Mate of the Fallen Alpha Prince

Chapter Three - Strange Man

The soft winds were blowing her hair again before she heard the coachman halting the horses, alerting her that they had already arrived at their destination.

Hanna went out first before she assisted her princess in getting down into the carriage. Venus genuinely thanked her and gazed at the building they were about to enter, clutching her chest as she felt the tension rising over there.

“Princess, are you alright?” Hanna worriedly asked after seeing that she was in a daze again after seeing the building they were right in front of.

“Y-Yes, yes, I am,” She almost stuttered before composing herself to walk towards the main entrance of the building where royals, nobles, and dukes were gathering in terms of business.

After she entered, there were these huge elegant hallways with clean red carpet lying flat on the floor prepared for every royal to walk by.

The faint tapping of her heels was the only thing that she could hear while Hanna was guiding her on her way towards the general meeting.

“Princess Venus?” Someone surprisingly bowed, “I wasn’t informed that you would be here,” The spokesperson of numerous kingdoms greeted her after she arrived at another door.

“Oh, I came here unannounced, I wanted to attend this meeting. Is my husband inside?” Venus curiously asked, so he politely nodded at her.

“Yes, Your Highness, let me open the door for you,” He smiled before reaching towards the doorknob, revealing to her a busy place full of elegantly dressed royalty gloating about their businesses and riches.

“Her Royal Highness, Princess Venus Adelaide Fedora-Alberta,” The spokesperson announced, so she thanked him before facing everyone who was looking at her.

All of them fell into a daze the moment she stepped into the room, nobles and dukes composed themselves as her husband immediately came to greet her.

“My precious wife, I didn’t know you were well enough to attend the meeting. I should’ve invited you,” Prince Louis kissed the back of her hands, so she just gave him a small smile.

For all she knew, he was just glad that she made an entrance since all of the royalty, nobles, and dukes were envious of him.

“No, Your Highness, it’s me who has to apologize, I just really wanted to attend this event, that is why I insisted on coming here,” She casually informed him before asking him what his main goal was at that place.

“So you’re here to reject someone’s business offer?” Princess Venus sounded troubled while she was walking with him in the center.

Hanna was just behind them, following them to where they were going, “I am, their kingdom is not helping anyone anyway,”

Princess Venus squinted her eyes at him, “Pardon? How can you claim that? Whose kingdom is this?”

“The Kingdom of Lilac,” Prince Louis informed her, so her eyes almost widened since she knew the story of that kingdom.

They were prosperous until one day, their queen got into an accident, causing their king to fall into depression.

That made him unable to rule a kingdom, “I see, can I come with you to speak with him?” She curiously asked.

Prince Louis was confused as to why his wife was interested in this business, but he just nodded his head before smiling at her.

“Of course, you can,” After he said those words, they proceeded to a room where they'd meet the heir of the Kingdom Lilac.

It wasn’t long until they heard the creaking sound of the doors opening and closing. Faint taps of heels were to be heard until Princess Venus shifted her gaze to the main entrance where she saw a fine gentleman walking towards them.

He was dressed in elegant clothes, his face was all shaved as his body was fit for his title as a Prince. His gray glinting eyes, almost pulling her in to drown, mesmerized her for a moment.

Their eyes met and felt an excruciating tension forming above their heads as if they knew one another, ‘Who is he?’ Venus whispered inside of her mind.

***

‘Mate’ Prince Arthur heard his wolf inside of his head and was immediately heartbroken since he heard that these two had just married last night.

Their kingdom was invited, but he didn’t bother to come because he was busy preparing himself for this day.

He’s an Alpha Prince from his kingdom, Lilac, that has fallen and he was the one in charge to build things back together to help his father recover from what had happened in the past.

Today was his one chance to seal a deal with one of the influential kingdoms to help their kingdom get back on its feet, so he couldn’t afford to be distracted.

“Calm down,” He whispered to himself, since he had mentally prepared himself for this day for the sake of their kingdom, but his eyes couldn’t look away from her, she was just so beautiful and her alluring scent just made things even worse.

He knew that she felt something too, she was human, but he could tell that she noticed the tension forming between them after their eyes locked with one another.

It’s the faint bond that they have, she would feel it after he marked her, but that’s not possible now, especially because she was married.

Aside from that, the bloodline of werewolves is a sacred secret that they haven’t revealed to any kingdoms just yet. They were not sure how the other kingdoms could handle it just yet, so he had to keep his mouth shut about this.

Prince Arthur came back to his senses when Prince Louis stood up as his mate followed him from behind cautiously.

“Prince Arthur Roux Winter, it’s kind of you to show up late,” Prince Louis sarcastically greeted him, which made him bow his head.

“My apologies, Your Highness, my carriage didn’t arrive at the right time,” Arthur firmly informed him.

Venus, on the other hand, couldn’t understand why she found his voice attractive because it was deep and full.

“Is that my fault? I expect you to arrive at the right time if you want some kingdoms to accept your business proposals,” Louis sounded like he was scolding him. Venus then reached out to his hands to calm him down.

“He already apologized, Prince Louis, I think it’s right for us to accept it since he had his specific reasons,” She suggested.

They heard someone grunting as if he/she was in pain, so she cautiously looked around and noticed no one. She just shrugged and looked at her husband.

Prince Louis just sighed before nodding his head calmly at her, “Alright, we’ll hear what you have to say,” He glared at Prince Arthur before proceeding to the royal chairs.

Arthur then shifted his gaze at Venus before approaching and reaching out to her hands, “A pleasure to meet you, Princess Venus,”

She almost gasped after feeling those sparks coming from his hands. She wondered what that was all about, but shook her head.

Venus just watched him kiss the back of her hands as she remembered to curtsy, “T-The pleasure is mine,” She almost stuttered.

“Would you like to join us for tea?” She casually invited him, so he politely nodded his head before they both approached Prince Louis.

“Congratulations, by the way, I heard you two are finally married,” Arthur said amiably, which made her bitterly smile.

Arthur didn’t want to say anything about it, but he really just wanted to have a casual conversation with her since her voice calmed his well-being.

“Thank you, I’m surprised that none from your kingdom came?” She wondered while looking at him, since she was the one who insisted that every kingdom around Flora be invited.

Louis was the only one who objected to the idea, but that didn’t stop her from sending out numerous invites back then.

“Oh, I was looking after my father and the kingdom, apologies for not attending,” Arthur sounded like he regretted it.

Venus just smiled at him, “It’s alright, I’m glad that you’re here today for the sake of your kingdom,”

Both of them stared at each other’s eyes intently while grabbing their tea, but she gasped when Louis possessively wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

“Yes, we just got married and it’s such a shame we didn’t become one last night. She was sick, we should've met paradise from then,” Prince Louis shared, which made her eyes widen.

‘How could he share that with someone?’ She thought while trying to calm herself down. Is he trying to gloat to him that she was his wife? What for?

‘Did he also tell anyone what they did that night to someone else, or rather everyone he knows, back then?’ Princess Venus was suddenly filled with remorse.

She felt as if all of her anger and pain were resurfacing at once, and she couldn't stop herself from expressing it.

She was about to say something when someone harshly put down their tea. It was Prince Arthur who was fixing up his polo sleeves.

“I am certain that you shouldn’t have told me that, Prince Louis, but are you well now, Your Highness?” Arthur fretfully asked before glancing at her.

He looked as if he noticed how uncomfortable she was as she slowly nodded her head at him. Somehow, his gray glinting eyes calmed her down.

“Y-Yes, I am now,” She smiled, sighing in relief as she removed Louis's hands from her waist, “Excuse me, I’m going to call Hanna,”

“I’m right here, Your Highness,” Hanna immediately appeared before bowing her head, “Is there anything you like?”

She had this cold expression on her face because she was livid about what Prince Louis just stated a while ago, “Y-Yes, I’d like some cold drink, tea’s just going to give me a hothead,”

“As you wish,” Hanna bowed her head before leaving the room, so silence surrounded them until Arthur faked a cough.

“So let’s get to business, shall we?” Prince Arthur informed them while taking out numerous documents for them to review.

Arthur started discussing whether they would be able to provide them with some ingredients for making wines and helping them to sell across the lands of Flora.

Venus was still reviewing the documents and thought that it was a very good deal, it would benefit not just Peony, but also the Kingdom of Lilac.

Aside from that, the kingdom is well known for making tapestries. She remembered her family asked them to make them one.

“I don’t accept,” Prince Louis firmly said before putting down the papers. It was obvious on Prince Arthur’s face that he was bothered by his statement.

He discussed it with him thoroughly and he didn't see any reasons for him to reject such a steal offer, “Pardon for my words, but I don’t see any reasons why you have to reject my offer,” Arthur firmly said.

Prince Louis raised his eyebrows before shaking his head, “I just don’t see the benefit in our kingdom to helping a fallen kingdom like yours,” He smirked.

Arthur was about to say something when someone said, “Are you sure you don’t want your kingdom to accept this, Prince Louis?”

Prince Louis slowly nodded at his wife as if he was confused, so she raised her gaze before glancing at Arthur.

“My father would probably like this offer. Do you want me to arrange a meeting with him?” She curiously asked.

Both of the gentlemen were astounded at what she had just said. Arthur could feel his heart beating with her words.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read all the documents and I can tell it would be such a great help to you and, of course, to our kingdom to lessen the burden on our servant who was making wine on numerous occasions,” Venus smiled.

“Your Highness, here’s your cold drink, I apologize for taking so long,” Hanna arrived, so she thanked her for her cold drink.

“You can’t just possibly do that, my love, you’re in my kingdom now, you have my surname,” Prince Louis clenched his fists.

She glanced at him and wanted to roll her eyes, but luckily, she managed to control herself, “That is why I will arrange a meeting with my father for the sake of our kingdom. Oh, and dinner later would be perfect, do you mind, Prince Arthur?”

Both the princes were surprised at what she had just informed them. Arthur stood up before kneeling before her.

“Thank you for your kindness, Princess Venus, I will forever be indebted to you for this matter since this is important,” Prince Arthur firmly said.

Venus just smiled before asking him to stand up, “I’m glad I could be of help, my lady-in-waiting will ask you to join us later on our way back to the castle,”

After they shook each other’s hands, she was harshly pulled into a corner by Prince Louis where no one else could hear or see them.

To be continued…