Chapter 13: What's Stopping You?

“Yeah. To imagine a curse princess being married to that dying pack of wolves,” said another princess.

Austin clenched his fist tightly.

After a short while, Austin also exited the party and left the great hall.

Juniper, seeing that Austin had left the party made an excuse and also followed him out of the great hall.

“King Austin,” said Juniper. She ran after him.

“Princess Juniper, what are you doing out here?” asked Austin.

“I came to find you.”

“Find me?”

“Yes.” She walked closer to him and pretended to trip on a pebble and fell into his arms.

“Careful now,” said Austin. He was helping her steady herself.

Juniper looked at him with shimmering eyes.

“Are you okay?” asked Austin, with shock. His eyes widening with excitement at her alluring look.

“Yes. Yes. I am. Thank you.”

“Okay. Well then good night.” Austin turned around and left.

Juniper frowned as to why he suddenly left. Didn’t he say that he liked her and fell in love with her at first sight? So why leave? Didn’t he ask for her hand in marriage.

Juniper bit her fingernails and thought that if he said so before then he must still be in love with her. She would have to test him out.

She thought to herself as she watched him walking away from her.

It’s all because he is now married to her sister that he is obligated to stay loyal to her, but she didn’t care, for this man was far too handsome and too powerful for her to let him go. She was going to have him as her mate. She can always flirt with Prince Brayden, but having a mighty alpha like Austin is what she would preferred.

“Um. King Austin, can I ask you something?” asked Juniper running to him.

“Yeah. What is it?” asked Austin, turning around to her.

“Well…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Um…”

“Is something the matter?”

“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Just- You know.”

“What? Did someone say something to you?”

“No, not exactly. Um, but somewhat.”

“What is it?”

“I’m hurting,” said Juniper, looking up at him, seductively.

Austin gasped at her words. He asked, “Did someone hurt you?”

“Kind of.”

“Who?”

“Well, that someone, is my sister.”

“What?” questioned Austin, confused at her words.

“Agatha. You know, how she killed my mother.”

“Oh.”

“That ungrateful person took my mother’s life,” wept Juniper.

Austin sigh. He had heard rumors about that. He heard that while in labor King Leonardo’s Luna was having difficulty with delivering Agatha as she wasn’t in correct position. By the time the Witch Doctor reposition her, her mother have already lost too much blood. With the Luna’s last strength pushed Agatha out into the world and died the very next minute.

“While she killed my mother, she took her life and live in her steed.” Juniper pretended to sniffle and wipe her tears.

Austin grabbed hold of Juniper’s arm and pulled her to him. He held her in his arms and tried to woe her sadness away.

Juniper smiled as Austin held her in his embrace. “Oh, what a strong and well-built body. How it will warm me up nicely,” she thought. She snuggled closer into his arms.

After a while, Austin let her go as she seemed to have calmed down. He looked at her and said, “I should get going now.”

Juniper had a disappointed look on her face. She then said, “Oh, one more thing that she did to hurt me.”

“What? What did she do?”

“Well, she stole you from me.”

“Oh,” gasped Austin. He smiled at her.

“May we go somewhere, um, more private?” asked Juniper, holding his hand.

Austin liked the touch of her hand. She was soft. Then his mind flashed back to Agatha’s slender and white fingers. “Is her fingers as soft as Juniper? Or softer?” he thought.

“What do you say, King Austin?”

“Where?” he asked.

“Somewhere quiet and private.”

“Quiet and private?” asked Austin, raising his eyebrow.

“Yes. I’m a bit embarrassed to talk about it here.”

“Oh, okay.” Austin at the time didn’t think anything serious about it. He followed her to the edge of the trees.

“What is it that you wanted to talk about?” asked Austin.

“I heard rumors,” said Juniper turning around to look at him. Her dress was falling off of one of her shoulder.

“Rumors?”

“I heard that you fell in love with me at first sight?”

“Yes. I did.”

“Oh. You came for my hand in marriage.”

“Yes.”

“Would you still like to marry me?”

“What?” Austin frowned.

“Well, I’m saying did you want me as your mate?”

“You know quite well that I do.”

“Oh. So, your willingly take me as your Luna.”

“Correct.”

“Very well. You can just stay here with me instead of going back to my cursed sister.”

“What?” His heart was thumping loudly in his heart. How he wanted her. How he wanted her before and now.

“Mate with me.”

Austin’s eyes widened with eagerness.

Juniper wrapped her hands around his waist. “I mean you two haven’t mated. I can sense you’re not fully bonded.”

“Oh.” Austin looked away from her. “It’s true, we’re not fully mated.”

Then he thought, “Would we this morning if I feel in love with her as I did with Juniper?”

“So, you can take me instead of my sister.” She took off her outer layer of dress. “I’m much prettier and more desirable than my sister.”

Austin grinned at her. His manhood was leaping with joy.

“So, take me. Take me as your lawful Luna. Make me yours.”

Austin pulled her into his arms and said, “You know that I would.”

“Become my Alpha, and I will become your Luna.”

Juniper tried to kiss him, but unknowingly he instantly dodged away.

PING!

Austin felt something aching inside of his chest. Something wasn’t right. He was throbbing painfully in his heart. Thump-Thump! A painful fling sliced through his heart. “Ahh! What was that,” he thought.

Juniper tried to kiss him again. But again, Austin avoided her lips.

“What’s wrong?” asked Juniper, frowning at him.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot.” Austin backed away from her.

“What?” asked Juniper with confusion.

“Even though I did not want her as my mate, I shouldn’t wrong her.”

“What? Don’t- Don’t tell me you had fallen in love with my cursed sister.”

“Of course not.”

“Then kiss me,” said Juniper, she walked up to him and tiptoe to him. She tried to kiss his lips again.

Austin unknowingly flinched away from her. No. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t kiss Juniper. Something inside of him was burning with pain. Something just wasn’t sitting right with him. Like guilt. Like he shouldn’t hurt Agatha. He pushed Juniper away and said, “No. I cannot.”

“Why? You said you love me. You said you wanted me as your mate.”

“I do, and I still do.”

“So, what’s stopping you?”

Austin frowned as to what was making him stop. Why was his heart refusing while his body was wanting her. Why is his heart troubling him at the thought of wronging his wife. Like he’s hurting. Hurting someone. Hurting himself.

“What’s making you keep your distance?”

Austin sighed and said, “You’re the one I originally wanted to marry. The one I wanted as my mate.”

“Really?” asked Juniper, looking painfully as she was rejected by him.

Austin caressed her face in his palm. “Wait for me. Wait one year for me.”

“Why?”

“If you truly love me as I, do you, then wait for me.” Austin turned and walked away.

Juniper put back on her dress and smiled. “Humph, one year is not long. I can wait. To become your Luna and you my Alpha of the Black Wolf clan. I can do it. I will do anything to have you, even if it means destroying my sister.”