CHAPTER 3: Mate

What… was this?

My heart has never reacted like this before. Not once in my entire miserable existence.

Not when I was beaten. Not when I was starved. Not even when I was told I would die.

But now, just by looking at him, my chest tightened painfully, like something inside me was trying to claw its way out.

“Welcome, My Prince.”

My father was the first to speak, bowing deeply.

Everyone followed.

“My Prince,” my mother echoed, her voice warm and welcoming. So different from how she spoke to me.

“Jeanine pays respect to Crown Prince Vince,” Jeanine stepped forward, her face lighting up like the sun itself as she courtesied gracefully like the Noble heiress she was.

Everything fell into place again. This was how it was meant to be.

Her and him.

A match made by the goddess herself.

He smiled, gently pulling her up by the arms as though she were delicate butterfly wings that mustn't be damaged.

“Rise, my queen,” he said, still smiling dottingly. “I decided it was best to drop by on my way from the battlefield, to finally behold the face of the blessed damsel who has tormented my dreams for years.”

My sister's smile grew even more beautiful. “You flatter me, My Prince.”

The prince's chuckle filled the room. “I am pleased with your daughter, Duke Dustin, so I brought—”

The guard who stood behind him, probably his future beta, clapped and servants brought in boxes and boxes of treasures.

Gold-lined chests. Velvet boxes. Brocade. Silk that shimmered like moonlight. Jewels that caught even the dimmest light and turned it into something dazzling.

The rows of opened large, mid, and small boxes were so long it crossed over the entrance.

The entire hall gasped.

“My humble offerings,” the prince continued smoothly, his gaze never leaving Jeanine. “For the one I've chosen.”

Chosen.

The word echoed in my head like a cruel bell.

Jeanine lowered her gaze shyly, but everyone could see that she was barely containing her excitement. “You honor me too greatly, My Prince.”

“No,” he said softly, lifting her chin with a single finger. “It is you who honors me by existing."

“But My Prince, what if your destined mate shows up someday?” her voice was so small it felt like a feather in your chest.

He didn’t even waste a breath before answering, “Is there any woman in this kingdom… who could possibly compare to you?”

“The goddess would not be so foolish,” he continued smoothly, his thumb brushing lightly against Jeanine’s cheek. “To present me with something lesser… when perfection already stands before me.”

She stared at him, not speaking. Perhaps, that wasn't the answer she wanted.

The prince chuckled, “It's her bad luck to share a husband with you, Lady Jeanine. Her fate will be yours to dictate.”

My sister smiled calmly, “I'm grateful for the honor, My Prince, but she's your destined mate. My prince knows the rules of the kingdom. I'm sure my wise prince will not upset the people just to make me comfortable.”

The crown prince smiled even more dotingly. “Lady Jeanine is truly selfless. Then, I shall take her in as my concubine. She will not be allowed to compete with you in any way or form.”

“Then I am relieved,” she whispered softly, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere. “I feared I might lose you to fate.”

“You will not lose me,” he replied, his tone turning possessive. “Not to fate. Not to anyone.”

My chest squeezed painfully. Each word felt like a blade twisting my guts. I couldn't breathe.

My fingers curled tightly against my skirt as the pressure in my chest grew unbearable. My heartbeat pounded wildly, erratic and desperate, like it was trying to escape my body.

No.

No, no, no.

This wasn’t right. Something was terribly wrong.

I staggered back a step.

And that was when his eyes met mine.

Everything stopped.

The laughter. The voices… even the air itself.

His smile froze on his lips.

For a single, terrifying moment, the world narrowed down to just the two of us.

And then, his expression shattered, filled with shock. Then rage. Unfiltered rage.

“…You.” The word left his lips like a curse.

Every head turned in my direction.

My blood ran cold. What have I done?

“My Prince?” my father stepped forward, confusion written all over his face. “Anything the matter?”

The prince didn’t even look at him. His gaze remained locked on me like chains I couldn’t break.

“That girl,” he said slowly, each word heavy with something dangerous. “Who is she?”

My mother’s face twisted immediately in disgust. “Her? Oh, she’s no one important, My Prince. Just a—”

“How can she be my mate? Unveil that face,” he growled, fury lacing his voice as he cut my mother off.

The room froze.

Jeanine’s face paled.

My eyes widened. Mate? The crown prince was my mate?

“What?!… My Prince, are you mistaken?... That cannot—” my father was saying when Jeanine cut in, now calm and graceful as usual.

“My Prince,” she stepped back, courtesying once more. Her voice was so calm it would ease anyone's worries.

Getting the prince's attention, she began, “You must have heard that I had a twin sister, who was said to have died as a child...”

The prince froze.

My eyes widened even further. They told everyone I died?

“That's her.” Jeanine paused, then walked calmly towards me, eyes filled with sorrow.

She took my arm, leading me towards the crown prince. I tried to resist, but she was stronger than she looked. I was nothing compared to her.

We stood before the crown prince, my heart drumming loudly in my ears. I tried to hide behind Jeanine, but she seemed to have a grip of the situation.

"All those years, we thought she was dead, only to find her at the temple, serving the goddess. It turned out, when the midwife thought she was a stillborn and my father sent her away to be buried, she survived, and a passerby sent her to the temple."

She wiped her tears. "On the day of the awakening, she was about to be killed but I took pity on her, unknowingly saving my own sister."

I was stunned by this made-up story. It was so convincing that my parents were even nodding. Was this the story they cooked for when my identity was exposed, or was it just Jeanine’s last minute fabrication?

“My sister is wolfless,” she repeated, and before I could regain my composure, she raised my veil, just enough for the crown prince's eyes only, before dropping the cloth back in place.

The shocked prince finally spoke. “She looks like you…” then, he frowned. “And what's wrong with her eyes?”

"The Oracle said she was cursed. That's why the kingdom wanted her dead six years ago,” tears clouded her vision. “But I couldn't watch her be killed, so I risked it all to fight for her. In the end, the council gave her six more years.” She continued, quietly dabbing her handkerchief at her eyes.

“I thought if we gave her more time, she'd awaken, but even now, she didn't. And today is the last day.” Her hands trembled as her shoulders began to shake from suppressed wailing.

The crown prince couldn't watch her so broken, he held her in his arms. "Lady Jeanine is indeed soft hearted."

“My Prince, please, can you beg for more time for her? I don't believe she's cursed like the oracle claimed. It's been eighteen years and nothing bad has happened to the kingdom. Maybe, maybe the oracle didn't—”

“The oracle cannot tell lies, My Lady,” the priest of Nadrasei finally spoke again. “She hasn't caused any harm to the kingdom because her blood is used monthly to appease the goddess. I've performed the wolf ritual not long ago, she's wolfless.” He shook his head. “It means that her curse is still present.”

Jeanine’s voice broke completely as she cried, her body trembling violently against the Crown Prince.

“I don't want my sister to die. I've only just found her.”

The entire hall fell into chaos.

“My child,” my mother cried, reaching for Jeanine but the crown prince held her tighter, refusing to let go.

“Lady Jeanine is far too kind!”

“This is all your fault, you vile witch!” a maid accused me.

“Lady Jeanine, please don’t cry, she doesn't deserve your tears!”

Her two personal maids rushed forward, dropping to their knees beside Jeanine, clutching her dress as they wept loudly.

"My Prince, please seek justice for our lady."

“Our lady has suffered so much for that ungrateful wench!”

“Yes! Our lady begged for her life! She protected her when everyone else wanted her dead, yet she paid our lady back with evil!”

Their cries echoed, sharp and emotional, cutting through the room like knives.

I still haven't been able to move on from the atrocities claims my sister have made, wondering why she was lying so much. Suddenly, accusations began flying from the maids, leaving me in further shock.

Then suddenly, the maid who slapped me six years ago, snapped her head toward me, eyes burning with hatred.

“It’s her!”