The Prince’s Unwilling mate

170 Ayla

“Darling, there is something I need to tell you, please now I only kept it from you because of the circumstances” Griffin started after being quiet and thoughtful for a few moments. I understood why he had not told me.

After all the heat would have made me a little unstable. That didn’t mean

I hated the fact that we never seemed to be able to catch a break. I did. not regret anything that happened to me or to us. I believe my life and experiences so far shaped me up to the person I was today. And I had no doubt it had led met to Griffin. With that it lead me to the best thing that ever happened to me. All I wanted now is a break, just enjoy getting to know this pack, learning how to rule it. And settle into the life I was creating with Griffin without threats from the outside. Without people trying to mess with our relationship.

“How bad it is” I asked Griff trying hard and failing harder to keep the exhaustion out of my voice.

“Well compared to all the shit we went through together I would. say it’s more of an annoyance than a serious matter” His answer was humorless.

He wasn’t making a joke to downplay what had happened he seriously thought what happened wasn’t all that bad. It was just something he needed to share with me. It comforted me a little. So I settled down into the cushions of the new comfortable couch to listen to what he was

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about to tell me. He started by reminding me of that first night when I had gotten into the heat. The time when he left me alone on the bed to check out what all the commotion at our door was. I remember not wanting to get up and check it because I was way too preoccupied by what we were doing.

“It was Cynthia offering me a last chance to be with her and not you. And Dillion was about to kill her for disrespecting his friend, future Luna, and future Queen like that. I commanded him to take her home to her father and he was upset he could not execute any real punishment” Despite the situation, or maybe because of the absurdity of it, I laughed.

I could see Dillion steaming with anger, wanting to lash out at Cynthia. I also remember how Griffin had walked out to open the door completely naked, still turned on by what we had been doing moments before. Griffin was right it was not a serious situation. Cynthia was a nuisance but she seemed relatively harmless. To the point where imagining Griffin having to give Dillion commands as his Crown Prince butt–naked made me laugh.

“So you’re not upset, with her or me?” Griff asked me..

“I am not liking her trying to make the moves on my mate. But I actually pity her. Because I fully trust you, I know I have nothing to worry about. As for you, you’ve done nothing wrong. “I kiss his cheek to reassure him.

even more.

And it seems to work, I see, the tension leave his body as he settles back

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into the cushions of the couch. He starts to explain that he hates what

Cynthia is doing but that nothing she does is severe enough to warrant a real punishment. The most we can hope for is a bit of social exclusion. Everyone knows why she had been locked up during my kidnapping. What I did not know is that most if not every pack member had found. my lack of punishment. A sign of my forgiving nature and empathy.

I honestly wanted Cynthia to be reunited with her dad, and not have someone excluded on a day that was all about celebrating old and new bonds. I ended up portraying myself in a far better light than she had been doing.

“Maybe we can talk to her, and have her father join the conversation. Just to let her know that we do not condone this behavior. And warn her of the consequences. We might not punish her but it’s going to damage her standing in the pack” I suggest, because while I cannot punish her I don’t want to just let it happen either. Luckily Griffin agrees with me. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“This is why I know you will be the best Luna and the best Queen I could ever wish for. Even if you still doubt yourself some time” He

beams at me.

We decided we had to wait until after Hannah’s trial though because among all the gifts left at our door, there was one single envelope. At first, we figured it had a card or a drawing but it was nothing like that. It was a letter from the council of Elder wolves, requesting we let them know when the heat was over. So they could be here the next day, to start with the preparation for the trial. Both of us want to wait until tomorrow to let them know. However, changes are they will find out that

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we were able to go back to normal today. And it would hurt not just our standing with the council of elders. It would also be a sign of great disrespect and with that, it could prove detrimental to the trial.

Not wanting to risk it, Griffin decides to contact the council right away. Hoping that the fact it is already past noon means they are unable to make it here by tomorrow. It would be the ideal situation where we still have some time to settle back into our normal life. Without having to prepare for a trial and without having to lie to the Council of Elders.

“And now we wait” Griff breathes out as he closes the laptop he used to

contact the elders.

He seemed a little down and I had how the last day of what should be a happy occasion. The day when we should bond even more. Bask in how much stronger our connection has gotten during this period of heat. Now that we are both back to our senses, is getting overshadowed by the things we still have to deal with.

“Baby, I took a bath this morning you’re still in your pajamas. Go have a shower or bath so we can decide on what to have for lunch after.” I prompt Griffin, elated to see that the use of the nickname still makes him. smile like that..

Little does he know that the reason I never used a nickname before was because it made it feel too real. The lack of inhibitions because of the heat made me use the nickname the first time. That didn’t mean it was some lust–induced thing. Something I would never say again now that I

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was back to my senses again. It was a nickname I had swallowed down dozens of time to protect my heart. But the past few days had shown me that there was nothing I could do to protect my heart from breaking if Griffin would ever betray me. It had also reinforced the knowledge that he never would. I regret how we started out, and I–know I still wasn’t fully healed from the betrayals in my past. But as I started chopping vegetables to surprise Griffin with a homemade lunch. I realized how much I had grown as a person and how much being with my wonderful mate still let me grow and heal.

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