Deaths and Desires

My mate

CHAPTER ONE

TWO DECADES LATER

RAYANA’S POV

I impatiently watched and listened – at least, I tried to – as the headhunter gave his usual lame instructions, he rambled on and on about timing, target, clean shot, heart…

For the umpteenth time, I wished I had sneaked out on my own and hadn’t listened to father and let him coerce me into coming with them again.

“Thirty seconds…” he whispered, loud enough for all the hunters scattered around the area to hear. “Begin the countdown…”

“30…29…” the chant started.

“28…” I muttered too, but I lifted my spear. I squinted my eyes as I aimed for the bear’s heart.

Three seconds, that was all I needed.

Three… I started my own countdown.

Two…

One.

“My lady!” My lady in waiting, Sia, exclaimed as I sent my spear spiraling into the bear’s heart. The shot was swift and clean, and I didn’t have to count down to a f*****g thirty!

The forest grew silent, and I could feel all of their eyes on me.

I pretended not to notice as I clapped my hands together and ran towards the bear. I checked its pulse and yes! It was dead.

I turned to them excitedly, “I caught it!”

The headhunter was seething. Even from here, I could see his jaw working as he glared at me.

He stood up from his squat and the rest of his team followed. “Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds, Rayana!”

My shoulders slumped, and I started to drag the bear as I walked to them. “Why do you need to give those long boring instructions and still make us countdown to thirty just for one bear? It might as well catch a whiff of us and escape.”

“Not like you’re ever patient enough to see that happen.”

I shrugged, dropped the bear in front of him and folded my arms across my chest, “Well, it bores me and we can’t go back empty handed.”

I know the headhunter hated me, right from the first time father asked him to take me hunting with him. He hated that a little royal girl could kill a huge bear way faster and easier than he could kill a rabbit. Not that he wasn’t good though, he was just too stuck up, always wanting to conform with the rules. I was taught the same way too, but I just couldn’t comprehend why I had to wait for thirty seconds! So I just made away with the zero behind the thirty; zeros have no value, anyway.

His gaze bore into me, then it dropped on the bear. He turned to his men, “One of you should take this for the princess.” Then he faced all of us and ordered, “One more catch, and we’re good.” Then he strutted away in search of another catch he’d plan to kill in thirty seconds.

His subordinates scrambled after him. Cyrus stopped beside me and shook his head with a sly grin on his face, his own catch dangled in his grip, “You just like to break rules, don’t you, princess?”

I hid my blush and rolled my eyes, “It’s not breaking rules, it’s acting smarter. If we take more than thirty seconds on each kill, we’ll get less catch and go home late.”

“Of course, you always have something reasonable to retort back.”

“Of course,” I lifted my chin.

He chuckled and slightly ruffled my hair with his free hand.

He moved closer and hung his arm around my shoulders, then he whispered, “How’s the preparation for the mating ceremony tonight?”

I shrugged nonchalantly, “What’s there to prepare for? If the ceremony was to begin now, anyone would be lucky to have me as their mate.”

“Of course, they will.” He chuckled and disentangled himself from me. Then he bowed mockingly, a sly smile dancing across his lips, "I'll see you tonight, princess.”

I watched as he swaggered toward the rest of the team, a smile dancing on my lips.

Cyrus was the son of the head of the elders, Sir Riddiford, and just like me, he liked to hunt. Sometimes we even sneak out together to hunt.

Cyrus and I had been friends since we knew the difference between one man and another. When we both turned eighteen, neither of us had made it out of the mating ceremony with a mate. That could only mean one thing, right?

Besides, I see the way he looks at me, his touches were always charged with the weight of his want for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had secretly rejected his mate just because he wanted me.

Sia’s voice threw me out of my thoughts as she stepped up beside me, “You need to stop it, my lady. You’re undermining the headhunter’s authority in front of his students. He doesn't like it.”

“Whatever,” I murmured, rolling my eyes. Then I turned to face her, “Is my dress ready? Has it been delivered?” I rushed out.

Sia looked taken aback for a while, as if she was processing my question, then she blinked and nodded. “Yes, my lady. Your dress is ready, the needleworker brought it just before we left the palace.”

I smiled and stared ahead. Tonight, as usual, I would dazzle.

***

“And here comes my queen,” Father’s grin was as wide as his stretched arms and I ran into his warm embrace.

“Did you see my catch?” I asked after I'd taken my seat beside his throne seat.

“Of course! It was the biggest.” He tugged my cheek like I was still a kid. “Keep making me proud.”

I nodded, then I filled him in about my day. From my fighting class right to hunting.

“Now, I have a meeting with the elders.” Father said, then he started to rise from his throne seat, “You should go get ready for the mating ceremony.” He held my hand in his as we both stepped out of the throne room together, “I can’t wait to see who the lucky man would be.”

“I can’t wait either, Father,” I squeezed his hand tight and grinned up at him. I couldn’t wait to accept Cyrus as my mate.

Finally, the time had come.

Ever since I left father, I have been restless. I spent a large part of the day practicing my courtesy as I fantasized about our night after we got mated today.

I smiled at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t wait to finally be more than just a friend to him.

“Tighter, Sia,” I instructed her, gripping the chair tighter, “I need to look as ravishing as possible.”

She grinned. “Of course, m’lady.”

Growing up, Sia had always been my favorite among my many caretakers. She was so young that I wondered what care she could possibly give to me. But she always surprised me with her smart thinking and quick hands.

When it was time for me to choose my own lady in waiting, I didn’t have to think long to know that she was the one I wanted. Right now, she is the closest lady to a friend to me.

I looked at her reflection in the mirror. “What do you think father’s expression would be if Cyrus really turns out to be my mate?”

She looked down at her toes, hesitating… thinking her response through as usual. “He would be impressed and very proud, I believe. Sir Riddiford is a very respected man.”

I looked at my reflection. “He surely would.” Then I gazed back at Sia through the mirror, frowning at her overly polite tone, “I’ve told you, stop being so courteous around me. We’re friends.”

She smiled. “I know. I just don’t want to get too used to being so free around you. The Alpha king would not like that.”

I nodded. Maybe she had a point. But father would have to suck up to it as much as I let him know how invaluable she was to me.

“Still…” I pouted, “You shouldn’t act like our friendship is some dark secret.”

“Alright, Rayana,” she beamed and looked up at me. “Now step down the chair and let me doll you up.”

I grinned sheepishly as I loosened my grip on the chair and did as she instructed. Then I stepped into the big gown I had specially made for tonight.

After I put it on, Sia gasped as I looked in the mirror. My breath caught. Heavens! I looked breathtaking.

“My gods. You look ravishing. I can’t wait to see the look on my mate’s face.”

“I know Cyrus would be pleased.” Then I bent down to bunch the skirts of my gown in my hands. “Now my hair, Sia, hurry.” I rushed to sit myself on the chair, “Style it into the most beautiful style you can imagine.”

I would have left my hair down, but Cyrus once commented that I looked sexy with my hair down. I didn’t want to look sexy. I needed to look elegant and classy. Like a Luna.

Sia winked, “Trust me on that, m’lady.”

I curtsied as I passed every high table and tent occupied by nobles and the non-nobles.

The dangling blue lights illuminated my way in the dark night as I walked to the seat appointed for me beside father and every neck craned to get a glimpse of me.

“You look gorgeous, darling,” Father commented when I reached my seat. I turned to him with a smile, but my smile faltered at the look in his eyes. His eyes were moist and there was that faraway look there.

I frowned, and my eyes searched his, “Are you okay, Father?” I placed my hand on his.

He smiled and nodded. “I’m fine. You just remind me so much of your mother tonight.”

I squeezed his hand, comforting him in the only way I knew how. I would have asked about mother, but he never wanted to talk about her.

The ceremony soon started and everyone started to scent their mates. We cheered as each duo accepted each other as mates.

I turned my head from side to side as my eyes perused the crowd in search of him.

Usually, he would have come to give some snarky remarks about my appearance or say something ridiculous about the new couples, but he was nowhere to be found.

“Rayana?”

I turned to Father, his brows were creased in concern. “Hmm?”

“You seem distracted. Have you caught the scent of your mate?”

That’s the problem, Father. My mate’s not here! So how do I even get a whiff of his scent?

“I’ll be right back.” I muttered absentmindedly, and hurriedly left the royal tent.