Xavier's pov
I finally summoned up the courage to confront my lover, Mia. Brushing my hair to one side and making sure to straighten out my clothes, I grabbed the bunch of flowers I picked out yesterday and headed to her house.
I decided to go to her when nobody else was at home, so I could have all of her attention to myself.
"Hey Miaaa…." I said smiling as I walked up to her in the garden and leaned over to kiss her forehead.
"Hey Xavy, come sit. I have so much to tell you…" she said happily and I tried to guess what could be so exciting but I couldn't so I just decided to let her speak.
"Well I have exciting news too, but I'll let you go first" I replied and took a seat beside her.
"Guess what happened at the lake yesterday?" She asked and clasped her palms together.
"If I could guess then, I won't be waiting for you to finish your sentence now, would I?" I asked and placed my hand on her shoulder.
"I met Hazel!" I paused for some time and tried to recall who else could be bearing that name aside from the chosen alpha king.
"Wait, hold on… by Hazel you mean the alpha king?" I asked in shock.
"Well, soon to be"
"It's the same thing, Mia!
That's so lucky of you.. well what did he say to you? I heard he's a rude spoiled brat.." I said and moved closer to her.
"He's not as bad as everyone portrays him to be, Xavier. He's actually very nice and down to earth. He even asked me to play my flute for him but I remembered my mother had asked me to do something for her." She said and squeezed her face.
"Don't feel bad, there'll always be another opportunity. All you need to do is just wait for the right time again and you'll both meet.." I reassured and she nodded like a little child.
Everything about her made my heart flutter and I couldn't wait to tell her how much I love her.
"One more thing Xavy, I think I might like him. He's so dreamy and handsome and humble… he offered to sit on a wet log of wood with me…"
My hopes melted and I felt my hands heating up. She just rejected me without even hearing how much I love her.
"Oh really….?" I asked hoping she would tell me that it's all a joke and that she can't be in love with someone she just met yesterday.
"I'm being serious now Xavier. I know we just met and…."
"Exactly! You just met him and you're already drooling over him.
All of a sudden you love him and you want to be with him and probably spend the rest of your life!" I blurted out and immediately realized that I might have overreacted.
"Calm down Xavier, he doesn't bite. Plus, love at first sight really exists don't you know?" She asked and played around with my hair.
"You know what, maybe I should get someone to love you. Then you'll believe that there's something like love at first sight and it can happen to anyone anywhere…." She said and I rolled my eyes.
"No need for that Pixel, I already have someone I'm in love with." I said and immediately regretted it.
"What?
You've had someone all this while and you didn't tell me about it?" She asked.
"Don't worry about it, I'm actually not sure about my feelings for her. Maybe I'll just have to wait for her to feel the same.
Can we not talk about it please?" I pleaded and she threw her hands in the air.
"What's with the flowers?"
"I just felt you might like them, so I decided to bring them to you" I lied.
"That's so sweet of you. I'll keep them in my room." I nodded and smiled like everything was alright and I wasn't fighting the pain in my chest.
As if that wasn't enough, I heard the galloping noise of a horse and when I looked at where it was coming from, I saw the almighty Hazel coming towards our direction.
Mia's POV
It almost seemed as though Xavier wasn't happy that I finally decided to give love a chance. Maybe he's just trying to look out for me like he always does.
"He's different, I can feel it…" I said to myself as I went inside to drop the flowers.
"Hey, Mia right?" I turned around at that familiar voice and saw Hazel standing in my garden!
"Oh my…. I really didn't expect you here!" I muttered and dropped the flowers back on the bench.
"You're welcome, meet my best friend Xavier. I already told him so much about you.."
"Good to meet you, our alpha.." Xavier replied coldly and got up from the bench.
"I just remembered that I have work to do, I'll still stop by to see you." He said and left in a haste.
"Is he okay?" Hazel asked and I nodded even though I'm very sure he's not.
"What should I offer you?" I asked after offering him a seat.
"That won't be necessary, Mia. I just came to spend some time with you, that's all."
I lowered my head to hide my reddened face.
"What's the matter, don't you want to play for your future alpha?" He asked and I looked up immediately and excused myself to go get my flute.
"Ahhhhh!"
I yelled into my dress as I ran into my room and shut the door.
"Hazel is really in my house!" I thought to myself and hurriedly grabbed my flute from under my pillow and ran back out with the same speed.
I sat on the floor facing him with my legs carefully crossed under my dress. I played him one of my favorite tunes with my eyes closed to avoid getting nervous by merely looking at his face.
"This is so beautiful, Mia…" he commented after a mild applause.
I felt butterflies in my belly as I blushed hard and tried to avoid his gaze.
"I'll be taking my leave now, but like I promised, I'll still come back for you.
Pleasure meeting you again, Mia…" he said and got up to leave.
"Pleasure is mine, your highness…" I replied and bowed slightly.
I waved at his receding back and watched him ride away on his horse.
"Now that he's gone, I'll have to find out what exactly is bothering Xavier."
"Who was that?" Penny asked as I walked into the house with a broad smile on my face. Seeing my favorite dress on her body pained me even more but I just had to let go because I have better ones now.
"Nobody you should know about. He didn't come for you, mum or dad so I decide whether to tell you who it was or not." I snapped back and went into my room.
"I'm not going to let anybody spoil the rest of my day…" I whispered and fell to the bed with so much joy in my heart.
Hazel's POVAs I rode back to the palace, I just couldn't stop thinking about Mia. I know for a fact that I'm not in love with her, but I still can't get her off my mind.She'll definitely be very useful to me but for now, I need to focus on my responsibilities as the soon to be announced alpha king of Silverpine Hollow.My shoulders stood straight as I thought of myself on that throne as the leader of this entire pack."Sounds really good to be a leader after all.." I said to myself and rode even faster."Where have you been, my child?" My mother asked as I walked into the enormous ball room."I just took a little walk outside, nothing important.." I replied and leaned over to kiss her cheek."Well your father has been looking everywhere for you. The elders came in today, in search of you" she said and I rolled my eyes.All these meetings were already beginning to tire me but I have no other choice. It's what I signed up for. "Where are they?" I asked as I walked up the staircase."
Mia's POVI wrung my hands in despair and paced around my room. On my bed were scattered assorted articles of clothing. I didn't know which to wear. All of them seemed too shabby to wear to the palace. However, the clothes were only part of the problem. I was very excited yesterday when Hazel invited me to the palace. But after my visit to Xavier, I couldn't help but get nervous. It suddenly dawned on me who Hazel really was. Of course, I had known he was the successor to the alpha, and the prince of our kingdom. But meeting him away from the palace, in my own environment, had somehow made it a distant knowledge. It was somewhere in the back of my mind, but never acknowledged. And now I got the invitation and I'm forced to acknowledge it, I have lost my confidence. Was I worthy to be in the palace? Do I know how to act? Would the nobility there like me?Such questions continued running through my mind throughout yesterday, which was the reason I didn't honor the invitation till tod
Mia's POVThe castle loomed ahead. I almost felt like telling Hazel to stop, but I didn't want to risk his ire. Not after he saw me with Xavier in that position. For some reason, I was feeling very awkward because he caught me crying on Xavier's shoulder. He hadn't even reacted. Just raised an eyebrow and asked me who my friend was. I introduced them, and they seemed pretty friendly with each other. And Hazel has been nothing but nice and sweet ever since. But it only made me all the more awkward, with the result that our conversation was a little strained. I sighed internally. I wished I could just play my flute, it always calms me. And I was with it, because Hazel had requested I bring it along. So, obviously, I was going to play sometime today. Maybe in front of an audience. "Hey, relax, Mia. You're biting your lips again," Hazel told me, smiling gently. I smiled nervously and tried to relax, taking a deep breath to help me. Okay, Mia. You got this, calm down. I told myself.
Mia's POVI watched with some trepidation as the lady marched right up to me so that the tip of our noses almost touched."Do you hear me?" she growled. Her eyes turned dark with rage, and I could see her wolf was so close to the surface, which sent me from trepidation to downright fear. "You stay away from my boyfriend. Who are you anyway?" She repeated, jabbing a finger at my chest. I took some steps back when the aura of her wolf's aggression washed over me in waves that had me suppressing a shudder. I knew a wolf protecting her territory when I saw one, and this one was doing so. Viciously. Why hadn't Hazel told me he has a girlfriend? Or was he just playing with me? Was I just some amusement to him? I felt my heartbreak at the thought. Lumps rose in my throat and tears sprang to my eyes. Through the corner of my eyes, I saw Hazel stand up. There was rage on his handsome face, rage I never thought could be there. "I…I…I didn't know he's your boyfriend —" I stuttered. "Of co
Hazel's POVI was literally walking on clouds as I strolled down the hallway. Everything was suddenly much more beautiful. The tapestries, the paintings, the ornaments, the chandeliers. Everywhere was full of vibrant colors and exhilarating scents. I suddenly found myself humming a tune. Formerly, I wouldn't have dared to hum in the hallway, as it wasn't befitting of a prince if a maid or servant should see him. But at the moment, I didn't care. I felt I would burst if I didn't let out the joy in some way. I was looking out from an arrow slit, savoring the beauty of the evening sky when I heard horse hooves, followed shortly by the sound of the portcullis being raised. I knew it was my parents, back from the wild goose chase I had sent them. But I don't care, even though I knew it was likely my father would flay me. Nothing could dampen the joy in my heart. As a matter of fact, I thought I had better meet them head on and break the news. Perhaps, that way, I may be able to diffuse
Mia's POVWhen I arrived home two days ago, my parents were not home. Apparently, they have traveled to some neighboring kingdom. There was no one to tell my good news. I was absolutely sure Penny wouldn't rejoice with me, so there was no use sharing the news with her. The only other person was Xavier, but when I called at his place, he wasn't around. In fact, I had called at his house two days ago right after I returned from the palace, but he had not been around. I called on him two more times, but got the same result.I felt like I would burst at the seams with joy if I didn't tell someone. Luckily, just as I was getting ready to go and check on Xavier a fourth time, my parents returned from their trip.After I helped them with the load they brought back, I broke the news to them directly. My mother stared at me, not daring to believe it. She cupped my face and looked deep into my eyes, as if trying to find some hint of a prank in my eyes. Obviously finding none, she put her hand
Xavier's POVI registered the scent a little too late and leaped, but the hare slipped from right under my paws and scampered off. I was the last line of defense, so that was a lost game. For the third time that day, I found myself letting the game escape from right under my nose. And it was honestly frustrating. My mind was wandering too much, trying to imagine what Mia would be doing right this instant at home. How did her date with the alpha prince go? Did she have a good time? Was she forgetting about me? How long are we going to last as friends at this rate? "Xavier!" the leader of the hunt's sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Without knowing, I had descended into thoughts again. "You want us to starve this winter? You know how winter is around here," he told me. I couldn't talk, since I was in my wolf form. So I growled to show my frustration. The leader came to crouch at my front. He scratched me behind the ears. "What's up, attaboy? What's got you so messed up to
Selena's POVMy mother's face told me plain as words that something was seriously wrong, even before she spoke. My heart skipped a beat as I thought of everything that could have my mother worried. She was usually never worried, preferring to take everything in stride rather than worry unduly. So, for her to carry such a heavy face, the issue at stake must be very serious. "What's it, mother?" I asked her once she was within talking distance. "Hazel…" her voice trailed off. I could see she was struggling with how to break the news to me. A sense of foreboding filled me. What was it about Hazel? "What happened to Hazel?" I asked her. "Well, he's going to be crowned the Alpha King in less than a month's time!" my mother finally broke the news. I immediately became confused. Coronated as the alpha king? Hazel? How was it possible? "Wasn't he supposed to have a bride before he can be crowned as the Alpha King?" I asked my mother in confusion. "That's the problem. He has a bride!"