6. Blood and Kiss

Eva POV

Skyler's parents and my brothers spent the rest of the afternoon with the Kings and council. I took Skyler to the palace to meet my grandparents. Jason's sisters, the triplet princesses were excited about seeing her. Queen Olivia usually hosts a party for other packs to develop connections with them. If it was any other time, I would be excited to attend her parties. This time I wasn't ready to see asshole mate dancing with his bitch Luna. But I had no other choice this day.

Aria, Ella, and Mila, the triplets dragged Skylar and me, shopping. They turned 18 a few months back. I became a teenager with them. We bought all the teenage stuff. Aria selected a pink gown for me. It made me look like a Disney princess and younger than my age. Mila selected a sky-blue gown for Skyler. I wanted to see Ryan's reaction to seeing his Disney princess mate.

We spent the most time doing make-up. I spent time doing my hair. Later I finished with slight makeup. Triplets looked like gorgeous dolls. While Skyler looks great too. She couldn't put a heartful smile on her face. I could see she wasn't completely adapted to new good change. It might be hard to come over the circumstances she faced and the pain she endured. She got my brother. I hate to admit that my brother was great. He would take care of her.

"Eva, let's go", Mila was excited. She wore an off-shoulder purple gown.

"Skyler", I looked at her.

"I'm nervous. I had never been to parties like these before, let alone in a palace", she said, stammering her foot nervously.

"You will adapt to this", Aria said.

"Stella was like this before her first ball here", Ella said.

"You should see her before her Luna coronation", I chuckled.

"Yeah, mom said about how she felt before her coronation. That's funny", Mila laughed. We were trying to ease her up.

"Jason asked me to give it to you", Aria said passing a jewelry box. I opened it and found beautiful diamond ear hangings. It had three hanging raindrop-shaped diamonds.

"Beautiful", I said and wore them.

"It's Xander. Jason was just a messenger", Ella said. Xander and Jason were best friends.

After a lot of selfies, we all started to party. The whole chamber was decorated with lights. Ryan was already waiting for us near the hall. Well, not for all of us. Once he saw us, he stood stiff with a dropped jaw. Triplets and I exchanged glances and went to him.

"You look great", he said.

"There are five yous here. Which you you mean?" Mila asked.

"Definitely, not you", he said.

"I selected that dress", she said.

"But she wore that", he replied. Skyler was already red.

"Aww", the triplets said in unison. I saw the slightest blush on Ryan's cheek for the first time in my life. Quickly he cleared his throat. He took Skyler's hand and walked her inside. We laughed and went inside.

"My babies", Olivia gushed, seeing her daughters.

"Eva, you look great", she said.

"As usual, the Queen outcasts all young ones with her beauty", I said. She was great in her black gown.

"As usual you flattered me with your sweet words", she pinched my cheek.

"Who are these beautiful roses here?" King Samuel said, coming towards us.

"Dad, you are stunning", Ella said. Three girls stood by his side. Dad's little princesses.

"You are better than him", I winked at Olivia.

"Always", Olivia said proudly and laughed. I talked to them for some time. After that, I greeted King Judah and his queen Rina and all the other elders I knew.

Evan and Alex were busy talking with others. God knows where Ryan was. Peacefully, I sat alone having a drink. Goddess didn't like the peace I had. I smelt my mate and that fragrance surrounded me. My eyes wandered around the hall for him and found him talking to someone having his hand around Lisa's waist. Enough. I pulled my eyes from him and looked in the other direction.

"Mind some company", Xander appeared from nowhere. I gave a polite smile. He sat on an empty chair before me.

"You are gorgeous", he said.

"You too", I said. A waiter served us wine.

"You looked off", he asked.

"I'm good", I said. He continued to look at me with a raised brow.

"Fine. It's boring here", I said. He chuckled. He stood up and extended his hand.

"A walk?" he asked. I nodded and took his hand. We went outside.

"I envied all mated couples inside", he chuckled.

"Just wait. You will get yours", I said.

"I lost hope", he said.

"You are not 40. Just 24", I said.

"24", he stressed the number.

"I am supposed to have kids already. I was still at finding a mate", he said.

"Ryan was 24 too. He found her, right?" I said.

"Yeah, he gave me a little hope", he said and I chuckled.

We stood in the corridor looking at the garden. I leaned on the pillar and he leaned on the railing beside me. The crescent moon hanging in the sky. We stood in silence for a few minutes. Whenever I came here for holidays in childhood, I spent most of the time playing in that garden.

"Do you remember Christmas?" he asked looking at the garden. Once when we were kids, we all happened to be in the palace. We kids, all gathered and celebrated our own Christmas. We arranged a small x-mas tree and our star in the garden.

"Those innocent beautiful days", I smiled remembering our childhood. He smiled at me.

"By the way, thank you for the gift", I said.

"You like them?" he asked.

"Of course. See. Beautiful", I said, showing my ears.

"Yeah, just like you. They are great on you", he said, coming near to me.

"These raindrops represent you. Your smell", he said near my ear and inhaled my scent.

He looked at me for a moment. I felt his warm lips on mine the next moment. I felt his hands on my waist. He tried to pull me close. Then I came out of shock and pushed him away.

"Wh.. what are you doing?" I asked.

"I...ju... just.. I'm...I'm sorry. No, I'm not sorry... Yeah... I want you."

"What does that mean? A one-night stand? Definitely, no", I said. He was not any playboy kind. But he had one-night stands.

"No... No... Not one night. Lifetime. I want you as my mate. My queen", he said. I didn't expect it to come.

"You should wait for your mate", I said.

"I should have a mate and take over the throne already. But no. I am still here", he said.

"It's all about the thrown?" I asked.

"It's about my responsibility. And.. And I genuinely like you. You would make a great queen. I could find no one better than you", he said.

"I'm not destined for you", I said.

"Maybe it's our destiny. Maybe we are supposed to choose", he said.

Great. Really great. My destined mate with his chosen mate inside. Here, I got a chance to choose. And my stupid wolf was asking me to go back to mate. Suddenly, anger built up inside me. I didn't want to answer Xander or explain my situation. I strode back to the hall.

A slow tune was playing and everyone dancing. I couldn't recognize the tune. My mind wasn't working properly and I was like this when I was angry. I looked around randomly and found Ryan and his mate dancing. A few feet away, I saw Jake and Lisa. I lost it. I completely lost it. I took a glass from the waiter and drank it in one go. I took another glass and walked away.

"My mate", my wolf roared in my head.

"I will kill her."

"How dare she touch him?"

"He is mine."

She continued to roar and jump in my mind. It caused me a migraine. She didn't stop her nonsense. She tried to take over.

"Ah. Shut up", I shouted and punched a pillar with the wine glass in my hand. It broke in my hand and pierced into my skin.

"He doesn't want you. He hates you", I said to her.

"He is mine. He wants me", she replied.

"Oh really. Let's see", I said and went back to the hall. I pulled a chair near the dance floor and sat facing Jake.

"Watch your mate happily dancing with his mate", I said.

Anger was slowly replaced by hurt. Yet, I continued to look at him. He looked great in his black tux. Lisa was nothing less in her red dress. They looked good. After some time my wolf started whimpering in hurt. She should. She should understand the reality. She should come out of that mate bond fantasy.

"Oh my god", I heard a squeal and turned to my side.

"What happened to your hand?" Aria asked looking at my hand. It was covered in blood.

"I'm fine. Just glass", I shattered.

"Are you hurt?", she asked looking into my eyes. Did I look obvious?

"No. No. I'm good", I said avoiding her eyes.

"Your hand. I will call the doctor", she said and was about to call someone.

"No. I'm good. It's healed already. I should clean it", I said and walked out.

I wanted to go away from everything. I made up my mind to change the dress and went to the hotel. I should leave as soon as possible. I headed to the previous room I used. When I was in my track someone pulled me back and pinned me to a pillar. With the whiff of scent, my nerves cooled.

I looked at his chocolate brown orbs. He stood extremely close to me. I sensed the raise in my body temperature. His hot breath fanning on my face. His intoxicating smell filled in all my breaths.

"Where are you going?" he asked in his deep tone. I lost my words long back. I tried to say something but couldn't. He leaned close and sniffed me.

"You had the smell of prince", he said. I might get it when he kissed me.

"Just like you had the smell of Lisa", I said. He placed his hand on my face and brushed away my hair strands from my face with his other hand. I felt the sparks.

"You feel them, don't you?" I asked.

"Sparks?" he asked and I nodded. He didn't answer. I placed my hand on his hand which cupped my face.

"I do", he exhaled.

"What happened?" he asked looking at my bloody hand.

"Nothing", I said and tried to take my hand away. He tenderly took it and pulled the glass piece out.

"Ah", I flinched. He mumbled a sorry.

"I smelt blood mixed with your scent back", he said.

"That's why you followed me?" I asked. He didn't answer.

"How it happened?" he asked.

"Glass had broken in my hand accidentally", I said. He pulled out his handkerchief and tied it around my hand.

"Thank you", I said.

"For helping Ryan", I continued.

"I heard, you hate mates and mate bonds."

"I do", he mumbled.

"And helped him?", I said more like a question.

I continued to look into his eyes and he did the same. He leaned close and the next moment I felt his lips on mine. I didn't stop him. He wounded his hands around my waist and pulled me close. I placed my hand on his shoulder pulling him closer. It's slow and passionate. Sparks exploded all over my skin and I felt butterflies. We separated for air. We were panting looking at each other. He walked away without a word and I stood still understanding what just happened.

I convinced myself to not go back to him. I went straight to the room without looking back. I dropped onto the bed with a messed-up mind. I greedily licked my lips to taste him more. Enough. I rose and went to the bathroom.

I checked my reflection. I had pink cheeks and red smudged lipstick. I was about to wash my makeup. I heard the click of the door. After a few seconds, I heard Xander calling my name.

"Eva, are you there?" he asked.

"Yeah", I reacted and went outside.

"Are you okay? Aria said you were injured", he asked.

"Yeah I'm good", I said.

"I'm really sorry about that", he came close to me. He took my injured hand.

"Why do you smell different?" he asked.

"You smell like Alpha Jake", he mumbled sniffing the cloth wounded to my hand.

"Are you with him?" he asked looking at me. I nodded. I saw a change in his expression and sensed anger.

"He is my mate", I said.

"He, what?" he asked.

"Mate", I answered.

"When do you know that?" he asked.

"Probably a week back", I said.

"Why you didn't say that?" he yelled.

"It's complicated. He is North Mountain Alpha. They don't do mates", I said. He scoffed.

"I want to hear if you like to share", he said.

"I want to be alone", I said.

"Fine", he said in a low tone. He lowered his head and was about to leave.

"Xan", I called. I removed my earrings and forwarded my hand.

"I think I don't make for them", I said.

"You are", he said and closed my fingers over the earrings.

"Consider as a gift from a friend", he said with a smile.

"You still have the offer of being my queen. Think about it", he said and left before I answer.