Chapter Seven

Albert's POV

Albert paced his room. When he was with Minty, he had tried connecting his brain with hers, exactly what a possessive fae would do, but it hadn't worked. He wanted full control of his mate's mind. It's not that he wanted to control her, but it drove him crazy not knowing where his mate was. He felt like he had thrown his mate to the wild animals to devour.

Why was she stubborn?

All he saw when he tried to probe her mind a little was that she was still a high school student and that she had a boyfriend. Who is Mason? he thought to himself. He didn't know which high school she attended, and this drove him to pull his hair.

He sat on the couch opposite his bedroom window and bit his fingers as he stared at the elaborate curtain his mother had put up only for his window. He remembered what happened. She had shifted in front of him. For her to have shifted, it meant that her wolf accepted him. He had heard about werewolves that don't shift until they find their mate. He had always doubted that.

He's half fae and half werewolf, and he shifted at the age of nine, too young for a wolf to shift. Everyone feared him because of that, and he never liked it. His mother hid the fact that she was a fae from everyone except her mate, the king. His father wanted it that way because he didn't want his kind rebelling because he loved someone who wasn't a werewolf.

After going through everything and seeing his brother and sister find their mate before he did and at a young age, he felt betrayed and alienated from himself. Finding his mate was like a fresh breath to him, but for her to not want him even before she got to know him hurt him to his core. She shifted when he found her, and during the full moon at that.

He could still feel her as she cuddled into his body. Her red hair tickled his neck, and her little snores were like healing balm to his ears. He hadn't bothered putting clothes on her when she shifted back to a human. Her clothes were torn, but her bra and pants were still intact. She must have worn stretchy ones.

He had put her in bed and laid with her. She initiated the kiss, and he was happy to oblige, but he didn't take it further. He had read somewhere that girls tend to take sexual contact very seriously. He wanted her to be in sound body and mind before he lost control and took her. Thinking about his time with her did nothing to calm his anxiety. Instead, he felt anger, sadness, and annoyance.

Anger at himself for not stopping her when she disappeared on him again. Seeing as she can teleport, she's a witch, and witches are somewhat similar to fae. The moon goddess has bestowed him with a gift, which he would be happy about if she weren't that stubborn.

He's sad that he might never see her again. She might never appear again. His wolf became agitated.

We will see her, he said.

She's our mate, he screamed, just to assure themselves.

Within them, a little bit of hope has been lost, but they will not acknowledge it. He felt annoyed that she could not depend on him as an alpha male. Instead, she was busy gallivanting with a human boyfriend without considering his hurt feelings. Just wait till they see that human boyfriend of hers, his wolf said. He will regret trying to seduce their mate.

Someone knocked on his door. He looked at his door. His mother was behind the door, but as usual, she blocked her mind, and he couldn't understand why she would be in front of his room. The queen obviously had better things to do than look for her stubborn son.

“Albert, I know you can hear me,” his mother said.

“Come in, mother,” he grumbled.

His mother came in. She wore her glistening gown that changed colour whenever she moved, especially when hit by the blinding sun. This was the only fae clothing his mother had, and she wouldn't miss any chance to wear it. Many of her servants, especially her maid servants, were jealous and wanted to have the gown.

None of them knew what or where it had come from. Probably, they are blinded by the glistening part of the cloth without knowing that the cloth contained fae magic or that it came from the fae kingdom.

She wore her crown and walked barefoot into his room. She and his elder sister always tried to keep the fae tradition alive, even without letting people know what they were doing. Being part Fae didn't mean that he would join them. He didn't like his fae self or his werewolf side, but he liked his wolf. His wolf was like a friend that he never knew he needed until he came along.

The noticeable fae trait in him is his white hair, yellowish-green eyes that he fears his mate would hate when she takes a closer look, and his ability to read minds, influence anybody, and teleport. A fae's strength depends on his powers, and in his case, he's one of the strongest. Fae usually have no more than two powers, but he has three.

“What's got you all tangled up?” his mother asked.

“Mum, forget about me. What do you want?” he asked his mother.

“You know me too well. Esterolia's daughter is of age, and I think we can go ahead with the arranged marriage,” she said.

“What?!” he shouted, standing up while staring down at his mother.

His mother seemed unaffected by his stunt, but he knew her. She would retaliate in a different way. So he sat back and said,

“I apologize, but marriage? I don't like that girl. Her pink hair is too much for me, and she wanted to kiss me on our first meeting. And besides, I asked that you wait for me,”

“And I did. I understand how you feel, but it's hard for a fae to find their mate. Your sister was just lucky that he came to her. If you were a full werewolf, maybe you would have a better chance at finding her,” she said.

“How do you expect me to find my mate when I don't leave the palace?” he replied.

“Do you want to leave the palace?” his mother asked.

“Mum, I don't want to marry Desterio. Please, don't you want your son to be happy?” he asked her.

“Albert, this country needs an alpha with a reliable luna, not an alpha head over heels with an invisible luna. I'm looking out for your reign, Albert. You are the crown prince. You don't have time to roam about looking for some girl who probably doesn't exist. Don't get your hopes up, okay?” his mother said.

“Mum, I felt something for someone. I don't know yet what it is, but I want to explore it before I get married,” he said.

“You are not going to give up even if I tell you to do so,” his mother replied.

“Yes, mum. Fae mate for life. I don't want to make any mistakes. Don't worry. I will be the responsible boy you've always known.” he said, holding his mother's hands.

“Okay, son. I'll give you a week,” she said, but he interrupted her.

“A month. I won't always see her, and she rarely stays in the palace. I need a month.”

“Is she worth it?” his mother asked him.

“Yes,” he replied.

His mother stared at him for a while, but then she nodded her head and said,

“Okay. I will have to trust that you will be responsible.”

“I will, mother. I love you, mum.” he replied.

“Wow! Is she that special? You are giddy and excited,” his mother said. 

“Mum, she might be the one,” he said. 

She is the one, his wolf said, and Albert smiled.

“Don't get your hopes up, Albert. She could, but she might not be,” his mother said.

“I won't,” he promised.

When his mother left his room, another knock interrupted his thoughts. The only guard he trusted, Davidson, walked in with pieces of black clothing.

“I found this close to the pond. I'm thinking your girlfriend left that,” he said.

“Shut up. You shouldn't go around throwing words like that.” Albert said, picking up the clothes from the bed.

Immediately after he touched it, he felt her presence, but she wasn't with him in the palace. She's in school, studying with her peers. She blinked her green eyes, and the sunlight caught her hair. He smiled as he retraced his steps to find the name of the school. With a smile, he took pieces of each cloth and placed them in a plastic bag.

“David, I am going to school,” he said.

“What do you mean?” David asked. 

“Search for Ernold High School and make sure that I am enrolled.”

“That's a public school.” David said it with an air of surprise.

“Really?” Albert exclaimed. 

He was surprised. He didn't know why, but he thought that she was a rich girl.

“Yes. My sister goes there.” David continued. 

“Just enroll me. I'll explain later.” Albert said. 

“Okay. What's your pseudonym?”

He thought about it and said,

“James. James Brown.”