The Prince’s Unwilling mate

Chapter 78

Griffin 78 “Prince Griffin the Princess just arrived at the pack” Simon one of our guards let me know. Yet another one of our packmembers that started to refer to Ayla as our Princess. I loved it, but I had been a little surprised that one weekend being out and about would do the trick. Gerald had chuckled and told me it would all make sense soon. It head earned him a smack in the chest from Jessa so I knew better than to say anything else. At first, when I saw Jessa and Ayla together didn’t make a lot of sense. Jessa was dressed as a 90s grunge rock star. She had fiery copper curls. Wore heavy smudgy black eye make-up. Where Ayla had soft brown straight hair, and hardly wore every make-up. Ayla chose hand-knitted sweaters and flowy shirts over Jessa’s leather and flannel. Jessa chose baggy distressed jeans, leather pants, and fishnets over Ayla’s skinny jeans, skirts, and tights. Now that I had gotten to know Jessa a lot better I realized those two were perfect for each other. They were both fierce and stubborn, they both didn’t let what others thought about them define them. And they shared their love for reading and the same weird humor that I loved so much. I think that’s why Ayla was so miserable, the rejection changed her. It forced her to act like what other people thought she should. She was not able to be her fierce self not for the sake of her but for the sake of the entire pack. But none of that mattered anymore because she was with me now. I would make her feel so loved and safe that she would always feel free to be her true self. I thank Simon through the mindlink and then I make my way to the parking lot to be the first to greet Ayla. She probably doesn’t know but there is no better feeling than seeing her car pull up to the castle’s parking lot. However this time I can not stroll back to our room hand 0.00% 07:32 Griffin 78 in hand. This time I promised my parents we would go straight to the meeting room to discuss the Blood Moon pack matter. He also wanted her take on what happened to me and David. Not just

because she was an eyewitness. My parents had got to know her the best of all the pack members and they loved her. They valued her opinion, so they would take it into account in all the decisions about this situation. Not wanting our first moment of this weekend to be about anyone else but us. I pulled her close to me and k*ssed her with all that I had before I even said hello. She seemed a bit breathless when I finally let her go and I was too. But I hoped I had managed to show her just how special she was to me, just how much I loved her. When I finally told her about my parents wanting to meet with us right away she was perfect. She hugged me, ‘told me she understood, and followed me into the meeting room. I remember when she first got her, she was so formal with my parents and seemed almost jumpy. She kept using their titles even when they both had reassured her that she didn’t need to. How different was the girl greeting them now? She walked up to them both and hugged them. She teased Dad for the ketchup stain on his shirt. And complimented Mom’s dress before sitting down. Every time she interacted with my family like this my heart would swell with pride and love. As a little boy, I always wondered why I never got a baby brother or sister. So one day I asked my mother, who told me that to save me the doctor had to do something that meant she could never have babies again. Later I found out that something went wrong with the c-section. Young as I was I noticed it made her sad, I still remember the tears forming in her eyes. Seeing Mom like that, feeling it was my fault made me cry. To this day I still remember what she told me that day. “Don’t be sorry baby, one day you will meet a wonderful mate and they will be like a second child to me. And if we get really lucky you will have pups together, so I can be a nana” 24.79% 07:32 Griffin 78 Mom had confessed to me that she loved Ayla like her own daughter. Dad hadn’t said anything but I knew he did too. With the pleasantries over we all sat down to address the elephant in the room. This wasn’t a veryConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

formal meeting. And even if we had this meeting as a family, not just as the leaders of the county. Dad was still the King so letting him start about a topic with this importance only felt right. “Ayla, Griffin will not be punished but this can be vital information on how to address David if he is instead starting a war over this. Did he provoke Griffin enough to act out like he did” He addressed Ayla first. “Yes and no, I will never like a lot of violence so in that regard I don’t think I can ever say something like that is justified. However, we have to take into account that Griff’s bloodline and my past hurt, party caused by David made it harder for him to stay in control. I think everyone can understand that seeing another man, who harmed your mate before dragging her along with him would put everyone on edge” She said and I knew this was how she really felt. Dad just nodded he seemed pensive but he didn’t talk about it anymore. He just jotted something down in his notebook and then moved on to the current situation. Most of the questions were aimed at Ayla. It makes sense because she was the one who knew not just the pack but David specifically the best out of all of us. She told us that David loved his parents, his mother more so. Because he found his father to be too strict and too involved in his life. We also found out he adored his little sister who was quite a few years younger than him. It was good news because it made the chances that someone so young just forgot to let us know right away. Him keeping to his father’s peace treaty would be the best solution and we weren’t going to do anything to provoke him. Not when he very well could just be grieving his parents. 52 12 07:32 Griffin 78 We would not let him plot and plan in peace without taking action to protect our people. Father began asking questions about how strong he was. How many of the BloodMoon pack would stay loyal to him whatever happened? How many of those were skilled at fighting? I understood why he wanted to know everything there was possible. But he didn’t seem to notice how uneasy all of this made Ayla feel. I wanted to know what it was that made her feel so uncomfortable.

“Dad, Ayla, and I need a break,” I told him. He was about to say something again, no doubt something about him needing us being more important. I loved him and was a good father and a good king. But he was impulsive, and he had a habit of speaking before he thought. Mom truly is perfect for him she shakes her head ever so slightly and Dad changes his tune completely. Agreeing with us saying he needed a coffee and offering to get us one too. An offer Ayla gladly accepted, I mouthed a “Thank you” to my mother and let Ayla outside. Here in the bright daylight, I could see she had grown a little paler a little ashier. I hoped she would be the first to speak. So I just stood there next to her. Silently enjoying the beauty of mother’s garden. By the time I was ready to give up and just ask her what was wrong, she started speaking. My eyes filled with tears, and when I listened to all she had to tell me, for the first time since meeting me I felt unsure of what to do. I don’t understand everything she is saying, but I feel it is important you let it all out. So I just let her rant and rant holding her hand, hoping that knowing I was so close makes her feel better.