On The Run

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

It didn't take long for Sarah to find me and Harriet was hot on her tail as they both approached, I had been standing at the buffet table when our gazes had met.

"I see you have cleaned up, how's the house?" Sarah enquires but there is no genuine interest in her tone, she simply does not care. I smile sweetly at her and take a sip of my drink, I wish there was alcohol in this.

"The house is lovely, thank you and thank you for the support. It that all?" I ask politely even though every bit of me is screaming to bite her, the wind blows across us making me shiver at the coldness. Just as I am about to speak the breeze carries a strong scent of pine, ash and a hint of sweat, I can't help but take another whiff. Sarah catches on to my actions and smirks knowingly as I manage to control the urge of chasing after the scent, Sarah's smug smile widens when I turn my attention back to her and ignore my potential mate.

"Do you know how others people can tell when two mates have found each other dear Layla?" Sarah presses and I ignore her question, searching for my mate.

"Their eyes flare, their pupils dilate and constrict like a pulse. Many believe the pupils follow the beat of your mate's heart, it's interesting really. You can only see the full effects when they make eye contact to confirm but most people find their mate just through scent, have you found yours Layla?" She questions again and I continue to stay silent, trying to prevent myself from running off after my mate.

"I had hoped that this would happen, this would make forcing you to marry a man even better. You'd be going against the moon goddess, Harriet isn't it a wonderful idea?" She pretty much squeals in excitement as my head turns towards the scent once again but then back to her. Harriet nods her head in agreement and crosses her arms across her chest, scowling at me once again.

"You're mate is so close little Layla and from the way you're reacting, you can't wait to sink your teeth into them." She exclaims and starts to look around her for any signs of my mate, the scent does not move which is strange. Usually it is so difficult to find your mate because you're both constantly chasing one another in circles, but you cannot stop and wait as the pull is too strong. Why is my mate not moving, unless they do not want me which will inevitably make my life easier.

"How about we go find him hmm?" Harriet suggests and both women pull me around, I try my best to make my attraction not obvious. I do not see my mate then it will make it easier for me to leave, I just need to stay strong.

"Why are you doing this, why can't you let me be? I am following your rules, I am staying away. I have no power and yet you still see me as a threat?" I question and the last point was to challenge them slightly.

"You are most certainly not a threat, this is payback. Your mother wished you was never born, when she gave birth to a female first she was distraught. She felt shamed, and your father the same. They hoped you was dead when you left, you were the reason they died." Sarah shouts at me as we continue to move amongst the crowd, it is rare for queens to give birth to females first and so there was no law stating that if the first born was a female then it was not next to the throne, most mothers would abort their female child to make sure the heir was a male.

The wind blows again and the scent of my mate gets stronger. Unable to hide it I raise my head in the direction of which he is in and pull forward from their grasp.

"Please stop this." I plead and try to pull myself away from the pair of them, their grasp only tightens. We move closer to the stage that holds the kings and queens of each realm, only three of the twelve kings are mated and so they are only here to look over their own pack members. I should be amongst them, even if I should not be on the throne because of my gender.