The Desert Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER 18-THE BANQUET

When that sweet smell invaded his nose, it felt like time slowed down for Prince Badr. Everything and everyone surrounding him seemed like a blur. His back went rigid, and his senses became alert and focused. Focused only on the owner of that intoxicating sweet scent. He didn’t need to be told who the owner was. It was all too familiar to him, and he only knew one person who carried that scent. And the only person who can stir something in his beast. Just by the mere sharp intake of it, he felt that his beast had been awakened. 

As he spun in the direction where the sweet scent came from, his heart skipped a beat upon taking in the beauty of the most beautiful lady that his eyes had ever laid upon. There she was, standing in the middle of the grand doorway, shining like a star in the night. Prince Badr couldn’t hear the murmurs in his surroundings nor feel the tug of Lady Lina in his arms. All his attention was focused on the goddess at the door. She seemed nervous as she kept fidgeting with her fingers. Her eyes scanned the whole room as if looking for someone, when her eyes locked onto his, Prince Badr felt that his world seemed to be still. All the buzz of the people surrounding them faded. In his eyes, there was nobody there but him and her. 

“Ella...” he murmured. She smiled at him, and Prince Badr’s breath hitched because of it. He was mesmerized by her. He couldn’t help but take in her appearance. He smiled when he saw that she was wearing the kaftan dress that he bought personally. 

“I knew that this dress was made for you,” he proudly thought. The royal blue kaftan dress hugged her upper body and accentuated her curvy and petite form, while it flowed out from her waist downwards. The stones and beads embroidered in a beautiful pattern around her neckline, complement the shine in her gray eyes and the streak of gray in her luscious hair.

She slowly walked her way in his direction. In every move she made or a flick of her hands, the butterfly sleeves of the dress flowed and swayed. It was like soft velvety water where a breeze would make flowing waves whenever she moved. Her dress flowed like the calm ocean during a summer night, where the full moon is shining brightly in the sky, no wind is felt, and the only sound is from the slow, soft waves sneaking their way onto the beach. She took his breath away by just walking towards him. She truly was like a goddess that walks her way into their realm.

“She is MINE!” he thought. He didn’t seem surprised when that thought occurred to him. He felt relief upon accepting his real feelings. He wanted Eleanor, he wanted her for him and him alone. His feet started to move towards where she stood. He ignored the tug of a hand that tried to stop him from walking his way to Ella, instead, he just brushed it off.

He walked leisurely towards her, just taking his time as he took in her beauty. Imprinting it on his mind. He saw Eleanor stop just a few feet from him. He took a few more steps and stopped in front of her.

“Um…” she started to fidget again. “Should I curtsy in front of you, Your Highness?” she mouthed at him. 

His brow creased as he didn’t understand the words she was saying. His attention was solely focused on her inviting, red lips moving slightly and mumbling something. He was fighting an urge to raise his hands to her face to trace those lips with his thumb. To feel their softness and…

“Your Highness!” she whispered-yelled at him. Because of it, he seemed to wake up from a trance.

“Huh? Are you saying something, Ella?” he said to her in a low voice.

“I am asking if I need to ‘curtsy’ while greeting you here,” she asked again, her voice slightly above a whisper. Her face was full of worry. It was then that Prince Badr seemed to realize that they were not the only people in the room. His eyes scanned the whole room, and he saw that all eyes were on the two of them. He focused his attention back on Eleanor. She seemed nervous. Her eyes weren't on him but instead, she was scanning the whole room too. Her feet were lightly shifting on the floor, and she fiddled with her hands.