The Alpha's Drakonian Mate

CHAPTER 3: DRAGON PRINCE

Savannah’s POV

I stood near Tristan as I waited for the dragon prince Xavier’s arrival. It felt like deja vu as I remembered how I had stood in the same place just a few months ago waiting for the Dragon King. And my gut was twisting with the same dreadful feeling I got that day, even though nothing bad had happened then. Hopefully, I could say the same after Xavier’s visit, too.

The same people who had gathered to welcome king Leonard were gathered to welcome his son too, with the addition of Tristan, who was absent then. My heart skipped a beat at the reminder of what happened to Tristan and the pitiful state I found him in flashed through my mind. Even though he had gotten over it and regained his health, I had a feeling that he would never forget the ordeal. Because I know I won’t…

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard excited murmurs near me and looked up in time to see a classy car rolling out in front of us. The Dragon Prince has arrived…

As I watched the car door open and a young man step out of it, my heart started drumming at an alarming rate. Just why the hell was I feeling like this? For all intents and purposes, the man looked as normal as they would come; handsome, but still normal. With a frown, I examined the guy to find if anything about him stood out to me that would explain my nervousness with his presence. 

His dark hair was combed back neatly as he stood with a slight smile playing on his lips. Slowly, he took off the sunglasses that he wore, revealing his dark brown eyes that were brimming with curiosity. He was wearing a neat grey color suit giving him an impeccable appearance. All in all, he looked calm, controlled and handsome; nothing to be terrified of. I had no clue why I was having the sudden urge to turn and flee before he could see me. Weird!

As if sensing my internal meltdown, Tristan squeezed my hand, and I turned to him. He looked me over as if making sure I was alright, before looking into my eyes questioningly. I gave him a slight nod and smiled reassuringly, and he looked away reluctantly. But still he held my hand and with just something simple like that, half of the weight in my chest lifted off. With him at my side, I can face anything...

With new found confidence, I turned to the dragon prince. Alright. Time to welcome the dragon dude.

Tristan and I both walked over to prince Xavier and after the men exchanged pleasantries, he turned towards me. The polite smile that I had pasted on my face froze as his intense brown eyes focused on me. His eyes roamed around my face and it took every ounce of willpower inside me not to flinch and step back. Or better, run for the hills while screaming like a banshee.

The dazed look on his face vanished the moment his gaze landed on my stomach and he bit his lips as if contemplating something. And just as suddenly, the confident smile was back on his face and he raised his hand towards me for a handshake. What was up with him? I almost got a whiplash from his sudden changes in attitude. Talk about creepy!

I threw a sideways glance at Tristan to see if he found anything abnormal with the prince’s behavior, but he was smiling at Xavier, not in the least bothered. So it was just me then? Had I imagined his knowing smile? Oh well, whatever! I guess I am just being me and over-analyzing everything as usual.

I looked at Xavier just in time to see him extend his hand for a shake. Had I been lost in my thoughts anymore, the future king of the Dragon realm would have been left with his hands hanging in air. That certainly wouldn’t have ended up well. Whew! I guess I dodged a bullet right now!

Hastily, I raised my hand and as soon as his hand touched mine; I felt an electric spark in my hand, making me freeze in my place. What the hell!

I looked up at Xavier to see if he had felt anything, but he was looking at me with a knowing smile. There was no surprise in his face, almost as if he was expecting something to happen. By now, I didn’t feel the spark anymore, and I wondered if it had really happened or if I had imagined it. 

Shaking off the thought, I tried to pull my hand back and for a moment; I felt Xavier tighten his hand in mine before letting it go. I certainly didn’t imagine it. What was up with this guy?!

Casting him a suspicious glance, I moved closer to Tristan. From what Tristan had told me, Xavier was a man with no black marks. He was a confident and smart guy who was all set to become the king soon and he had a friendly character. A little too friendly if you ask me…

As soon as Xavier set his eyes away from me, I felt at ease. I pulled Tristan’s hand before clutching onto it like a lifeline, and he turned to me with concern. I gave him a slight smile in response, and he squeezed my hand, offering me comfort. Just what I needed now…

I turned to Xavier only to see him looking at our entwined hands with a frown. But as soon as he noticed me staring, he looked up with a mischievous smile playing on his lips. This man was really getting on my nerves. Just a day, Savannah, just a day. Tolerate the f*****g prince for a day and everything would be alright!

Since it was noon already, we headed straight for lunch and the entire time, I could feel his eyes on me. But whenever I looked up, I found him engrossed in eating or talking to someone across the table. Maybe I was imagining things after all?

After lunch, Tristan and Xavier were supposed to have their meeting, and I exhaled a sigh of relief, eager to catch a break from the dragon prince’s overbearing presence.

“I am leaving now. See you later darling,” I whispered to Tristan before getting up and he nodded in response. I turned to Xavier and forced a smile on my face when what I wanted to do was cringe at the intense look in his eyes. I was about to excuse myself when he raised his hand and I paused. 

“If you don’t mind, shall I speak to you in private, Your Highness?” I felt Tristan stiffen beside me and I knew that he must be looking as flabbergasted as I was right now. Why did he want to speak to me alone?

“To you both, I mean,” Xavier explained, and I turned to Tristan, who was looking at Xavier with a puzzled expression. Then he gave a gentle nod in response. It was not as if he had any reason to refuse such a simple request. 

But why was my heart thundering inside my chest like this? I felt goosebumps rise all over my body. This must be what they mean when they say about feeling someone walk over your grave. I just knew that the dragon prince was up to no good. I could only hope that it wasn’t as bad as my imagination was making it.

I sat near Tristan and stared at Xavier, who was sitting across from us. He had asked for a private meeting and now that he got his wish; he was doing nothing but stare at us silently. Talk about unnerving!

I fidgeted in my seat and Xavier snapped his gaze to me, making me pause like a deer in headlights. 

“So, Your Highness. First of all, congratulations! How far along are you now?”

That sounded so odd coming from him, but as soon as the topic of my pregnancy came, I lost my inhibition and beamed at him. 

“Oh, I am six and half months pregnant now.”

“Nice. Have you found the gender yet?”

“Oh no. We decided to keep it a surprise and are waiting till the birth,” I answered, wondering why he wanted to know about this. Why was I having the feeling that it was not just casual small talk as he was making it to be?

“Just two months or so to go…” Xavier said with a calculating look. Then he looked at Tristan with a carefree smile.

“In two months, you will get your heir. But now, I have to take my fiance back with me,” he declared, and I frowned. What did the birth of my baby have to do with his fiance? Was this guy smoking something or what?

“What do you mean?” Tristan asked the question that was burning in my mind, albeit much more polite than I would have. And he looked just as puzzled as me. Why was this guy talking in circles and making us confused like this?

“Let me tell you a small story. Once upon a time, there was a mighty race called the Drakonians. The race was always ruled by females except when there were no female heirs left,” he began, and I frowned. Why was he talking about Drakonians out of the blue?

Xavier smirked, as if in response to my confusion. Then he continued speaking...

“Once prince Viktor became the king, they lost their power and became the target of enemy realms. To save the realm, the Drakonian King sought help from the dragons,” he said with a smirk, and the ominous feel I had from the moment I heard of his visit reached its peak. 

“King Viktor made a blood pact with my great grandfather, promising the drakonian heir to the dragon heir in return to their help and, my dear princess, the pact still holds.”

“But the Drakonians went extinct, didn’t they?” Tristan asked, looking just as tense as me. Apparently, it wasn’t only me who thought that Xavier was up to no good.

“Of course not. King Viktor’s betrothed was pregnant at the time and she escaped to Earth. That means the Drakonian heir is well and alive right now.”

I stiffened as I realised where this was going the moment he mentioned Earth. I guess I always knew. At least when I developed the Suraksha power. But did that mean he was telling what I thought he was? Oh God, no!

“Prince Xavier, stop talking in riddles and say what you want,” Tristan growled out, making me realise that he had caught on, too. I clenched his hand tight and watched as his eyes darkened. I had the feeling that he was just one step away from leaping across the seat and mauling the dragon prince. At this stage, I wouldn’t blame him if he did just that. Politics be damned!

“And now, I have come to claim my betrothed, my dear princess,” Xavier said, raising his hand, and I watched as his hand, or more like the birthmark in his hand, glowed. The exact same birthmark I had. And everything went dark…