The King's Human mate

the exhibition

"My name is Chris Barchad" he introduced himself. She looked taken aback with his name. "Bar... Barchad.." she stammers. "you are Barchad?" but he looks so young. "So you are exhibiting you work here?" he asked not seeming to care about her question. "yes sir" she answered. "Call me Chris, please" he said leading her to a seat. "So you doing this for charity?" he asked without emotions. " yes I am" she said getting a little bit angry at his tone. "You do know you have a percentage from it right?" he asked not minding her up rise anger. "I already discussed with Mr Brad and my percentage will also go to the orphanage" she said with a bit of sadness. He looked at her for a moment, "Brad? so his your agent?" he asked taking a glass of champagne from a waiter who was passing. "No he is my lecturer in school" she answered unsure where there conversation was leading to. "Oh, you are a student" not sounding surprised. "Let me see your work" he said standing up and taking her hands into his. She felt his grip on her but it wasn't hard as she had expected. He was holding back, that she knew. She knew were all the art work were displayed and people were already there admiring them . But a lot of people were captivated by one of her painting, the one from her dream. She had painted a man in a wolf form, but he was larger and howling. She kept seeing him in her dreams and imaginations also, but he wasn't there to hurt her that she was certain. Chris eyes caught the painting and stood frozen for a minute, she could see in his face that he was disturbed by the painting but he composed himself. "What's the inspiration for this" he asked clearing his throat and still staring at the painting. She didn't understand what had just happened but it would be better if she told him the truth but in a professional way. "Well this is different, it has been hanging in my dreams waiting to come to life, it's a man with a heart but lives in a cold world which represents the wolf. He is howling at the world telling them he is going to get what he wants" she explained. He studies the painting for a while and smiled "you got the whole details right" and moved to another painting leaving her pondering. "What was he talking about?" she said looking at her own painting. No one else had seen the wolf man in her dreams so how did he know about the details there. He was just being weird she thought.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seat as the bidding for this incredible arts Start" a man holding a microphone says. "are you coming?" Chris asked.

"Yeah" she replied. He lead her to his exclusive booth and whispered something to the bodyguard standing close to him. "I suppose you don't take alcohol?" looking at her already knowing the answer. "No I don't". The auction started and people were bidding serious money for her art and the other arts. She suddenly remembered that she didn't have the chance to meet with the other artists because she was to busy answering Mr Chris questions. As if he knew she was bothered he spoke "an artist shouldn't have a sour face while her piece is being sold or is the bidding not to your satisfaction?" looking not at her but expecting an answer. What's with this man she thought, she also hadn't seen Anna too, the last time she spotted her was when she was explaining the painting to Mr Chris here and she was giving her thumbs up and mouthing"you are doing great". Even Mr Brad had left her at the beginning of the ceremony and she hadn't seen him too. She needed someone to come take her away from all this weirdness but she had to admit that she was drawn to him in a way that was peaceful. "No, am just looking for my friend..we came together, I haven't seen her for a while now" she answered scanning everywhere. "Let me help you look for her" he said standing up. "You don't have to", "I insist" he held her hands gently."Please you don't have to, I can find her myself" trying to pull her hand away from his. Dragging her hand away with force, she knocked the bottle of champagne making it Break with a loud sound attracting almost every body, turning there head to them. He looked at her and she could see anger in his face. "Please sit, am sure they would help you find your friend" he said looking at his bodyguards. Seeing the attention she had just caused and angry look on his face, she wished the ground will swallow her. The bidding had started and her paintings would soon be brought up. What if nobody likes her paintings because of what had happened.

"This is a mirrored view of the hidden temple of Sisirin from the time of Cleopatra made by Laura Hugh, we will start the bidding from fifty thousand dollars" the auctioneer proceeded with her first painting. People were bidding on her painting and it was sold for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars and others were brought out. "As you all know we save the best for the last and this is the unique painting of the savage man who howls for his one true love" the auctioneer paused to look more at the painting. "Let's start this bidding with sixty thousand dollars". "sixty five", "seventy", "ninety five", and people were bidding for her painting. "1 million dollars " Chris announced making everyone go silent. Laura turned to see him, he hadn't said anything since her little accident and now he was buying her painting for a million dollars. "one million going one, going two aaaand sold to Mr Chris". The auction ended and he extended his hands to bring her up from her seat. She couldn't understand this strange man but somehow she could feel drawn to him. "Why did you buy my painting?" she asked breaking the silence between them as they both head to the elevator for the next section (the after party). "Like I told you earlier, you got the details right" he answered."What details are you talking about?" she continued. Why was he sounding mysterious. He looked at her directly in the eyes, she could see his blue eyes reaching deep in her and it felt good, so good she didn't want to break the contact. He touched her face and she flinched and jerked back. But he continued, his hands were rough but it didn't bother her. Why did she feel so darn comfortable with this man who she just met today, she had never had a boyfriend or even feel the need to. She had never felt anything for any man but here she was leaning more into this man's touch. He leaned his face close to hers and kept sniffing her like it was his cure. And he whispered"Mate" breathing and sniffing close to her neck. She just stood there not ready to move as this was new to her. She had seen Anna with other guys so what they do but never like this. He raised her chin up, looking at her lips, there face were so close that she could feel his breath. He took her hands and placed it on his chest were his heart beats. He was beating faster than normal, he wrapped his hands on her waist and drew her close. Leaning in for a kiss, the elevator door rings and opens making her come back to herself and pulls away from him. She heard him growl and was taken aback. She had heard that growl earlier this morning. She stares at him with confusion, "Laura, are you okay" a female voice asks drawing her attention away from Chris who doesn't seem to let her waist go. "Yes, yes am fine" she clears her throat to Chris who reluctantly frees her waist. She sighs as she steps out of the elevator to meet her friend who had a shocked look on her face. Chris was still to close to her making her a little bit uncomfortable. "Mr Barchad" Anna announced still with the shock look. "Are you sure you okay Laura?" Anna questioned once more making Chris shoot her with a look. She quickly lowered her gaze, "Chris please can I have a moment with my friend" she asks with pleading eyes. He looked at Anna for a moment and turns to Laura with a smile. "Okay" and he walks away with his bodyguards coming out of nowhere, walking behind him.

"Laura what's going on?" Anna asks dragging her to a seat. "I honestly don't know" she answered. "What do you mean you don't know? the both of you were about to kiss in the elevator with his hands around your waist and you called him Chris and you telling me you don't know" Anna continues with a questioning look. "Am serious, I really don't know what happened. It just happened fast" she answered. She couldn't really understand what had happened but she knew she felt different with him. "Are you okay?" Anna asked in a more softer tone pulling her into a hug. she leaned into the hug," let's go home" she answered. She just wants to go home and understand what had happened between she and Chris. "Okay, let's go home and you tell me everything that happened" Anna said.

"He called me Mate" she announced immediately they both stepped into there apartment. "Mate?, how's that possible?" Anna asked with fear. "But you only a human" looking at her. "Anna this isn't the time to joke about things, he held me" she sobbed softly. "Oh Laura, am so sorry I wasn't there" she said wiping the tears from her face. "I allowed him" she answered lowering her head "because he felt safe and different". Anna looked at her with amusement. "Do you know what mate means?" Anna asked. She shook her head,"it means to be fated with someone who was chosen for you from above" she said with a smile. "And you my sweet dear has been given the most powerful creature in our time" she continues to smile. "What do you mean? creature! fate! I really don't understand you sometimes" she replied walking into her room. "Laura wait" Anna calling her. She turns to listen to what she wants to say. Anna had an authoritative voice that she sometimes find fascinating but not today. "You are going to understand what all this means very soon now that you both have found each other" she said. She left her standing there as she walks into this kitchen.

She couldn't tell if Anna was serious or not but she knew for sure something wasn't adding up. She lay down on her bed and continued to recall the event of the day. She didn't even wait to see the end of the exhibition and Mr Brad, she knew he was going to question her disappearance but she would worry about him tomorrow. She allowed sleep take her and she dreamt of Chris but not in a human form but In the form she kept seeing in her dreams and imaginations.