The Royal Blood of the Lycan Princess

Chapter 7: Nicolai's Betrayal

I had heard of fated mates. Of course, I had. Everyone in the pack had heard of them. It was the bond that transcended time, the connection between two wolves that could not be broken, a deep, instinctual pull that united two people in a way that couldn't be explained with words. The bond was sacred. It was supposed to be something to cherish, to protect.

But me? I didn't believe in that kind of magic. Not for someone like me. Someone who hadn't even shifted yet.

Still, when the pull first came, I couldn't ignore it. It was subtle at first — a whisper of recognition in the back of my mind, a tug on my soul that made my heart race. I'd felt it before, but I had no idea what it meant. I thought maybe it was just my imagination running wild, like the other girls in the pack who talked about the future and their mates as if they were already real. But I wasn't like them. I didn't fit in anywhere, not in the way they did.

Then, it happened again. Stronger. Clearer. The pull, like an invisible thread, tugged at my chest, urging me to seek out the one who called to me.

That's when I saw him.

Nicolai.

The last person I ever expected. The last person I would have chosen.

He was standing across the training field, looking as arrogant and untouchable as ever, his dark hair falling just slightly over his forehead, his jaw set in that infuriatingly perfect line. He didn't see me, not at first. But I saw him.

My heart pounded, erratic and desperate, as if it recognized something in him that I couldn't yet comprehend. It was like all the walls I'd built up for the past year crumbled, and in their place stood this... this connection. The realization slammed into me like a wave, sweeping me off my feet.

He's my mate.

The world tilted. My pulse raced. And just as quickly, the exhilaration I felt was replaced by an overwhelming sense of dread. Nicolai. My fated mate was Nicolai. The same Nicolai who had tormented me for months, who had made me feel worthless. Who had spread rumors about me, called me weak, mocked me for not shifting.

I didn't know what to do with that kind of information. The pull toward him was undeniable, but the idea of being tied to him in such an intimate way, of belonging to him... it made my stomach twist. I didn't want this. I couldn't want this.

But there was no escaping it. The bond was there, undeniable and powerful.

"Amelia," a voice broke through my thoughts.

I turned quickly, almost relieved to see Bea standing there, her face filled with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward Nicolai, who was still talking to a group of his friends. He hadn't noticed me yet, but that didn't stop the dread from creeping up my spine.

"I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile that felt like it would crack at the edges. "Just... tired."

Bea raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. She'd always known me too well, and she could sense that something was wrong. But before she could press, the sound of footsteps reached us.

It was Nicolai. He approached with his usual confident swagger, his eyes glinting as he looked down at me, that familiar sneer forming on his lips. My heart thudded in my chest, the pull of the bond too strong to ignore, but I hated myself for feeling it.

"Amelia," he said, his voice smooth but tinged with something I couldn't place. He nodded at Bea as if she weren't even there, dismissing her with a glance. "What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I swallowed hard, trying to hide the shaking in my hands. "Nothing," I muttered. "Just... just tired."

He studied me for a moment, his gaze narrowing as if he could see right through me. "Right." He didn't look convinced, but he didn't push further, turning his attention back to me.