Her Silver Eyed Mate

Raiden Romano

Raiden POV

“The Queen will be available shortly, Prince Raiden,” the omega curtsied, lowering her gaze, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks at being alone in my presence. “She is just finishing a meeting with the Elders.”

I bristled at her royal address but hid it behind a charming smile. I was no more a Prince than the gardener of the palace. Yes, my father used to be the Hybrid King of Vampires and my sister was now the Queen of all supernaturals, but I had no title. My nephews, Lorcan and Leif were princes. Not me. Yet every supernatural I came across insisted on treating me as if I was a royal God. I can’t blame them. After all, I am the only tribrid with the immense powers of three species to have existed apart from my sister. But unlike her, I have done nothing to deserve their devotion and respect.

My family are the most famous and legendary supernaturals in history. My father was the first hybrid to ever exist, half vampire and half powerful warlock. Arius Anderson Romano single-handedly took down a council of Elders, survived two supernatural wars and ruled over the vampire clans fairly and justly for over twenty years before he bent his knee to my sister to rule. He is my idol, and rightly so, many others too. My mother is a wolf with alpha blood running through her veins and the kindest heart I have ever known. She is the backbone of our family and without her we would all fall apart. She has sacrificed herself over and over for us and her people and has gained a huge amount of respect within our world.

Then there’s my sister. Queen Ruby Cora Romano Black. A f*cking mouthful I know. The first and only tribrid in existence until I came along. Just like me, she is equal parts vampire, wolf and witch. But the difference between us is that she is worthy of her fame. She saved the entire supernatural race from extinction at the hands of a deranged hybrid and, in return, united all species who had always been at loggerheads. She has been ruling the fae, vampires, wolves, goblins and merpeople with her fated mate, King Alpha Ezra, peacefully for over twenty-five years.

And then there is me.

“Thank you…” I paused to allow the omega to tell me her name and, just like I thought, her large blue eyes widened and she gulped down her nerves before responding.

“Destiny, my grace,” she replied, her cheeks turning a darker shade under my attention. She was cute in a shy, submissive way which unfortunately was not my type at all. But I could still have fun flirting with her.

“Destiny…I suppose it is only right for a gorgeous woman to have such a pretty name. How long have you been working for my sister?” I stepped towards her and c****d my head when I saw her lick her lips involuntarily as I closed the space between us.

“Er- um- only a year, Prince Raiden. After I finished at the academy, your father set me up with this job and I am very grateful,” she mumbled, still not looking me in the eyes when she spoke. Yet I knew from the way she had become breathless and the scent of her arousal that she longed to keep my attention. Lifting my fingers to her chin, I tilted her head up and stared into her eyes.

“You do not need to fear me, Destiny. I do not bite…unless you want me to,” I smirked when her lips parted at my flirtation.

“Leave the poor girl alone, brother.”

I dropped my hand as the girl quickly bowed to her Queen and scurried out of the grand throne room.

“Always ruining my fun,” I teased as I strolled over to my sister to give her a kiss.

Her magenta eyes narrowed into a judgemental stare but the corners of her lips were fighting the urge to smile. She looked every inch the beautiful queen she was with her cascading black hair flowing freely down to her waist and an intrinsically gold-plated crown with ruby jewels balancing on her head. The laced, lilac dress, that was one of her own creations, gave her the regal look that she so effortlessly pulled off. She now even had her own clothing line which every teenage girl in our world went crazy for. The amount of lace and silk dresses in my father’s academy was sickening.

“Take your ‘fun’ elsewhere. I am trying to run an empire here,” she chuckled as I kissed each of her cheeks before strolling up the steps to the his and her thrones and throwing myself down onto my brother-in-law's lazily. Draping my leg over the arm of the chair and leaning back as if I owned the place would wind her up to no avail. That’s what siblings are for, right?

Just as I thought, she used her magic to fling my leg off the gold metal and forced my body to sit up straight. I chuckled as she shook her head.

“If you are going to sit on the throne, at least look the part.”

“I am just seeing how it feels. To have all this power.”

“And?” she raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow at me as she took her seat next to me.

“Meh,” I shrugged with a grin which caused her to laugh.

“Sometimes, I wish I could just be like you. Doing whatever I liked when I liked with no one watching my every move. You are free. I know I tease you about your antics, but I really do want you to enjoy yourself. That’s what we did all this for. So that you and your generation could live in peace,” she nudged my arm and I fell silent. She hadn’t even realised it but she had struck a chord in me that I have been battling with for years. The fact that I felt like I was forever trying to live up to my family’s legacy. That I was the only one without a purpose. Without a place. I was lost in a perfectly sculpted life. And I couldn’t voice my frustration because I knew I was supposed to be grateful that my family went through wars, heartbreak and danger to give me the blissful life I was living. But in reality, I was bored. I craved so much more. What was the point in having all this power if I couldn’t really use it?

“What is going on in that head of yours?” I snapped out of my trance and looked to my side to see Ruby studying my face intensely. “And don’t lie to me now, you know I have my methods of extracting people’s inner thoughts.”

I scoffed. “I’d like to see you try that s**t on me sis.” I sighed deeply before responding. “Honestly, it’s nothing. I am just feeling a little… frustrated right now.”

She nodded slowly but I knew she didn't understand. How could she?

“Don’t worry Raidy, you will find her soon.” She patted my hand with sympathy. My body immediately tensed and I felt my wolf, Sirius, become restless.

“That is not it,” I gritted through my teeth, pulling myself up out of the throne abruptly. There was one thing that irked me more than not feeling like I belonged anywhere and that was the talk of finding my mate.

“I know it’s frustrating. But it will happen when the time is right. The goddess always has a plan, you just have to have faith,” she continued behind me.

I turned to her, trying to control my rising anger. “Ruby. That is not it. I don’t even want to find my mate.”

She scoffed loudly, rolling her eyes. I have never been a good liar. I had talked about having a mate since I was old enough to learn about the special bond my parents shared. Every adult I looked up to as a child had the most intensely passionate and loving relationships with their mates and it was all I ever longed for. More than power or fame or titles. I didn't care about any of that. But my eighteenth birthday came and went, and then my twentieth, my twenty-third and now my twenty-fifth, and still I had not found her. I know in the human world, twenty-five is not seen as old to find the person you want to be with for the rest of your life, but for the supernaturals, it was unusual to make it past twenty without finding your fated mate. I mean it’s not like I have been living under a rock or anything. Being part of the royal family, I have attended thousands of events, pack celebrations, weddings, parties and, of course, I attended my dad’s supernatural academy until I was twenty-one, just like all the other supernaturals my age. Yet, I have never come across her. So I pretty much gave up on that dream a while ago.

“All I am saying is try not to stress about it. I know you let it get to you sometimes and you make… bad choices. It will happen when it happens and, in the meantime, I think it's fine for you to have some fun, but just…be careful Raiden. Try not to piss anyone off. You are an extension of all of us.”

My lips thinned into a straight line as I tried to push the agitation this conversation was causing me to the pit of my stomach. I could feel Sirius fighting to come to the surface as well as my demon and I knew my silver eyes were glowing like stars against a black canvas. She sighed when she saw my reaction. “Come on. You know what I am talking about. The rogue who was passing through the castle grounds?”

“He was trespassing. I was merely protecting our workers.”

“You were looking for a fight. One that could have been easily avoided had you used your words instead of your powers.” She gave me a stern gaze and I chuckled. “I only say this because I care about you Raiden. Being who we are, we have a moral obligation to set standards for our people. You can not be so reckless when people look to you for guidance.”

“Are you saying this as my sister or as my queen?” I folded my arms across my chest.

“Both. Have you thought anymore about Ezra’s offer? To take on your own pack? I feel like you would benefit from some direction in your life.”

This. This is what I am talking about. I do not want to be spoon-fed or handed titles on a plate just because of my associations. Respect and leadership deserve to be earned, not forced. I could walk into an Alpha role tomorrow because my sister gave it to me. No problem. But what would that say about me?

“I have already given him my answer. Look, I know I am a handful, but what did you expect? I am a Romano after all. I only came to say hi while I was in the country. I am heading back to the castle now.” I stomped towards her and kissed her forehead hastily before attempting to turn away. She grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks.

“Raiden. We are just worried about you. That’s all.”

The look of pity in her eyes caused fury in mine. ‘We’. Meaning the entire family. Great. I forced a smile on my face as I looked down at her.

“You have no need to worry, Rubs. I am fine. I promise. Like you said, I am just having fun.”

She gave me a small smile that didn't reach her eyes before she let go of my hand and I walked out of the throne room. The smile faded quickly as I reached the palace doors. I needed a f*cking drink. And a strong one.

***

As soon as I appeared in a puff of silver smoke down an alleyway, I could instantly hear the repetitive thumping beats and drunken giggles from the main street. I had every intention of leaving America, where my sister lived, to return to my family’s castle in London, but after that interaction, I didn't want to go home. I wanted to drink so much that I would forget who I was. But in order to do that, I couldn’t be around anyone who knew who I was. Which is exactly why I chose this place. Hiding in the shadows on a side street preparing to enter a nightclub filled with humans, I knew Ruby would have my head if she knew. It wasn’t against our laws to mix with humans, but it was against our laws to hurt them or to reveal ourselves to them. And with my unique silver eyes, I would be a terrifying sight.

I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, muttering a Latin disguise spell under my breath. When I opened them again, I knew my eyes were a murky brown colour. That would be enough to fit in with this crowd.

I nodded to the bouncers at the door as I entered the club. At least I looked the part in my black ripped jeans, and grey T-shirt that clung to my muscles under my leather jacket. The volume of the electric beat made me wince as my wolf's hearing picked it up at a higher pitch than a human and I headed straight to the bar to try and dull my senses.

A tall, skinny barman turned and glanced up at me quickly as I perched on a stool while he was finishing a previous order.

“What can I get you?” he shouted over the music.

I scanned the array of bottles behind him for anything I recognised. Normally I just drink beer but tonight, I needed something stronger if I wanted to take the edge off.

“Get me three shots of grey goose, or is it grey geese?”

The man furrowed his eyebrows at me and I waved my hand dismissively. “F*ck it, just get a flock of vodka.”

“So you want three shots of vodka?”

“Yes. And a whisky and coke.”

“YASSSS!” A booming voice entered my left ear as a heavy arm draped over my shoulders. I tensed as I took a sideways glance to see who dared to touch me. A blonde guy, who must have just turned the legal age limit of 21 and was out for the first time, grinned at me with hazy eyes. “You are my kind of person! Shots all round!”

The bartender poured my three shots and I necked them as quickly as I could before this little wanker nicked one. He pouted and sat on the stool next to me when I shrugged him off.

“You know, I hate it when people say they don’t need alcohol to have fun! They are wrong,” his speech slurred as he leaned forward on the bar.

I nodded as I took a sip of my drink before replying, “Yep. It’s like saying you don’t need running shoes to run but it f*cking helps.”

He burst out laughing, nearly falling off his stool in the process. “You are hilarious! Hey, come and meet my friends. You can hang with us tonight. It’s my sister’s birthday! She will love you. Especially your hair.”

I caught the bartender's eye who had been listening in on our conversation and rolled my eyes, earning a smirk from him. “I am good, man. Just keeping myself to myself.”

The drunken kid next to me suddenly turned serious and nodded his head enthusiastically. “I get it man. Rough day, huh? Yea, being an adult is pretty f*cking depressing isn’t it? Like we’re born, we breathe, we work and then we f*cking die! Like, what’s the point?”

I hid my amusement behind my glass as I shook my head. He might die a lot sooner than he thinks if he doesn’t leave me the f*ck alone.

“Stop complaining kid. Being a human is pretty easy. Just pay your bills, be good to your family and friends, stay away from crack and tip your bartender,” I winked at the man in front of us and he chuckled.

Suddenly, a pretty brunette strode over and spun the drunken fool around on his stool violently. “Rob! What is taking so long? I only asked for a white wine?”

“I made a friend…” He started as he smiled at me and the girl's green eyes widened as she took me in. She didn’t make any attempt to hide her clear interest as a large smile spread across her face and she started to flutter her eyelashes at me, which looked like she had stuck feathers to them for some strange reason. “Urgh, I didn’t catch your name?” He asked.

“That’s because I didn’t give you one,” I muttered before turning my attention out towards the sea of bodies on the dance floor metres in front of me.

“Rob. GO.” I heard the girl hiss before she shoved him off the stool and took his place. “Sorry about my brother. It’s his first time clubbing and he is a little over excited.”

I smirked as I glanced back at her and ran my eyes over her body that was not leaving much to the imagination in that sexy red number she had on. She twisted a lock of her brown hair in between her fingers. “So are you going to buy the birthday girl a drink?”

“Depends. Do you talk as much s**t as your brother?” Her eyes sparkled in the fluorescent lights as her smile widened.

“No. I am far more interesting.” I turned on my stool and nodded to the bartender to make her the wine she wanted and she bit her lip seductively when I handed it to her.

“Happy birthday.”

“I think it just might be,” she flirted. I leaned back against the bar, resting one elbow on it. “You are British?”

“You are observant,” I muttered, but she didn’t seem to detect the sarcasm in my tone.

“I like your hair.”

“He said you would,” I smirked into my glass as her face twisted with confusion.

“Who?”

“Nevermind.”

“Can I touch it?”

“If you must,” I replied. This isn’t the first time this has happened. I don’t know what it is about my black curls that have girls losing their minds, but I couldn’t complain. It did all the hard work for me. Her fingers reached out and smoothed down the back of my head but then her fingers tangled into my shoulder-length hair and, to my surprise, she smashed her lips against mine.

My eyes widened as she shoved her tongue in my mouth and I could taste the alcohol on her breath.

When she pulled back, her heated eyes burned into mine and she husked against my lips, “Want to get out of here? Give me a proper birthday present?”

My wolf growled but my demon cheered. Honestly, it was exhausting having a demon and an angel on each shoulder every minute of the day. But I was the one in control here. Not them. And I can make my own bad decisions. Why the hell not?

“You should be careful what you wish for birthday girl.”

She giggled excitedly as she hopped off her stool. “Meet me out front in two minutes. I just have to get my bag.”

I nodded before downing my drink and placing it on the bar. The barman picked it up and shook his head at me. “I don’t know how you just did that but I applaud you!”

I winked at him as I grabbed my jacket and walked out into the street. Leaning against the brick wall of the club, I waited for my one- night stand to return. Because that is what it was. I only ever hooked up with humans. Supernaturals were far too complicated for me. If I ever slept with one of them and they knew who I was, it would be game over. They would try to claim me for a million different reasons and I would only have drama in my life when I found my mate. If I found my mate. So, humans were the best way to go. They didn’t know who I really was and would never see me again. It was a perfect set up. And for me it was just a release. To get rid of a need and stress. Let’s be honest, I was never going to be a virgin until I found my mate. I mean, you would understand if you met my parents. Growing up with a red room of pleasure in your childhood home means you learn pretty quickly about the birds and the bees.

The girl suddenly stumbled out of the club onto the street and I whistled as she scanned the road looking for me. She turned quickly and gave me a flirtatious smile as she strutted towards me and grabbed my T-shirt.

“Let’s go handsome!” She tugged at the fabric and I followed her willingly until she turned down the same alleyway I had appeared in. I frowned. S*x in an alleyway wasn’t really what I had in mind. Before I could say a word, her arms were locked around my neck and her lips devoured mine with urgency. F*ck it. I shoved her body up against the wall and grabbed her wrists to hold them above her head as I ground my hips into hers.

“WHAT THE F*CK?”

I pulled away from her as an aggressive voice echoed through the air and I turned to see a furious man who was built like a tank, his veins bulging out of his neck and forehead as he glared between us.

“Scott! Help! He was trying to rape me!” I released the girl's hands as she shouted her lies to the man she clearly knew and stared down at her in shock. What the f*ck is going on here? Before I had a moment to react, the man’s bulky body bulldozed into mine and I hit the gravel hard. Sirius and my demon came to the surface as my survival mode and anger kicked in and I knew I had to keep control of them before I revealed my true nature to these humans. The man was on top of me and punched me with such force that I knew he had to have had some kind of combat training. Perhaps the army? Sh*t. This wasn’t good. I threw him off me with ease and leapt up as he dived at me again. I grabbed his fist in my hand as it came sky-rocketing towards me.

“She is lying! She came on to me!” I shouted in his face to try and deter him, but I could see in his eyes that he didn’t believe me.

“You dare f*cking touch my girlfriend!”

I shoved him hard in the chest to push him away and he fell back on the floor. He quickly scrambled to his feet and pulled out a gun from the back of his trousers, pointing it at my head. Oh s**t. I would have to use my abilities if he pulled that trigger.

I remained calm as I stared directly into his eyes that burned with hatred, “Man. Listen. Speak to her brother, Rob. He was there. She came on to me. This was her idea.”

He must have suddenly been able to sense that I wasn’t lying because his anger was instantly directed towards his girlfriend.

“He is lying Scott! He is lying!”

“You told me you were going to the toilet! Why the f*ck did I find you out here with him?”

She hesitated and her scared eyes grew wider. It was enough for him to see the truth. In a blink of an eye, he stormed at her, grabbing her hair in his hands and smashing her head against the brick wall and landing a punch to her stomach.

I ripped him off her, rage coursing through my veins. No matter how much a girl f*cks up, you don’t lay a f*cking finger on her. Not f*cking cool.

“Stay out of this asshole. F*ck off,” he growled at me and lunged at her again. I could hear her sobbing behind me. My eyes flashed red and then glowed silver as my control slipped. But the man was too consumed with rage to notice as he tried to get past me to beat his girlfriend to a pulp. I grabbed his throat and pinned him against the wall and his eyes widened as he looked into my unique irises that would have been glowing in the moonlight like traffic lights; red, purple, silver.

“You’re one of them!” he wheezed as my grip tightened on him and I frowned. What? One of them? Did he know? It was enough to distract me as he lifted the gun to my head quickly. It was an instant reaction. My supernatural counterparts took over and I felt his thick neck snap in my hands effortlessly. His body went limp and the gun fell to the floor with a clatter, but it was the harrowing scre*m that caused my body to tense and my senses to return. I released him and his huge frame fell to the floor. I looked over at the girl whose name I didn’t even know as she shrivelled on the ground, shaking with fear. Fear of me.

I glanced down at the human I had just killed and closed my eyes. I am in so much f*cking trouble. When I opened them and stepped towards the girl, shhhing her in the hope she’d stop crying, she only hid behind her hands. I needed to get out of here and fast. I turned and bent down, placing my hand on the dead man’s chest as I transported myself and my victim back to my castle in England.

Pacing my room, I ran my hand through my raven curls as I stared at the body. How could I have gotten myself into such a mess? There was only one thing I could do. There was only one person I could trust with this.

Pulling my phone out of my back pocket, I dialled the number.

“Dad? I’ve f*cked up.”