Lycan Princess Vampire Mate

Mate-napped

Liz

When I opened my eyes, everything was pink.

Pink walls. Pink curtains. Even the bedsheets looked like cotton candy had exploded all over them. For a moment, I wondered if I had died and woken up in some twisted version of fairyland.

I sat up slowly, groaning as my head throbbed. My fingers brushed against the silky sheets, and I blinked in confusion. Where am I?

The last thing I remembered was… his voice. Darling, are you alright?

Lucian.

I had excused myself to go to the bathroom and was certain Lucian appeared out of the blue and asked if I was alright. But after that moment, it was hard to fill in the blanks.

Had I fainted?

Perhaps I had. It would explain the sudden darkness, the dizzying emptiness that had swallowed me whole. Maybe my body had simply given out, overwhelmed by the shock of seeing him, by the pull I couldn’t ignore. The thought made me shiver, part embarrassment, part disbelief, could something as intense as a mate bond really knock a person off their feet?

The memory sent a shiver down my spine. My mate was my unbelievably hot professor. My heart still raced just thinking about him.

I scanned the overly decorated room again, finally spotting my bag on a chair near the window. So, this wasn’t his place. The pink was a dead giveaway.

Lucian didn’t seem like the “pastel paradise” type. This had to be my assigned apartment in the Silver Moon Pack’s housing wing, which meant someone had been in charge of decorating it. Someone with very questionable taste.

I let out a low grunt. “Who in the world thought this was a good idea? Do I look like a pink-loving princess?”

My wolf chuckled in my head, You’re definitely not a princess.

“Exactly,” I muttered, dragging a pillow over my face. “Maybe a badass future queen. But not a princess.”

A knock interrupted my complaining.

“Come in,” I called out.

Harry peeked his head through the door. “You’re awake! Thank the goddess. You gave us all quite the scare, Liz.”

I frowned. “What happened?”

“You fainted in class. Mr. Lucian called for help immediately, even insisted on making sure you got home safe.”

My breath hitched. “He… came here?”

Harry nodded. “Yeah. He was the one who told us what happened. Stayed until the doctor confirmed you were okay.”

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. “Great. My mate thinks I’m some fragile girl who can’t handle being in the same room with him.”

Harry raised a brow. “Your what?”

“Nothing!” I said quickly. “Just… never mind.”

Before he could question me further, another knock sounded. A girl stepped into the room, tall, athletic, with short black hair and sharp gray eyes that screamed danger.

“Who are you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“I’m Jade, your majesty” she replied with a respectful nod. “I’m from the Bloodhowl Pack. I’ve been assigned to you for protection.”

“Protection?” I repeated, frowning. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen.”

I blinked. “So, I’m being protected by a teenager?”

Her lips curved slightly. “Don’t let my age fool you. I’m stronger than I look. Bloodhowl warriors are trained young.”

I crossed my arms, studying her. She wasn’t lying. I’ve seen first hand the way these kids are trained by their so-called pals soldiers, one could argue that they could spar with even the most elite warrior army.

But I wasn’t going to give her that satisfaction. “Prove it.” I said.

Her brows arched. “Excuse me, princess?”

I turned to the door. “Harry, call Reed.”

A few minutes later, my cocky security guard appeared, cracking his knuckles. “What’s up, princess?”

“Reed,” I said with a mischievous grin. “Meet Jade. I want you two to spar. Don’t go easy on her.”

Jade sighed but smirked. “You sure you want to embarrass your guard in front of you?”

Reed chuckled. “Oh, I’ll be gentle, just because you’re cute.” He smirked.

That turned out to be his first mistake.

In less than a minute, Jade flipped him over her shoulder, twisted out of his hold, and pinned him flat on the ground before he could even blink.

I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach. “Oh goddess, Reed! You just got your butt handed to you by a nineteen-year-old! I’m definitely going to get killed under your protection, but you’re going to get killed first.”

Jade dusted her hands off, completely calm. “Told you.”

“Okay, you’re officially my favorite,” I said, grinning.

Reed lay there for a beat, mouth open like a stunned dog. Then he scrambled to his feet, cheeks flushed, trying to laugh it off. “That—was a fluke,” he grumbled, rubbing his pride more than the bruises. “Rematch. Tomorrow. You’ll see.” His bravado sounded thin, though, and Jade’s satisfied smirk only made him straighten his jaw harder.

He turned to me, bowing his head. “I’m sorry, princess, I might have lost, but know I’ll always protect you with my life. Please permit me to leave now.” And with that, he left the room.

That night, as the moon rose high above the pack school, I stood by my window, watching the lights flicker from the school grounds. I should’ve been resting, but my mind was still replaying Lucian’s voice.

“Darling are you alright?”

That line had become my favorite in a short period of time, and I had a feeling the words weren’t leaving any time soon.

However, something else kept clouding my thoughts: why had he completely ignored me? I’d never seen a scenario where a mate could resist claiming their other half. Or was something wrong with him? Come to think of it… he didn’t give off a Lycan vibe at all. I should have been able to sense his bloodline as someone of royal Lycan heritage. Yet, he wasn’t human either. Perhaps… he was a werewolf.

Damn it! I cursed under my breath. None of these questions would be swirling in my head if he had just spoken to me.

“He did speak to you… but you fainted,” my wolf teased, her tone dripping with amusement.

I groaned and begged her silently, Shut up, please.

She said something else, but I was too busy paying attention to the bright poster on the school’s notice board, that had caught my eye. Full Moon Party Tonight!

I turned to Jade who had just quietly entered the room, with a smirk I said “let’s go.”

She gasped. “Go where, princess Liz?”

“The party. Obviously.” I replied. “And for the umpteenth time, call me Liz!”

She frowned. “That’s dangerous. You’re the future Lycan queen, Liz. You can’t just—”

“Oh, come on,” I interrupted, giving her my best pleading eyes. “What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, I’ve got my badass Bloodhowl bodyguard.”

She sighed, defeated. “You’re impossible.”

“I prefer fun,” I said, winking as I grabbed my jacket.

****

The music hit me the second we stepped into the hall, a thumping, intoxicating beat that made my chest pound in rhythm. Colored lights spun over the crowd, flickering across laughing faces and glittering dresses. It was like stepping into another world loud, chaotic, and full of life.

I grinned at Jade. “This is going to be fun.”

She frowned but followed silently, eyes darting to every corner like a hawk. “Remember, Liz. Eyes open, and don’t—”

“Relax,” I said, cutting her off. “I know how to have fun without dying. Watch and learn.”

The other girls were easy to find, Catherine, Elma, and the redhead whose name was Gina, all waiting near the dance floor, waving us over with wide smiles.

“You made it!” Catherine laughed. “We didn’t think you’d show.”

“Full of surprises,” I said with a sly grin. “Meet Jade, my new bestie.”

Jade froze at my words, at first. But she composed herself immediately.

The introductions were brief, and then the music grabbed me. I couldn’t resist the rhythm. I let go, dancing like nobody was watching. Well, except maybe Jade, whose frown was slowly being replaced by a reluctant grin.

Drinks flowed, laughter erupted, and I felt my usual worries melt away with every beat of the song. I was buzzing with energy, with the thrill of being reckless. When the DJ played a slower, seductive tune, I let myself twirl, my hair catching the lights, and I noticed a few guys trying to catch my attention.

Polite smiles, small hand gestures, but no, I wasn’t interested. My thoughts were only halfway on them; the rest of me was thinking about him.

“Careful, Liz!” Jade hissed, nudging me. “Don’t get carried away.”

“Oh, I won’t,” I whispered back. Maybe.

I laughed, grabbed a pole on the side of the stage, and for a second, gave in to the daredevil in me. I danced around it, teasing, flipping my hair, my laughter echoing over the music. The girls shouted at me to come down, but I didn’t care, I felt alive, free, and unstoppable.

This was the best thing that had happened to me in a long time, until the world tilted.

Strong hands gripped my arms, and before I could react, I was being pulled toward the door. I struggled when I realized no one noticed, not even Jade. Whoever was taking me had a hoodie on, and was so quick I couldn’t even see his face.

Could this be one of the assassins sent to me?

I shook my head. They would have eliminated me on the spot as they always tried to.

I began kicking and gasping, trying to scream, but the music and the crowd swallowed my voice.

“Hey! Let me go!” I snapped, twisting in their hold. I kicked again, jabbed my elbows, and twisted, trying to pry their hands off me. “Seriously, let me go!” I hissed, glaring up at whoever had dared touch me. My boots scuffed against the floor as I leaned back, putting all my weight into freeing myself.

The audacity of someone thinking they could grab me like I was fragile made my blood boil. I wasn’t about to scream or cry I was too cool, too capable, and definitely too stubborn. “You’ve got the wrong girl,” I spat, jerking again. “Try that with anyone else, and they’ll regret it!”

My hair whipped around my face as I pivoted, my movements quick and precise, testing their grip. Every second felt like a silent standoff, me glaring, daring them to underestimate me, and then… finally, in the blur of the hallway and neon lights, his hood feel off and my wolf whispered for the second time that day “mate” as I saw him. Lucian.