The Royal Beta

Ch. 19 - Emmaline

Chapter 19 - Emmaline

It had been dead silent ever since the revelation of the rogues' - or rather the chosen luna queens' families' - targeting the destined queen was spoken out loud. But rather than dread, Emma felt relieved to have finally shared her theory and suspicions. If only she could say the same for the others present in the room, but they all seemed shell-shocked.

Emma watched king Geoffrey get up from her father's leather chair and started to pace. She knew hearing her theory of who might be plotting against him and Aryana could not have been easy for him at all. After all, chosen luna queen Liza - king Geoffrey's mother - had had a family and true mate before mating with former king Alan, too. For all they knew it might have been her family out there as well. That must have been hard for him, too. Now there was a possibility a possible half-brother or half-sister he had never met, could be out there plotting against him for something he had had no say in.

"I don't fully understand, though," Tim the youngest guard spoke up. Emma wondered just how old he was. Would he be older or younger than her? And she then realised she had never asked Dante for his age. Her eyes shot to him in curiosity. He was definitely older than her. But still he was as mysterious as ever. What did she know of him?

His name was Dante Hall, but did he have a middle name? She couldn't say. He was the royal beta and had been for four years now; she could remember when a new king took over because king Alan had silver poisoning. His mother was the one who told him about true mates when he was only three years old, and he had loved her - or the idea of her - ever since. He had waited to find her for a very long time. And he had acted on instinct when he had marked her the moment they met - as had she, obviously. He got jealous of males who were close to her. He smelled of freshly fallen rain. His touch was confident, as was his physique. His eyes were dark brown and warm and inviting. His wolf was caramel brown, a perfect resemblance of his hair. And his shampoo smelled nice - delicious, in fact.

But all those things, Emma realised, were superficial. What did she really know about him? That he wasn't judgemental? His endless persuasion to have her stop blaming herself for what happened to Aryana years ago was proof of that. He was compact and practical, if his overnight bag was anything to go by.

And it came to her that she had been right the afternoon after they had mated: she had been too premature when saying she loved him. Only now that she had said it, she didn't want to take it back. That would break his heart, and hers, too. But she understood now that she had been drunk on the idea of love. She had never thought she would get even a chance on having a mate and there he was. Dante Hall, as charming and polite as they come. Of course she would think she loved him. Never before had someone made her feel that way. And the mate bond only attested to that.

Her appreciation for his affection and his interest had her confused. She had foolishly interpreted it as love, because she didn't know what 'love' truly entailed. How could she know? At only twenty years old? She didn't even know the guy!

But he was hers and she was his and she would honour that. She liked him. And she was extremely attracted to him. She was also glad he turned out to be her mate. That much she was sure of. And she still trusted the moon goddess' decision in pairing them. She just wished she had taken more time before blurting out the famous and most dreaded 'L' word. Because, blurting it out right after they had sex hadn't been the way she had imagined to say it.

Could she be honest with Dante and tell him about her doubts? Also, there was so much he did not know about her yet. And so much she had to learn about him; what was his favourite breakfast? Did he enjoy listening to music? What was his favourite colour?