King Nicholas Anderson

I now realised what the trackers were saying to me earlier, about how the Dimitri's can just lose their scents; it was as if Arabella Dimitri's scent was never there, completely disappeared into thin air, along with my mate.

She was quick, I'll give her that. If it didn't anger me so much that she had run away, I would be impressed, proud even, that she was my mate, and the future queen of this kingdom. She was beautiful too, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, as cliché as that is. Her jet-black hair framed her face, falling in cascades over her shoulders. I remember the way her contrasting eyes bore into mine, and the way her body looked in that dress, showing an unholy amount of tanned skin that one day may send me to an early grave.

I turned and walked back to where the ball was, but there was no way I was giving up, no, I was just going for reinforcements.

On my way back I noticed her shredded red dress, ripped because she had shifted mid-run. Within the shreds had landed her phone and the key card to her hotel room. Even though I was fairly sure there would be nothing in her hotel room that would lead me to her, I had to check anyway.

It didn't take much for the receptionist to tell me the room number, and I quickly made my way up there. I could smell her intoxicating scent from outside the hotel room, but when I clicked the card in the holder and swung the door open, I was completely overwhelmed. It was everywhere, she was everywhere, and her stuff was everywhere as well, damn she was messy. It was cute though, I would just have to get some maids to pick up after her.

There wasn't much in the hotel room in the way of furniture, in fact it was pretty basic, and definitely not fit for the queen she evidently is. I recalled Jason telling me that they had lived in a cave for many years, and I practically boiled with anger at thinking about my mate on the cold, hard surface of a rocky cave. I mindlinked someone to collect her stuff and bring it back to the castle, considering the fact that she might want it back, and the hotel would just throw it when they cleaned up tomorrow.

On my way out of the hotel room I bumped into a woman and a man. She was wearing an emerald dress with strawberry blonde hair, and the man, the man I recognised instantly. "Alpha King, what brings you here?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"None of your business," I snapped back, a hardness to my tone, because I had absolutely no interest in small talk with this man.

"Is that Arabella's phone?" Damien asked, looking down at the phone that I was gripping in my hand.

"How do you know Arabella?" I asked, my interest suddenly piqued.

"She's an old friend," he answered, looking on guard. "Why do you have her phone?"

"It was with her ripped up clothes when she shifted, I'm going to give it back to her when she returns," I answered.

"Why would she return to you?" he asked. That angered my wolf, I had to hold back from snapping his neck right here, right now.

"She is my mate," I clenched my jaw.

"Oh fuck, no wonder she ran away," he stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, grabbing him by the throat and pushing him against the wall of the hall.

"She doesn't want to be part of a pack," he struggled to get out. I released my grip a little so he could speak easier, and gestured for him to continue. "She hates rules, she hates people telling her what to do, she hates alphas. She's a free spirit. I know she was hoping for her mate to be a rogue, or someone that would turn rogue." That broke me.

I took his words and I stormed out of the hotel, I shifted, and I ran, I just kept running through the woods, and I didn't stop. I didn't stop when my beta, Logan, mindlinked me, I didn't stop when I ran into a couple of rogues and ripped all their heads off, and I didn't stop when my wolf shouted at me for being stupid. What I did stop for was when I got a mindlink from Jason, who could mindlink me now he was part of the pack.

We need to talk about Arabella. He said.

I stopped dead in my tracks at the sound of his voice. Yes, you need to tell me where she is.

Come to the castle, I will talk to you there. He replied.

Arabella Dimitri

I highly doubt that my brother would keep our cave a secret. In fact, Damien would probably keep my secret better than Jason, and Damien isn't even blood. No, the 'King' will ask Logan to ask Jason, and Jason won't be able to say no to his mate, and he will spill all.

This concept of not being able to say no to your mate is ridiculous really. I just said no to my mate, I ran away from my mate. Either no one has a backbone these days, or it is just a lame excuse.

Regardless, I know that sooner, rather than later, my hiding spot will be revealed, and I will be dragged all the way back to the alpha King himself, although he might be the one dragging me in the first place. I will be tied to a throne, a crown slapped on my head, and called queen. I will be tied up with rules, laws, responsibilities, and every time I step foot slightly out of line... I can already imagine the looks of disappointment I will receive from my family, my friends, and people who don't even know me. I will be mated, where I cannot take a damned break from this one person for the rest of my life or I may be in pain.

I needed to leave, and soon.

I grabbed one of my spare phones from my bag, and dialled the number of the only person who could help me right now.

Be there in 10. S x

He was on his way. I grabbed a duffel bag and threw in anything I thought was irreplaceable, or what I really needed, and waited for him to arrive.

"So, you took me up on my offer sweetheart?" I heard him say, as he leaned against a wall outside the cave.

"Long story, not much time, will tell you when we're at your place," I answered.

"Whatever the story, I'm happy you chose me," Seth smiled softly, before grabbing my bag, draping it over his shoulder, and jumping to the bottom of the mountain. I wasted no time in following him shortly after.

The journey was rather easy, and very quick, and soon enough we were at the castle, where Seth lived. Seth's father was the vampire king, and although vampires and werewolves were supposed to hate eachother, Seth's dad, Remus, absolutely loved me.

Vampires were different to werewolves, they didn't have a 'mate', unless there was a werewolf-vampire crossover. Instead, they just had sex, and a lot of it. Remus has five different wives, neither of them birthed Seth. The one time Seth was in a loyal relationship was with me, every other time he's been in multiple relationships, or just had sex with various different women, and men. That's another thing about vampires, they don't really care about gender, sexual orientation, or anything like that, they indulge in pleasure, and take it in all forms; sex, drugs, liquor. They love to party, and will use any excuse to throw one.

"Arabella, my beautiful daughter, come here, give me a hug," Remus declared, standing from his throne and walking up to me, throwing his arms around me and pulling me into a giant hug, as all the members of the vampire council, and other vampires in the throne room at the time, looked on. He also calls me his daughter all the time, it is sweet. "Strix, we have party tonight, tell the Kingdom, I want cocktails! Are you two back together then?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively at me.

"No, no," I answered.

"No? Why ever not, my son is handsome, gorgeous, I know because he looks just like me!" Remus stated, raising his hands in confusion.

"I... I, um, I found my mate," I said, biting my lip, trying to avoid eye contact with either of them.

"Werewolves and their stupid mates, they are dirty, wet dogs, I like five wives, I think I will have a sixth. Strix, wedding next week, plan it, I want cocktails! Bring me cocktail now too," Remus said.

"Who is your mate?" asked Seth, looking down at me. "Are you hiding from him right now?"

"Yes, it's, um, it's the Alpha King," I replied.

"Ah, King Nicholas, he is handsome, he is gorgeous, he isn't my son, no, but, I approve of him for you, I approve of wedding. Strix, organise another wedding, more cocktails, where is my cocktail?" he demanded, chasing after Strix.

"You can't hide from him forever you know?" Seth said to me.

"I damn well can, and I will," I stated.

"I have to say, I am sad you are now off the market. Maybe I'll find the first of my many wives now I'm not hung up over you anymore."

"I hope you do, but I am not off the market!" I complained.

"Arabella, my darling Arabella, you are hiding from your alpha King mate? You are doomed my friend, completely doomed," Remus joined back into the conversation, this time holding a martini glass with some kind of alcoholic drink in it.

"Strix, I'm gunna need one of whatever Remus has, pronto," I said, pulling my hand over my face as I realised my fate.