Chapter Two: A Mate for Princess Vanessa
*Rihanna's POV*
“Hmm. From here? Why don’t you go down? Can you see anything?”
The Alpha's son tried to look from where I was standing. Sometimes he forgot I was the hated Beta’s daughter. His niceness to me usually caught me off guard because he was my enemy’s brother!
My ears weren’t very sharp, so my eyes were sharper. He was almost slipping from the hill, trying to peek down, so I wrapped my hands around him.
“Thank you,” he sighed deeply as I pulled him back. My face was beet red, and I dared not look at him. I had felt sparks holding him.
“Come down and celebrate with us. Your birthday is soon.” he stated. I laughed it off. My birthday would go as it came.
I noticed when I laughed, his eyes seemed to linger on me, so I frowned. I knew I was ugly when I laughed; he didn’t have to stare.
“You know, laugh more. You look pretty.”
What, sir? Did he mean that? I looked at his retreating figure and felt flying insects inside my stomach. Did I swallow butterflies?
That was the third chariot coming in today, carrying the last Alpha—or soon-to-be Alpha or son of an Alpha. I wanted to laugh; my wolf, Lana, was laughing already. It seemed our pretty Princess Vanessa wouldn’t find her mate today. If she did, he wouldn’t be among those fine Alpha males she hoped on.
Lana smirked devilishly. “Today will be bad for her. I’ll annoy her again.”
I brushed the idea off immediately. “You wouldn’t. Stop acting rash just because you have powers. You’ll be caught.”
And then I’d be punished for it. I only wish to lie low in this pack and be as happy as I can be.
Raymond ran to me, and I chuckled, seeing him struggle to climb the hill. The gel on his hair had weakened, making his hair look tattered. But he looked dashing nevertheless—nothing seemed to make him look bad.
I looked ahead and saw Princess Vanessa's frustrated face. It remained for one more Alpha to arrive. I didn’t get why she, as the Alpha King’s daughter, had to get married to an Alpha as well. It should be to her mate, Alpha or not. And if he wasn’t an Alpha, would she bear to reject him? Insecure thoughts filtered into my head. Would my own mate reject me? I was a no one.
“Ahh, Rih, how do you do this!” Raymond grunted as he finally reached the top of the hill. He laid face up beside me. I rolled my eyes. He was just a weak little wolf. Or I was a really strong wolf. I made sure not to show it so as not to get hated more.
“Why are you here? Won’t you go sing for your princess?” I teased him. I knew he hated her, and his disgusted face confirmed it.
“Nah, I ran from there because so far, all the Alphas weren’t her mate. What if somehow, I became her mate? You know, maybe the Moon Goddess gave her a future Beta instead!”
My face contorted. Lana was laughing inside me; I didn’t even see what was funny. Ray ran from there because he didn’t want to be her mate?
“If you are her mate, you both would feel a mate bond before eighteen. Neither of you felt one, so you can’t be her mate now.” I explained. And if you were, dear brother, I’d make sure you reject her because she’d be the end of you.
Ray shrugged. “She's nice to me recently, so I thought of that. Maybe it’s because her brother’s coronation is coming.” Raymond nodded.
That was another big event coming. By then, all the young girls in our pack would have turned eighteen, so he can be coronated with a Luna Queen. I was a bit anxious. My brother would be his future Beta, and I’ve never been prouder. My father wasn’t very respected by the Alpha King. But Prince Chris was different; if he could treat me, a nobody, with so much respect, I felt he’d be a better Alpha King than his father was.
“And here comes Jake Justin of the Black Rose Pack, son of the Alpha. Princess Vanessa better be lucky.” Raymond looked ahead. I followed his gaze.
Never had I seen a Black Rose werewolf before. They were usually heavily tanned and very, very sexy. It was a rumor, but it was very true. Jake Justin jumped down from his horse, and I felt the ground tremble from where I was. He had a powerful aura that the pack and guests felt.
He wore a tuxedo jacket with formal black boots. His hair was in mullet style, and his dark eyes added more power to him. Also, the black rose on his cloth was chef’s kiss.
Princess Vanessa shook when he bowed at her. She could barely bow back. I noticed the smirk he had; he knew the aura he emitted.
“I like that guy already.” I blurted. I liked any guy who’d mess around with Princess Vanessa and make her feel lower. The Alpha must be well-informed.
“You like him? Well, he and Princess Vanessa don’t seem to be mates. Hope for the best!” Raymond shouted.
My eyes widened, and I slapped his shoulders. I felt no connection to Jake Justin, so he’d never be my mate. I was nearly eighteen, and I'd know.
“I didn’t mean I want him as a mate. I just meant I liked that he’s messing with Princess Vanessa. Baloney head!” I added a knock on his head.
He sprang up from the ground, and I ducked. “Nah, I’ll get you, Rih. For now, let me go grab some cake. Want some?”
I shook my head. “I don’t want her cake.” My eyes remained fixed on Jake Justin; I watched him interacting with the other Alphas. There was something about his smile—they didn’t seem real and faded off almost immediately. I recognized those fake smiles.
I gave them a lot during a formal gathering where the Beta’s children had to be presented to the council of packs. Raymond and I should be the Alpha King’s Betas, as twins, but my Alpha King rejected me being Beta and threatened to demote me to omega if I refused to step down. All because I destroyed Princess Vanessa’s tenth birthday cake and made Raymond take the blame.
I was hated, my position stripped from me. My father could do nothing. And my mother seemed like she agreed. My brother and Prince Chris were the only ones who felt pity for me.
The Alpha of the Red Moon Pack stood up to give a toast to Princess Vanessa. “To the Princess's health and beauty.”
Everyone cheered except Jake Justin.
I gagged. Princess Vanessa’s beauty was a gift from her mother. And improved greatly by heavy makeup. That Alpha was just looking for favor.
Another Alpha stood up to toast, and I realized they’d all toast for her. “To the Princess's wisdom and grace.”
Lana rolled her eyes. Princess Vanessa had no grace, and wisdom! They were really looking out for the Alpha King’s favor. The father already had a proud smile. The third Alpha stood up; he seemed like he was searching for what to say.
“To the Princess’s happy marriage and long, long life.” It was cheered, and even the Alpha King nodded at it. Meh. I awaited Jake Justin's.
“The Princess is highly blessed already. I'd toast to the future Alpha King and his Betas and to the unity of our Packs under his rulership!”
Loud cheers erupted from the crowd after Jake Justin’s toast, and even my father clapped. The Alpha King’s face stiffened, but he forced a smile.
I caught on to what Jake Justin did there. Black Rose Pack was among the packs that had voted for me to be among the Alpha King’s Betas. I was so honored that such a powerful pack valued me.
“Thank you. My Betas and I will do a good job.” Prince Chris responded to the toast with a bow. And there were more cheers.