Page 29 of Mated to the Crown
I lean back against the headboard, a small smile tugging at my lips as the scent of Celeste fills my nose. It wasn’t very long ago that we were on this bed. A knock interrupts my thoughts and I sit up to see my mother step in.
I have never hated her as much as I hate her right now. Her long black hair settles against her shoulders in a loose braid. Her brown eyes looked darker than usual. A dark red dress hugs her, a black lace shawl over her shoulders.
“Don’t look at me like that, dear. I am doing what is best for you.” She chides.
“What is best for me is to be with my mate.” I spit back, pushing up from the bed to stand. I don’t dare step closer to her because I already feel the beast within fighting me. I glare at her instead. “What is your big idea, hmm?”
“Well if you ever paid attention you would know. You are to be married to Elodie. Tomorrow.” She looks down at me like I am some garbage.
“Like. Fuck. I. Will.” I straighten up, standing about the same height as her. “I’m done playing your games. I am going to be with Celeste, whether that means leaving the family or not.”
She tsks and looks at me, taking a step closer.
“Then I’ll just kill her.” She shrugs. The look on her face is serious, any small type of motherly instinct she has destroyed from her own selfish dreams.
“You won’t touch her.” I growl, feeling the familiar feeling of my beast fighting me.
Let me at her.
“Oh I won’t. I don’t like getting dirty. I’ll send George. Or actually you broke his nose. How about Drake? He is not too friendly. It should be quick.” She glares at me and I realize this woman is not my mother anymore. A mother should be happy that you found your mate, not threatening to kill your mate. I could break out of here easily, my beast would destroy these cuffs and easily escape, but that was what she was counting on. She wanted me to lose control so we could show the rest of the family who I was. We had kept it hidden for many years, only telling Charlotte. It was her ace up her sleeve.
“Don’t touch my mate.” What could I do? Pretend to go through with the marriage and hope that Nicholas would get here in time? Would he even come to help? I needed to talk to Morgan, get a note out to Nicholas.
“You will be married tomorrow afternoon. Then we will have the funeral for Charlotte a few days after that. No time for you to plan anything funny. At the funeral it will be discovered about your powers and how you should take the throne. Got it?” Her voice deepens as she talks and I don’t even know how to process this.
I snarl at her and she gives me a little wave before leaving my room.
Fuck!
I plop back down onto the bed, running my hands through my hair.
Come on baby, talk to me.
I close my eyes and concentrate again, trying to feel for her.
“Hello?” A soft voice interrupts me again. I go to yell when I see it’s Morgan.
“Thank fuck.” I mutter. He scoots in and locks the door behind himself before rushing over to me. His hands pick up mine as he looks at the cuffs. “We have to get you out of here.”
“I can’t, Morgan.” I whisper. His eyes shoot up to mine. “I found her. My mate. Celeste.”
“The woman who was here?” He speaks quietly, his hands stopping his fumbling with my cuffs.
“Yes. My mother threatened to kill her if I ran. I need to figure out another plan.”
Morgan lets out a deep sigh before letting go of my hands.
“Can you get a note out to Nicholas?” I make a face, knowing it will put him at risk.
“I think so.” He mutters and looks up at me again. He had been there the night I first lost control. He had been there for all of my shifts, keeping me safe and making sure nothing bad happened to anyone else. He had been more like a father than my own. Him helping me could be his own demise and I needed to keep that in mind. It wasn’t just him that I needed to worry about, he had a wife too.
“I just need him to know the plan. My mother wants me married tomorrow. At the funeral she will disclose my shifter status.”
Morgan nods, grabbing some paper from my nightstand and writing down some notes.
“I’ll get Charlie to bring it down to him. He is still in the Valley?” Morgan gives me a side eye.
“Yeah, his wife just opened her bakery. Maybe start there.” I watch as Morgan stands up. He doesn’t walk away, just standsthere awkwardly for a moment. “Thank you for your help, Morgan. I know the damage this could do for you. I appreciate you, more than I have ever said. You have been nothing but like a father to me.”
