The Desert Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER 13-LADY LINA

"My Prince, I've been looking everywhere for you," a shrill voice said. Prince Badr's hand stopped scrubbing off the dried mud on Eleanor's cheek. The magical bubble that engulfed both of them popped. They simultaneously looked to where the sound of the shrill voice came from.

A beautiful woman was standing at the entrance of the garden, only a few feet away from them. When the lady saw that the attention of the prince was on her, she curtsied elegantly greeting him. The way the lady held herself screamed elegance, power, and finesse. She was wearing a beautiful peach-colored kaftan dress embroidered with different kinds of stones. It was glittering under the sun and accentuating her beauty.

Eleanor didn't need anyone to inform her that the woman was noble born. The lady resumed her straight posture when Prince Badr nodded in acknowledging her but remained in the entrance of the garden. No one was allowed to enter the royal garden without the permission of a royal. So the lady remained rooted to the place where she was standing.

"Greetings, My Prince," the lady greeted Prince Badr. It didn't escape Eleanor's attention the way the lady's eyes lingered on the hand of Prince Badr that was still cupping her cheek. Because of it, she suddenly took a step backward. Her movement snapped the attention of Prince Badr back to her. His eyes shot her a questioning look.

"You have a visitor, Your Highness. I think I need to go and get cleaned," she explained. Eleanor awkwardly curtsied to the prince and turned to walk away. As she was taking a step forward, his strong hand gripped her arm.

"Come with me," he told her. Prince Badr didn't wait for her answer, as he walked towards the lady at the entrance of the garden, leaving Eleanor no choice but to trail behind as he still held her arm in his grip. They stopped in front of the lady.

"Lady Lina, what are you doing here?" The prince asked the lady in a formal tone.

Lady Lina threw a glance at her before answering the prince in a sweet high-pitched voice, "Our clan arrived early at the capital. We were on our way to greet your father at the throne room when I overheard the omegas in the hallway saying that you were here in the garden. I made an excuse to my father, so I could greet you first." the lady answered, batting her long eyelashes at the prince. Her voice was too sweet for Eleanor's liking, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes secretly.

"You came here, without an escort?" Prince Badr asked Lady Lina in a slightly raised tone.

"Don't be upset, My Prince. I have been roaming this palace since we were kids, the people of the palace knew me, and I am secure in the knowledge that nobody would try to harm me here since I am the ward of the king." Lady Lina answered, smiling sweetly at the prince.

Eleanor felt a tug on her chest upon hearing those words from Lady Lina. 'So, they are childhood friends,' she thought. She didn't know why she hated the fact that other girls were close to the prince, even childhood friends as such.

"Even if. Things are different now, Lady Lina. You shouldn't roam around here at the palace without an escort with you. You are our guest as the daughter of the Alpha of the Khiterra Clan, anything that happens to you here on our premises is our responsibility," the prince said to Lady Lina.

Eleanor could not see his face, because she was positioned slightly behind the prince, but she could hear the firmness of his tone with a mix of concern for Lady Lina. Because of the way he talked to the lady, Eleanor felt a tug again on her chest. 'Stop it, Eleanor. Don't tell me you are jealous of his concern for his friend?' she thought, scolding herself for feeling that way.

"Forgive me, My Prince. It was wrong of me to roam without an escort. I was just too excited to see you again after such a long time," Lady Lina said. Eleanor couldn't help but think that Lady Lina purposely left without an escort. The way this lady talked to Prince Badr didn't sit well with her. Call it a woman's intuition, jealousy aside, she felt that Lady Lina screams trouble.