His One and Only Mate

Chapter 1- Pt. 2

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*~*11 Years Old*~*

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The sound of the waterfall does little to soothe me as I wipe away my tears. How could he do that to her? How could she ever forgive him? The more I think about it, the more it hurts my head and my heart.

“Alina?”

I turn my head and see Caden coming through the falls’ opening. I raise my hand and flick to dry him off, then turn my face away from him. I don’t like him seeing me cry. Instead, I look around our cave and try to focus on how much work we put into it.

After keeping our secret spot an actual secret, we decided to make it our own. We brought in a couple of lanterns that Caden suspended from the ceiling. We both scrubbed and cleaned the rock floor and discovered it was a type of clear quartz, and when it’s completely dark outside, the bioluminescent rocks and crystals reflect off its surface, making it even more special. Last winter, we had to sneak a trunk in here to hold blankets, pillows, and other trinkets when we started spending more time here. It’s a good thing I have a good hold on levitating objects, because I don’t ever think we could have climbed with it in our hands.

No matter how many times we’ve gotten in trouble for staying out late/early, or getting grounded for worrying my guards, neither one of us has told a soul about this place. Not even Micah. And it’s absolutely perfect.

I feel his body heat press right up to me, and it’s always basic instinct to lean on to him, resting my head to his shoulder as he wraps and arm around me. I turn to look up at him and he kisses the top part of my head. He’s been doing that a lot lately and it always stirs a feeling up in my stomach. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong? Micah say you ran out of your quarters so fast, as if you were trying to ditch the dress maker again.” His attempt at making me smile works some, with the tips of my lips edging up. When he sees the tears down my cheeks, his face becomes concerned and gently wipes my face, never breaking eye contact. We’ve always had these moments, where it feels deeper than it should. I love these moments. “Tell me what’s going on, Alina.”

I sigh then go to stand up off the floor, needing to stretch out my legs. “Apparently, my dad was a horrible mate to my mom…”

I look back over to him, and he raises a brown in confusion. “…Anyone who knows them can tell he grovels at her feet…”

The crystals embedded in the ceiling begin to glow, reflecting of my confused emotions. Anger, sadness… anytime I get overwhelmed, my magic begins to get out of hand. Caden looks around at the twinkling lights and begins to stand to embrace me, which always soothes me, but I hold a hand up. “I’m sorry,” I say as I take a breath to get my emotions under control. Queen Margery says it’s because of puberty… and I really hate it. It also gets worse when I accidentally tap into other people auras, which manifests their emotions into me. “I overheard some of the maids talking in the kitchens…”

“Alina,” he says softly, standing and reaching out for me. “It’s just gossip.”

Tears start leaking out again. “No, it’s not… I confronted my mom about it, and she had that look, saying it was true…. The things they said Caden,” I sob out. “He did some really messed up stuff! I just don’t understand!”

Caden lets me cry into his shirt as he whispers sweet words into my hair. Learning about the weres history, I know how painful it could have been for my mom- the feeling of rejection. We read of rejected mates, unfaithful ones, and cruel ones, but I can’t understand why do that to someone you’re destined to be with!

He holds me until I settle down, and we end up laying on a blanket and a couple of pillows. It really helps that he always remains calm when my emotions get so intense. I wrap my arms around his mid section and place my ear to his chest, letting his heartrate soothe me. “Thank you, my alpha.” His exaggerated sigh makes me giggle, because I know he’s rolling his eyes. I started calling him that a couple of years ago when he beat a 17-year-old in hand to hand combat at the solstice games. I’ve never seen him so proud, especially the way his dad bragged on and on about him to everyone. It also makes me happy because it’s the closest thing I can say that he’s mine until I reach 16.

“You need to talk to your dad, Alina. It’s not fair to judge him without knowing his side as well. Our wolves will make crazy decisions when our emotions are heightened, especially when our mates are involved. You know this....” I look up to him and he looks down to me. So many times, I’ve pictured him kissing me while we lay like this. His eyes dip to my lips only once, but then he mentally shakes himself and moves to get up, fiddling with one of the lanterns. I let out a huff.

We stay in our sanctuary for a little while longer before heading back to the castle. During our trek back, Caden does is best to make me laugh- making faces, taking my arms and dancing with me, spinning me in circles. I hop on his back, squeezing him tightly as he holds onto my legs. As he continues to walk normally as if I’m light as a feather, I study his features of what I can see. His hair has gotten darker as it brushes the back of his neck. Both him and Micah both had their mom’s blonde hair, but it looks as if he’s going to have his dad’s coloring before too long. I can feel his muscles beneath his shirt, but that’s not surprising, seeing how often I sneak away to go watch him train.

I close my eyes and breath in his scent. I can’t describe it, but it always reminds me of nightly walks we’ve taken in the forest- fireflies dancing around, the blues and greens, the harmony of nature…. Just magical.

Feeling him slow down and stop, I look up and see my dad alone, waiting outside at the back entrance to our floors. His eyes dart to Caden and nods, then Caden releases my legs. I hug his back before he walks around to the side of the castle, towards the court yards, to go back to his house. When he’s out of sight, that’s when I look back to my father.

“Alina,” he sighs, with so much regret in his voice. My lips wobble from the emotions he’s leaking out. He doesn’t regret me finding out, but he does regret his actions against my mother. His aura is in pain, and it hurts me to know that he’s suffering as well. I walk over and give him a hug, and he pulls me in tightly.

Mom comes out a few minutes later, and I follow Caden’s advice and listen to dad’s version of their story. Each time he tells me something that makes me flinch with disbelief, I can tell he regrets it, especially the looks he gives my mom. After he was finished, mom talked about how we can’t change the past, and it was her decision to decide for a better future. I always knew my mom was strong and powerful, but it’s at this moment that I my respect for her changed, to really admire her as a role model.

My parents wanted to go for a run and sent me inside to take a bath, but I ran into their room and looked out the window that oversees the land. I watch my parents’ wolves closely, seeing their auras dance around each other in complete happiness. I couldn’t imagine having a rough start like they did, but seeing them that happy has me excited for my own future.

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*~* 13 Years Old*~*

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Miniature lights blink inside the garlands that are decorated around the room as the warmth from the large fireplace spreads a happy glow to all of our closest friends and family. I peek from behind the tree adorned with hardened dough molds mom had me help her paint earlier in the week. I think she called them nutcracker ornaments? I was never big on mom’s human traditions, but this year, I gave an exception. She said there’s not many things she misses from the human realm, unlike Chinese take out or Netflix (whatever that is), but apparently winter time reminds her of a holiday called Christmas, and wants everyone to experience that type of ‘joy’.

I take the note out of my pocket that Caden slipped to me earlier, and check my surroundings again to make sure no one was watching. Micah and Caden snuck into my bedroom last night, just for some harmless fun and get together, but our parents didn’t find it too funny, especially when I was snuggled up with Caden on my bed. So needless to say, we were all grounded from each other…. again.

Our spot after lights out.

I feel giddy all over as I tuck it back into the pocket of my pants. I walk out from behind the tree and my eyes immediately seek and find him. About a foot shorter than my dad, Caden almost looks like an adult as he talks with our parents- more than likely about some battle tactic that his dad showed him. Micah is watching Sven arm wrestle Reggie as Nate and Mark egg them on. Nate, Mark, and Sven’s mates are sitting in their corners, possibly plotting a get away with their men since they just got back from a two month tour with new recruits.

Everyone is in good spirits and I have to hand it to mom- it is nice to have everyone together.

Tink comes in laughing with two trays of hot chocolate, and I immediately go to help her. We pass out the drinks and I stand next to Caden, which earns me a pointed look from dad. “You know the rules,” he grounds out.

“Oh, stop, Connor,” Maddie says sweetly. “It’s Christmas time, right Lincoln?”

“Mmmhmm…. You two better stay in eyesight though.”

“Mom, we are standing right in front of you,” I groan, mainly looking at my dad, which makes everyone laugh.

After an hour of games and snacks, mom declares it ‘present time’. We all pulled names to get each other gifts a few weeks ago. Mom gave Maddie a pretty bracelet. Tink gave Micah a bunch of baked goodies. Reggie got me a pair of boots with complicated lacing, which made everyone laugh, since boots are my least favorite pair of shoes to wear. If I had my choice, I wouldn’t wear shoes at all.

After everyone settles down, drinking and sharing stories, I dig under the tree and pull out my extra present to give. Reggie raises his brow with a smile, but talks loudly with my father about one of their war stories, completely distracting him. I walk over to Caden, who’s standing off to the side observing everyone, and I thrust his gift at him, trying not to blush.

His smirk is something I’ve grown to love and hate at the same time. “Thought you didn’t care for your mom’s traditions?”

“It’s not like this one pollutes our air or taints our magic,” I grumble out. Dad says we don’t need a lot of human things in our world- that nature is our true power here and we don’t need anything to mess with it…. no matter how cool driving a car sounds.

I fiddle with my fingers as I watch Caden open his gift. When he pulls out the dark leather journal and studies the cover, I try not to die from embarrassment. This is the first time I’ve tried at gift giving without someone telling me what they want, and I don’t want to screw it up.

“What’s this symbol mean?” he asks, tracing the lines I asked the man in the market to brand on the cover.

I clear my throat, hoping I don’t sound stupid. “It’s an ancient symbol for ‘warrior’ I found in my studies with mom. It was given to men and women of all castes a long time ago, but died out when they decided to separate their tribes and focus on individual marks instead of collective ones.” When he looks up, I don’t feel so nervous anymore, because he’s giving me one of his true smiles that increases my heartbeat.

“Alina,” my dad calls. I try not to pout, but Caden gives me a quick hug and kisses my cheek before joining his brother at a table game.

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After everyone goes to bed, I sit up from mine and still the energy around my room, making any movements I make almost undetectable from the outside- one nifty trick I found out last year. I take the make up kit Tink gave me during our last sleepover and put on some purple eyeliner- which makes my multicolored eyes pop, even the orange. I also throw my hair up in a ponytail and put on the same clothes I had on earlier, then sneak out of the castle.

The moon is high in the night sky and the air is perfectly chill around me as I walk towards our falls. The frost has already begun for the night, and I love the sound of the ground crunching under my feet. When I get there, I use my magic to open a curtain of space in the water so I don’t have to suffer with the freezing water. Caden is already inside, shivering, and I quickly use my magic to dry him off.

For the first time, there’s an awkward silence as we take in each other from the bioluminescent glow. Instead of waiting on me to magically light the lanterns, he’s already done it himself, and even put some candles around the cave. Pillows and blankets are already propped up for us to sit on. “W-what’s going on?” I half laugh out, tucking in a small piece of fly away hair behind my ear.

His gaze goes over to the trunk we brought in years ago, and I follow with my own. “I already wrote my first entry, if you want to read it….” I look back to him, shocked. He never lets anyone reads what he’s writing or scribbling, not like I’ve ever wanted him to tell me. “I forgot to tell you how much I loved it…”

I try to pay it off cool with a smirk as I walk closer to the journal. “I mainly got it for your birthday next week, since I won’t be here for your shift…” Which definitely sucks. King Alastair and Queen Vera invited all the royals for an announcement, something important that I can’t refuse to go to during his birthday week. Then, my dad decided it would be the perfect time to tour the realm with both him and mom for diplomacy. It’s completely dumb.

I pick up the journal, tracing my finger over the simple design and open the book. “Tonight will always be in my memory,” I begin aloud. “I finally have the courage to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. You see, this girl has been on my mind and in my heart for as long as I can remember…” my breath catches and I look up to a blushing Caden, who nods his head for me to continue. I have to swallow a gulp of air as butterflies dance in my stomach and my hands start to jitter. “W-We’ve grown up together and hardly ever been apart. Two weeks most at a time. But soon, she’ll be gone for over a month. I don’t want her to be sad while she’s away, so I’m hoping my gift will be just as good as this journal….” Tonight, I will finally ask Alina if I can kiss her.

I read that last sentence in my head over and over. Never has Caden crossed that boundary with me, nor I with him. Anytime we’re alone, we always talk- about anything and everything. Or we just sit in silence, listening to the sounds of the world around us as we just enjoy the company of each other. This is huge!

I look up and he’s closer to me than he was when I first started. The look he’s giving me is determination, yet unsure and I just melt for him. “Alina,” he says softly, taking the journal out of my hand and back onto the trunk. “May I kiss you?”

The heat in my face increases, but I step closer to the one destined for me. “Always,” I whisper out. My lips will always belong to Caden.

He closes in, putting a hand on my waist and one behind my left ear, pulling my face closer to him. I close my eyes as his lips gently land on mine for the first time, and colors expand behind my eyelids as the purest warmth I ever felt encases my body. I lift my hands and grasp onto his shoulder and forearm as our lips start to move tentatively. I feel so light, happy, nervous, and excited all at once, especially when the tip of his tongue touches mine the gentlest way. Nothing has ever felt this magical in my entire life.

When he stops his kiss, his forehead rests on mine, and I’m still reeling in on what just happened. “Alina?”

“Hmm?” I never want this moment to go away.

“You can put us down now.”

I finally open my eyes and blink a few times, looking around and see that I’ve floated us up to the top of the cavern. He silently chuckles, making me look at him and blush even harder than I was, but I quickly focus on getting ground under our feet. As soon as we land, instead of having another awkward moment, Caden pulls me in for an embrace, where my head is tucked under his chin, and he gently sways us slowly.

Tears burn my eyes as I hold him tighter. “I’m going to miss you.”

He inhales a breath before speaking just loud enough for me to hear. “You’ll be back before you know it, and we still have a couple of days with each other, my princess.”

The sadness of my heart almost hurts, as if I’ll never see him again. ‘I love you so much’ I say to myself, holding him tighter and scared to let him go.

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*CADEN POV*

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*~*16 Years Old*~*

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I stare at my wolf’s reflection in the water, with the only sounds of the waterfall surrounding me. I close my eyes, feeling that sense of failure, yet again, that I get each time I’m reminded that I’m lesser than what I should be.

I’ve trained for years, readying my body and mind for the role I need to play in this life. As a son of a great beta, and mate to a powerful being, I knew I was supposed to be destined for greatness. It drove me to be better, to train harder, to learn more. Dad knew I wanted this role for a long time, which is why he started me young with training…. but looking at me now, I don’t see the point anymore.

It’s been a couple of weeks since my first shift, and it still feels foreign to be in this form, but I know most of it is from hatred of myself. I’ll never forget the look on my dad’s face when I first shifted. As much as he tried to hide it, I felt the shift of emotions burning through him.

Disappointment.

I’ve never disappointed him before. I was always the best of the best, no matter how tired I was or how much I hated to be separated from Alina. I did everything that was asked of me, plus more.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve known I was meant to be her partner in life, and that I needed to do everything in my power to be strong enough to protect her from any harm. Everything I’ve done, it was all for her… for us. She’s my entire world.

But now look at me. The fates must be truly laughing.

I open my eyes again, knowing this is the last time I will ever care to look at myself in this form. The gangly limbs and small size of my wolf mocks everything I’ve ever known… because that’s all I’ll ever be.

A runt….. who can’t even protect himself…. and not fit to be by a future queen’s side.