A Rejected Princess (Completed)

Chapter Eighteen

Asher

After Eve's breakdown, I held her on the bed for almost an hour. It was calming. Having my mate in my arms. Knowing that she was safe. It made me feel at ease. "Can you help me put it on?" Eve asked and held up her locket.

I gently took the necklace and pushed her hair to the right side of her neck. I clasped the necklace and kissed her shoulder. She shivered and I smirked against her skin.

"You know-" kiss. "I really-" kiss. "Really-" kiss. "Want to-" kiss. "Mark you." I parted my lips and ran my tongue along her skin.

"Asher," Eve whispered breathlessly.

"Yes?" I asked innocently.

"We should head back now," my mate suggested.

I kissed the sensitive space between her neck and shoulder where I would eventually mark her. "That's not what you really want, is it?" I questioned.

"No," she said instantly, then cursed at herself and groaned. "Let's just go," she decided. I smiled at my mate and followed her out the room. We were walking back to the castle when Brian mind-linked me.

'How's Eve?' Brian asked. As my mate, Eve is technically the Luna. So of course my Beta would be worried about her, as well as the other pack members.

'She's good. We're walking around right now,' I informed him.

'Good. When's she meeting the pack?'

I gently grabbed Eve's hand and pulled her closer to me. "Do you wanna meet my pack?" I asked, straight-forward.

"Sure."

"Really?" I inquired. I thought she would want to wait a while.

She's been through a lot these past few weeks- I'm to blame for that. I thought meeting the pack would just add onto the stress. "Yeah. We're mates, so I would have to meet them eventually," she said with a shrug. I pulled her to a stop and turned so we were face to face. "What?" she questioned.

"You just said we're mates," I beamed at her.

"So?" she dragged on.

"You've just never really said it out loud," I said and continued to walk again. She practically denied me as her mate after I rejected her. And I deserved it.

"When will I meet them?" Eve asked.

"Whenever you're ready."

*****

Genevieve

When we got back to the castle, Asher walked me to my room. We agreed that I would meet the pack tomorrow. Its Friday, so we can stay for the weekend. I figured that Matthew could get out the castle, so we're gonna take him with us. Asher went to his guest room, and I fell asleep.

I woke up around five a.m. Since we're taking Matthew with us, we have to drive to the pack house. I quickly got changed and went into my little brother's room. He was still sleeping with his leg hanging out of the toy story covers.

Deciding not to wake him, I put a hoodie on him and carried him out the room. I grabbed the duffle bag that had the clothes and Matthew's backpack that had his toys. I went to Asher's room and knocked on the door.

Asher opened the door. He was already dressed and had a duffle bag on his shoulder. "Ready?" I nodded and started walking away, but I dropped Matthew's backpack. Asher chuckled as I failed to pick up the bag. "Here," he said as he took the duffle bag as well as Matthew's backpack.

"Thanks," I whispered. He nodded in response and we went to the car. I buckled Matthew in the seat while Asher put the bags in the trunk. I quickly mind-linked Ryan and told him that we were leaving.

I sat in the passenger's seat while Asher drove. I wanted to stay awake, but I kept yawning and my eyes struggled to stay open. Asher noticed and grabbed a wool blanket from the back seat.

He placed it around me and told me to sleep. I shook my head with another yawn. "Just sleep. I'll wake you up when we enter the territory," he said softly.

I nodded and looked back at Matthew. "Wake me up if he wakes up too," I said. Asher nodded and I fell asleep again.

*****

"Eve" Asher cooed and gently shook me. I groaned and covered my face with the blanket. "Eve... The pack house is a few minutes away," he informed me.

I slowly lifted my head up and rubbed my eyes. I turned around and saw Matthew still sleeping. "What time is it?" I asked while stretching my arms in front of me.

"7:30," Asher answered. I nodded and we fell into a relaxing silence, until Asher decided to open his mouth. "I told the pack that I'm introducing the Luna tonight," Asher blurted.

"You what?!" I exclaimed. Matthew mumbled and stirred in his sleep. "You what?!" I whisper-yelled.

A ceremony?! We haven't even fixed everything between us, now he wants me to just help him lead a pack.  We haven't even talked about it. How am I supposed to be Luna and Queen? How is he supposed to be Alpha and King? I can't lead a pack and be a Queen. That's too much. Too dangerous. If someone found out that I'm Queen, they would come after the pack. They would use the pack to get to me. I don't want them to get hurt because of me.

"I didn't tell them who you are yet. I just set up the ceremony. The pack will come and a few Alphas from neighboring packs," Asher informed me.

"I'm gonna be a Luna and a Queen?" I said slowly. How will I manage doing that?!

Asher grabbed my hand in his and drove with his left hand. "I don't want to give up my pack. I know that's a lot of responsibility, but we can figure it out," he declared. So he'll have to balance being an Alpha and being a King.

Well, at least we're in the same boat. "Okay. Just don't tell them that I'm a Royal."

"But they'll see it when we complete the ceremony," he reminded me.

During a Luna ceremony, the pack introduces themselves to the Luna. Then they all shift and howl. Like in Lion King, but we howl instead of roaring.

"Can we just do that some other time?" I asked sweetly. Asher kept his eyes on the road and shook his head. "Look, its not that I don't want to be Luna," I assured him. "I just think its dangerous."

"My pack won't hurt you," he stated.

"I'm not worried about them hurting me. If word gets out that the future Queen is a Luna, people will come after the pack. I don't want them to get hurt," I explained.

"No one is gonna get hurt," Asher said as we turned onto the driveway. "We don't have to complete the ceremony tonight."

Asher parked and turned off the car. I unbuckled my my seat-belt and leaned over the center console to hug my mate. The tingles started on my skin, causing me to smile. "Thank you," I whispered to Asher.

"You're welcome. Let's go inside. Brian has been waiting for me to bring you back," he informed me with an eye-roll.

I chuckled and got Matthew out the car. The three of us walked into the pack house. Brian ran downstairs and hugged me. "Thank the Goddess you're okay!" he exclaimed.

"Shh!" I motioned to Matthew. Brian mouthed 'sorry'. I nodded and asked where the guest bedroom is. Asher led me upstairs to the second floor. He had a guest room set up for me and Matthew. We are in the room across from his.

I put Matthew in the bed and left the door open. We went back down stairs to Brian. "Who's the kid?" Brian asked.

"My little brother, Matthew," I said. Brian kept asking questions about Matthew, which I answered with a few words. Then, he left to get his mate. Asher and I went into his office and talked about random things.

He has a younger sister, who lives with his aunt. His mom was killed by rogues, and his dad couldn't survive without his mate. Needless to say, I avoided all topics about family after that. We talked for hours, we stopped when the door opened. "Baby!" a girl squealed.

I watched as the familiar red head sauntered over to my mate and kissed him.