Her Second Chance✔ (Published)

6 (Edited)

Andre

Please, Andre, I can't. Not right now. Can you give me time to process?

His mate had begged him. He knew she was hurt, had looked heartbroken in her photo. Understanding that though didn't bring any understanding. He wanted to lash out, to kill something. Preferably her sister and true mate. It hurt that she didn't trust him, hurt that she'd asked to be left alone.

How long would she need? Would he have to wait for her to reach out? 'No,' his wolf declared. 'We have to go get our mate.'

Yeah, his wolf wasn't helping. Even if he wanted to have her with him more than anything he couldn't disobey his king. He knew that the longer a were went without his mate the more possessive he'd become once he found her. Andre was already dominant and that wasn't the frame of mind his mate needed.

He needed to get himself under control before meeting her. 'We have to put her needs first.' He countered his wolf. 'Our mate is fragile right now and needs time to accept us."

'How much time?' His wolf growled the demand.

'No more than two weeks.' Andre decided. That was how long he was willing to wait to have her where she belonged. In his possession.

'And if she decides against us too?' The growl his wolf put into those words was painful for his inner ear, but not as much as the thought of not having her.

'Then we will go and take her.'

Approval washed through him from his wolf and he smiled. Now that he knew where to find her, Cari would never escape him. Having made some queries, Andre knew that his mate was absolutely innocent. At twenty-six she was still a virgin and by all accounts had never been kissed.

He was sure she found that embarrassing but it made Andre want to howl out his triumph to the world. To take her into some cave and claim her until she knew who she belonged to. No, Cari was his and wouldn't be escaping him. And soon she'd know beyond a shadow of a doubt who she belonged to.

He'd be patient, and nurture her as she needed. Then he'd teach her what she was, his prize, his treasure, his.

"Anything to add Andreas?" His grandmother's voice intruded upon his thoughts.

Raising his head with slow deliberation, he looked at the faces around him, all turned to him. They all knew he hadn't been paying attention. "No." He replied as if he had, daring them to dispute him.

The queen raised a regal brow, surprised and mocking at the same time. Amusement tainted her lips as her attention focused on him. "You have nothing to add to how we shall punish the people who've hurt your mate?"

Was that what they were talking about? "I trust you to be fair and just grandmother." He stated with mild dignity.

The king laughed his spirited laugh that he reserved for family. "Way to go boy." He complimented.

The queen sent a sour look to her mate. "More and more he's becoming a lot like you." She complained.

"He's my pride and joy." King Fredrico stated with a grin.

"I thought I was your pride and joy." Andre's father, the crown prince mock complained.

"A man can have more than one pride and joy." His grandfather stated piously.

Andre loved the moments when dinner was just his immediate family. They were dining in the royal apartments, just his parents and grandparents and him. It was a rare occurrence and he was sure they'd done it in honour of him finding his mate. Soon Cari would be joining him in these private dining.