CHAPTER 6

A Month Later.

LOGAN'S POV

"Bull's eye!" Leah yelled and clapped her hands in excitement.

"Once again." I muttered with a small smile gracing my lips.

"Once again." She repeated and walked up to me, circling her arms around my neck. Her action had truly been unexpected, so my eyes widened slightly in shock. I quickly glanced at Liam who only squinted his eyes in apparent confusion, before looking back at the lady in front of me. She locked eyes with me, her expression gradually changing from that of shock, to what looked like.... interest? Or desire? We held each other's stare for a moment, before the sound of someone clearing their throat, interrupted our staring contest.

"Leah!" I looked up to see Layla walking towards us, and Leah quickly detangled her arms from my neck. "I had no idea you were in the palace already."

"Your highness." Leah managed a small bow towards Layla's approaching figure. "I was on my way to your gallery, when I saw Prince Logan and Liam busy with target archery."

"So you decided to...." Layla purposely trailed off, so Leah would complete the statement.

"Join in and cheer them on for a while." Leah completed with a small smile. She was clearly embarrassed.

"So much for 'cheering' them on." Layla said, giving that weird smile that could only make me more embarrassed. I noticed that Liam was battling to hold in his laughter. "Enough of this." She waved off the present topic. "You should head to my gallery already, we have a lot of work to do today. The annual ball is only a week away, and we need to display my best works there. I would be right behind you, I just need to have a quick conversation with my brother. I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all." Leah shook her head awkwardly, before walking away. When she was completely out of hearing range, Layla released a sigh.

"Oh wow."

"What?" I rushed out in defense.

"I haven't even said anything yet." She gave that annoying chuckle. "You like Leah?" She asked, looking at me squarely. All the while, Liam was silent.

"Everyone likes Leah." I shrugged, not wanting to admit the fact that for a moment, I felt a slight attraction towards her.

"Okay. Are you interested in Leah?" She asked once more, but I gave no response. "The scene I just walked in on, definitely looked like...."

"Like what?" I cut her off, walking towards the arrow pot to pick another arrow.

"Like attraction." Liam spoke up. Great!

"She is not my mate." I muttered, fixing the newly collected arrow on my bow, and aiming for a shot.

"Exactly what I thought you would say." Layla smiled. "But it is so clear that she is into you. Has been for a while now. It definitely took her a lot courage to make such a move on you."

"Not to worry." I shrugged. "Her mate would eventually show up and sweep her off her feet, rendering her attraction towards me useless and forgotten in a matter of weeks." Focusing on my target and strengthening my stance on the ground, I took the shot.

"Don't tell me you're beginning to feel sorry for yourself now?"

"How can I?" I released a dry chuckle. "It's not everyday I get to know that a lady from a family of strong wolf bloodline, fancies me. The prince of shame."

"I wouldn't have this conversation with you." Layla sighed, walking towards the empty chair by her left. "You have been on edge for the past month."

"A month since Sebastian found his mate." I shot back.

"It doesn't change anything." Liam said.

"And since when did I begin to look or seem clueless to you? His mate apparently solidifies his stake at getting the throne."

"Talking of Sebastian's mate." Liam started. "Why is he yet to introduce her to the king and the rest of us?"

"I thought so too." Layla sighed. "It's weird because he is the kind that would love to rub it in all our faces, especially Logan's." There was no lie in what Layla had said. Knowing Sebastian for who he was, he would have loved to put so much fear in me, by announcing that he had found his mate.

Just then, I perceived a very familiar scent. Actually, it was the only scent I had ever been able to perceive. It's weird but right since birth, uncle Justin's scent had been the only scent capable of making me calm. Many times, Liam would joke about how he thought his father was my mate. Funny and gross.

"My father is here." Liam muttered in suprise, looking between Layla and I. I was suprised as well. Uncle Justin wasn't meant to be back until the weekend. Did his meeting with Alpha Ryan go badly?

"And if it isn't my favorite wolves in the same space!" We all looked up to see uncle Justin walking into the field. "Who missed me?" He asked. Layla and I were definitely about to respond, but Liam beat us to it.

"I hope your visit to the cold moon pack wasn't a fail?"

"Could you at least, be glad to see that your father is back?" I scoffed, moving forward to hug uncle Justin.

I basked in his wonderful scent for a short while, finding it slightly difficult to pull away.

"Hey, have this." He gently pulled away, before handing me his handkerchief. Okay, that would work just fine. I put handkerchief to my nose and inhaled his scent. "You are clearly not in a bright mood." He muttered.

"What does my father want with Alpha Ryan?" Layla suddenly asked. I had also been curious as to why father had just sent his Beta to the dreaded cold moon pack, all of a sudden. Was there a problem?

"Nothing serious." He waved it off, but I didn't buy it. "Right now, I have come to take you all to the king."

"Is everything okay?" I found myself asking. My heart gradually dropped to the pit of my stomach, making me push the handkerchief closer to my nose. I inhaled deeply, the scent magically calming my senses.

"I guess so. He just has something to let you all know." Liam, Layla, and I, shared a look amongst ourselves, most certainly wondering what it was. My mind told me it probably had to do with Sebastian's newly found mate.

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We walked into father's office in a single file, only to see Sebastian and his mother already seated and awaiting our presence. Ohhh, now I was sure as hell that this meeting was about his mate.

"Good morning Father." Layla and I chorused, receiving a nod in response.

"Good morning, your majesty." Liam greeted as well, before we all sat down. The place was silent for a while, until father eventually broke the silence.

"It seems to be that prince Sebastian has found good fortune." Father said, before clearing his throat. "Sebastian has found his mate. Congratulations Seb." At my father's words, we all shared glances between ourselves. Our family wasn't the typical 'loving' family, so I wasn't really sure what my reaction was supposed to be. Instinctively, I forced a smile on my face, and gave my well wishes.

"Congratulations Sebastian."

"Congratulations Sebastian." Layla and Liam repeated. The entire atmosphere became silent once more, but I didn't miss the smirk on Sebastian's face.

"As normal tradition of a royal demands, he is to pick a day to introduce her to us. So what day suites you best?" Father directed the question to Sebastian, who released a sigh and proceeded to respond.

"I have already chosen a day, father. I would love to introduce my mate in the upcoming annual ball."

What the hell?! Sebastian definitely knew what he was doing. He wanted to introduce his mate on a day a lot of wolves from several packs in the kingdom would be present in the palace. In other words, he wanted creating an awareness.

The moment everyone at the ball becomes aware that he is mated to such a powerful she~wolf, word would spread real fast and those who are not in support of my enthronement would leech on the opportunity. Sebastian had in mind to kickstart another stage of rebellion against me becoming the next king.