Matters of the Heart: King Xavier and Flora

Chapter Four:

Flora’s POV:

I always imagined the day I meet my mate to be the best day of my life. I remember when Pippa met Kyle, he ran up to her and engulfed her in a hug before swinging her around in laughter. I remember the way he took her into his arms, in the middle of the mall and kissed her breathless. I stood in awe and shock, one part of me happy for my sister and the other part jealous that she gets such devotion.

Yet, here I am, sitting in a meeting with my mate, King Xavier and he is looking everywhere but at me. I can feel the way he is resisting the urge to meet my gaze. I can smell his anger coming off him in waves. I can even taste the bitterness he is directing at me. What did I ever do to deserve this?

“He is the king though, Flora. Maybe he is expected to act a certain way?” Rose pipes up and wags her tail in thought. Of course, she would find any excuse.

This brought up my hopes a bit, but these only came crashing down with his every attempt to pretend I don’t exist. His comment about not needing a woman to meddle in his life set Rose and me off and my eyes welled up. How could he be so cruel in front of me? Do I mean nothing to him? My whole family lives past me, now him too. The ache in my chest was becoming unbearable, but I had to be brave. My pack needs me.

Sitting at the dining room table with my indifferent mate was torture I never thought I would have to endure. He was speaking to everyone except for me and had held onto his stiff aura, making me constantly on edge around him.

To make matters worse, Pippa and her posy decided to join us after hearing about the King's arrival. Does Pippa have no shame? She has a mate!

“Would you like some more garlic loaf, my King?” Lucy asks King Xavier. Her bosom was just about popping onto his plate. It looks as if the buttons on her blouse may rip open any second.

I look at the way he takes all of her in. His smirk remains still, but his eyes travel at an agonizingly slow pace down her body, stopping a bit too long on her well-endorsed chest. I want to jump across the table and pull his eyeballs out, but I would never.

“He should only be looking at us that way!” Rose growls in my mind. Everyone stops to look at me expectantly. I must have growled out loud.

“So, King Xavier, I really enjoyed your cover in the latest WereTimes.” Gail pipes up whilst nibbling on her meal. Her words are laced with hidden innuendos.

“Ah, yes. The journalist wouldn’t stop pestering me. Apparently being in a magazine makes you more relatable and gives you a better street reputation. I really don’t like publicity. ” He taunts. I look at the smug expression on his face and how his very words are in complete contrast to his actions.

All those many pages of photos of his half-naked body splattered across half the magazine are shouting for attention and publicity. The way he faced the camera with his grin, the way his muscles flexed perfectly at different angles and even his choice of attire, are proof that he does like publicity.

“Well, if parading your body in a magazine for every she-wolf to drool over in the kingdom isn’t attention-seeking, then I don’t know what is.” I mumble to myself. The whole table goes quiet and I realize I have spoken aloud again. Why do I always have to open my mouth?

I feel his blue orbs piercing into me and Rose lowers her head in submission, but I will not go down without a fight. He is my mate and my equal. Keeping this in mind, I return the stare and take in this godly man in front of me. I cannot read his expression, but Goddess is he the most delicious male I have ever seen.

“So much for you rolling your eyes this morning, Flora.” Rose teases. I can see her cheeky, wolf grin and I know then that I am doomed.

That was before I knew that he is my mate. Look at him, Rose. His dark, brown hair is ruffled across his face in natural waves that beg me to run my hand through them. His strong brow is furrowed, dominant and questioning. His blue eyes are like a raging, oceanic storm and I am a lost ship in them. His pink lips are plump and ready for the picking. My mind becomes a haze and I feel my body become heated looking at his lips. I squeeze my thighs together, hoping to just feel anything to relieve my aching body. I notice his jaw tick when he inhales and I wonder if he feels it; my arousal. I can see the frustration on his face, his eyes flashing black and blue, but this only makes me smirk.

Yes mate, if you want a game, you have one.

I was so lost in my lustful thoughts, that I didn’t notice I dropped some lasagna on my top. Damn it!

“Well, please excuse me, everyone. I need to go home and take care of myself.” I say, emphasizing the last part and hoping that my mate catches the innuendo, as my arousal still lingers in the air. I can still feel his stare boring into me as I get up and head towards the door. Just before exiting, I turn around and meet his stare.

His eyes are pitch black with lust, need and dominance. The longer I look into them, the more I feel my core clenching in anticipation. I want this man, but he is being difficult. It looks like I will have to coax him into accepting me then.

I slowly close the door behind me. I keep my smirk fixed on the King until the tiny sliver of light closes and the outside air greets me. Goddess, help me!

Beta Luke’s POV:

This trip has turned into a freak show all of a sudden.

The young Alpha Luke is a drunk mess and had to resign early to bed after the meeting.

On top of that, King Xavier is like a bomb waiting to explode. The poor beta, Flora, must think we are such jerks, especially after his comments about women in Dark Moon. What has gotten into my king? I know he is on edge and less than happy to be in Dark Moon, but he cannot seriously think every woman in the Kingdom is out to get him?

For some reason, I feel connected to Flora, not like a mate bond, but a bond nevertheless. My wolf agrees, she is absolutely beautiful. The pinnacle of natural, curvaceous, blonde, beauty, but why is Xavier acting so weird in front of her? I even tried to mind link him, but he has blocked me. I huff out in frustration.

Lunch was great and as per normal, Xavier was getting loads of attention from the ladies. His mood seemed to pick up, but one cheeky comment from Flora set him over the edge. I pretended to not notice, but I saw the way he was looking at her and her at him. This girl is a firecracker and is challenging him. My wolf whines and feels worried about what his reaction might be to her antics. Xavier doesn't react well to challenges, never mind challenges from women!

Their little exchange was making the environment awkward, so I dove into some chat with one of the male Gammas of the pack. We were talking about the financial department building and who has access to the passcodes for classified fund transfers in the kingdom.

“Young Alpha Luke is very strict about who gets to finalize the payments. He was a c*m-Laude Ph.D. candidate for his excellence in business you see, so he feels that he knows best when it comes to the funds. We all agree, I mean look at how well he is looking after our pack. He also runs a whole school of business in the pack for young wolves who want to learn, but cannot afford higher education. It is one thing about our future alpha; he is very charitable. We really look up to him.” The gamma carries on gushing about his alpha. I can see the admiration for the young alpha oozing from all who belong here.

I wonder if the Gamma knows his young Alpha was too drunk to show up for a meeting with the king? I decided to leave it. Maybe the young alpha is going through something we are unaware of. I remember moments where I too, behaved unprofessionally, but only because of issues I was dealing with.

Just then I hear Flora excuse herself from the table. I watch as she makes her way to the door slowly and sensually. She is swaying her hips in rhythm and the way she takes each step is with purpose and poise. What is she up to?

I look back at the table, only to see that Xavier is the only eyes still paying attention to the she-wolf, Flora. His gaze is dark, penetrating and thoughtful and his black eyes never miss a beat.

I cannot help but look back to the she-wolf. I see her small smirk as she exits the door slowly, almost as if she is teasing the King. Only, this puts the king over the edge and I feel the way his dominant aura becomes suffocating. His low growls and his cursing under his breath are enough for me to know the extremity of the situation. I have seen this happen to other wolves time and time again. The s****l tension, the lustful stares, the over fixation and the teasing, all part of the myth in every werewolf tale.

I look back to Xavier, needing to know if everything I suspect is true. When his eyes finally meet mine, in all their dark, longing beauty. I finally see it and my own eyes go wide.

Flora is his mate. King Xavier has met his true mate.