The next couple of days are peaceful ones, Ara seemed to like me better after our sparing match seeing as she talked to me more and asked me to spar her on some occasions. I'd noticed Bridge try to come and speak to me but he always backed out of it at the last second, but I knew that he would come around when he was ready. Bridge has never one to like confrontation, but if the things I'm hearing about him are true, then he's going to have to get used to it faster than he would like.

But I had noticed something strange about Erik, he seemed troubled, a lot more than an Alpha should be. I could feel him looking over at me if I was with Orion or some other male pack mate, it was almost with a stormy expression the back of the hairs would stand up on the back of my neck, and i knew it well because it was the look that I used to give people when they had pissed me off.

i take a seat beside him on the stone steps leading out of the palace, a really quiet place if you knew the right time to be there. "I thought I would find you here... what's wrong, Erik?"

He seems surprised upon seeing me there. "Can't hide from you, huh?"

"Old habits die hard... you were my Beta, Erik."

He looks away from me intently focusing on the forest. "What is it you want, Amelia?"

"I was just coming to check on you... like me or not I know what pressures this position brings. I just noticed that you seemed a little extra stressed."

He sighs. "I... what's going on between you and Orion? His scent's been on you a lot lately."

Why in the world would he be stressing out over something like that?

"Nothings been going on... I was talking to him the other day and he hugged me. Why is it any of your concern who I align myself with?"

His expression suddenly stiffens. "You're right... it's none of my business, we're not mates, and I'm not that close of a friend to you to ask these sort of things." he stands up. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Before I can utter another word he disappears inside the castle.

I sigh.

He can be so frustrating some times... one moment he wants to talk to me and then the next second he wants nothing to do with me. though granted I can be a little shut off from everyone... I need to work on that.

"Wolf, Amelia."

I turn my head to see a guard addressing me. "Yes?"

"I have a Summons from his majesty the Prince. He wishes for you to meet him in his chambers."

I nod. "I'll be right there."

The guard respectfully bows and then retreats inside of the palace.

I stand outside a moment more to pull myself together before heading to the prince.

***

When I arrive at the Princes chambers the guards immediately let me in. The room is definitely different from the sixteen year old that I guarded before, the room seemed more mature, yes there were still weapons scattered about from his multiple masteries. But there was now a desk in front of the large double windows, no doubt where he now did his paper work as he prepared to take over running the kingdom from his father.

But the room was organized and the clean, his scent strongly lingering around, the scent of pines and earth sharply around the room.

It seems that his days of chasing after girls are gone... I wonder what girl tamed this beast? 

"Amelia, I'm glad to see you've made it..." says the prince's voice.

I turn my head to see the prince approaching me, confidence in each of his steps, the boy I'd known. the last time i saw the prince he still had a little bit of baby fat filling out his cheeks, but that was all gone his face now holding the angled lines of manhood now making up his face and showing off the high cheek bones he has thanks to his mother. The dark black eyes that I'd known are now silver, completely showing off the fact that he is truly one of the royal family. He now filled out his shirts as well, his muscles filling out the garment, and finally his hair the multicolored strands of brown and silver unique to the royal family now reached his shoulders, even tied back as he had it now.

He looked like his father in a lot of ways.

"I came according to your summons, your highness." I say bowing.

He looks at me slightly annoyed. "No, need to be so formal Amelia, we are friends after all."

I frown and cross my arms right back. "Prince Leonardo... why is it that you summoned me?" I ask looking up at him.

another thing that had changed about him, like the rest of the guys here, he was now taller than me and at least six feet. I had to even look up at Bridge.

I hate it.

He suddenly envelops me in a hug his hulking frame around my own, he didn't crush me though.

"Your highness-"

"I've missed you..." he whispers. "You don't know how worried I've been that I would never see you again."

"Leo..." I say.

He pulls back smiling. "That's it, that's what I want to hear. That sounds more like the Millia I know."

I can't contain my smile. "It looks like you've been doing well for yourself... I see your no longer chasing girls."

He laughs, a slight blush covering his pale skin as he rubs the back of his head embarasedly "Yeah, I was coming of age and I knew that I would be finding my mate soon." 

"Good, for you... I also see that you've been picking up more skills... is that a canvas I see?" I ask walking towards the easel.

As I'm walking I don't pay attention to where I'm walking and end up loosing my footing, but Leo catches me with swift reflexes and our noses are practically touching, as I look into his silvery eyes I see the moon reflected in them.

He can't be...

"Freund..." he growls.

My mate? 

I quickly remove myself from his grasp and bow before jetting out of the room, nearly crashing into Winston on my way out.

"Hey, Amelia! what's Wrong?" he asks.

"It's nothing. I've got to go!" i say moving past him.

I don't pay attention to where i'm going until i'm sure that i'm completely alone, catching my breath I try and control my shaking.

I did not just find my mate.

I did not.

And it is certainly not the crown prince!

"By the Goddess..." I mutter.

"Konigin?" asks a familiar voice.

I turn around to see Bridge standing there.

"Are you alright?"

I wipe my eyes furiously. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Can I talk to you?"

I nod, and pat the empty spot next to me. He takes a seat his arms propped on his elbows.

"What's going on?"

"Are you happy to be back with us?" he asks.

My brow wrinkles in confusion to the point that I can feel it. "Of course, why would you ask something like that?"

"Because you left... and ever since that night, I've gone through every single scenario in my head that could be the reason you left. But none of them made sense, so, I came to one conclusion that it was something we did." he looks up at me with bright green eyes full of unshed tears. "Tell me what we did, please!"

I gather him into my arms. "Oh, my Kleine Prinz, you're overthinking everything as usual, none of you did anything to make me leave... never ever think that."

"Then why?"

"I guess I wanted to get away from it all... I was stressed about everything, so I decided to leave... it was very cowardly of me." I decide to switch the conversation. "How about you and Jewels I've seen the way you've been looking at her... does she know?"

His ears immediately get covered in a blush and he looks away from me, and he soon goes on to tell me that he didn't know what I was talking about.

Sorry, guys... a little longer.

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Hey people! a little treat for you as the crown prince makes his appearance in the most unexpected way possible! I hope you enjoyed, and always don't forget to comment and vote I appreciate it! until next time! ^_^/

The song above is entitled Here to Stay from the Bleach anime soundtrack.

-Flowereader230