Chapter 5: My Mate

Rose and I woke up early, it has been my habit to wake up before the sunrise. We went down to smell the fresh morning breeze. 

I spoke to her in my mind. “Normally, Halea and I jog in the morning. I cannot wait to run with you in our Thalon form,” I told her

“Likewise Alina, I wanted to stretch and see how I looked like,”

I started to stretch and exercise a bit, I saw Nana Rosing, Halea’s house helper, “Good Morning Nana Rosing!” I greeted her while she prepared food in the kitchen.

“Good morning Hija! How is your sleep?”

“It was amazing Nana Rosing, I feel so alive!” I said

“I will just visit my house and be right back before breakfast,” I informed her 

“Do you want Elmo to bring you there?” She asked

“No need Nana, I’ll want to exercise as well it shouldn’t be far from here,” I said

“Oh, bring your phone in case you get tired and wanted to ride back okay,” she said

“Yes, I will. I will see you later,” I said and then went out and put on my hood and started running.

“Do you want to see what we can do together?” Rose said in my mind. “Now that I am awake so as your other abilities,” she said

“Other abilities?” I asked curiously

 “Yes, as a Royal Lykan Princess our physical abilities are more than any wolves or Lykan. I know you have experienced a different strength and speed while I am asleep compared to other human but your abilities are more superior as well now that I am awake,” she said, “Aside from that there’s more,”

“Now you got me curious,” I said

“Alright, try to hide in those trees over there,” she said and I followed, “Now close your eyes and try to imagine the part of your house which you wanted to appear in,” Rose said

“Is this what I think it is?” I asked,

“Shh, concentrate on that favourite place,” she said. And I obeyed, I imagined myself inside that treehouse, I don’t want the people inside the house to be surprised. The treehouse is by far the safest to be in case the helpers are at home. While thinking of it I can also feel I am it in my skin and with a quick gush of wind almost dizzy, I fall on my knees.  When I opened my eyes, I am exactly where I imagined, I am now standing in the middle of the treehouse.

“OMG, that was so cool,” I said giggling. “What else can we do?”

“I will show you the rest later. For now, I need to rest” she said. Then I felt that she got exhausted at that stunt that we just did and took most of her strength. 

“Okay, take a rest first and take it easy. We will try it again next time,” I said.

I went down and looked for the caretaker of the house. I need to inform him and prepare for Juno’s arrival. I need them out of the territory this evening, Juno has informed him as well. I went to take a few clothes and prepared to go back to Halea’s house. Everything seems to be in order so I left just right after I took what I needed. 

I know Rose was still tired so I decided to walk outside and take public transport back to Halea’s house. When I arrived, Halea and her parents are now awake so I greeted them.

“Alina, good morning dear I got this for you,” Halea’s mother said and she gave me a gift.

“Good morning,” I greeted back, “You shouldn’t have to,” I said but I took the gift she handed and Halea’s Dad came and greeted me as well.

“Happy birthday Alina, we should have handed thus yesterday but we were just bus,” he said

“Thank you,” I said and I opened the gift inside were perfumes of seven kinds and a make-up kit. I smiled. They really knew what I like.

“I know you like this pretend stuff so I got you a make-up, and Dad got you perfumes,” Mom said.

I hugged them and thanked them once again. Halea joined in and she gave her gift to me earlier and I am just happy to be with them.

We ate breakfast together and talked about last night's event as well as our plans. I told them I might stay but would need to take care of some stuff at home.

I prepared for Caleb’s arrival. He should arrive any time now. He will come to pick me up to meet his Dad. I told Halea about it. “Do you want to come?” I asked her.

“No, I need to see Apong Estrella,” she said.

“Who is Apong Estrella?”

“Oh, she’s the Chief Babaylan, the trained me in healing and fighting,” Halea said

“That’s interesting, I wanted to learn something like that too, it would come in handy in the future,”

“True, I will tell her about it and see if she can fit you in her next lesson,”

“I wish I can come to meet her,”

“Well, we have plenty of time for now meeting Caleb’s dad is an important task that you need to do,” she said. “I will come back, I know how important this evening is for you. I can also feel something important will take place and I wanted to be with you when you transform,” she said smiling.

“I’m glad you will accompany me during my transformation, Halea,” I said. I am happy that she will be there with me in one of the most important events in my life.

“Alright, let’s get going then so we can come back early,”

“Sure, Caleb may come any minute now,” I said.

So we went down to wait for Caleb, while Halea went ahead with Elmo to Apong Estrella house.  

 I waved goodbye as her car went out of the gate when a certain scent hit my senses. It’s like a breath of fresh air filling up my senses. I can see Rose woke up from her sleep and now we’re both awake and our consciousness heightened, my heart started to beat faster than normal. And there he was standing at the gate.

“Mate!”

“Caleb,” we both said at the same time.

He walked to us smiling, his hands are in his back pocket, he looks so handsome or was that just the mate bond. I shake my head to regain the normal me. 

“Hi! Are you ready?” he asked

“I am ready for you,” Rose answered at the back of my head, wanting to leap to him. I suddenly felt so hot and I felt uneasy standing in front of him.

“Calm down Alina,” I told myself.

“Yes, I am ready,” I answered him

“I left the car outside when I saw the car coming out of the gate,” he said

I looked at him and he doesn’t seem to reciprocate at the mate bond I am feeling.

“You looked beautiful today,” he said

I smiled that has taken me aback for a moment there, “Thank you,” I said and smiled.

“Let’s go!” he said, asking for my hand. I gave my hand and when our fingers touched we both got an electric shock. I was startled and so was he.

He apologies immediately, “I’m so sorry, I think that’s me. I still cannot control my ability,” he said

“Ability?” I asked 

“You’re a Thalon right?”

“I am,” I said

“My wolf has these abilities, which I have and we both cannot control it yet,” he said as he walked me to his car.

He opened the passenger seat and I hopped in. He took the driver seat beside me. And we started to drive to their territory. During the ride, I kept on looking at him in his reflection at the mirror in front. He seemed to not know who I am to him.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked

“You said you have your Thalon already,”

“Yes, that’s correct,” he said smiling back at me

Now I looked at him directly, watching his every move. Remembering every feature of his face. I somehow wanted to cry, why can’t he recognize me. And then I remembered what I recently wished for. I wished for not meeting my mate yet, for not to be bothered by this mate bond. I needed to focus on my plans and whatever is happening here is what I wanted.

“No, we need him. This is not what we wanted. You know that” Rose can hear my thoughts

“But we need to focus, at least we know it’s him. At least, he won’t bother us and our plans on taking back my pack and killing those who have killed my parents,” I told her and I looked out of the window.

“You know I am right, I promise you we will have our mate once we have accomplished our task,” I told her.

“But why can’t he feel us?” Rose asked

“I also don’t know,”

After thirty minutes, we arrived at their pack's territory. We’ve entered a trail of trees, I can smell the wind change and the number of wolves. As we go along I can see a big old stone mansion. 

“The palace used to be bigger than that, “ Caleb said, “After the human war it was destroyed and this is what is left,” he said.

“It was also the same incident that moved the different titles for royals like us. But my people still call my father King and I, the prince,” 

I nodded and looked around.

We’ve entered inside and I am now in front of the Alpha while Caleb lowers down his head. I stood tall and just nodded meeting the king’s gaze. This is what I was trained for when meeting royalties. So, I introduced myself and spoke the language known to my kind. My father taught me this language when I was a child. He said it is a must to learn it as it will be used in the future. And that future is now. My father used to talk to me using his alpha tone and now that my wolf is awake I wanted to do the same. 

I can speak the language from my human tone but it would sound more childish and without authority. If I would speak with my wolf I would be able to prove her claim as the last living Thalon from the North.

From the human and normal werewolf, my voice is just a mixture of growl and a human voice, words are indistinctive but for a Thalon this is a conversation-starting place.

"I am Princess Alina Rose Jera, the last living descendant of King Damir, Daughter of the late King Aragon from the Thalon of the North," I said and then I slightly bow as royalty does.

I can see how surprised Alpha is and so he speaks with me using the same language, "I am happy to know that you are alive and well, you must tell me the details of how you are here and alive. But first, let me introduce you to the council,"

"I would like my identity to be hidden if I may request. I don't know who else has betrayed my family but from what I have gathered someone is supporting my uncle from your clan and I need to lay low before my uncle would know I am alive," I again spoke in the same language.

"Very well I will honour your request, Princess," the Alpha said

"Thank you, but please call me Alina,"

"Alina, it is. Let us go to my office so we can discuss in private," he said, "Caleb, prepare for the feast for this evening. Alina and I will be in my office." he spoke in human language.

"Yes, father," Caleb responded

Alpha made his way towards the inner hall while Caleb went his way. I followed the alpha but I felt how sad Rose was when Caleb was out of our sight.

"What is wrong with him?" Rose said, "Can't he feel us? Can't he feel the bond?" 

"I do not know, but I am somehow glad because we can focus on what we need to do," I said

"You can focus but not me, so better I go back to slumber and release this agony of being far from him," Rose said.

Caleb’s POV

I woke up this morning early in the thought that I would see Alina and Halea again. When I saw Alina last night she gave me the same feeling when I met Halea the first time. I still remember my senses heightened, the smell of the cold mountain air with the aroma of freshly bloomed roses in spring. I felt like I was young again and I felt my wolf woke up and was looking for the source of this aroma. “What is it?” I asked. “I remember this scent from a long time ago, my beloved and I ran in the field of roses,” he said. There I saw the girl that looks exactly like Halea but with short black hair, her eyes sparkled like stars in the night.  

“Do you feel anything?” I asked Alab

“She looks exactly like my Rose,” he said, “Is she our mate?” I asked

“I, I don’t know. Forgive me I cannot feel anything other than the flames burning my senses. We need to complete our quest before I can answer your questions,” he said.

And I am back to myself again after reminiscing about last night's event when I saw Alina. I am now confused at the feelings I am having, my attraction with Halea remains the same while Alina, Alina felt different, I felt more alive and my Thalon reacts the same way as well even with the thought of Alina.

I drive to Halea’s house to pick up Alina. I promised to bring her to my father. 

I arrived five minutes before the agreed time and I saw Halea leaving with her driver. I went down to my car and waved at her. She waved back at me and pointed inside so I went in. And there she is standing waving at the car passing me. And just like last night, I am overwhelmed at her beauty. I greeted her and brought her to my car. She keeps on staring at me as if I did something wrong. When I asked her about it, she seemed not to want to discuss it so I let it go.

We arrived in our territory after thirty minutes. And I brought her immediately in front of my father. When we arrived, I bowed after greeting my father and there she started speaking in gibberish sound so mighty in my ears. I can sense Alab, understanding the language so I asked him to tell me what’s going on and he started translating the conversation taking place.

“She has introduced herself as the Princess from the Thalon of the North Kingdom, her name is Alina Rose Jera, the descendant of King Damir daughter of Aragon, the former King,” Alab said. “The king is happy to know that she is alive and wanted to know the details of what happened to her and her family” he continued. "She also has requested for identity to be hidden first to keep safe from those who have betrayed her family," Alab translating for Caleb.

"So it's true that she's one of us?" I asked Alab

"Yes, she can speak the language of the underworld which is known to Thalons, Gods and higher deities of the inner underworld," Alab said.

After that, I heard my father speak again and ordered me to prepare for this evening's event while he and Alina talked in his office. I obliged and followed his order.

I wanted to be with them but my father’s order needs to be followed first. I will make sure to spend time with her this evening. I went out and mind linked Matthew and Jason to rundown the events that are going to take place this evening.