera said then smiled uncomfortably. But Hubert didn't suspect anything, so he nods in response and is about to leave when Hera spoke again.

"I love you father" Hera said that made her father looked at her and finally formed genuine a smile on Hubert's face after a long day.

"I feel the same way too my little moonlight, good night" Hubert said and finally went to the door and leave.

It has always been a question to Hera why their pack was exiled to the dark forest and hated by every kind. Every time she asks her father about it, he will always avoid it and change it into a whole new topic. She has always thought that her father has been hiding something from her, but nevertheless, she trusts her father. But something is bothering her more, a soon as she met the crowned prince's eyes... She felt something...strange. And she knew that it is not right.

Hera looked back at her reflection in the mirror and tried to remember how her deep gray eyes gleamed as they met her enemy's golden brown eyes. She then felt a different spark running through her spines as she shivered. 

"What was I thinking? Gosh, I'm getting crazy" Hera said to herself.

Hera closed her eyes. This is the first time she ever felt this way. And much worst, with her enemy. Hera shook her head. She can't feel this way. She needs to freshen up. 

Hera stood up but then froze when a thought came into her mind.

'Could he be my mate? A wolf's eyes gleamed as soon as they met their mates. And so did we----- oh shut up Hera!'

Hera shoves off her thoughts again. Her mate is dead and a wolf can only be mated once. And besides, she's already engaged. What she felt must have been just a normal teenage wolf emotion, attracted to a handsome fella like Adam. It's normal, she isn't even 18 yet for her to find her mate.

Hera then turned to her window that faces the dark forest where none of her father's packs can see her coming out and open it. She jumps off and landed as a beautiful black and white wolf. Hera then ran to the deepest of the forest not knowing where to run.

"I need to get this off my head" Hera said to herself.

"Hera tried to reclaim her memories again earlier" Camilla said to her husband as soon as she felt him coming inside their room.

"How did your talk with Kevin's parents go?" Hubert directly diverted the topic but his wife knows him more than anybody else.

"Don't you even dare think of getting away with this Hubert, I know you" Camilla said. Hubert then gave her a blank stare like he always does whenever he can't say anything. and looked away after.

"Let her be" Hubert replied and just sat on his office chair as he closed his eyes, not to sleep, but to think.

"Let her be? Hubert, you know she can't suffer like that forever! We can't let our daughter suffer! She had enough" Camilla almost shouted at him.

But Hubert didn't respond, instead, he sat down and released a big sigh as he massages his temples.

"Now what? You're not going to say anything?" Camilla asked starting to get annoyed.

"Then what do you want me to say?! What do you want to hear from me?!" Hubert is slowly raising his voice but he held his temper. Camilla stop and stared at her husband.

"I want you to say you'd stop!" Camilla said that almost sounded like she's begging, and left Hubert speechless for a second and later on showed his serious face as he diverted his attention on the scrolls on his tables and open them to read.

"I want you to stop Hubert. I want this to stop." Camilla started to calm down as she held her husband's hands to stop him from whatever he was doing.

"Let's live peacefully okay? We've invaded and conquered a lot of villages already, it is time to bury the past Hubert. Let's start a new" Camilla tried to convinced Hubert.

Hubert looked at his wife in the eyes with a cold stare.

"Those creatures stole our clan's dignity. They stole our treasures and destroyed our reputation, and now you're telling me to stop? Remember this Camilla, they have destroyed us, and I will stop at nothing until is take my revenge" Hubert said.

"But revenge won't get you anywhere!" Camilla throws her words like daggers at Hubert.

"We were not the only ones who wanted justice Camilla" Hubert said in his normal tone.

"Then leave Hera alone! Don't give her out there like you just tossed a prey in a lion's den! Leave our daughter alone Hubert, at least" Camilla almost sounded like she begged. Hubert then stood up and turn around to face his big window.

"I can't, she has already been thrown. All we need to do is to wait for the lion to take the bait." Hubert coldly said.

"What?! You'll hurt her. What if she finds out the truth? What if---" Camilla didn't finish what she was saying when Hubert cut her off.

"We have no choice" Hubert simply said in a low tone. Camilla gasp looking at her husband in disbelief.

"No choice?! You also said that 10 years ago that cost our daughter's life, Hubert!"Camilla shouted. Hubert then looked at his wife as if she said something wrong.

"You also used our daughter as a bait that cost her life, Hubert" Camilla said and tears started to fall in her eyes. Hubert then was speechless but still wears the cold look on his face. Guilt is building up inside him.

Then a knock on the door interrupted them.

"My lord, a letter from the Driens was delivered" A voice was heard outside of the door.

Camilla looked at her husband as she slowly shook her head telling him not to do it. But Hubert was stubborn that he just simply stared at his wife blankly and turned to leave when Camilla said something before he could even open the door.

"I hope you won't regret this Hubert" Camilla said but Hubert doesn't care at all and just continued to walk away.

"Where is it?" He asked the man who delivered the message as soon as he stepped out of the room.

"It is in the council my lord" The man said and they both walked to the council.

Hubert thought of what his wife said to him, but then remembered what they've been through. His face turned grim.

Everyone in the council stood up as soon as Hubert arrived and gave him a congratulating look.

"You've done it Hubert" Amadeus an old vampire said giving Hubert a proud look.

"It is going according to our plan" Agustin, Hubert's father said.

"Here's the letter Hubert, now what do we do next?" Amanda a wolf general asked.

Hubert took the letter and opened it. 

"Greetings!

        Drien academy gladly accepts five students from Venganza to attend our humble school, tomorrow, we'll start the student's examination. Please come and be as friendly as possible for future purposes. I gladly thank you for your kind consideration.

                                                                                                                                               The school's headmaster,

                                                                                                                                                               d'France Javier"

Hubert formed an evil grin on his face.

"We will start tomorrow" Hubert said and snap his fingers. Village slaves then came with their drinks and offered everybody.

"Tomorrow, hope is made. For the Venganzians!" Hubert said and raised his glass.

"For the Venganzians!" Everybody cheered and cheers their glasses.

Waves of laughter and chatters then begun for the whole night, where the full moon is shining so brightly.

"Hera wake up! The sun's out already! Wake up, wake up!" an angelic voice tried to wake Hera up who is currently laying down on the ground where flowers are covering her from the sunlight.

"Wake up you sleepy head!" Hera heard the voice again and this time water splashed into her face.

Hera swiftly stood up where her claws, wolf ears, and tail came out.

The girls giggled at her rash actions.

"Hold your horses, honey, it's just us" Vanilla the little pixie said to Hera together with the other pixies. 

Hera didn't answer, instead, she looked at the bright sun lighting up the day and remembered that she went out last night and ended up sleeping in the forest instead after having a little chat with her pixie friends.

"Oh gosh! I'm dead meat. Father will surely be furious if he finds out that I was out all night" Hera said and quickly picked her coat.

"Don't worry Hera, I'm sure lord Hubert will hear you out" Vanilla tried to alleviate Hera but Hera was in a rush to just swipe through her and ran back to their village.

"I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead" Hera keeps repeating to herself as she keeps running.

And not so far later, she saw that her crew is already starting their training and noticed that her father wasn't there.

Hera somehow felt relief but the thought that her father must have already found out that she went out last night and never came back after is killing her.

"Oh hi Hera, did you went out for an early jog?" Hera can sense the sarcasm in Monica's question. But then she just smirked.

"Oh yeah, you bet I did. Probably one of the perks of a pack's captain" Hera said in response that annoys Monica.

And they were about to start another fight when Hubert cleared his throat to catch their attention.

"Father"/ "My lord" Hera and Monica said in chorus as they looked at each other badly. Hubert just stared at the two of them blankly then got everybody's attention later on.

"Listen, everyone." Hubert started that gathered every wolf in training to listen to him.

"Today, five of you will be able to attend the Drien's Academy" Hubert continued that flabbergast everyone that listened to him even Hera.

"And now I will choose who will be a part of this mission" Hubert said. And by that, everybody knows it will be dangerous. But some think it is an opportunity.

"Hera..." Hubert looked at his daughter who seems to be expecting it already.

"Monica, Kevin, Cyrus and lastly Xyder" Hubert continued as all of them walk in front of him.

"Pack your things, a carriage will be here in a half an hour to pick you up." Hubert simply instructed.

"You all know what to do when you get there" Hubert added that fuels fire in their eyes.

And they all got their selves ready for the mission that will change their lives for eternity.

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To be continued......