Chapter Five: The Inconsiderate Bastard

~Amber’s POV~

“I need you to suppress my wolf.”

Never in my life had I thought there would be a time when those exact words would leave my lips, nor did I think that they would be the first words I would say to the man I hadn’t seen for three years.

Surprise flashed across his face before it gave way to a big grin that lit up his entire features, making him look even younger as he spread his hands.

“Before you start spewing nonsense, come give your best friend a hug.”

The word best friend sent a string of pain through me, making me stand still. 

But Tim didn’t care because the next second I was lifted off the ground in his arms and spun in a way that made a giggle leave my lips before I could help it.

Then he dropped me down just as fast. “When your father told me you were returning, I couldn’t believe it. I have missed you so much, Amber.”

The truth in his eyes melted away the pain and anger for a moment and I sighed. “I missed you too. I’m sorry that I couldn’t talk to you often.”

“I know,” He sighed pushing his flopping black hair out of his face.” Communicating with the Royal Palace frequently would have blown your cover.” 

He shoved me back to lay emphasis on our relationship. “You are such an asshole for leaving in the first place. Most especially because of that scumbag that…”

He stopped talking, reading the look on my face.

Tim might not have been born to my family, but he was my family. More than a best friend tag could quantify. And he had been the first person I came to find as soon as I stepped foot in the palace because the family he was born into had the ability to do magic.

And I needed him to do another spell for me. A stronger one than he had done three years ago.

Because he could read my mind, he shook his head. “I do not know what happened, Amber, and I have every intention of continue to  pretend I didn’t hear the nonsense you said when you walked in here.”

“Timothy.”

“No.” He shook his head. “Don’t go calling my full name. I already did a spell that I spent the last year worrying about. I kept thinking, what if something happens and she can’t fight back because of her suppressed Alpha female strength and aura and…”

“Tim,” I cut in gently. “No questions asked. Remember?”

He looked like he wanted to say something, but I grabbed his hand. “Please.”

“Amber, if this has something to do with Ian, with you not wanting to feel again I understand. But this is your wolf—“

“I should have been more specific. I just need you to do a spell to suppress my scent, not Roxanne entirely.”

I stopped, sucked in a deep breath, then focused on the link between the two of us, feeling her disagreement with it like she had been pushing towards me since I decided this on my way here.

But I felt it.

The mix of understanding that I was hurting from the actions of our mate even though she was struggling against me to be with him, especially with the mark hidden underneath my hair still pulsing.

And more importantly, my mate was an Alpha, which meant he would be in attendance at the gathering. I was lucky enough that my Alpha female aura would not let the mark nor the bond hold as long as I didn’t mark him back, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to sense the bond.

So I sucked in a harder breath, hating that I couldn’t tell him about my mate, and reached for his face, making him stare at me.

“No questions asked. Please.”

He closed his eyes, then nodded. “I will make you another necklace. But once you do this, I cannot tell the long-term effect of the spell. It might change your scent and you might never find your mate.” He paused. “Once you do it, there is no turning back, Amber.”

No turning back.

Those were the only words that rang out in my head as I slowly kissed his cheek and walked out.

No turning back as I made it back to my room, fully washing out the brown color from my hair and taking out the contacts that hid my brilliant blue eyes.

No turning back as the hours went by and I finally put on the dress that had been laid out for me, made my way out to my father who hadn’t sought me out. 

 Who understood that I needed space to breathe and maintained his silence even as he led me out to the grand hall.

No turning back as I secretly put on the necklace Tim slipped into my hands just before I stepped into the grand hall and every single person turned their head in my direction.

“Smile,” My father said finally, breaking his silence. His hand never once leaving mine.

He didn’t need to tell me. I had been trained my whole life for this, so the smile already graced my face as he led me forward.

“Amber,” he started, not breaking stride. “I know you do not want to talk about it and I have given you space. Respected that you would do what was expected even though it hurt that you didn’t come to see me as soon as you arrived.”

“Dad,” I tried to say, but he stopped me. Stopped moving completely as he faced me, not caring for the audience, lifting my head with his finger so I stared into his eyes that held only love for me.

“I hate that I knew this would happen, but you have always had a spark that I could never tame and the only way you would understand, see what Ian Declan was was if you experienced it.”

I kept quiet, feeling a pain clench in my chest that was becoming all too familiar.

“The marriage is necessary, but we do not have to go ahead with it now.”

“No. It is my duty. I intend to follow through.”

“Amber.” He exhaled. 

I shook my head ignoring it. “I wasn’t interested in knowing his name before. I am now.”

My father stared at me a moment longer, then he let out a bigger sigh, knowing I was his replica when it came to being stubborn. “Axel. Axel Edgewood.”

For some reason, it resonated deep inside me with so much force that it felt as if the air itself changed just from the mention of the name.

No… the air actually did change.

My eyes immediately scanned around, looking for the reason. Then everything in me froze.

Every complete thing froze as the scent hit me. And with an even bigger blast of pure shock, he materialized following his scent, walking through the door. Just like everyone present had done with my father and me, all heads turned in his direction.

In the direction of my mate.

Our eyes clashed immediately across the hall and something inside me cracked open. 

My breath stopped. My heart stopped. Then they both started again, too fast, too hard. The mate bond pulled so violently the suppression necklace burned against my skin. 

Roxanne silently thrashed, slamming against the spell masking my scent  so he would recognize us but with all my might, I fought against it.

I had not seen his face and right in this moment, despite everything I was thankful because I might have melted on the spot.

How could a person look so devastatingly beautiful?

 And my heart clenched. This time for a completely different reason.

Because there was no recognition in his eyes. Just curiosity even though that had been exactly what I wanted. 

I shoved it down,  forcing my face into the mask I had been trained to wear my entire life.

He closed the distance between us, his eyes never once leaving my face.

“Axel,” My father said just as he reached us. “I didn’t expect you to be among the Alphas who were time-conscious.”

It was official. I had surpassed the feeling of shock and whatever had just hit me needed a new word designed for it.

Axel? He was the man I was meant to marry?

I was the fiancée he had been busy preparing to meet that he had sent someone to toss me out like a common whore?

“Your Majesty,” He finally said, looking away and tilting his head in what I would not describe as a bow.

My father barely acknowledged it and in a cheery voice went on, “With the bond that exists between our families, you need not call me that.” He looked back to the few men that had trailed him. 

 “I thought your arrival would be more pronounced.”

“Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I had to leave most of my men behind.”

He said with that gravelly voice that had wrapped around me while he mercilessly pounded into me and I forced myself to snap out of it just as my father pushed me forward.

“The meeting was meant to be more official but… This is my beautiful daughter. Princess Amber Moon, heir to the throne. Amber, this is—”

“An inconsiderate bastard.” I stilled even more than I already was, hoping I didn’t say it out loud.

One of Axel’s eyebrows raised in question, but from my father going on to say, “Axel Edgewood,” I realized I hadn’t said it out loud.

“I suppose I should leave you two to get to know each other before the formalities begin.” My father laughed and I detected something foreign, nervousness then he practically shoved me forward.

‘No, don’t go.’ I wanted to scream at my father. ‘Don’t leave me with this incorrigible asshole who had no regard for contracts and marriages and had slept with me even though he didn’t know it was me, then completely disregarded me as nothing but a whore.’

But my father disappeared.

The air tensed and Axel’s eyes settled on me even more like he had x-ray powers and wanted to see what was inside.

I kept quiet, feeling eyes on me, but his was all I could focus on. 

Thankfully, Tim’s spell had gone through because there was still nothing like recognition in his eyes.

The staring competition mixed with silence turned physical and I started unconsciously taking a step back when he broke it.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his  head tilted just a fraction then his voice came out low, dangerous and possessive that had me completely halting.

“Why do you smell like me?”