Protect The Queen

3 - It's Complicated

Bobby’s POV

Why do I do this to myself? I yelled internally because I didn’t want my new roommates to hear I had f****d up, big time. Do I regret walking into the café? No. Do I regret asking Haven to talk to me? Never, but I wasn’t meant to be finding someone, let alone my fated mate. It was nice to spend time with Haven, even steal a few kisses; but that was still too far, and her last email showed that. Maybe I secretly wanted to go too far and not do what my father wants me to do.

Father has a special role for me, and it didn’t include my mate. He wants to end this constant tension between the kingdoms and the way to do it, is to have me mate the Northern King’s daughter, Valarie. I went along with the plan because I never thought I would find my fated mate; take one for the kingdom, yadda, yadda, yadda. I just hope when I tell Haven the truth of who I am, she will understand why I need to do what is asked of me. I don’t want to, but I don’t think I have any other choice. Goddess Bobby, you are really in deep s**t.

“Who are you emailing?” Jeremy asked, coming over to my desk as I shut the laptop quickly so he couldn’t read anything. I’m rooming with two other cadets; Jeremy Baker, the son of Alpha Thomas Baker from the Granite Pack and, of course, the moon goddess has a sense of humor and throwing fate in my face; Shaun Thompson, son of Alpha Matthias Thompson and brother to Haven.

“Just someone I met at the Masonite Pack when I was waiting for the bus to come here," I answered calmly, while Shaun propped himself up on his elbow, while stopping whatever book he was reading on his cot. There were 6 cadets who received early admission and were told who I was. I guess they wanted me to room with one of them to keep my secret, and low and behold, it happened to be Shaun instead of Trent, Simon, Vince, Lachlan or Jordan.

“Bianca? Stella? No, it would have been Tiffany," Shaun laughed playfully, giving me an exaggerated wink at what he thought I had been doing as I waited for my bus. I had heard about what some of the cadets do when they go through the Masonite Pack and wasn’t surprised by what those others did or tried to do to Haven, thinking she was the same. She put them in their place, thankfully. I wouldn’t have wanted to kill them for touching… No! Bobby. Stop with the possessiveness. You can’t do this to Haven. You can’t be with her, even though you want to be.

“It wasn’t any of them," I shrugged as Shaun raised his eyebrow towards me, trying to determine who I was emailing with his stare. I don’t think he would like the answer if I told him.

“We know it’s not that pretty thing from the café; she’s too much of a prude," Jeremy laughed, causing Shaun to growl, which stopped me from ripping Jeremy’s throat out. Good thing too, because I can’t let him know who I am or who Haven is to me. At least not yet.

“You are a d**k," Shaun spat, glaring his green eyes at Jeremy, in the same way Haven glared at me a few times earlier tonight. “There are two girls who work there. The redhead is my girlfriend, the other is my sister, and neither is a prude. They have standards and fucktards like you and all the other morons here don’t achieve them.”

“Standards?” Jeremy scoffed, as though it was the most idiotic thing Shaun could have said. “I think your sister is a lesbian. Why else would she turn me down?”

“She’s not a f*****g lesbian," I snapped, before I could stop myself, causing Shaun to raise his eyebrows for me to keep talking. I shook my head, releasing a long breath to try and steady myself before I did something stupid. “Not here and not in front of the asshole that got his face slammed into a burger by your sister," I snarled, pointing my finger towards Jeremy and standing from my desk. Shaun opened his mouth to say something, and I turned my back to him, walking out the door and slamming it behind me. We still had 20 minutes to curfew, and I needed to go for a walk to calm down.

I ran out the doors to the barracks when I heard footsteps running up behind me. “You slept with my sister?” Shaun asked, catching up to me as I stopped dead to glare at him. I didn’t tell him it was Haven I was emailing, but I wouldn’t be able to keep it from him for long, considering he is dating her best friend, or so Haven told me.

“No," I answered honestly, sucking in a deep breath and wondering how much I should say and how much Haven tells her best friend. “It’s more complicated than that," I continued, watching Shaun fold his arms in front of him and waited for me to continue while I sucked in another deep breath. “You know who I am because you were brought in with the early admissions. I’m just a standard cadet to everyone else; that’s what father wanted, no special treatment. Like everyone else here, she knows me as Bobby, that’s what my mother calls me. But…” I trailed off, trying to find the right words to explain everything. “It’s complicated.”

“Then uncomplicate it," Shaun snarled as I glanced at the wooden bench in front of the barracks and moved to sit down for us to talk.

Shaun followed, sitting down next to me, his green eyes not budging as they bore into my skin. “I arrived at the bus depot with everyone else and was waiting on the benches not wanting to distract myself until my bus arrived, which was the last bus of the evening. When I saw Haven walking to the café”, I began, pausing to calculate my next words because he wasn’t going to like them. “I knew the moment I saw her…” “Knew what?” Shaun interrupted as I ran my fingers through my hair.

“She’s my mate, Shaun. My fated mate," I sighed as Shaun’s mouth dropped open in surprise at hearing the news: his sister had a mate. I guess if I had a sister, I would be just as stunned. “I didn’t tell her; she’s not 18 yet. I figured she wasn’t when she didn’t flinch my way. I watched her through the window of the café and saw her stop some assholes trying to grope her. Jeremy was one of them, and she was able to get the better of him. After most of them left, I walked in and asked if we could talk, and she took me to the lake. We talked; kissed a couple of times, but that’s it. I asked if I could e-mail her, and she agreed.”

“She’s going to find out when she turns 18 in a few months," Shaun said nonchalantly, as I nodded my head in agreement. I’m already freaking out about that. That’s where I f****d up. I wanted to get to know her at least, and now I’m going to have to tell her the truth. Maybe her brother can give me some clarity, because I sure can’t give it to myself.

“It’s more complicated than that," I continued, while Shaun narrowed his green eyes in my direction, wondering what could be more complicated than her not knowing we were mates. “The reason I am here is that my father is mating me to King Alister’s daughter, Valarie, the moment I turn 21. I told Haven, I’m here because it was my duty to go to the academy and serve the king. The truth is, I left the palace to ‘find myself’ before I had to do my obligations to the kingdom and potentially stop this stupid conflict. The academy is what Father approved for me to do.”

“You could tell him no," Shaun said as I shook my head vigorously at him. Telling my father no, is not something anyone can do; his son included. “Tell him, you found your mate.”

“I was allowed to come to the academy because no females are allowed and, yes, I know it’s to Haven’s disgust." I laughed although Shaun didn’t find it funny and just continued to stare at me. “Father didn’t want to risk me finding her. Why do you think I haven’t been seen since I was an infant?” I continued, causing Shaun to frown even more than I was, and that was saying something. “I don’t want to hurt Haven. I think I love her, and I’ve only known her for a few hours.”

“That’s the mate bond. Our parents told us what happens when we find our mates. It’s instant love, and I can attest to that," Shaun explained, while I nodded my head because a royal bond is always stronger. He’s quite calm for someone who was told his sister had a mate. Wait! Did he just say he had one too? “Mum was all about the safe s*x talks and the feelings we have towards our mate, while Dad likes to keep things real. He says honesty is the best policy and would speak to us about what happens when we find our mate.”

“Haven mentioned your dad’s policy," I laughed, as Shaun rolled his eyes away from me, trying to hide the grin appearing on his face. “Not the mate stuff, the honesty part.”

“What are you going to do?” Shaun asked as I released the breath I was holding and ran my hands through my hair again, trying to hold off on answering him.

“I know what I want to do, but don’t think I am able to do it," I answered honestly, while Shaun nodded his head, contemplating everything I said. I’m glad he understood my predicament, because I’m still rearing my head around it. “I have four months to try and figure it out.”

“Curfew, cadets," Master Trainer Samson called out from the front of the barracks as Shaun, and I stood and started to wander inside.

We walked past Master Trainer Samson without making a sound, continuing towards our dorm room. The moment I shut the door, “I thought Shaun would have killed you by now," Jeremy laughed from his cot as I suppressed a snarl and closed my eyes to regain my composure.

When I opened them again; “Why would he kill me, when I wasn’t emailing his sister?” I retorted, glaring towards Jeremy as Shaun stepped forward to stand next to me.

“Depending on your decision, we may be able to get you out of the mess you are in," Shaun whispered, leaning into my ear as Jeremy propped himself up on his elbow, trying to figure out what we were talking about. Unfortunately, I know he heard, even though we were whispering. I’m glad Shaun was being discreet, and Jeremy can kiss my ass if he questions me about it.

“You know my decision," I muttered, causing Shaun to grin with a slight nod of his head, deciding there, and then I wanted Haven.

“Then we need to make a plan, and I think I know who can help us," Shaun answered, moving towards his bed and I walked to my laptop with a smile on my face, ready to answer Haven’s latest e-mail.

My dearest Haven,

I do need to give you some explanations, but I would rather do that in person, and I’m not sure when I will have the opportunity to be able to see you again.

I want to address the elephant in the room, or the internet abyss as it may. I did feel something between us and want to explore this feeling more. And since we are standing by your father’s policy, I’ve met your brother. He is my roommate. Small world, hey? We are sharing with another soon-to-be alpha, Jeremy. He is a bit of a toss; but you already know that because he was the one you slammed down into his burger.

I’ve spoken to Shaun about our meeting. Long story, but Jeremy asked who I was emailing, and I said it was someone from the Masonite Pack. Jeremy made a remark about you and Shaun stepped in, telling Jeremy what he really thought of him and his comments about you. I, too, had a few choice words for him and stormed out of our dorm. Shaun followed me and gave me the third degree.

Hence, why I told him. I hope you don’t mind. He was just being a protective brother and if I had a sister, I would like to think I would be the same way.

I paused my e-mail and glanced at Shaun, who was smirking to himself, while pretending to be asleep, before I turned back to the e-mail.

I’m going to go now. I wanted to answer your e-mail before I went to bed. Sweet dreams and hopefully I can see you soon, so I can explain everything in person.

All my love

Bobby

I sent the e-mail and shut my laptop before moving to my bed. “Shaun?” I called as he opened one of his eyes to glance at me. “Thank you for your help.”

Shaun gave a small smile before closing his eyes and I laid down on my bed and drifted off to sleep, thinking about Haven.