"Yes, I accept to be your mate, Prince Jayden," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The words felt like a weight on my tongue. As I spoke, Jayden's eyes locked onto mine, a spark of something unreadable flashing in their depths. The room seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with anticipation.
With my acceptance, the room erupted into a flurry of whispers and murmurs, the sound like a distant storm brewing on the horizon. My heart sank, my fate now inextricably linked with Jayden's, setting me on a path I could neither foresee nor escape. I stood there, frozen in a mixture of uncertainty and resignation. Jayden's hand reached out, his fingers brushing against mine, sending a shiver down my spine.
As Prince Jayden's fingers brushed against mine, I felt a jolt of shock and stepped back, my eyes darting around the crowd that had gathered. The hall, once filled with the soft hum of conversation, had fallen silent, with all eyes fixed on us.
The weight of inevitability pressed down on me like a heavy shroud, suffocating me. This moment, which I had long feared, was finally upon me, and my heart ached with a mixture of anguish and resignation. I couldn't help but wonder why I was destined for this path.
The faces of my parents, the Alpha king, and the Luna queen blurred together as I gazed out at the sea of expectant faces. I felt trapped, like a pawn in a game I didn't want to play. With a surge of desperation, I lifted my dress and pushed through the crowd, ignoring the congratulations and well-wishes that came my way.
As I pushed past the people, I heard Prince Jayden's voice calling out to me, "Davina, wait!" But I didn't look back, didn't dare to. I kept my eyes fixed on the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I burst through the doors, the cool night air hitting me like a slap in the face.
Outside the hall, the darkness seemed to swallow everything, leaving only the soft glow of torches flickering in the distance.
THIRD PERSON POV
Back in the hall The crowd began to murmur among themselves, speculating about Davina's sudden departure. "Was she not happy?" some wondered. "Or did she just get overwhelmed?" Others chimed in, "Maybe she was just too excited."
"Go after her." Jayden's wolf's voice echoed in his mind, urging him to "Find her now!"
He turned around to go and look for Davina. "Jayden, stop," his parents said. He turned to them. "I want you to calm down and speak gently with Davina when you find her. It can be a little tough, but she'll come around. She's just surprised" his mother said. "I understand. Don't worry, I won't get angry at her,' he replied. "You can go," his father said. With that, he left the hall.
"That girl Davina is a good girl, although her parents seem ambitious. As long as they don't cross the line, they'll be fine," the king said to the queen. "Yes, she is. And well-mannered. Whenever she comes to the palace with her grandfather since childhood, and being Amelia's friend, we could say we've watched her grow up."
"Thank you all for coming to Prince Jayden's chosen mate ceremony. He has already chosen his mate, and the mating and coronation will take place in one month's time. The celebration is over, and the attendants will lead you to your designated rooms in the palace."
With that, the king turned to the queen. "Let's go, my queen." The king and queen left the hall.
As the attendants led the guests away from the hall, different kinds of gossip spread among them. "We've already known she would be chosen," some said.
"We're not surprised. It's what we expected, given her friendship with his highness's cousin, which gave her a better chance than us." Others added, "And don't forget her grandfather; he's one of the three most powerful elders on the council."
After all the guests left the hall, only the elder council remained. "Prince Jayden made the right choice among all the candidates; Davina is the most competent and loved by the people' Elder Philip said.
"Yes, he made the right choice, and not to mention how good her grandfather is and how he has contributed to the kingdom. Although he's not around, attending a diplomatic relations meeting with other communities, he'll be happy when he finds out his granddaughter was chosen" Elder Martins said.
"Hmm, my granddaughter is more competent, and I've also contributed to the kingdom no less than Davina's grandfather," Elder James said, his tone laced with subtle resentment.
"So, why didn't he consider my granddaughter? Prince Jayden will surely regret choosing Davina" It was clear that his granddaughter, Priscillia, had been in love with the prince and had hoped to be chosen as his mate.
With Elder James's comment, the others remained silent and began to disperse, leaving the hall one by one. Elder James, still visibly upset, eventually rose and departed angrily.
He had been searching for Davina everywhere. Where could she be? As he was wondering, he heard, "Prince Jayden, wait." He stopped and turned back to see her parents rushing towards him. "Good evening, Prince Jayden," they said.
"Good evening. What is it?" He replied hastily, his wolf straining to break free and gain control, urging him and eager to find their chosen mate. He didn't want to linger, but he had to listen to them, especially since they were Davina's parents.
"Well, Your Highness, we want to inform you that Davina truly desires to be your chosen mate, and we are also pleased with the choice. She was just a little bit overwhelmed, and we think you might find her in the forest," they said. "Thank you," he replied, leaving immediately to search for her.
"Davina better not spoil our plan and play the role of a chosen mate," Davina's father Bryson said. "Don't worry, she will not," her mother replied.
As he entered the forest, he immediately shifted into his wolf form, feeling the familiar rush of power and freedom. He sniffed the air, trying to track her scent to find her. He started running through the forest, his wolf form was a majestic black wolf black fur with hints of brown, piercing gold eyes that gleamed in the night, sharp teeth, and long claws.
He was powerful, agile, and ferocious, with a strong and purposeful stride, thanks to his royal lineage. The wind rushed past him, whipping his fur back and forth as he ran faster, until he reached the stream.
As he approached the stream, he saw Davina kneeling beside the stream, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, and he felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. "Leo, give me back control," he said to his wolf. "Let me speak to her. If you talk to her, you might scare her." "Talk to mate," Leo replied, and gave him back control.
He shifted back to human form, his clothes still intact. A perk of being a royal, he had the privilege of shifting without damaging his clothes, unlike normal werewolves whose clothes would tear upon shifting. Those with royal and alpha lineage could shift without damaging their clothes and approach.