Chapter 54: Chapter 54

LENORE

I was going on a date with Killian.

I was going on a date with Killian.

I pressed my lips together, trying to keep the smile on my face from becoming completely unhinged as I sifted through my dresses, but it didn’t work. All of the dresses my father’s assistant had packed for me were luxurious and had plunging necklines, and though I wouldn’t mind wearing them, they felt like too much. The least flashy one was the dress I’d worn to dinner with the King my first night in Eyrosa and I didn’t want to wear that because well…

On the other hand, wearing jeans or a skirt felt like putting in too little effort, and I didn’t want to do that.

Heaving a sigh, I let go of the burgundy dress I was holding and the next moment, I remembered that unlike me, Virginia had a couple of friends in the pack—some of whom she’d helped prepare for dates. She could help me. With that in mind, I walked over to the dresser island where my phone lay, but before I could pick it up, my gaze drifted to the invitation on the other end of the island and I found myself picking it up instead, pulling the card out of the envelope.

This was my first time actually paying attention to it, and its contents—the purpose of the diplomatic gathering, the pack’s name, and the day the pack representative should arrive in Eyrosa—weren’t different from what William, my father’s beta, had mentioned was written on it. The only thing that caught my attention was the scent that clung to it. It was… sweet.

I tipped my head to the side, staring at the card for a couple of seconds more, before slipping it back into its envelope and dropping it. Then I picked up my phone.

Me: If you were going on a date with someone, what would you wear?

She replied immediately.

Virginia: Who is this hypothetical someone?

I pressed my lips together. I hadn’t told her about me and Killian yet. To be fair though, I’d only gotten a phone yesterday, and I couldn’t exactly share that the vampire prince and I had gotten that close that fast while she was deeply concerned about Cameron's and my well-being. I would tell her one of these days—I just didn’t know how to bring it up.

Me: Just a random person

Virginia: Lenore

Me: Yeah?

Virginia: Lenore

I drew my brows together.

Me: ?

Virginia: What’s going on with you and the prince?

My eyes widened. Oh my God! Cameron that fucking snitch! I started typing out a response, but paused and deleted it. After I started typing again, I realized I didn’t know what to send, and she decided to fix that dilemma by calling me.

I groaned. Not knowing what to say either, I chose to watch the phone ring until it stopped. Mere moments later though, it started ringing again, and I let my head loll back. She’d most likely keep calling until I answered, so—steeling myself for whatever she’d say—I answered.

“Heyyyyyy,” was the first thing I said in a cheery voice that probably wasn’t appreciated.

“...Wanna drag that out even more?” she asked, and I blew out a harsh breath, leaning against the dresser island.

“What did he tell you?”

“That you and the vampire prince have the hots for each other… He didn’t phrase it that way, of course.”

Since he told Virginia, he probably told Wayne too, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he told William too. Apart from being our father’s beta, William was also Cameron’s best friend, and if Cameron told him… “Does our father know?”

A choked noise escaped her. “Why the fuck would he?” she answered. “He isn’t even in the pack right now. He’s been gone since last night.”

I tilted my head, wondering if he was trying to find a way to get Cameron out of Eyrosa. “Where did he go?”

“Didn’t ask. Didn’t care,” she muttered, and I snorted. “So…”

“...So?”

“Are you dating the prince?” She whispered dating like she was worried our father would hear from wherever he was, and the corner of my mouth twitched.

Were Killian and I dating though? I mean, we hadn’t actually clarified what we were, but we were going on a date, so I guess I could say we were.

“Yeah,” I answered, my lips curving into a smile as I fiddled with the hem of my shirt.

“How did that even happen?”

“...It’s a long story.”

“What do you mean long story? You’ve only been there for six days and you only started talking to him three days ago,” she said, and I sighed.

“I don’t know how to explain it, Virginia. I’m just… drawn to him.”

“…Like he’s your mate?”

My brows snapped together. I…huh? The thought of Killian being my mate had never occurred to me but now that she’d mentioned it, it felt like my mind was folding in on itself.

According to what I’d learned in the pack, a werewolf’s mate was their destined soulmate chosen by the moon goddess. It was a sweet concept but the fact that the moon goddess didn’t check compatibility or morals when assigning mates made it terrifying because I’d seen what some mates did to each other in my father’s pack. And then, there was rejection which could break a person.

Aimee and my father weren’t mates. Their marriage had been arranged by their fathers, and when Aimee ended up finding her mate—Virginia and Wayne’s father—my father killed him just because he could. She had been a shell of herself ever since.

I hadn’t learned anything about the possibility of a vampire and werewolf being mates, but I assumed it was impossible because we were different species—vampires definitely weren’t created by the moon goddess. Even if they were, I was latent. I couldn’t have a mate.

…But being mates would explain Killian’s and my rather sudden and inexplicable attraction to each other.

I swallowed. “Is that possible?”