Your Highness

☽☽ Chapter Five ☽☽

We kept crossing paths,
Near misses and almost,
When all I ever wanted
Was for us to collide
~ Jessica Katoff

  Astonishment and Despair, it flooded the room, suffocating and bewitching all those who watched the young king move about in amazement. She hadn't spoken, nor acknowledged their presence, but her appearance alone had onlookers in awe. Never had they seen a being so ethereal in every aspect of the word, so close. She walked with importance, every stride radiated power as easy as she inhaled. She had never stepped foot inside of the pack house, and after a quick glance around she understood why. The sporadic color scheme only furthered her agitation for the people who resided on the land. It made her question her decision in entrusting them with the one thing she held dear. How could they protect the woman she loved when they struggled to properly color coordinate.

"Nineteen years ago..." At the sound of her voice, her audience seemed to hold their breath, latching onto her every word desperately trying to draw out the melodious tone. "I was told this pack could do an outstanding job protecting my soulbound, so please explain to me as to why Ernesti's seal was broken in the presence of both Alpha and Luna, the warriors of this pack, and the surrogate parents?" Ace's words resonated through the house, coated in effortless dominance with a hint of murderous intent, finely threaded in her eloquence.

Alpha Kane's shot his eyes to the ground, in embarrassment. It looked as if they hadn't kept up their end of the bargain made nineteen years ago, as if he wasn't a man of his word. "Your Highness, my sincerest apologies, but we were unable to move. I'm not sure if you were made aware, but the Lyo—"

"I asked for an explanation, not an excuse Kane. If you could not handle the job of protecting my soulbound then admit to it, but do not attempt to justify your inabilities to do so. Now if you would like to give me an explanation, then carry on," She stated, her words directed towards the Alpha as her electrifying gaze held steady on the building further towards the middle of the property. The infirmary. After nineteen years of waiting to see her, her mate was only a couple hundred feet away. Seemingly so close, yet so far. A paradox she was all too familiar with.

"My apologies, Your Highness. You were correct, our powers could not match those necessary to stand under the spell of Nobleman's daughter Jersey Lyons. However, I can assure you, that we will not make the same mistake next time," She turned her attention to Alpha Kane and his Luna, whose eyes seemed drawn to her in an unsettling fashion.

"It's amazing how you could be a hundred percent honest and untruthful at the same time. Admittedly true that you were at a power imbalance, but there will not be a next time. As of today, my mate will no longer be under the care of this pack, that is what I came down here to address,"

Gasps could be heard all around, murmurs spreading like wildfire amongst the cluster of people stationed in the room. "All due respect, but the agreement states that she would stay under our protection until she turns twenty-one, you w—" Luna Amy froze as the woman stared at her with little interest. She wasn't used to being ignored or seen as a pest, but the royalty in front of her made her feel inferior, as if everything she did was inadequate or not up to par.

She despised the feeling.

"I'm overly familiar with our former arrangement, but if you had thoroughly read and memorized the contract you'd know that anytime I feel as if my soulbound is in harm's way then I am free to move her as I see fit," Ace's words were icy as if daring Amy to speak out once more against her wishes.

"We shall support your decision, My King," Alpha Kane stated, his tone one of defeat and regret. The inability to do the one job the Moon Goddess had graciously given him struck him to his core. The least he could do was support his King in whatever choices she decided to make in regards to what is rightfully her's.