Mated: An Enemy King

A Ludicrous Position

Mate bonds, fate, the gods and every other being or deity that everyone held in high regard had never really held my attention, neither had I bothered to let the beliefs surrounding them dictate my life, and yet here I was, going against my resolve to stay away from my mate by drawing ever closer to her because of some century old belief about mates and the gods.

Driven by Nuela's words, a wolf whom until recently had never bothered to aid me in any way, I shut out the protests of my lover, risking more than a war with her kingdom, and let my feet carry me to the one I did not deserve because, apparently, the realm required it. My own people required that of me too or I would risk being labelled as an uncaring king.

I'd scoffed at the idea when Nuela had spoken of it, but the presence of a throng of my own people at the city gates had left me thinking otherwise. I would have dismissed the gathering as merely my own people welcoming me back too, but I’d heard the talk among the crowds. Everything from my foreign mate and what blessings her presence would bestow on Leif.

"Why would me not doing this suddenly make me an uncaring king?" I huffed at the idea of it and cursed Nuela for placing me in such a ludicrous position. After her little speech about history, I had no doubt that her and the many spies in her charge were guilty of spreading the news of my finding my mate to all the common folk around the city.

I could curse my people too for their curiosity, but the excitement and happiness they were currently displaying at the thought of me finding my mate wouldn't let me, even as it made me aware of just how much this mattered. Nuela had said as much and added that more than Leif’s citizens being happy, finding my mate was something special for the kingdom, but whatever her rumblings about that had been, I had simply not cared for it. And now the regret for not paying attention was only mine.

A figure moved to block my path to Aryn, the red of their hair instantly stirring my annoyance. "I'm not going to bite." I defended even when that was not entirely true. I wished to bite him. With my mate's confession still fresh in my mind the sight of him made my canines itch to dig into his flesh and watch as his blood drained out. I wished to bite her too, but for a whole different reason.

"Whatever this is, leave her out of it."

"Seeing that you are not my mate, that is not for you to decide." I sneered, letting my gaze linger on him before turning to my mate. The princess held the deepest frown I had ever seen on her that spoke of her confusion and yet the expression had done nothing to dim her beauty. For a moment, I let myself get lost in it. “You heard Nuela.” I stated, annoyance prickling when all she did was stare at me, not even bothering to instruct her sworn protector to step away. Did she still wish I was not her mate?

“What I heard was your betrothed calling for you and you ignoring every one of her pleas.” The anger in her tone pacified my own annoyance because finally it gave me a glimpse of how she truly felt.

“I cannot let you walk into Leif by yourself.” Choosing not to speak of Darla, I focussed on the reason I was here even as I hoped that the lack of protest from my lover was because Koberic had done what I’d asked of him.

“Why does it matter?” Why did it matter? How could I explain something I did not understand myself. It was ridiculous, but Nuela had never looked more serious and despite our regrettable relationship, I couldn’t run away from the fact that my parents had held her in high regard. It was the only reason I’d not cut her and tribe off when they refused to give me their support. Well, that and Koberic’s insistence that I would be making a grave mistake.

"It's just over the city gates. For the people. Just as one would a bride over the threshold." Aryn's eyes widened before they darkened.

“You mean showing me off as though I were some prized possession, a conquest?”

“Nothing of the sort.” I bit out, hating that she’d think I would parade her in such a manner. “You are my other half, granted by the moon goddess to complete m–” She scoffed, so loud I was sure the gazes that I felt on me where as the result. “You do not believe in the moon goddess, perhaps?” I felt how stupid a question that was even before Aryn displayed the appropriate reaction to it.

“Oh, I do believe in the moon goddess, it’s just that I’m not your other half now am I, Lord Eugan?” I stepped into her. She still refused to acknowledge me as king, but that was not the reason for my drawing closer. The tremble in her voice was, together with the c***k in the strong demeanour she’d been portraying that betrayed how she truly felt about the words to leave her mouth.

“I–”

“I’ll have my maid prepare a place in my carriage for you.” The urgency and haste with which she evaded my touch stung, leaving my wolf whinning. The beast also laid all the blame on me for it.

“It can’t be your carriage.” I bargained.

“Excuse me?”

“You ride with me on my royal steed and–” The glare she sent my way kept me from saying the rest of it.

“Lead the way.” She finally said after the longest time, albeit reluctantly. If she had her wolf, I would have thought she’d been mind linking someone over the matter before her answer. I was not about to complain, however. Instead I linked Zakariel who was quick to bring my horse.

“May I? Wait- W- What are you doing?” I frowned when my mate merely ignored the hand I'd offered and instead began walking to the city gates.

“It's just over the city gates, right?”

“Yes, but-"

“Then there is no need to fuss about horses and-" Darla scoffed from somewhere behind me, and one look in that direction, something shifted about my mate. “On second thought-" Aryn turned around, her steps leading her back to me. “Yes, you may, your majesty.” Her actions were clearly meant to spite Darla, but the beast in me willingly drowned in her tempting tone and the feel of her touch when those delicate hands rested on my chest when she spoke. “I mean, if the gods will it, who are we to say otherwise?” A delicate hand stroked the side of my face and sparks as strong as death shot out from every inch of me, leaving me desiring her to no end.

“What are you doing Aryn?” I groaned, wishing for nothing but to scoop her up in my hands and doing everything that her playful demeanour was stirring within me. Everything that that mouth which was barely inches from me was begging for. I did not even care that we had a multitude of witnesses or that I was spoken for. I was lost in her.

“Take me into Leif, your majesty.” I swallowed, hard at the breathless request that was both innocent and tempting.

“Of course,” Not needing to be told twice, I mounted my horse and reached for her even as cheers erupted and filled the atmosphere around us. It was the thing to make me aware of my surroundings once again. Nuela stood happily urging me forward, which I did, guiding the steed in-between the parted sea of people and taking care not to trample on anyone. I was so focused on that that I did not notice the moment we’d stepped into Leif. Not until a strange sight greeted me.