The Prince and The Rogue

13: Decisions

|Samantha|

The room was tense, so tense I could taste it on my tongue. It was disgusting and uncomfortable. I shifted in my seat feeling the heated glares being sent my way. I jumped slightly in my seat when I felt Theo's hand on my bare lower thigh. It was unexpected, but soothing in its own way. If I still had my wolf, she'd probably be purring at the intimate contact. I let out a long breath through my nose and tried to compose myself.

Another Alpha takes over as he shifts to rest his arms on the wooden table.

"You want to redeem yourself? You want to be our prince's mate and future Queen. It's cute, really," he says coldly.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Asshole.

"You see, reactions like that are unacceptable for a Queen. It is frowned upon and rude. You do not want to be doing that during a meeting. One wrong facial expression could cost you that meeting."

I sigh annoyed. "Do any of you have manners here? Like seriously, I can't be my own person? I will not convert to your ways. For anything, I will change the blueprint of what a Queen should be. So what I'm not proper, at least I know one thing and that is helping my mate in caring for his people."

I seemed to stun some, but the Death Alpha and his Luna just smirked. They were no stranger to turning things on its head and changing expectations for their titles.

"Oh, is that so? Quite the challenge to live up to, isn't it?"

I grin at him. "Okay, but why does it matter if I have manners or the proper female? It should only matter that I am making the right decisions and thinking about the packs. That I care for them and I am willing to serve them."

The Alpha tears his eyes from me and changes his gaze to the Prince. The prince had a content look on his face. His chin resting on his fist.

"My Prince, how do you answer these proposals?"

He shrugs. "She is her own person. She can make her own decisions and I will stand by her. She is my equal, therefore she has the ability to make decisions for herself. I am not her puppet master. I shouldn't have to make decisions for her because the council sees her unfit to do so. She's a big girl, I think she can come up and make some good decisions for herself. You want her to be Queen, then you have to allow her to have this freedom as she will be making hard decisions on her own. Ones that I won't be allowed to assist in."

I nod inwardly at my mate, thanking him silently.

He smiles softly. "And I'll gladly stand by her for whatever decisions she makes. I'll stand by her side no matter what."

That seemed to anger some of the council members since I could hear a low snarl from some.

"Will you now? Even after she left you and belittled not only you, but your parents? Especially your mother?"

The Prince bit his lip as he looked upon me and nodded his head slowly. "All of you would do that for your mates. I'm sure my father would do the same if he was in my position and applying it to my mother."

The King winks at his son, a proud grin set upon his face.

The Alpha grumbles. "Fine, whatever, but we have been talking about Samantha personally. She has no manners as you can tell and a Queen needs manners, be aware of our politics, and grace. She has none."

A low snarl rumbles from my throat.

"Example A."

Theo shakes his head. "What are you proposing," he growls out the question.

"Nothing impossible. The council and I have been in conversation. We are requesting Samantha and yourself isolate yourselves for a while. Together of course."

I place my cheek in the palm of my hand, my nails tapping my cheek, bored.

"Can we at least agree on that? Or is that even too much for you, Samantha?"

"If it means getting away from you assholes, sure."

They glance at Theo who seemed to be thinking it over.

"Where would we stay?"

King Maxwell stands and places his large palms on the wooden surface of the table. "I'll have the old Alpha Mansion cleaned up? You two can have it all to yourselves until she is deemed acceptable by the council members," he proposes.

Until I am deemed acceptable, my ass. I will return when I see fit and accepting of my circumstance.

They look at each other and all nod in agreement. So it was settled. I'll be living alone with Theo until my manners are up to their expectations. Up to the expectations of a Queen. I doubt I'll ever live up to their expectations, so we will probably never leave that mansion. Even if I do live up to it, they won't admit that I did. It'll hurt their fragile egos to admit that a female proved them wrong. Truly I know I won't live up to their expectations, I don't come from proper breeding or the expected status as the many before me did.

Theo looked to be biting his inner cheek as he looked around the table, nervously. He has the final say in this. If he says no, then that is it. No other questions or requests. Yet, if he says yes, then he is obeying and sinking to a whole new level.

His eyes land on me finally, a faint smile dancing on his lips and he nods. "If this decision guarantees her to be my Queen and my mate, in which you won't look for a replacement. Then yes, I am up for it."

The Alpha chuckles darkly. "Well, it doesn't guarantee it. It gives her a chance. It just gives you time to train her and maybe then, just then she can be seen qualified for the position. It depends on how you spend your months. If we don't see improvement then we shall search for a new Queen."

Theo snarls. "If that is the outcome then I'll be revoking my claim to the throne. I won't be King without my mate."

Luna Adrianna was tapping her foot irritated as well and I could see her eyes glowing as she looked upon the men trying to determine my fate. I smirk, my fate was already decided by her mother and questioning the Goddess in Adrianna's presence never goes well.

Theo's eyes glow before he grabs my hand and leaves the meeting hall dramatically. I could feel the anger rippling off of him. His body was tense and his breathing was heavy.

"Even if you didn't reject me they would still be questioning your ability to be my mate. They would still try to run you out," he explains.

"Oh, I don't doubt it. Who are they to determine our happiness and the Goddesses pairings," I question.

"They think they outrank the Goddess, I am not kidding. I hope Luna Adrianna gives them a taste of their own medicine."

I do too. That is what I strive to be when I take my position as Luna and Queen. Strong and independent.

~~~

Hello everyone! This update was originally for Thursday, per my schedule. Yet, I had exams all week and I wanted to focus on them. So here it is!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend!

~Becca, The Queen of Beans