Making her own path

Chapter 6 - Mate?

Aysha could not believe what Mel said.

“What are you talking about Mel?” Aysha said to her through their mind link. “You know as well as I do that finding your mate is next to impossible.”

“I’m telling you, that’s mate!” Mel insisted. “Can’t you feel it?”

Aysha had felt something when she looked into Zayne’s eyes, but honestly, it could have just been because he was extremely hot.

“It can’t be Mel, besides don’t you have to touch the person to confirm that?” Aysha asked.

“Well, that’s what we learned, but I’m telling you that’s mate!” Aysha could feel Mel wagging her tail and jumping around. “Just touch him, you’ll see!”

“Mel, I love you, but I’m not going to just touch someone I just met. And you made that sound way too dirty.”

Aysha noticed Zayne staring at her and suddenly realized that she had not taken her eyes off him. She looked away and could feel herself blush, but thankfully no one seemed to have noticed. She notices a hint of a smile on Zayne, but as soon as she notices it was gone and he turned his attention to her father since he was saying something.

“Well, we shouldn’t stand here, there’s food on the table.” He said and gestured to the large dining room connected to the lounge.

Everyone walked to the dining room and sat down. Aysha and her sisters sat next to each other while the visiting alphas sitting across from them with her father at the head of the table. The one next to her was the alpha from Youngyuan, Jian Li. 

Aysha ate her dinner quietly while everyone was engaged in some small talk, but her mind seemed to wander to the person sitting next to Jian.

Zayne ate his dinner calmly and only talked when he was asked any questions, which mostly came from Iona, but he kept the answer simple and did not continue the conversation. Iona’s face showed a hint of annoyance and Aysha quietly laughed at her desperate attempt.

“I don’t like Iona looking at mate like that,” Mel growled in her head.

“Please keep you cool, we don’t even know for sure,” Aysha said calmly. “Or I will block you out until this is over.” At that remark, Mel whimpered but backed down.

“So, what about you Aysha?” Someone said.

“What?”

“What do you like to do in your pastime?” Alpha Jian asked.

“Oh… Um… I don’t know,” Aysha said as she was trying to find an answer. “I like to explore the old human ruins around town.” 

Her father choked on his drink, and Aysha noticed a look of surprise on all the alphas.

“That’s… interesting,” Jian answered, and Aysha could see that he was not exactly impressed. “It doesn’t exactly sound like something a princess should be doing," he added.

“Well, I also like to train,” Aysha shrugged, and she could feel the anger radiating from her father and could sense that he was telling her to shut up.

“Well, alright,” Alpha Jian said stunned and turned his attention back to the food.

Aysha did not know why she should be embarrassed about her interests. Sure, they were not exactly “ladylike”, but she had never been the ideal princess.

She could feel eyes on her and looked up to see Zayne looking at her, but he did not seem to be as shocked. He seemed to be… amused? He gave her a small smirk before turning his attention back to his food.

No one asked her any more questions, and she did not catch Zayne looking at her again. Why did that make her disappointed?

Finally, dinner ended and Aysha could make a run for it. But before she managed to get away her father pulled her to the side.

“Don’t think we’ll not discuss what happened later,” he said annoyed.

“All I did was answer honestly,” Aysha shrugged and crossed her arms.

“Just, please. For once act in accordance with your title,” he said sternly. “Now, I want you sisters to each escort one alpha to their guest quarters.”

Aysha was about to object, but the look on her father’s face made her shut up.

“Thank you for dinner, and once again welcome to our kingdom.” Her father said as he turned back to the guests. “I’ve asked my daughters to escort you to your guest quarters, your betas should already be there. Please make yourself at home while you are here, and in two days we will hold a ball to officially welcome you to our kingdom. I have to finish up a few things, but if there’s something you have to discuss, don’t hesitate to find me.”

As soon as her father left, Iona walked to Zayne.

“I can show you to your room,” Iona said and looked like she was undressing him with her eyes.

“No thanks,” Zayne said and walked away from her and towards Aysha. “Do you think you could show me?” Zayne asked her and behind him, Aysha could see Iona with a furious look on her face.

“Sure,” Aysha said and led him out of the dining room.

They walked down a few halls without saying a word. Aysha could not help but feel nervous and did not know if she should say something, so she just looked ahead and led him towards his room.

“I take it you’re not a big fan of this arrangement?” Zayne finally broke the silence.

The question took her by surprise. She did not know what to say since she did not want to be in more trouble with her father.

“I guess it’s necessary,” Aysha answered.

“Nice way of answering without really answering.” Zayne laughed.

“I’m sorry I just…” 

“If I’m being honest. I do not fancy this arrangement myself. Just doing it since my father said it’s important.” Zayne said and stopped to look at a painting on the wall.

“And you’re okay with it?” Aysha also looked at the painting, not wanting to make eye contact with him. Trying to ignore the fact that she was a bit disappointed that he was not interested in being here.

“I mean, sometimes you got to go what you got to do.” Zayne shrugged.

“Mr. Harris…”

“Zayne. Please just call me Zayne. I’m way too used to hear my father being called Mr. Harris.” Zayne said and rolled his eyes.

Aysha chuckled. “Alright, Zayne. Why don’t we continue to your room?”

“My, eager, are we?” Zayne chuckled and walked past her.

“What?... Oh my god no… I didn’t mean…” Aysha said in a panic, not managing to form whole sentences. 

“Relax, I’m just messing with you.” Zayne turned around and laughed. “It was worth it for seeing your flustered face.”

Aysha could feel her whole face turn red and she quickly walked past him trying to hide it. She could hear him softly chuckle behind her, but he did not say anything else.

They finally reached the hallway in which he was sleeping in and Aysha showed him to the door.

“Here is your room and your beta is in the room next to this one. You have the entire hallway to yourself so no one should bother you during your stay.” Aysha said and hoped that her face was not still red.

“It’s nice, thank you,” Zayne said. 

“If there’s anything you need there’s a device inside to let the maids know.”

Zayne just nodded in response and looked at her curiously. Aysha took that as a sign to leave and started walking back.

“You really go into old ruins?” Zayne asked and it made Aysha stop in her tracks.

“Yeah, I do,” Aysha said turning around to face him again. Unsure where he was going with this.

“Maybe you’ll take me on one of those trips while I’m here,” Zayne said and leaned towards his door.

“Are you serious?” Aysha said skeptically, thinking that he must be messing with her.

“I am,” Zayne just shrugged. “It sounds like fun.”

“Well, I’ll let you know if I’m going,” Aysha said, a bit taken back from this suggestion.

“Sounds like a plan.”

For a moment neither one of them said anything. For some reason, Aysha did not feel uncomfortable in his presence and found it easy to talk to him.

“Well, goodnight, Zayne.”

“Goodnight, Aysha.”

----

Zayne watched Aysha walk away and could not take her eyes off her until she turned around a corner and was out of his sight. He could not help but feel like a huge p*****t right about now, staring at her like this.

“Get it together i***t,” he muttered to himself and banged the back of his head against the wall.

From the moment he laid eyes on her there had been something about her that made him want to make her his. He hated when the other two alphas had checked her out at the dinner table, and he could not understand why. He just met her.

“I like her,”  his wolf, Xander said to him.

“I could sense that you horny dog,” Zayne answered and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t like the other one,” Xan continued with a clear distaste in his voice.’”

The oldest sister, Iona, had been practically drooling over him the entire dinner and he could tell that she was everything he tended to hate in princesses. Stuck up and only cared about money and looks. It was one of the reasons that he hated the idea of an arranged marriage to a princess.

“But I guess things might be interesting after all,” Zayne said to himself and gazed at the last place he had seen that beautiful girl with silver hair.