01 - Arthur
1508 Words
Glancing at the clock on the wall, I sigh for the thousandth time today. I close the computer in front of me, grab my jacket and made my way to my office door.
I was about to open it when it was open from the other side hitting me in the face.
“Sorry dude” Roy said standing awkwardly at the door.
“Why are you here?” I ask not bothering to hide my displeasure.
“Mom asked me to come pick you up so that you don’t get the chance to change your mind” he replied scratching his head awkwardly but I don’t have time for his nonsense so I push him aside and make my way to the elevator.
“Has everything been prepared?” I ask as I press the button for the ground floor.
“Yeah, the only thing missing is the groom himself” he replied with a wink and I suppress the urge to kick him.
“Is it fun?” I ask coldly and his smile froze as he looked at me awkwardly.
“No, I wish you would listen to me and not do it. You have a mate, Arthur; you just haven’t found her so don’t go through with the mating ceremony.”
He had his head bowed as he spoke, his voice filled with worry.
“I have spent the last 100 years searching Roy, she doesn’t exist” I reply coldly walking towards the car.
“Maybe that’s the problem, you have spent time searching just relax and let the goddess do her thing” he said following me.
I hoped into the co-driver seat as he got into the driver’s seat and began to drive.
“That’s no longer an option, tonight I will be a mated man” I reply tearing off the first two buttons of my chest to ease the discomfort I was feeling.
“There’s no law that says you need to climb the throne with a Luna by your side” he fired again and I turn to look at him.
His grip on the steering wheel was tight and his face was stiff which means that tonight is troubling him. He and his mate Casey has been trying to talk me out of it but I have been trained to put the pack first and that’s what am doing.
“Mom has already picked someone out for me and I don’t plan to back out. As alpha it’s my duty to think about the wellbeing of my people above all else.”
“The people would be fine without a Luna plus I don’t like her” he sneered with dissatisfaction and I smile.
He hasn’t changed at all, he’s the same little rebel that he has always being. I’m sure he only accepted to be my beta out of love for me and not out of duty for the pack.
“You don’t have to like her, all that matters is that she is strong enough to stand by my side and bear my pups”
He scoffed and said “Trust me, you are saying this because you don’t know what it feels like to have a mate.”
I ignore his comment and focused my attention on the road. The entire town has been decorated for the event tonight. Every decor I see stabs me in the gut but that’s okay, as long as my people are safe and the pack is stable, then I’m on the right track.
‘Arthur where are you?’ I get a link from my father.
He sounds anxious so I reply formally knowing this is pack business. ‘On my way home Alpha’ I reply
‘There’s been a breach at north border, go check it out!’
“There’s a breach at the north border” I say to Roy.
“On it” he replied, swinging the car and hit the pedal hard.
Getting to the border, I can see people gathered and whispering amongst themselves. Stepping out of the car, I caught a whiff of a very intoxicating scent of the forest on a rainy day.
“Do you smell that?” I ask looking at Roy who sniffs the air and ask “Smell what?”
“Never mind” I reply before walking towards the crowd.
“Prince Arthur” a teenage boy greets with a bow.
“What’s happening here?” I ask to get a better understanding of the situation.
“I and my friends were sparing when a woman walked through the forest with a small girl. Before we could say anything, the woman vanished, leaving the girl behind.”
I frown at his statement but before I could react, Roy asked “What do you mean by vanished?”
“She was just gone” the boy replied, trembling like a leaf.
“And the girl?” I ask
“She’s been questioned by the sheriff.” He replied and I nod before walking into the crowd.
With each step I take, the scent grows closer until am standing beside the sheriff.
“Hello Sheriff”
“Arthur! Nice to see you” he greeted with excitement but my eyes were transfixed on the little girl who was standing quietly and looking at the ground.
Her skin was a dark shade of brown, she had cute little pointy ears, her red plump limbs were pursed tightly, her curly black hair was reaching her waist and her hands were playing with the edges of her dress.
“Who did she say brought her here?”
“She hasn’t spoken a word since I met her and I have no idea how to handle this.”
I squatted to the floor and lifted her face to talk to her but when her green eyes met mine, my breadth hitch and my heart thump ferociously inside my body.
‘MATE!’ Daemon roars in my head.
“What’s your name?” I ask softly hoping not to scare her off.
“Laila” she replied and smiled.
Her smile froze me in place and I felt like time has stopped. Her voice was soft and smooth, I could listen to it all day.
“This is for you” she said handling me a piece of paper that I didn’t realize she was holding.
I took it, unwrapped it and it read “Please protect my Laila.”
“Where’s your mother little one” Roy asks but she doesn’t speak.
“Answer him, where is she?” I whisper softly as I take her hands.
“Home” she replies and for a second, I could swear I saw fear in her eyes.
“And where is home?” I ask and she lowers her head.
“Tell me I say, holding her face”
“I don’t know” she replies before bursting into tears.
“Hey, it’s okay” I coo as I pull her into my arms shocked by how soft my voice sounded.
“I’ll be taking her home Sherriff”
“Alright, if I find something, I will let you know”
“Good” I reply before walking back to the car.
“You don’t look so good” Roy said as we drove away from the area.
“Yeah, I don’t feel so good” I reply, looking at the cute little girl who had fallen asleep in my arms. Her presence changes everything!
‘How on earth can I be mated to a kid? Is the goddess playing some sick joke on me and who is the woman that brought her here?’
“She’s my mate” I say looking at Roy whose eyes widen before he hit the brakes, parking by the side of the road.
“The kid is your mate?” he asks looking from me to her.
“Yeah, and I’ve imprinted on her” I say running my hand through my hair at how fast things are falling apart.
“Awesome!” he shrieked victoriously as he grinned wildly at me.
“This isn’t a joke” I snap coldly but when I look at the kid, I can’t help but sigh.
‘What the heck do I do?’
‘Accept her dim wit she’s our mate’
“Yeah man it isn’t a joke. it’s a f*****g miracle and am so happy for you.” He replied with a smile and began to drive again.
“She’s a kid” I find myself saying as am baffled at the fact that I imprinted on her. I’m not supposed to be able to do that until she becomes a grown woman.
“Yeah, she’s a beautiful kid who will grow into a stunning woman”
“I’m getting mated tonight” I replied wondering how I’m going to have to settle this.
“Now, you have a reason to call it off.” He replies casually like it’s no big deal.
- Writer
