The Prince and The Prophecy

CHAPTER FOUR

“Mate!” Ryker howled.

My forehead furrowed. I got confused for a minute after I heard what Ryker said.

Mate? Our mate?!

But I was in human territory, how come I would find my mate here?

When werewolves and Lycans turn at the age of seventeen or eighteen, we can finally find our mates.

Our destined soul mates.

We are paired by the moon goddess herself, that’s why it’s almost impossible to reject it. There’s a very strong bond that pulls us to each other. We can tell who our mate is by their scents. The scent can be very addicting and there are also sparks whenever we have physical contact with each other.

Mates are our other half, we need them to feel complete. Once a werewolf finds his mate, he marks her to let others know that she is taken. Marking is done by biting your mate’s neck, which leaves a mark forever. Making two souls bound to each other for the rest of their lives...

"That's our mate! Go to her." I can hear my beast prancing inside my head.

Lycans take this thing very seriously, as it is hard for us to find our soul mates and we’re very lucky if we do. Those who were unfortunate to find their mates end up with a chosen mate. We can also mark our chosen mate the same way that we would with a real mate, but the bond cannot be as strong as the real ones.

Werewolves find their mate almost as soon as they turn, but it’s different for us Lycans. We have longer lives, so sometimes our mates are so much younger. That’s why I didn’t bother even if I haven’t found my mate yet.

But now, I’m bothered for sure.

Is my mate a rogue? What a cruel joke would that be?

“What are you waiting for? Look for our mate, now!” Ryker ordered, disturbing my thoughts.

“I thought you wanted to go back to the palace now?” I honestly don’t know if I should look for her. Is this the reason why I was aching to cross the border?

“Stop with your games and just go find her.”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I sniffed the air. I couldn’t smell a rogue or any wolf and, for the first time in my life, I got so nervous. My heart beats erratically inside my chest. I’m thinking it could burst any moment now.

What kind of creature is my mate? Is she a vampire? A fairy?

A witch?!

“What would our mate be? I can’t smell any wolves nearby.” I decided to ask Ryker. Maybe he has an idea.

“It doesn’t matter, boy. What matters is that she is ours. Now go get her before I do.” He growled, as if that could make me scared!

“How can you be so sure that our mate’s a she?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. Because I really feel that something bad is about to happen.

“Just go now before I kick your ass!”

“Okay! Okay! Grumpy old mutt!”

I began to walk in the same direction again, and as I did, the scent just kept on getting stronger. The sound of the water is also louder. I kept myself hidden as I saw a river. My eyes immediately hovered around.

I can’t see anything and the scent lessens.

“Where is she? I know she’s here. I can feel her.” Ryker insisted.

I was startled when a woman suddenly got out from under the water with her back on us. She stroked the water out of her face and hair. What is she doing out here alone in the dark?

“There she is.” I answered Ryker’s question earlier.

That enticing scent was no doubt coming from her. She is our mate!

But no, she’s not a rogue! She’s a human! At least that's what she looks like from the back. Her body looked like that of a she wolves in their human form, only that she's a bit smaller compared to them.

A human...

Which is, by the way, more unacceptable for a future king like me.

How can she be a queen if she’s a human? Nobody will respect her. And she has no idea about creatures like us for sure. I can’t just drag her into my world. This is complicated.

I should run now, but there’s like an invisible force pulling me to her.

The mate bond...

‘Mate! Mate!’ And Ryker here is not helping at all; he kept on prancing and howling inside my head. He’s just ecstatic about finding our mate, not minding about the possible consequences of this.

‘Shut it Ryker, you know this is wrong in all ways.’ I spoke to him inside my mind while my eyes were still glued to the back of my unknowing mate.

All I could see was her long black hair that reached below her waist and some skin on her shoulders and arms. Her bright skin is in perfect contrast with her dark hair. It seemed to be glowing against the water. I felt the strongest urge to go near her and to feel her skin, but I fought against it.

She definitely has no idea that her mate is right here, hiding behind a thick trunk. She doesn’t have the ability to catch our smell from this distance. I’m not even sure if humans have the ability to smell their mates.

How I wish for her to turn around even just a little so I could see her face. But she dived into the water again before I could take a glimpse of her beauty. My heart ached with the fact that I can’t have her. I don’t even have the guts to show up to her!

‘How is this wrong?! She’s our mate!’ Ryker growled.

I just ignored him. I really want to see her face right now, but I should head back before anyone notices my absence. I inhaled deeply, wanting to etch her intoxicating scent into my memory, then I began running back home.

“Where are you going, Lucas? Go get our mate!” I felt Ryker fighting for control over our body but I wouldn’t let him.

“You know very well that I can’t”, I growled deeply, and that silenced him.

I ran back as fast as I could in my human form. Letting all my frustrations go with the wind. When I couldn’t help it anymore, I shifted into my beast but still focused on controlling my mind. I can’t let Ryker take control, for sure he will go back and who knows what he will do once he’s in front of our mate.

I was running in all my Lycan glory. My beast stands around eight feet in height, with white and grey fur and red glowing eyes. If ever she sees us in this form, I don’t know how she will react. She would probably faint at the mere sight of our beastly figure.

I managed to go back to where the portal is faster than before because I was in my Lycan form. I crossed the portal once more before shifting back. I took the clothes that I left here earlier and put them on. Then I continued running to the stone castle.

I saw the guards outside the entrance, so I just went around to the other side where my bedroom is. I pulled out my claws and used them to climb up to the balcony. I was able to get in without anybody noticing.

Once I got inside, I rushed to the bathroom and went under the shower. I don’t know what to do. Is this my punishment for breaking one of our sacred laws? For crossing the borders?

Even under the shower, my thoughts won’t leave me alone. I don’t know what to do. Should I tell my parents about it? But how can I explain that I found her in the human world? For sure they will know that I have stolen the talisman!

This is getting more complicated!

I jumped on the bed after taking a bath. My head seems to be left on the other side of our borders. I’m itching to go back.

I want to see her face, to smell her. I want to touch her, to feel her.

But I couldn’t, I shouldn’t.

‘What kind of joke is this?’ I thought to myself.

‘You i***t! This is not a joke!’ Ryker growled back at me. ‘Moon goddess gave her to us. I’m sure there’s a reason.’

‘There are thousands of she wolves in the kingdom, why give me a human as a mate?! There has to be a mistake!’ I snapped but he did not answer anymore, he just growled before going to the back of my mind. Leaving me staring at the ceiling, I don’t know what’s going on, but one thing’s for sure.

No one has to know about this...

When midnight came, I couldn’t take it anymore! I tried to get out of the palace again. The mate bond won over me. At that time, not even a single guard was in sight. We have a peaceful community here. Every pack has joined into a treaty. Wars have long been forgotten. Rogues have been trapped on the other side of our border. That’s why the need for guards is minimal.

I was able to sneak out without anybody spotting me. I shifted, then began sprinting to go back to her. I really needed to see her. I want to see her as fast as I can!

I ran on the same path that I took earlier. When I reached the river where she was, she wasn’t there anymore. I sniffed the air, searching for her addictive scent. I caught a hint of it and I followed my senses. Ah, it is surely the best scent I’ve ever smelled in my whole life.

After a while, I found her sitting on a big rock. She seemed like she was soaking in the moonlight. Seems like my mate is a nocturnal being.

I walked to go near her and when I was almost behind her, I accidentally stepped on a twig. It snapped and that caught her attention. She turned around, almost in slow motion.

My eyes widened when, finally, I saw her face. But it was so far from what I'd expected. I felt my jaw drop in utter surprise!

Her face was so pale with two hollow black eyes. Her nose has no skin, with the bone sticking out. And her lips are dark and open, showing her thousand needle-like teeth.

I was rooted in place, I couldn’t even move. I was in grave shock. She’s not human!

This is getting so much worse!

I wanted to turn back and run away from her but our mate bond is so strong, it’s so hard to fight it. I was like a piece of metal that’s being pulled by a strong piece of magnet.

“Aaaaahhhh!” I screamed at the top of my lungs when her arms snapped in front of her. Then she stood up and started walking in my direction. I screamed louder. I can’t move. What am I going to do now?

“Ryker, where are you?! Please help me!” I pleaded, but there was no response from him. Looks like my wolf is also horrified by our mate that he just decided to bail out on me.

“Aaahhhh!!” I screeched louder, she’s almost in front of me and her mouth is getting bigger as she gets near me. Will I die tonight?

Will she mark me or eat me?

“Haaahh!”

Cold water splashed in my face and that’s what woke me up from that horrible dream. I choked from it and I was coughing so badly. The water went up to my nose!

I sprung up from my bed still coughing, only to see Minda with a bucket in her hands. She was wide-eyed while looking at me in confusion.

“What the- What the hell Minda!” I growled and my Lycan voice echoed inside the room. She bowed her head and her knees almost fell to the floor in submission.

“I’m so sorry your highness. You were panting and groaning when I saw you. I tried to wake you up but you wouldn’t budge.” She hurriedly explained.

“That’s the only way that I could think of,” she reasoned out.

“Ah, just make sure to clean that up!” I groaned before going straight to the bathroom. What kind of nightmare is that?

“Do you have something to do with it, Ryker?” I asked, but he did not respond. Argh!

What a bad way to start my day!