CHAPTER 4: Meeting the Prince

Aqua’s POV

I knew little about mates and what I did know was something about the moon goddess. I also knew that shifters had mates, werewolves, and dragon shifters both. Was this what it was or was I being delusional? Was I a dragon prince’s mate? “Aqua,” Cade whispered to bring me back to reality. I snapped out of my delusion and walked with Cade to everyone else. “Your majesties,” he bowed after greeting them, “this is my long-lost sister Aqua.” I wouldn’t call myself long lost, considering I was abandoned and found easily.

I attempted to curtsy. “Hi…” I kept glancing at the prince. My heart had nearly jumped out of my chest and I felt lightheaded. 

The King looked towards Konn. “You think she could be the holder?” 

Konn nodded in response. “She shows signs, one big sign is a sharp sense of intuition.”

The King then addressed Cade. “You realized if she is the holder, we won’t require your services anymore, correct?” I didn’t’ consider that since he was being so nice to me but I’m sure he did.

“Yes, your majesty but I am considering staying for another position.”

“It’s nice to meet you Aqua.” The Queen spoke to me first. “This is King Peter, I’m Queen Jane. This is my Daughter Princess Hannah.” I couldn’t wait to hear what the prince's name was. “My son, the future King, Prince Lexus and his fiancée, the future Queen, Sadia.” Of course, he had a Fiancée.

After I met everyone Konn escorted me out of the great hall. “You’re going to have a week to adjust before given any responsibilities.”

“And what if I don’t want to be here?” I asked because knowing Prince Lexus was engaged was enough to ruin my spirits. I don’t know why when I didn’t even know him.

“You don’t have a choice.” It was weird because I thought he gave me one before. “It’s my fault you weren’t raised here to begin with.” I wondered what exactly he regretted but I knew it had more to do with the royal family than anything to do with who I am. “We’re doing good work here for the kingdom Aqua.”

Cade nodded in agreement. “We’re a primary aspect in the success of running the kingdom… Well, I might not be very soon but you guys will if I’m not,” he chuckled nervously after he spoke. “Our family has served and helped better the kingdom for generations. You should let me and some of the other workers here around our age show you around the kingdom.”

If I were the holder they’ve been looking for then I would be taking Cade’s place. I don’t want to make this kind of first impression as his sister. If I can even call myself that. “That sounds nice,” I answered then stopped at my new room. 

Konn stopped while Cade kept walking. “I’m going to be busy this week, but I’ll give you instructions on your first day on the job.” Touching words coming from a father I never knew. I guess I read him wrong. When he showed up at my home in the human world, I thought he wanted to connect with me. This is just a job to him.

I watched him walk away then I walked into my room. I slammed the door behind me when I noticed someone was in my room. “Holy shit…” I swore as I realized it was Prince Lexus. I slowly opened the door, but he walked to me and shut it behind me. His arm was still against the door over my head holding it shut while he was draped over me. I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t but that was exactly my problem. Why couldn’t I just ask him what was going on?

“Are you feeling this?” He might have referred to the weird way I felt when we met and even now.

I chuckled nervously and paused before responding, “Oh… yeah, I just thought it was normal… right?”

I watched as his emotionless expression turned into a smirk then a light deep chuckle. “You were raised in the human world, so that explains your ignorance.” He backed up. “Sorry, I’m just a little irritated. Maybe ignorance isn’t the right word,” he said with a shrugged. “It’s obvious to me that we’re mates. That’s why I’m here.”

So, I was right about that. I took a deep breath. “Doesn’t that complicate things? Aren’t mates two people chosen to be together by the moon goddess?”

Lexus crossed his arms. “Held together by the tugs of the mate bond. It does complicate things, but you wouldn’t understand why. “I accidentally let a scoff slip out and now he was lightly glaring at me. “You know I could reject you at any moment?”

“You haven’t,” I muttered. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“It’s painful.” He leaned against the door next to me. “We’d be unlinked but the thing that over complicated this is that mates are extinct.” I didn’t understand. “Diana stopped linking souls a few centuries ago.” I didn’t think the moon goddess would stop doing something like that. She was passionate about the kind of love she gave the members of her species. It was crazy to think that the moon goddess existed, but I couldn’t doubt it now. “Here I was thinking I was a full soul like everyone else, but I guess you’re my other half.” Was I a half he could live without? 

“Your fiancée over complicates things too… you can reject me.”

Lexus ran his hands through his kinky curly hair. “I won’t bother, not any time soon anyways. Don’t want the X.” 

I blushed because I was taking it in a way he might not have wanted me to and I didn’t know what he meant by ‘the X’. “Why not?”

He looked at me from the side of his eyes. “Other than the X I also want to have some fun, don’t you?” It sounded to me like he wanted to use me or like he wanted us to use each other. “We could feel something no one has felt in centuries.” It was tempting.