The Prince's Mate

Chapter Six

I was eventually pulled out of the car by a man who was much more aggressive than the queen and far larger as well. But I wasn't terribly afraid, just a little intimidated. I knew in my mind that I was going to be a princess; I was the prince's mate after all. And that meant that I could not be harmed for any reason. I had become precious cargo in a matter of seconds. But the idea that I was going to be treated decently didn't soothe the worry that was knotting in my stomach.

What would my father do without me? And Cass, would she be alright too? Willow had probably told both of them the news already. In fact, she had probably shouted it to any and every pack member who hadn't seen the spectacle themselves. The silly girl would presumably be excited for me, most people would be seeing as I was mated to one of the most powerful werewolves.

But all I could think was that I had been ripped away from my family before my mate had even touched my skin and whispered something reassuring in my ear.

Eventually, I was able to calm myself down by reminding myself that the prince was my mate. When he saw me again he would pull me into his arms, kiss my forehead, and give me whatever I wanted. That meant that my family would be with me again soon, I just had to wait to see the prince and express my emotions. Once I did that I would feel silly for getting so worked up and upset over the situation.

Those thoughts comforted me as I was driven to places I had never been. We must've drove for hours, but I refused to open my mouth and ask where we were heading. The queen was nothing but rude and I knew her guards wouldn't even bother answering me. I might've been a lowly werewolf, but I was not going to be treated this unfairly, nor was I going to bring more bitter comments upon myself.

After what felt like an eternity of silence and boredom I felt the car suddenly turn and then come to a harsh stop. My eyes immediately focused on the massive gates before us. With a loud, daunting creak, the gates began to open and the car gradually pulled forward. I knew right away that we had arrived at the royal palace because guards were stationed everywhere. The tall, strong men were milling around the grounds, all in human form and in crisp uniforms. They were all straight faced and focused, as if they expected rogues to jump out of the surrounding woods at any second. Seeing so many people so stern and serious made me tense and jumpy.

But it wasn't just the guards that were all clean cut and perfect. It appeared that nothing behind the gates was out of place. A grand fountain was spewing water, droplets falling into the gorgeous garden surrounding it. The grass was cut short and greener than I had ever seen. And as we continued to drive the equally perfect palace came into view. The whole building was grand, immaculately well kept, and spotless. It put my tiny house back home to shame.

"This will be your home from now on." The queen muttered grudgingly. "Congratulations, you have evicted my husband and myself from our home and now we have to live in that." She hissed, jabbing a thumb towards an equally elegant, but less massive manor nearly half a kilometer away from the palace.

I opened my mouth to apologize, feeling terrible immediately. But I snapped my mouth shut mere seconds later. It was not my fault that she was moving to a gorgeous home, even if it wasn't as large or as grand as she would prefer. It was not my fault that I had been chosen by the moon goddess for her son. And she had no right to make it sound like I had packed her bags and tossed her out on the street when I had met her only a few hours ago.

Thankfully, the tense silence was cut short when the SUV stopped in front of the palace doors and a guard carefully opened my door. He was so quick and well-rehearsed I didn't have a chance to undo my seat belt, but I gradually made my way out of the car. When my feet hit the pavement they felt weak- about as sturdy as jello- and I had to fight myself to stay upright.