How come I got a playboy for a mate?

Chapter One

Heather POV

The holidays were finally here, and I was feeling great. I have officially finished school and my results should be out any day now. I am one of eight pups, being number five, having two older brothers and two older sisters, three younger brothers. My older sisters are twins and are a year older than me. They love to party and date boys, having not found their mates yet, they were having too good a time to be bothered hunting one down, and I was the one who would stay at home and study. Now school was over, Dad became my teacher, teaching me his profession. I loved learning new skills. Mum helped too, but she did not like taking me to work with her, so most of my learning fell on my dad’s shoulders.

We received a letter from the King and Queen, announcing they were on the hunt for their son’s mates, and commanded all non-mated females to present themselves to the castle during the school break.

Mum and Dad are high-ranking Delta’s. They both insisted we go to the castle together and see if one of us was mates to one of the king's sons. Luckily, the oldest is already mated and has a pup on the way. Dad said it would be an honor to have one of his three daughters mated to a royal. My sisters loved the idea, but I did not so much. Those five men have the reputation of a ladies' man, having been with more women than I even know, and I know a lot of women from my school days, and I, for one, did not want to be mated to one of them.

The twins presented themselves to the princes and came home all excited about the castle visit. They had left two days ago and had enjoyed a whole day at the castle. They said they had met the boys and wouldn’t mind having one for a night. Oh, yuck, I am going to wait, thank you very much.

But the story they came back with of the castle and how beautiful it was and how lovely the king and queen were and attentive the princes had been, not at all like the stories I had all heard, made me wish I had gone with them, just to see the castle and all the pretty things they had.

Mum and Dad had not noticed, I had not gone with my sisters, and I was relieved that they had not noticed I had missed having not gone that day. I was sure my sisters would have flaunted themselves, wearing revealing clothes, and I did not want to be with them. When they acted all sleazy, not sure if that is even the right word to use, because they definitely let men know what they want, and when they acted like that with me around, it made me feel dirty. If Mum and Dad had not noticed that I had not gone with my sisters, I would not have informed them any differently. Maybe I can find time later to go. That way I could sneak in, present, and sneak out, without all the uncomfortable feelings my sisters would have made me feel.

That was two weeks ago, and I missed the cut-off time to go to the castle. Dad and mum still did not know I had not gone, and I wanted it to stay that way.

All my girlfriends had called in and chatted about the visit and how gorgeous the men were, and were sad that none of them were mates to one of the princes. They described the castle in great detail, they had stayed for a meal and enjoyed some dancing, it sounded like they had fun and the royals treated everyone well.

I was in the lounge room, enjoying a day with my girlfriends and my twin sisters decided to join in. We were painting our nails and generally gossiping about the castle and the princes. Mum was in the kitchen cooking the vegetables for dinner and Dad was out on the patio, cooking the meat on the grill.

When a loud bang boomed down the hallway, someone with a heavy hand banged on the front door.

One of my brothers ran down the stairs and called out as he ran past the lounge door.

‘I will get it.’

We all went quiet as we waited to hear who was at the door, banging so loudly, that I was surprised they did not break down the door.

‘We are here to collect Heather Anderson.’ A deep voice boomed from the front door.

Dad came in quickly from outside, hearing the man’s booming voice and why he was there, and as he passed the lounge room, looked at me and frowned, worry etched on his face.

‘I am Ben Anderson; how can I help you?’ Dad asked confidently to the people at the door.

One of my friends whispered.

‘Heather, what have you done?’

I shrugged my shoulders, and frowned, as I listened closely for more information and waited to see what was going on and not go to the door unless Dad called for me. I suddenly felt the blood drain from my face, when the thought of not attending the castle could have caused this visit, and Dad would not be very happy with me if that was the case.

‘We are led to believe you have three daughters, sir?’ the booming voice said informatively, as his voice echoed down the hallway and to us waiting in the lounge room.

‘That is correct.’ Dad answered positively.

‘Our records show, that only Sheila and Silvia have attended the castle in the time frame, as ordered by the king, we are here to take Heather to the castle, as she has failed to arrive on time and the king does not appreciate tardiness.’ The booming voice completed in one long breath.

‘Are you doing this to all the girls who have not yet arrived at the castle?’ Dad asked defensively.

‘Yes, however, only your daughter seems to have ignored the order. In this pack, we have yet to start on the next one over.’ The voice echoed down the hall, telling everyone in the room that I had disobeyed the king’s order.

Dad came to me in the lounge room and growled at me, something about how I had embarrassed the family and to go with these men and do my duty, as ordered.

I was led out of the lounge room and down the hallway by my angry father, to the six very tall, very strong, very angry-looking men, whose job it was to cart me unceremoniously back to the castle and meet the princes.