The Prince's Mate

Chapter Eight

Mason

I definitely need to work on my timing. It was definitely my mate that was yelling. I didn't even get a hello. As soon as I walked in she started yelling at me, then told me to go back to the palace and left.

 I stand there, in her parent's living room, dumbfounded. I have never been talked to like this in my life. Her mother comes up to me and starts profusely apologizing for her daughter's behavior. I hold my hand up, silencing her. 

"It is okay, I know this is a lot for her to take in, any idea where she might be headed to?" They look at each other and he father speaks up, 

"There is a huge oak tree right by the stream, it has a hollowed out trunk, that's where she goes. But Mason?" I am already walking towards the door and I stop, turning around. 

"Yeah?" 

"Be careful with her, she is a very independent woman and she lashes out when she is like this. Take your time and wait her out." I nod at him and walk out the front door, shifting as I run towards the forest.

 Hey son, you going to be back soon? Some of the vehicles are already heading back to the palace. Of course they are.

 I roll my eyes. Of course. I have a little problem here. I run through what happened through the mind link so my mom can see everything that happened. 

She is silent but then says, Give her some time, we will wait as long as we need to. 

So. Everybody's lives are on hold for this one she wolf? Not gonna happen. I follow her scent to the oak tree and she is curled up in the hollowed out base, her nose tucked under her tail. Honestly, even in wolf form, she is super cute. I trot over to her and earn a low growl, without her even looking up. Great. 

Callie

I took off to the woods because that was the only that made sense at the time. Of course, when I was younger, I knew that females usually left their pack to follow their mate's back the their pack. And, if it was just  a regular wolf, or even if I had to leave and become a Luna I could take that, but this is huge! 

This is me becoming the new Queen to our entire race. I felt like the entire world was crashing down on top of my and it is suffocating. I go to my favorite spot for two reasons, one, obviously, it's my favorite spot and two, because I know my parents will know where to send my mate. 

I hear him long before I can feel him. I have my nose tucked under my tail, curled into a tight little ball. Mason steps forward and I give him a warning growl. 

He stays where he is and I peek out at him from under my tail. He is laying on the ground with his head on his paws. He sees him staring at him and he c***s his head to the side. You know I  can mind link you now right? 

I jump, startled at his voice in my head. You could have just said you needed some space and some time to take everything in. 

I come out of my spot and rub up against him, licking his muzzle affectionately. We walk together back to my parent's house and I take a deep breath, trying to decide how to handle this. 

Mason

She looks so sweet and innocent curled up in the base of the tree. She growls at me, but I do see her starting to peek at me from under her tail. Well, maybe there is hope. I don't know what to do, I don't know how to help the situation. 

I know she is probably freaking out about becoming Queen but shouldn't she just jump on the opportunity? Who wouldn't want to be a Royal? She wasn't raised the same way as you, you were raised royal, she was raised a fighter. 

He was right, she was very independent and he had to figure out how to work around that. I mind link her and chuckle as she jumps, not used to hearing my voice in her head. I finally coax her out of her hiding spot in the tree and she licks my muzzle. 

I lick her back but honestly I am trying to figure out if she is just going to be a thorn in my side all the time. We start walking back to her parent's house. I don't know what she is expecting from me. Does she want me to stay here and not go back to the palace? Can I even do that? 

Callie

We get to my parent's house and I walk straight to my mom, who has her arms open, waiting for me. "Mama.. I don't know what to do, I know he is my mate, but am I ready for this? Can I pull this off? I mean, being Queen? I can't even cook a grilled cheese!" 

She pets my hair like she used to do when I was little and I relax into her. I don't know how long we stood like that, but nobody rushed us. 

Mason and my dad moved off the the other room to chat and give us some privacy. My mom sits at the dining room table and takes my hands in her. 

"Listen to me baby, the mate bond is something that is so unique and is what makes us wolves. Mason is the literal other half to your soul. I know all of this is scary, I know you want to be the head warrior, but you don't have to prove to anyone that you are a strong Queen. They know you are, and what is more important than a strong Queen is a compassionate one, an understanding Queen, one who listens to ALL the wolves' problems and not just specific ones. Yes, being strong has its attributes, but no matter what, you will be a perfect Queen, the Moon Goddess would not have made it your destiny if it wasn't meant to be."

 I hug her again and we head into the living room where the guys are. I walk straight up to Mason, knowing what I have to do, and even though it breaks my heart to do it... It is the right thing to do. 

Mason

The walk back to her house is silent. She doesn't say anything to me. I can feel all of her emotions but have been trying to block them out. We reach her house and she immediately runs into her mother's arms.

 My heart start to ache for her, I never though about how this would effect her, but at the same time, I need this. I need the crown, it is who I am. Her father leads me into the living room to give the girls some privacy. 

He hands me a whiskey and sits down at the couch. He seems tense, I am sure he never expected his daughter to be mated to the Prince of the Werewolf Kingdom, but here we are. I decide to break the ice, because I can't stand awkward silences. 

"Sir, I just want to let you know that your daughter will want for nothing, I will give her the world and eventually, our future pups. I will take care of her."

 He looks at me and remains silent, taking a sip of his whiskey. When he speaks, I am dumbfounded at what he says. 

"Listen, I know you are the Prince and all, but if I find out that anything is wrong for my little girl, I will come for you personally, I am not threatening you, but I am promising you. She is my whole world and I will do anything to protect her."

 I nod in understanding and can feel that she has entered the room. I turn around and she walks straight up to me, her face full of determination.

 "I'm ready to do this." My mouth hangs open in shock and I try to recover myself.

 "Uhm, you are?" She nods and looks to her mother, who is smiling brightly, despite the tears in her eyes. "Yes, the Moon Goddess has chosen this destiny for me for a reason, and I will not let her down. Besides," She says, looking at her mom again, 

"There is more to a Queen than being strong. So, I am going to go upstairs and pack and you can pick me up here in an hour, sound good?" I just nod dumbly. I can't believe I am actually taking her back home with me!