Chapter 3 - Finding a future king.

Arora

“So, you are the famous princess, Arora.” Liam smiled. I just smiled back. I knew why my father made us take a walk. He was hoping I would choose Liam as my future mate. He couldn’t force me into a union. If he could, he wouldn’t have been wasting his time introducing me to anyone. I wasn’t ready for any of that yet. Hell, I knew at the sight of the new dress this morning. My father had males he wanted me to meet.

“And you are Alpha Liam. Which pack are you from?” I lifted my nose just a little higher as we walked down the steps and out to the garden. Liam wasn’t the first male my father introduced me to after my birthday. I have done this silly tour a couple of times in the past couple of days. I knew exactly how to put these males in their place and put them off any possible agreements my father intended to arrange!

“It’s the Crescents in the south. We are a small pack.” He smiled. “Listen, I know your father is looking for a mate for you, but I can’t see myself living in this castle. This is not what I want.” He stopped and turned to look at me. His words caught me off guard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. I …” I tilted my head to one side. I felt amused. Liam sighed deeply and looked into the distance. “I was hoping to meet my destined mate.” My laughter rang through the air, making him turn bright red.

“I’m very happy to hear you say that and sorry for laughing.” I turned and continued our walk. I knew our fathers were probably standing at the window watching us. We couldn’t stand around all day or go straight back. “Listen, I appreciate your honesty, but I still need to show my father that I’m trying, so would you mind if we finish our walk?” He nodded and smiled. We returned to the castle a little while later. Liam and his father had just driven off when I felt my father’s steel grip around my upper arm.

“What did you say to him?!” My father growled. His eyes turned bright amber. I resisted the urge for the umpteenth time to roll my eyes. Princesses didn’t roll their eyes!

“Nothing, father. He is looking for his destined mate. I wasn’t it.” I sighed. I knew that somehow my father was going to make this my fault. Anything that went wrong in this damn kingdom was always my fault! My father glared at me for a moment when a smile started to form on the corners of his lips.

“One of these days I’m going to find you a mate and you WILL accept him!” My father growled. We both knew if I didn’t agree eventually, he would find a way to force me to mate with someone. My father stormed back to his office. Luke walked me to the morning room for my piano lessons. I ate lunch on my own for the first time in days. As soon as I left the dining room, I knew why! My father had a second guest for me to meet!

“Arora, I want you to meet Alpha Hunter.” A shiver ran down the back of my spine as the older male took my hand and kissed it. I felt nausea push up from the pit of my stomach.

“Princess Arora, your father has told me a lot about you.” He winked, sending yet another shiver down the back of my spine. There was no way I was going to take a walk with this guy! I glared at my father and a soft growl escaped from deep inside him.

“Pleased to meet you, Alpha Hunter.” I sighed. If my father kept this up, I wouldn’t be able to get to any of my practices today! However, he surprised me by telling me we would be having dinner with Alpha Hunter. I only had to join them later.

I breathed a sigh of relief and excused myself. I was late thanks to my damn father. Disappearing down the hallway before my father could change his mind. I met my ladies in my room to pick out the dress, but it seemed my father was prepared. They had a new dress ready and waiting and I just went along with it. It had been a damn tiring day and the only little light in it was playing my game with Luke!

As soon as the ladies left, I rushed to change. Practice was gruelling because I was late. I loved it! I loved every moment of it. All I wanted to do was get back to my room, take a bath and go to bed. I couldn’t. I won’t be able to for a while. At least, until my father found my darn mate!

DINNER WENT DOWN pretty much as I expected it would. I was there to be seen and not heard and only spoke when I was spoken to. I couldn’t say what I wanted to say because of my father. By the time dinner was over, I was sure he would try and convince me to mate with the sleezy Alpha Hunter!

Thankfully, Alpha Hunter wasn’t interested in me. He quickly informed my father after we finished dinner. According to my father, he was looking for someone a little spicier. For once, my father’s little plan backfired right in his damn face! I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.

TWO YEARS LATER, I was still attending the meetings with my father. I have successfully rejected almost every single male in our kingdom. I was entertaining the Lunas who would come to these meetings with their mates.

On the day of my eighteenth birthday, I was secretly hoping I would find my mate before my father chose a mate for me. I dreamt of how he would scoop me up in his arms and claim me before my father could force me to mate someone else.

I have heard so many incredible stories from the Lunas over the years. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else but my mate. As with every birthday, my father had a huge ball planned for the night.