Fool's Mate
(n.) Two-move checkmate. Checkmate in the fewest moves from the start of the game.

She came then looked into my eyes.
I lost.
Checkmate.

Ace Archer

I couldn't get her out of my head.

The intoxicating lavender-vanilla scent still lingered not only on my palms that touched her bloodied hands but on my whole being.

Her porcelain skin, although smeared with the enemy's impurities glistened against the unrelenting glare of the sun while her brown-gold streaked hair streamed through her shoulders like dripping honey.

She was heavenly.

But I wish...

I wish she didn't look at me with those bluish-golden eyes.

I wish she didn't look like her...

The exact replica of the woman who caused my mother's death.

"That would be my mother."

        "Fuck!" I cursed as I recalled her words.

Crimson red paint trickled from my throbbing hands that slightly stained the sequoia tree I've been beating up in the forest for what it feels like hours. I continued to punch, dumping every tension that I wasn't able to release in my office a while back.

        Why?

        Why did it have to be her?

I felt the burden as I shut my eyes and rested my forehead on the tree. A few moments passed, I turned and sat on the ground then I looked up to see the remaining sun cosseted by the grey clouds. The fragments hues of the day slowly hugged the first cloud of the night.

The pain in my hands was nothing compared to the abysmal feeling of defeat in my chest because of my circumstances.

Fate is unpredictable, and the Moon Goddess is one hell of a bored woman.

        "Where the hell could she be?" I mumbled as the clock did it's final tick-tock of the day.

I was pacing back and forth in my study like a caged tiger; the only difference was it's the pent-up emotions I've been bombarded today imprisoning me.

I need to get out and be free, so I decided I needed to speak with her.

        "She's not here Alpha Archer. She had to take care of some things with the Royal Alpha."

I grimaced as I recall the conversation I had with their Healer earlier this evening. Bullshit. What kind of things is she doing with the Alpha that takes this long?

From her reaction this afternoon, I knew she recognized me. She felt it too. I needed to get things straight with her.

I don't want her.

And I want answers.

My thoughts wrestled and sleep slipped somewhere back in my mind. I continued to stare at the spaceless prison of darkness for the longest time, the numbers were constantly marked by the hands of the clock on the wall.

Then I saw it.

Between the swaying of the curtains, I saw a figure lurking in the shadows of the oak tree leaves, swiftly crawling at the branches near my balcony. I bolted out of the chair to the sliding door. Sniffing, I shifted and pressed my back against the wall, my heartbeat synchronizing with the sound of the clock as I wait for my unwanted guest's next move. Nyx stirred as when I felt its steps finally on the ground.

If this prowler thinks he can get away with this, then he clearly chose the wrong tree.

Peeking, I loosened up, awed by the spectacle in front of me.

There she was, the one I was waiting for, bathing on the moonlight with her eyes closed. She looked like a wolf, under the glorious moon, completely unaware of her surroundings. The way she savored the beams of silver made it look like she was born to be there, making me forget that she's not from our kind.

        "Enjoying the moon buddy? Want me to howl?"

Her voice suddenly pulled me out of the hypnotizing trance.

         What? Is she mocking me? Who is she talking to? There's only the two of us here.

I quietly head towards her when she spoke again.

        "You know Ezra..."

         Ezra? Who the fuck is Ezra?

A sudden burst of energy inside me and I refused to call it jealousy.

        "...they really need to work on their security. I- umph!" she exclaimed after bumping in my chest.

      "That part had been taken care of, especially here," I said, still wondering who the hell is she talking to, questioning our security. My face hardened at the thought.

"A-Alpha Archer..."

        "What is a warrior doing in places she's not supposed to go, especially in the wee hours of the morning?"

       "Patrolling. Got lost," she said, gazing away, pulling me out of the spell her eyes seem to give. "We came here to give our services to protect, might as well start now."

This woman has some backbone.

        "Protect?" I jeered. "To be honest I don't feel safe around you. I don't even know what you are."

      "I understand you don't like me Alpha. I'm aware of what happened with our mothers years ago, but I hope it'll not could your mind of the fact that we're here to help you," she finished, not once flinching.

        "So you know?" I walked closer, bent a little, my lips lightly brushing the cold skin of her small ears.

I felt her tense at the slight contact.

If only she knew how it affects me too.

        "You should also know, I'm in no need of a Luna to establish that I am the Alpha of my pack, so work faster and get out of here, little mate.

Drunk with a mixture of anger and frustration, my chest clenched and my stomach hurled at my words.

She is my mate, the one, but she's also all of the things I despise.

A Royal and a murderer.

Her head snapped, eyes glinting against the moon as she stared at mine. "Noted Alpha Archer. Having a mate will only deter my effectivity in fulfilling my duties to the Royal Alpha."

There it is again. Stressing the word duties.

        What kind of duties? Who is she to the Alpha?

        "Glad to know we are on the same page," she continued. " I assure you, I'll be out of your hair in no time. See you tomorrow."

She walked away before I could say another word. I was left standing and gaping because that was not the reaction and answer I was hoping for.

        That woman got some mouth on her. She's perfect, said Nyx, clearly amused at my embarrassment.

I couldn't help but agree.

She was paradise and sin.

I never knew that you can experience heaven and hell at the same time

until today.

Hello, my lovely and amazing readers!

How was Chapter 11?

I apologize for any grammatical errors, this is unedited so anyways, I hope you liked it!

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