The Prince’s Unwilling mate by Mutya

Looking in the mirror I curse my mark again. The mark showing that my fated mate died before I ever met her. It happened when I turned one, almost twenty years ago now. So I never really mourned her. For some years I was sad she died though. Mom and Dad are fated mates and I see how much they love each other. I have always wanted that and knowing my fated mate died meant I would never.

Not until I learned about second-chance mates. Rare but sometimes the Moon Goddess will bless wolves who lost their mate when they couldn’t have done anything to stop that from happening with a second mate. Ever since that lesson when I was fourteen I dreamed about meeting her. I fantasized what meeting her would be like, what she would smell like. I dreamed about walking up to my parents and telling them I found her. I joined my parents on every royal visit since. I visited as many packs as I could after my eighteenth birthday. All with the hope of meeting her. I never stopped dreaming of walking into a pack home and being overwhelmed with the most enticing smell in my life. I played the moment our eyes would meet for the first time in my head so many times. And I have been doing so for three full years now. Mom and Dad want me to find a queen now. So in two weeks’ time the night before my twenty-first birthday, I need to pick my queen. A chosen mate, meaning I will never meet a fated mate. I have been trying to convince them to give me more time but it is no use. Now I am getting ready to go and speak with them like they asked me to. Sighing I button my shirt hiding the mark on my chest I hate so much.

***

“Have a seat son we might have a solution for your problem” Dad tells

Ayla and Grifin 2

288 Vouchers

me signaling to an empty chair in their office.

I do, hoping against all hopes that they will give me a little more time to find my second-chance mate. They are not, they are suggesting a compromise. Inviting all unmated she-wolves in my age range and a bit older. Giving me one last chance to find my fated second-chance mate. It seems bleak, if I have not found her before how likely is it I will find her during this one last ball? But I need to have faith, and I do realize some of our subjects are getting nervous at the fact I have not picked a Queen yet. The Luna of all Luna’s, they have every right to do so. Because it is what the country needs.

“Thank you, Mom, thank you Dad can I take my leave now?” I ask anxious to get out of my chair. I need to go on a run because lately I’ve been feeling so locked in. They just nod so I rush out making quick work of undressing and shifting. Later that night I shift again and go out to howl at the moon praying to Selene the Moon****ess to bless me with a second chance mate.

“I promise I will be the best mate to her I could be. I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to make her the happiest every day for the rest of my life”

***

Ayla

All kinds of scenarios flash my mind. But never the thing

a little outside the background just as your sister was shopping in

don’t get why they were so panicky to talk about this.

21.21%

Ayla and Grifin 2

288 Nouchers

sister. For them to have it happen at such a coincidental meeting makes me happy. Who knows how long they would have had to wait

I was too fragile to be happy for my sister?

that I’ve been rejected by my fated mate. The guy I had a crush on since I was seven years old. It was bad enough that he did so in the pack kitchen so that everyone could hear and see. And I honestly get why my family and friends were worried in the beginning. Now though I have been doing better for so long. Sure I lost hope in ever finding a chosen mate. I’ve been rejected so there is no way the Moo****dess is going to bless me with a second chance mate. I wanted what my

face lights up because you walk into the room. That sickening feeling of not wanting to be without each other for even a single minute. Grandma still mindlinks Grandpa every time they are away from each other for over an hour. That is what I would have wanted. Since I cannot have that I am not willing to settle for less. People need to understand that I am fine

liked to have a litter of pups with my mate. Another thing I don’t want to dwell on. Instead, I figured I could be working

come home so we can talk” Daniel mindlinks me. My younger brother is the only one that gets me. He promised me that I would be the very first wolf to know if he’d found

Ayla and Grifin 2

288 Vouche

are concerned some

was, I have a thick skin and could handle that. But Hannah took it upon herself to bully me. Beat me and no matter how